Artist Advocate Gallery Interview:
Jim Janes and Mark Smith, Greenhouse Gallery, San Antonio, Texas
 
In the interest of offering our readers insights and perspective into galleries, we plan to feature discussions with a successful gallery owner in each issue. —The Editor


Artist Advocate: Can you share the story of how you got into the art gallery business?
Greenhouse Gallery: The beginning of our gallery business was totally unplanned and unintentional. We had a small but successful framing gallery, and we had admired some original watercolors that one of our regular clients continued to bring in to frame. One day he asked if we would like to hang some of the artist's work on the wall and see if it might sell. We looked at each other and said, "Why not?" That was the beginning of our gallery business — one watercolor artist from Floresville, Texas.
We have always been guided to do what we need to do, when we need to do it. I often say "It was meant to be," because things constantly happen that were not consciously planned by us. And the rest of the story is 27 years of history.
 
Artist Advocate: What are your keys to success in the gallery business?
Greenhouse Gallery: The reasons we've been relatively successful will sound rather simplistic and trite. Our formula is long hours, hard work, common sense, and good judgment. However, there are some key underlying components in that formula. Honesty, integrity, and quality have been an important part of every decision we've made and each question we've answered. Never do anything you can't afford, but be willing to take risks when the odds are strongly in your favor. Our working philosophy is to welcome everyone and take advantage of no one. Our artists and clients are our friends; they trust us and know that we'll be fair and honest with them. This philosophy will work for any business, individual, family, city, state, or country.
 
Artist Advocate: What are the keys to marketing a gallery?
Greenhouse Gallery: Good marketing for any business should include developing a recognizable image and keeping in front of your audience as much as you can afford.
 
Artist Advocate: What drives your advertising philosophy?
Greenhouse Gallery: The philosophy that drives our advertising is derived mainly from these two questions: Who or what do we need to advertise? and Where can we afford to advertise? When planning a specific ad, we ask: Can we afford not to do this ad?
We also factor in the possible short- and long-term returns from the ad. We need a reasonable amount of sales and cash flow from an artist before we can make a commitment for ads. If an artist is spread too thin in too many galleries, then we can't afford to advertise that artist. We rarely advertise to sell a specific work of art, although in some instances that is necessary. Usually, it's done for recognition gained from long-term repetition, or to announce an upcoming event.
 
Artist Advocate: What are the keys to excellent artist relationships?
Greenhouse Gallery: The relationships we have with our artists stem from the general operating procedures mentioned above. They always know what to expect, and that we will treat them fairly. They know what our payment schedule is, and trust that they will be paid on time. We encourage them to develop a pricing structure that they and we can live with and honestly justify.
We've never asked an artist to consider taking less than the established price for a work. This would be the highest form of insult; if it is not worth the marked price, then it should have been marked at the lower price originally. We require that an artist's prices be the same wherever they are represented.
 
Artist Advocate: Can you share the strategies you employ to keep your business healthy?
Greenhouse Gallery: In a tight economy, it takes a lot of courage to do what you need to do. When the forecast is doom and gloom, the tendency is to cut back on everything, and some expenses and risks should certainly be reduced. However, cutting back in the wrong areas will only make the dire predictions come true. We are advertising even more than is normal for us. Again, our advertising is based on what we need to do and what we can't afford not to do. We want to be out there in front of our audience. If they see anyone, we want it to be us!
In addition to advertising, there are two other sides to our three-sided coin of success. Artists get scared, and with good reason. However, this is not the time for them to slow down and stop production! They must be encouraged to work harder than ever to be the very best they can be. New works must be so irresistible that collectors will experience a need they can't resist. Keep a steady flow of new work coming to the gallery, because without new work we have no reason to continue to call an artist's customer base.
 
Artist Advocate: Tell me about your annual Salon show. Why do you do it? How does it benefit you?
Greenhouse Gallery: Our Salon International exhibit is a project of the International Museum of Contemporary Masters that we founded back in 2000 and is currently sponsored and hosted by our gallery. The major goal of Salon International is to encourage and challenge artists worldwide to continuously strive for artistic excellence. Both the exhibit and the International Museum of Contemporary Masters are a support system for artists and the galleries that represent them. An important part of that system is creating an opportunity for international exposure and recognition that many would not otherwise have. We are constantly thanked by artists for the benefits they have received from participating. In addition to the great satisfaction we receive from helping the artists, the exhibit provides us with a source for new artists.
 
Artist Advocate: What trends are you seeing in art sales?
Greenhouse Gallery: Collectors today are more knowledgeable, more sophisticated, and more interested in learning about the artists and the painting process than collectors in the past. Instead of decorating their walls, they're adding to their collections.
 
Artist Advocate: Can you share your proactive online strategy?
Greenhouse Gallery: Our online strategy is just another opportunity to keep our name and our artists in front of collectors. We do anything we can to give collectors more reasons to go to our website on a regular basis. Of course, the most exciting thing for collectors is a constant flow of new works. Some are known to go to our website several times a day, because they don't want to miss new artworks coming into the gallery.
 
Artist Advocate: How do you introduce a new artist to your customers?
Greenhouse Gallery: The first requirement is that we believe wholeheartedly in the artistic qualities represented by the artist's work — even when others may not.
For example, in 1995 we agreed to host the National Juried Exhibit of Oil Painters of America. The National Board juried the exhibit, but we agreed to host the event only if we could also jury the exhibit, as the success of the event would be determined by its content. That year, Mian Situ, an unknown artist living in Canada, sent an entry and was juried out of the exhibit by the Board. When we saw the entries we immediately juried him back in to the exhibit. His painting won Best of Show. We invited him into our gallery and introduced him to this country. We advertised his work in major publications without a single response — but we believed in him. The last three exhibits we held for him were sold only by draw, and all paintings in the exhibits sold within 30 minutes. Today, Mian Situ is one of the most respected and sought-after names in the art world.
How much do we believe in our judgment? How strong is our commitment? The excitement created by that sincere inner belief — or the lack thereof — will be picked up by the collector, and our success will be in direct proportion to our belief in the artist. Whether or not a particular collector will be interested in the new artist can usually be determined by their past purchases.
 
Artist Advocate: What advice do you have for gallery owners who want to grow?
Greenhouse Gallery: I would ask two questions: Are you in a position to grow? and How well are you taking care of the artists you already represent? The first step may be to do a better job for those artists already represented. The second step would be to search for artists who need representation, then add as many as you can handle and still do a good job for them. There are, literally, thousands of good artists seeking representation, as well as guidance in building their careers. Search the fine art trade journals. Search the many juried exhibits. Locate those you can get excited about and fall in love with! Do not look at other galleries for new artists; there are plenty to go around. Put in the time and find those who will fit into the personality of your gallery. Expansion doesn't mean opening a new location and multiplying your expenses, unless your situation demands it.
 
Artist Advocate: What are the most important lessons you've learned?
Greenhouse Gallery: We must have the courage and strength to stand firm on the principles, convictions, and policies that we chose as our operational guidelines. This is not an easy task, as there are always those who are determined to pry you off your position.
Even trying as hard as we can to do the right thing, we've had to realize that there are times, although rare, when it's not possible to please everyone. There are those who can't be pleased, and who don't possess as much integrity as they should. In this situation, whether it be a client, an artist, or a gallery, it becomes necessary to cut the ties and move on.