Denver, Colorado
Artist Advocate: Can you share the story of how you got started in the art gallery business?
Saks Gallery: Everyone at Saks Galleries comes from an art background, making the gallery business a natural fit. Dejon Austin Malley grew up, as she says, “in an environment of appreciation for the arts.” Music, dance, and theater were all a part of her childhood.
Karen Sluss started her career at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City. She has worked in illustration, design, and fine art, and taught art in elementary school for 20 years before coming to Saks.
Mikkel and I opened our first art gallery, Denver Art Galleries, in 1978. Family history and love of fine art prompted the decision.
Artist Advocate: What are your keys to success? What strategies do you employ to keep your business healthy?
Saks Gallery:We try to change with the times, to reassess our business model and adapt to the ever-changing market.To accomplish that, we create more opportunities for potential customers to visit the gallery, such as lectures, workshops, book signings, more exhibitions, etc.
We also reach out to the community by looking closely at corporate and institutional collections, as well as connecting with designers and architects. We have hired additional employees and are doing more advertising, and we hold weekly production meetings to create goals for the week.
Artist Advocate: What is the best way to maintain excellent relationships with collectors?
Saks Gallery: Relationships with collectors must be a full-time focus. Being mindful of their personal and corporate art collections is constant — maintaining a database of purchases and preferences and assisting in the details such as hanging and lighting.
Artist Advocate:
What trends are you
seeing in the art business?
Saks Gallery: Art is a great mood lifter. We see people searching for art that evokes uplifting emotions.
While people seem to guard their dollars more closely, they still want their home to reflect their personal style and their financial success. We see more emphasis on the key locations in people’s homes, such as mantles, above sofas, dining rooms. We are also selling more three-dimensional works. We have found that educating customers on the techniques of creating sculpture and “living with sculpture’ has helped us to be more successful in selling it.
Artist Advocate: Will the art gallery as we know it be the same in five or 10 years, or will everything go online? How important has the Internet become to your business?
Saks Gallery: We believe there will always be the need for physical art galleries. The Internet is a valuable tool, but it is impossible to convey the texture, palette, emotion, etc., that goes into a work of art on the computer screen.
Artist Advocate: What advice do you have for gallery owners who want to grow?
Saks Gallery: Have a vision of what you want the gallery to look and feel like. If you’re passionate, your customers will follow. Develop strong relationships with your artists. Treat them with the highest regard. They will, in turn, give you their best work, making it easier to attract the customers.
Artist Advocate:
What are the most
important lessons you’ve learned in the art business?
Saks Gallery: To be patient, passionate and prepared.
Artist Advocate: If you were starting to collect today, what would you buy?
Saks Gallery: I would continue to buy what I like and what speaks to me. Regardless of collectibility, we must love what we live with.
Artist Advocate:
Who are your
personal favorite artists?
Saks Gallery: Van Gogh, John Singer Sargeant, Thomas Hart Benton, Nancy Switzer, Milt Kobayashi — oh, the list is too long!
