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by moviemakers Kevin Smith and Scott Mosier—inspired a recent hardcover art book from Titan Books. "Pop culture is defi nitely our niche," says Cromwell, "and we seek out artists who truly love pop culture and are heavily infl uenced by it. T at passion comes across in the work, rather than it seeming forced." At Santa Fe's POP Gallery (www.
popsantafe.com), the name says it all. "POP Gallery features new brow con- temporary established and emerging artists from around the world," says owner Sharla T rockmorton-McDow- ell. "Our vision is rooted in providing art lovers with a thought-provoking al- ternative. Rising from the underground world of tattooing and graffi ti, comics, cartoons, pop art, illustration and sur- realism, the work showcased feeds off the blend of infl uences and energies well cemented in today's culture."
2
Change or die. Fact: T e art in- dustry is evolving. Which means that the rules for success are
changing, too. Whether you're an artist, publisher, curator or gallery owner, you need to be prepared to embrace these changes, even if it means re-thinking the way you've done business in the past. "Our gallery here in Atlanta con- tinues to do very well," says Smith. "In fact, our retail business is better than it's been in years due to new marketing ideas, including themed gallery events/ exhibits, charity partnering, increased magazine advertising, private e-auc- tions for collectors, creating new mer- chandise (our Ford Smith Art Glass) and more." Just as no two artists are the same,
neither are any two art galleries. Don't be afraid to partner up with other gal- leries in order to reach a wider potential
"I LOVE THE ART GALLERY BUSINESS, BUT IT IS A BUSINESS FIRST AND FOREMOST. AND ART HAPPENS TO BE THE PRODUCT."
Slaymaker Gallery's own Venus de Milo
client base. "We have enjoyed several highly successful collaborations with other galleries and upscale businesses to create events for our combined clientele, which exponentially raised both awareness and sales," says Smith. "T e most recent being our partner- ship with a Mercedes-Benz dealership... where we created a Ford Smith exhibit in their showroom and they hosted a catered event for their clients and our collectors." T ink about the diff erent businesses
in your area—luxury car dealerships, high-end realtors, art museums, etc.— and the unique ways in which you might be able to work together in a mutually benefi cial fashion. "Cross- promotions are among our favorite new methods of gaining new audiences," says Smith, "and we spend a great deal of time and energy building relation- ships with like-minded businesses."
3 New York City's Arnot Gallery has been in the same location for more than 55 years 56
Forget about the bottom line... but don't forget you're running a business.
You don't open an art gallery with the expectation of not seeing a profi t,
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
