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but if your only concern is ringing up the cash register, your customers will sense it. Dollars are important at the end of the day, but the best gallerists know that it's important to build a community fi rst, then worry about the bottom line. "It's not about selling art," says gal-
lerist James Bacchi, who—alongside Annette Schutz—runs San Francisco's contemporary gallery ArtHaus (www. arthaus-sf.com), recently named Best Gallery by SFGate. "It's much more about bringing that connection to- gether... Art couldn't be any more subjective and, for some people, it is very much a need. It's not like going out and buying a suit or a car or being sold before you're even interested in something. It's about establishing that connection. Once the viewer so totally connects with what they're looking at, the acquisition just evolves; there is no selling at that point." At the same time, even when you
love what you do, it's important to never forget that you are running a business. "I work harder than most gallery owners I know," says Joe Sigel, owner of Austin's ART on 5th (www. arton5th.com), which is celebrating its 14th year in business. "We constantly innovate, we promote and advertise and we have a huge selection. I think many gallery owners treat their gallery as a showcase of their taste. I love the art gallery business, but it is a business fi rst and foremost. And art happens to be the product. I'm not an artist, I'm a entrepreneur who loves art."
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Put on a show. A little show- manship can go a long way. If you can entice people through
your doors, you might just make regu- lar buyers out of them. "One thing that helps our art gallery and frame shop is the signifi cant use of 'props,'" says
In celebration of "Girl Group," artist/Supreme Susaye Greene, greets guests at ArtHaus
Woody Slaymaker, owner of Slaymaker Gallery (www.slaymakerfi neartltd. com) in Chicago. "To a degree, these are 'gimmicks,' but they work very well." What sort of gimmicks? How about a 10-foot tall fi berglass replica of the Venus de Milo, a pair of 200-year- old ivory horses from India and three Coney Island carousel horses that have been mounted to the ceiling? "None of these items are for sale,
although some are quite valuable," says Slaymaker. Many of these "props" come with storied histories—like a globe dat- ing back to 1820, which was acquired from the Atlantic Mutual Insurance Company, insurers of the Titanic. "People come in all the time to
see these items. T en, while they are here, we show them our art and fram- ing works. Sometimes they will bring friends in to see these items, and the friend will say, 'Oh, I didn't know you did framing also. I have a map I have been meaning to frame up. Can I bring it in Sunday?' In short, people come in constantly just to see the props, and then we sell them art and framing while they are here. Any art gallery sells art and framing, and we think we have some of the best art in the nation, but it is the props that set us apart."
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Be in it for the long haul. Art is not a fl ash-in-the pan industry. Success is the result of a strong
reputation, and reputations take time to build. "Longevity in a gallery is clearly based on reputation," says Arnot Gal- lery (www.arnotart.com) vice president and partner Vicki Arnot, "especially in the art world, where one's word is every- thing." Arnot should know; founded in Vienna in 1863, the Arnot Gallery has been around for fi ve generations, and in its current location on West 57th Street in Manhattan since 1946. "We believe in bonding with our
clients and working with each client on a one-on-one basis with personal atten- tion from the owners of the gallery," says Arnot. "It is this personal relationship with our clients that creates the loyal following we have. It is quite unusual for a client to be a one-time buyer. Most of our clientele are repeat buyers look- ing to add to their art collections and they come back to our gallery time and again. T e reason is always complete trust in our gallery [and] the owners and knowing that they will never be 'sold' on any piece of art that they are not ready to commit to. Our philosophy at Arnot Gallery is to always make sure that the painting and the collector are a perfect match for each other." ABN
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Photo by Stephanie Simos
