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A pig, a sailboat, and Willie Nelson:How I find a painting

Ms. Terry Rafferty · Jun 13, 2016 · 3 Comments

"Forlorn" by Terry Rafferty — “Forlorn”
by Terry Rafferty

I often hear artists lament “I don’t know what to paint”. Of all the painting crises I face, I am relieved to say that that is one problem I don’t have. I have lists of title ideas, cupboards bursting with objects begging to be picked, and more ideas in my head than I will ever have time to paint. I think the reason I find it easy to be inspired is that I know why I paint, and I believe that knowing why I am painting directly led to creating “Stargazer” and to its winning Best in Show at OPA’s Eastern Regional Exhibition last fall.

My life as a painter started in an adult education class I took on a whim. I painted a flower from a photo and had a teacher who literally guided my hand. The result was awful, but I was hooked. For awhile I painted flowers, then figures, working from photos. I tried my hand at landscapes and portraits.After a while I stumbled on an online class for still lifes. Still life? Um, boring?? But I took that class, and it turned out that painting still lifes opened up a huge world for me. I like to tell stories. I began experimenting with how objects could talk to one another. I started with just a few objects – what’s the story behind an orchid paired with a cactus? Is it a botanical ugly duckling? A story of privilege, or personality? Could I use the teacup I just shattered to talk about possessions, or inheritance? Much of my work began to use animal figurines: a pig with a package of bacon, a polar bear anxious about where he will live. I found my voice as a painter – I am a storyteller.

"Stargazers Pillow" by Terry Rafferty — “Stargazers Pillow”
by Terry Rafferty

As a storyteller I use figurines to explore how we, as humans, relate to the rest of existence as well as to each other. Sometimes I start with a specific idea, and sometimes the story develops as I play with the objects. Much of it is very personal, ‘Stargazers’ in particular. I had painted this pig and dog several times, and had them both out, trying different compositions.Unsuccessful, I set them aside to put away.Next time I looked at them there it was: the two of them side by side, pig leaning ever so slightly into dog. Such a harmony of souls. So, I had my characters. Next was to decide on the background. Dark seemed best for the pink and white of the figures. A navy blue pillow was at hand: a perfect color that made me think of night skies.

The final element came when Willie Nelson’s version of Stardust Memories came on a song I had listened to endlessly while on a sailboat crossing the Pacific with my husband. I brought together the figures, the night sky, and the stars, and there it was: Inspiration. This is how it usually happens; stories rarely come fully formed, but one idea can lead to the next and build into something perfect.

"Stargazers Stage"by Terry Rafferty — “Stargazers Stage”
by Terry Rafferty

The process was next: Using tape and foam core I built a three-sided stage and draped navy blue fabric around it. To create the night sky I stuck silver stars from the drugstore on the fabric background, but I felt it could go further. I used tape and sewing thread to crisscross the top of the stage and then added threads hanging down with stars on the end. I placed the pig and dog into the three-dimensional set and started to work on the lighting. I wanted to create the sense of nothing but the world and sky and the figures existing. Setting the light low and to the side felt right and brought in the magic of the night sky: starlight so grand that you are wrapped in it.

"Stargazers" by Terry Rafferty — “Stargazers”
by Terry Rafferty

With both the idea and the set-up fully developed, painting this image was pretty straightforward. I did have difficulty with a section on the dog and decided to wet-sand it back, something I had never done before. That was an amazing revelation – it opened up bits of underlying layers that were so interesting! To retain the effect, I continued working in thin transparent glazes. At the end, to get the sky to be atmospheric, I scumbled in some nebulae.

Not every idea works out so completely, and certainly not every painting comes out as well as I envisioned it. But I believe that if you start with an understanding of why you want to paint (in my case to tell stories, but it could be to record beauty or light or…) and then take the seed of an idea and develop it until it’s a clear concept, you will successfully find your own voice as a painter and discover a never-ending source of inspiration for your works. So find your story, get out your brushes, and let’ s paint!

Painting is like Swimming: It’s easy when done right

Rick Delanty · May 23, 2016 · 5 Comments

To float like a cloud, you have to go to the trouble of becoming one.
-Robert Genn, Canadian painter

“I’m in the zone!”
“This painting practically painted itself!”
“I found the sweet spot in this one!”
“FINALLY—I didn’t over-work it!”
In artists’ studios all across the English-speaking world, these thoughts are being expressed, either verbally or internally, on a daily basis (and in many other languages in different homelands). Ultimately, painters everywhere want their “work” to be invisible, for their efforts to seem effortless, so that the work looks masterful. The idea is that it would be clear to everyone that the artist has mastered the medium, and not vice versa.
I had the privilege to witness a painting demonstration by the master of portraiture Quang Ho. The block-in unfolded rapidly– the color palette defined the structure initially and efficiently. With every passing moment, the figure on the canvas revealed more and more of the spirit of the seated model, until—finally–Master Ho dashed in the final stroke of blazing white light for the shirt-front, that at once illuminated the face and finished the painting! Gasps from the audience were audible. His was an inspiring display of confidence, knowledge, and skill.
But it doesn’t always work that way. Even professional ballplayers don’t bat a thousand, or hit every three-pointer. Sometimes it’s just a lot of work. What’s the most efficient way to create an effortless—looking painting, despite its complexity?

If people knew how hard I worked to achieve my mastery, it wouldn’t seem so wonderful after all.
–Michelangelo Buonarroti

Of course, there is no “efficient” way to become a master. Think of well-known artists, actors, musicians, singers, athletes, doctors, teachers… anyone who is accomplished in their vocation. Now say these two words aloud: “overnight…success.”

We both know this is an oxymoron. Anyone who is good and great at what they do has worked long (usually unseen and un-rewarded) hours to get there, to the point where they wanted to be. They had a plan to get there, stayed focused on that plan, and divided and dedicated their available time to implement that plan, despite setbacks, self-doubt, and social judgment. A behind-the-scenes look into their backgrounds would reveal (many) failures to achieve desired goals, disappointments and rejection. But in those personal histories we would also find the will to succeed “no-matter-what.” Mustering self-discipline and courage was Step One on the road to accomplishment and mastery. As artists, we need to decide that we want to work, because we want to learn, experiment, and experience all that we are and who we want to become. As art critic Carter Ratcliff says, “Talent counts for much, but effort counts for more.”

Nobody’s a natural: you work hard to get good, and then you work hard to get better.
–Paul Coffey

Humility is a virtue to be greatly desired by artists. By now we know that no one comes into this world fully formed “from the brow of Zeus,” so to speak. Everyone is formed and developed from childhood through adulthood by innate personality, family, environment, and circumstances. And no matter how aged or seasoned we become, we find out that nobody knows it all. We need to learn the fundamentals, experiment with what works and what doesn’t, and learn from those who have already been there. And after we’ve worked for thousands of hours, our education will reveal a new way—our way—that will send us on the road to greater mastery over what we do. The understanding that we will never “know it all” is the fuel for our own passion to seek further, dig deeper, and create even more accomplished work.

Art is not delivered like the morning paper; it has to be stolen from Mount Olympus.
–Wayne Thiebaud

Seeking, digging, creating: these are “action”-words, suited to astronauts, adventurers, and artists. That “effortless” result we want will come via a ton of work, of trial-and-error experiments, failed forays and launches into the unknown. And it will come with big doses of pain. Have you had the experience of watching gallery-goers come into a room where one of your paintings is installed, and they all walk by it—without even a glance?! You just want to shout across the room, “Hey, that’s my painting! I worked hard on that! You’re not just going to walk right by it, are you?!” I’ve found that perhaps a healthier response is to use that indifference to take more risks, try something different than I’ve been doing, and to use my imagination to–as Francis Schaeffer writes– “fly beyond the stars.” It doesn’t even matter if my artwork appears to be effortlessly-painted, if there is no substantive idea behind it. Joseph Paquet www.joepaquet.com, that masterful artist, advises us in this way: “If you want to be remarked about, be remarkable.”

The object isn’t to make art, it’s to be in that wonderful state which makes art inevitable.
–Robert Henri

Whether you consider yourself to be a professional or amateur, you create art for your own reasons. Some will say that they create art for a living; others will say that they make art to share with others, and to share their appreciation for life; others will confide that they create art as a release from life’s pressures, and to center themselves. All of us would love to get to the level of enjoying it for the experience of doing it, and just not working so hard at it, to “get it right.”

Swimming is like that. I love to swim, and as a near-daily workout I find it to be simultaneously stimulating, relaxing, inspiring, and enjoyable. I have taught swimming and stroke-development, and can attest that every beginner (even those who want to learn) do not take to it “like a fish takes to water.” Some are anxious; some are fearful; some are terrified; and there are those who just want to throw themselves in the pool and work out the mechanics later. None of these attitudes are conducive to mastering swimming skills. There are fundamentals to be introduced, a sequence to learning the skills, trust in the process and self-discipline to be fostered, and mainly a decision to continue until the desired mastery is achieved. The correct state of mind is everything: all who want to learn how to swim can learn to swim. Beyond that, to be competitive, a swimmer will be putting in thousands of yards in the pool. So art is like swimming: it’s easy if you do it right. But how?

I’d like to leave you with some thoughts that I’ve had over my last thirty-five years of painting, in my countless attempts to improve my work, and to perhaps someday achieve that Olympian goal of mastering my medium. We all want to “do it right,” to achieve our visions in and for our painting. I hope this will help someone who is wondering if they will ever be able to swim to the other side. For those who are halfway across the pool, I hope that hearing these again may help to keep us on course.

Put away self-doubt, as far as the east is from the west.
Accept from the outset that you will not do this perfectly.
Learn the Basics. Take time to learn from a mentor, to save you wasted hours in the ignorance of tried-and-true practices.
Examine your use of time, and set aside time consistently to paint—and DRAW!
Say no sometimes.
Say yes to painting all of the time!
Make a plan to achieve your goal. Write down the steps; make a calendar.
Be organized, in your work space, on your palette, in your life.
Put in the time to try; and KEEP trying!
In your painting, don’t do as much, and as many un-related things.
Don’t equate speed, or activity, with efficiency.
Don’t include the world in your paintings. Listen to Matt Smith when he says” If you think your painting needs something, leave something out.”
DO put down your brushstrokes and leave them there (all of them!)
Approach each painting in humility. Leave the world behind. Start anew, above and beyond old baggage. “Create in me a clean heart…and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51.
Above all: Play. Appreciate. Wonder. Enjoy.

I send my very best to you, for your best efforts in your best paintings.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Kim Carlton · Jan 31, 2016 · Leave a Comment

It’s not that I’m unimpressed by raindrops on roses or whiskers on kittens. It’s just that my favorite things are the things that help me simplify and strengthen my paintings. I have a handy bag that carries a few of my favorite things, stowed together with my painting gear in my backpack. In the back pocket of it are my idea-catchers and planning tools, kept handy for sketching out inspiration before I break out and set up my painting gear. In the right pocket, you can see my moleskine sketchbook and drawing tools. In the left pocket is my super-awesome MVP.
Developed by Peggi Kroll Roberts, the MVP is a tool that consists of a Mirror, a Value viewer, and a painting Planner. They come in a protective bag and are attached to a lanyard, which allows you to have the MVP around your neck while you are out in the field.

Presented in a 9×12 format, the planner is outlined in black to help you see the subject in isolation. The grid allows you to plan strategic “sweet spots” in a balanced, well-composed painting. It is helpful to have the same ratio (9×12) plotted out on page or canvas for ease of transfer. I travel with a variety of canvases, but normally use 8×10 or 9×12 as they are easy sizes for scaling up in the studio.
The way I normally use my planner is sandwiched together with the value viewer. This allows me to very quickly see likely candidates for a painting, as these two work as a team to show the simplicity and strength of good light and shadow patterns.

The mirror is a good tool to affirm a composition choice and will also come in very handy later, when the painting is in progress. Looking at the subject upside-down in the mirror or viewing the painting and the subject together in the mirror will miraculously show the painter where weaknesses are. Also—and this is extra—it can be used to signal the search helicopter if you get lost, and let you check to make sure you look fabulous before they come to your rescue! I need to remember to tell Peggi that she should include that in the write-up (note to self).
You will see, when you begin viewing the world through the dark red Plexiglas, how easy it is to create your perfect notan (portrait and figurative painters may want to try a green viewer, but the red viewer is perfect for the landscape painter).

This is a scene from the east coast of Florida, made into an abstract design just by applying the red filter!
The next step will be to plan out a painting, either directly on canvas or—in my case here—in a sketchbook.

The MVP makes capturing the essence of a rapidly-changing scene much easier by literally framing and filtering it down to a wonderful design. I spent about an hour on the whole plan, including the strategy sketch and the transfer to my canvas. It’s amazing how much more smoothly the painting process goes when you have confidence in the plan and structure that underlies it. Having the right tools to simplify our job will go a long way toward the creation of stronger paintings.
If you are interested in learning more about the MVP and the other great tools that Ray and Peggi Kroll Roberts have created for artists, visit them at www.krollroberts.com and click on the Shop tab. Work smarter, not harder, so you can just paint your joy!

Working Out The Kinks of Water-Mixable Oils

Christine Lashley · Jan 10, 2016 · 46 Comments

I paint with both water-mixable oils and traditional oils, and I get a wide variety of responses when people discover this. Everything from rude negativity (“what crap is that?”) to nods from those in the know (“I use them too, aren’t they great!”). It’s rather funny, as most art supplies don’t have groupies or naysayers like this… The lovers and the haters of water-mixables.
You would think there would be a safe middle ground, but unfortunately, outright suspicion of water-mixable paints (oil and water shouldn’t mix, right?); or rejection of new science as bogus, can make artists retreat to tried-and-true materials. But technological advances have given us: lightfast pigments, more colors, and safer paint than ever before. The old masters would KILL to have our paint choices, I’m sure. So, let’s take another look at water-mixable paints with an open mind.
Water-mixable oils (also known as water-miscible or water-soluble) can be a great asset to oil painters if you know some secrets to get started. I’ve had more than one artist friend confess they tried them, but ‘tossed them all out’ wondering why anyone likes them at all. However, if used correctly, you will see why many artist’s are very excited about these paints.

What’s Not To Love?
 Water-mixable oils sound great: artist-grade pigments, easy clean-up, no solvent needed. They also dry faster in general than traditional oils thus great for travel, or under-painting with ‘lean’ layers.
Looking Past the Label: A Little Science Lesson
Yes, they are ‘real’ oils, just like traditionally formulated ones. Water-mixable paints in the tube contain no water, only oil/binder, pigment, and additives such as resin or emulsifiers. The big factor for most people is understanding how this ‘oil and water’ idea even can work. However, there is solid science behind the paint which has been around since 1990. Different brands of paint use different elements to allow the oil and water to mix. Either a fatty acid molecule in the oil has been modified or removed to allow for binding with water, or an emulsifier has been added. Sometimes it’s a mix of factors. This is not necessarily a scary thing or ‘too new’ to use without question (like genetically altered food); oil and water have been mixed for centuries to make creamy things like mayonnaise, or tempera paint, with egg as an emulsifier. Also, we must remember that artists for centuries have been experimenting with new ways to paint. Someone invented oil painting in the 15th century after all… It was not always around.
Benefits Of Water-Mixables:
Better For Your Health, as there is no need for solvent. Simply use water as your ‘solvent’ to thin the water-mixable paints and for clean up. You can tone your canvas, wipe areas out, or create a ‘watercolor’ thin under painting. Solvents are not healthy as all have a warning label, including so-called ‘green’ ones. Newer OMS solvents (Odorless Mineral Spirits) such as Gamesol still gass off harmful vapors, you just can’t smell them, unlike turpentine which has a powerful smell. Allergies to solvent can develop suddenly or gradually over time. You may not even know you have a sensitivity (this can appear as headache or fatigue; or more severely as hives, light-headedness and shortness of breath). Interestingly, solvent as a paint medium/thinner has not been in use all that long in the history of oil painting… so perhaps we should be taking a look at the archival nature of solvent in oil painting as well? But that’s another blog post I think…
Faster Dry Time. Water-mixables dry in about half the drying time of traditional oils. The paints actually have two dry times. For thin watery mixes (like a watercolor wash or canvas tone) the water evaporates rapidly and is mostly dry to the light touch in 5-10 minutes. You can still re-wet areas to wipe out or re-mix. At this stage it is possible to start more direct painting, or layering with thicker strokes. To let a thin tone or grisalle layer fully dry (via oxidation) wait at least until the next day. The thicker the paint application (the less water used), the more your dry times will increase. Paint that contains a lot of oil already such as Cadmiums can take longer to dry.
Clean Up Is Very Easy. Just use soap and water. Also great for travel.
Excellent For Layers/OK to Intermix With Other Oils. Because the paints dry quickly if you know you like to layer, you can start your artwork with water-mixable oil paints and then move into more full-paint layers, or on to traditional oils (since the dry time is more with traditional oils they are therefore ‘fatter’). You can inter-mix traditional and the water-mixables if you are painting directly. Once you cross over a 20% ratio (approximately) the water-mixable quality gets lost. You can intermix brands of water-mixable paints. Although manufactures say it’s safe to intermix these paints with other media (watercolor, acrylic, alkyd) I would be cautious here. I believe after researching this paint, that with too much mixed stuff it is hard to control the dry times of the paint layers. The only trouble I ever had with these paints was when I used Alkyd Titanium White and Quick Dry water-mixable gel medium for heavy applications of pastel whites (fine cracks developed after a few years, in a few studies done on panel).
Traditional oil paint still has it’s place, especially for those who like a long time to maneuver wet paint on the canvas. Currently my favorite way to work is to start with water-mixable in one or a few colors, and then switch to traditional oils for the longer dry time. I still paint without any solvent when using traditional oils and use a variety of techniques to get by. I freeze my brushes for the next paint session (used paint is still in the brush). If I need a clean brush I’ll dip it repeatedly in oil to free excess pigment.

Drawbacks Of Water-Mixables:
Avoiding Sticky Paint. If you are not careful with how you use the paints they can become sticky, which is very unpleasant to paint with. Avoid using the paints with a small amount of water, as they don’t thin very well with a few dots of water (to make it more viscous). Instead, a little water-mixable linseed oil or water-mixable medium will work wonders to make the paint more spreadable. Ironically, it’s fine to thin the paints with a lot of water (to make a puddle that looks like milk) to start your drawing or ‘block-in’ stage, grisalle layer, or to tone the canvas. Remember, that this watery layer should only be an under-painting. Layers that are too thin will not stand up to the ravages of time and are not archival. Some paint brands such as Cobra are inherently more creamy right from the tube, thus avoiding the sticky range for the most part.
Paints can freeze more quickly in winter conditions if you paint outside in the winter.
Rain Texture. Paints will not work well in the rain or mist (obviously), although rain can create some interesting texture effects, so this could be a good thing.
Paints can dry with a more matte finish, but a simple varnish layer, or working with a medium or a touch of oil will fix this. 
Will These Paints Last?
Remember these are ‘real’ oils (not alkyd or acrylic) and we know oils last for centuries if they are painted on a proper surface with good techniques (‘fat-over-lean,’ etc.) and cared for. Studies so far show these paints to be very archivally sound. I will say that although current and past scientific studies were referenced frequently, (I did talk to a technician who worked in a lab), no manufacture provided me with actual papers or concrete published studies with hard data. So, I’d say more sharing can be done in this arena. On a personal note, I have a painting that was done with Max (Grumbacher) paints on canvas in 1998 that has a paint film in perfect condition with no cracks or color distortion (I keep it to remind me about my early oils). It’s been carted around the country in several moves and stored in less than ideal conditions in the back room or unheated garage.
Brand Comparison/Reviews of Water-Mixable Paints:
There are several major paint manufacturers of water-mixable oil paints: Grumbacher (Max – nice, great colors, but can be stiff), Holbien (Duo – very nice, a bit more expensive) and Winsor & Newton (Artisan – can be smelly, contains only ‘hue’ colors, and has somewhat less pigment load, also can remain sticky when dry), and Royal Talens (Cobra – newer brand, very nice buttery consistency, yet some colors are ‘off’ such as the too-pale cadmium yellows and a too-strident French Ultramarine). Newer brands have come on the market: such as Weber (sOil), Lukas (Berlin), Daniel Smith, and Reeves, I have not tried these. Each brand seems to have their quirks. I use a mix of MAX, Cobra, and Duo paints.
(For full disclosure I don’t work for any paint manufacture and currently do not have any contract with any company to promote their paints.)
As you can see there is more to explore with water-mixable paints, but they do offer a wealth of choices and opportunity for the artist of today. Perhaps in time these will be the new way to paint with oils, and we will scorn the old days of when people painted with that awful toxic solvent!

The Gallery Artist Relationship – Q&A with Scott Jones

Chris Saper · Oct 19, 2015 · 5 Comments

"Harely Brown"$3,50020"x16" — “Harley Brown”
$3,500
20″x16″

Scott Jones serves as the General Manager of Legacy Galleries (Scottsdale, AZ, Jackson, WY and Bozeman MT), among the foremost of representational fine art galleries in the country, shares with OPA members some of his insights into the gallery- artist relationship. Scott spoke on this topic at the Portrait Society of America’s annual conference in Atlanta last April.
CS: Scott, would you talk about how an aspiring artist might be seen by in interested gallery?
SJ: While I can’t speak for other gallery managers or owners, I can tell you a quite a bit about how I find artists and begin to follow them.
The professional, juried shows and competitions held by organizations such as the OPA, American Impressionist Society, California Art Club, Portrait Society of America and others make it very easy for me to see the work of both established and emerging artists, since their members are already focused on high quality representational art. The artwork is fresh and current from a wide variety of artists and usually reflects their better pieces.
I spend a great deal of time reading art magazines and conducting online research in addition to watching museum venues and auctions. I find contests like the Bold Brush, Raymar Art, and the Plein Air Salon, attract scores of solid, top-quality painters in each round of their ongoing competitions. I often think I should send them thank you cards for making so much of my research so easy to come by! I saw the first painting by one of our highly successful artists on a Ducks Unlimited Art Contest webpage
Because the Scottsdale Legacy Gallery is only a few blocks from the Scottsdale Artists School, I like to take regular opportunities to visit the classrooms of instructors, some of whom are represented already by Legacy, or whose work I admire, and on occasion to meet an artist for the first time. Hosting demos in the gallery by workshop instructors has been a favorite activity of mine along with recommending artists to be invited to teach workshops. Visiting the classroom setting gives me a sense of being in the artists’ studios (which I always additionally enjoy!), and a comfortable chance to chat with participants as well. Plein Air events are another rich source for me to see current landscape artists’ work, and to do so in what tend to be lively, informal settings, with lots of spontaneous, engaging interactions.
Our own Scottsdale Salon of Fine Art was intended to create a venue for us and other galleries to discover and establish connections with new artists. I know that we have extended invitations to 2 or 3 artists from each Salon to show their work with the gallery. I was pleased that first year we held the Salon to see over a dozen other Scottsdale galleries come to preview the work and that six of the artists received invitations to show with other Scottsdale galleries. That’s a win/win for everyone. I’ve read a lot of blogs and articles about “juried events” and whether they are worth the expense and time to participate. In my opinion, artists should realistically assess the potential of who will see their artwork in that particular venue if successfully juried in – prospective collectors, other galleries, and other artists.
When I find/see artists who interest me, I’ll put them on my “artist to watch list” which is my own private tickler file of artists including shows, websites and specific pieces. I started this file over 25 years ago and frequently refer back to it and add to and delete from it. And no. I don’t publish it so you may not know if you are anartist I like to follow.

CS: Of course we all think it would be fabulous to actually be sought out by a gallery, but as a practical consideration in running our own businesses, how do we, as artists, most successfully get our work in front of you?
SJ: First, spend the time to investigate whether a particular gallery is a good fit for the type of work you do. And inquire as to what format a particular gallery wants to see – digital images, forms, hard copy, etc.
Never submit your work the same week as a big gallery show – instead maximize the likelihood that the gallery manager is not distracted putting out the multiple fires that can sometimes surround a big opening, attending to last minute details that need attention, that sort of thing. I personally find it difficult when an artist walks into the gallery without an appointment and asks me to look at their paintings. There is some groundwork that can be done first with that gallery.
We can receive more than fifty artist submissions in a month. So an artist really needs to get my attention with about 3-4 images, to entice me to look further – and sometimes even one powerful image can be the key. It all comes down to the art itself. Have your website regularly updated with your most recent artwork because I will look it up. I always find it puzzling that artists will submit images for consideration but not have them updated on their website. Too often the website is outdated and doesn’t reflect what the artist is currently doing.
If I am following you, I will check in often and want to see new pieces and updates on your work. If I check in a couple of times and don’t see anything new, the likelihood that I will do so again drops. If you have a gallery, it helps them if you have your site updated with new works. One other comment about websites that I see debated in blogs. I like to see pricing on websites – both artist websites and gallery websites. As a collector, I like the instantaneous feedback of having pricing available. If I see a piece that interests me, I don’t like to have to email or call for a price and wait for an answer. I also like to follow pricing trends over time. I can’t do that if the information is not readily available. Putting prices on your website reinforces your pricing structure within your galleries.
Let me add a couple of other personal thoughts on websites. I like to see tabs that take me to “current or recent” work and to keep that separate from archived work. An artist’s portfolio will always be judged by its weakest piece, so get rid of any work that doesn’t show you well. I often sign-up for an artist’s newsletter on their website. I will say that I am surprised how many artists rarely or never send out newsletters. I feel that if you are going to offer a newsletter (or promote a blog) that you should send one out every month – at least a photo and quick write-up on a recent piece. If someone takes the time to sign up, they should get regular updates. One of the artists in my personal collection puts out a newsletter on the 1st day of every month. I look forward to it. She never misses. It sets my calendar for me.
CS: We artists are constantly bombarded with social media, our inboxes flooded daily with (often expensive) opportunities for some company or another to “manage our brands” – how important is our individual social media content to you, and do you see this as a growing resource for galleries overall?
SJ: Well, I can promise you I spend a lot of time looking all over the web for information, artists, and work, and social media has become a wonderful venue for me. I follow many artists on Facebook, for example, and you can make my “surfing” easier if you regularly share your news and freshly completed work on your social media platforms. I like to see your studies, your processes and your completed work as well. Have a professional page and invite me to “like” it!

Personally, I have purchased art I saw on Facebook, Etsy and eBay – I saw a drawing last evening on Instagram that I would like to own. One thing I don’t forget is that artists also buy art! Much of our success in selling on social media has been to artists.
Well-considered social media will continue to grow as an important part of the gallery business, the artist business and the collectors’ inquiries. You don’t need to hire a team of PR experts to do a great job of setting up a website, publishing a newsletter, or writing a blog. But, however these things get done, keep in mind that spelling and grammar make a powerful first impression – especially when done poorly. Only put out high quality images – poorly photographed artwork can be worse than none at all. And remember the demographics of the collectors who are buying your work. We continue to mail out catalogs because a large share of our best collectors like to receive them. Gradually they have become more comfortable with email. And now we get them onto our website on a regular basis. It has been a transition. I had one of our best collectors tell me recently that Facebook is only used for keeping up with her grandchildren. They showed her how to use it. She had not thought of the idea of using it to look at art. That will come with time and a little prompting.
CS: There is a long history, if not actual, certainly anecdotal, about galleries going to great lengths to stop artists from competing directly with them. Can you comment on that?
SJ: I ‘m sure there are many such tales out there, quite a few of them true. It is not by accident that I have chosen to work with Legacy Gallery for so many years, because we have a have a deep mutual respect, treating artists well and fairly, and frankly, I like the ethics on both our parts. Our demands are few, and no different from conducting any reputable business: refer viewers to your galleries, and let them know specifically which pieces are consigned to which gallery. Don’t undercut your retail prices. Period. I can relate a story about an artist who decided to sell directly from his website at “wholesale’ prices – that is, the amount that he might typically get after paying a gallery commission. His gallery owner promptly notified the artist (yes, galleries do find out about stuff like this – collectors love to talk about “deals”) that the posted sales prices for all of his work in the gallery would have to be reduced to reflect the new “baseline” retail price he himself created.
Our philosophy is pretty straightforward: we want artist- gallery relationships that work successfully for both parties. We have been established for many years and have worked tirelessly to build our reputation, just as you have. And we plan to be around from many, many years to come. And we don’t need a threatening, ironclad legalese-deluged contract to make that happen; if we aren’t happy, or if you aren’t happy, it’s best to just part ways.
CS: Given the many opportunities for artists to do their own marketing, do you see this as a signal that bricks and mortar galleries will become a thing of the past?
SJ: No. Successful galleries have active marketing functions and strategies. The best galleries add a “retail” presence that goes miles beyond hanging art on a hook and holding an opening reception. You will gain credibility by who you’re “hanging with” – other top quality artists. Galleries can create a sales momentum focused on particular collector demographics, which will already reflect the kind of work that you do. Galleries have access to feature articles and editorials that individual artists may not have. I believe that brick and mortar galleries play an important role in getting people started collecting art. A lot of art is purchased today “sight unseen”, but much of that is from more seasoned collectors who have seen a particular artists work in a gallery setting. Our artists benefit from our galleries being located at the best locations in some great art destinations. We added a third gallery location in Montana because we felt that Montana presented a growing opportunity for our artists and genre of artwork to be seen by potential new collectors. So far, so good!
Our position is that a rising tide floats all boats. When we have a regular advertising presence in national, high quality publications, the artist whose show is highlighted in a given month will add credibility to the gallery, which will be built upon to ultimately showcase the show that features you.
Scott Jones describes himself as passionate “art fanatic”, having purchased his first painting at the age of sixteen, and never really stopping. The former president of Saddleman, Inc. – an automotive accessories company based in Logan, UT, with manufacturing plants in SC, OH, AZ, UT, CA, Mexico, China, and Indonesia, Scott traveled extensively and tied many of his business trips to gallery shows and museum exhibitions.
Scott Jones describes himself as passionate “art fanatic”, having purchased his first painting at the age of sixteen, and never really stopping. The former president of Saddleman, Inc. – an automotive accessories company based in Logan, UT, with manufacturing plants in SC, OH, AZ, UT, CA, Mexico, China, and Indonesia, Scott traveled extensively and tied many of his business trips to gallery shows and museum exhibitions.
“Years ago I told my daughters that they would know I was retired when I was in Jackson Hole selling artwork. That opportunity came much earlier than I expected when my favorite gallery became my employer eight years ago following the sale of our manufacturing companies. How great is that!”
Contact Legacy Gallery here or at any of its three locations:


Scottsdale, AZ 480.945.1113	Jackson, WY 307.733.2353	Bozeman, MT 406.577.2810

Or better yet, stop in see for yourself what we do.

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