The Thriving Christian Artist
The Thriving Christian Artist
12 Golden Nuggets from Santa Fe
What happens when your nest suddenly feels empty? Join Tanya and me as we navigate the bittersweet journey of becoming empty nesters after our son's move to Salt Lake City. We recount our thrilling travels through Moab, Arches National Park, Durango, and the artist's paradise of Santa Fe. Santa Fe’s art scene isn't just vibrant; it's the NFL of the art world. Discover essential tips on how to thrive as an artist, including the critical role of gallery location, the power of a reputable gallery, and why asking for the sale isn't just advisable—it's necessary.
Ever wondered how much your art should cost? In this episode, we dive deep into the realities of pricing art realistically and discuss the importance of gradually raising prices with your gallery partners. Relationships with galleries are more than just business transactions; they’re partnerships. I share how a simple act of friendliness in Santa Fe led to unexpected opportunities, highlighting the value of taking risks and trusting in divine timing. Plus, learn how the Created to Thrive mentoring program can nurture both your art business and faith. Tune in for actionable strategies and heartfelt advice that could transform your journey as an artist.
Join us inside the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program at http://www.matttommeymentoring.com/artmentor
Welcome to the Thriving Christian Artist, the podcast, where we hope you connect with God to bust through the roadblocks that have held you back for years, create the work you love and really live the life you know. God created you to live as an artist in His kingdom. I'm Matt Tama, your host. Let's get started. Well, hey, my friend, it's Matt. Welcome to the podcast. So glad that you're with me today. Well, hey, my friend, it's Matt, welcome to the podcast, so glad that you're with me today.
Speaker 1:Listen, over the last few weeks, tanya and I have had a little well, a little bit a lot of change in our life. Our son, cameron, actually has relocated to Salt Lake City, which we're super excited about. He's hoping to get a job at a ski resort up there and live his best life and do the next thing that God has for him, which we're super excited about. And it gave us an opportunity to do the total empty nester thing of once we got through pulling the U-Haul to Salt Lake City over two days from Texas which, by the way, if any of you have ever done that, there is nothing out there in between here and there, just about, and it is a long way. Let me tell you that. But we were able to take some time on the way back to go through moab to arches national park, which is a lot of fun, and then uh down to durango, where we actually uh ran into surprisingly to some, some old friends uh in the internet marketing world, which was a lot of fun. And then we spent two days in santa fe, somewhere that neither one of us had ever been but wanted to go because of all the incredible reputation of art that's there.
Speaker 1:And you know, if you don't know Santa Fe, I think this quote that somebody told me the other day while we were there really sums it up. We were in a gallery and talking to a gallerist about the work and artists that they have in there and she said and this gallery had been there for 40 years, so they're like one of the deepest rooted galleries in Canyon Road. And she said, matt, santa Fe is the NFL of the art world and Canyon Road is the Super Bowl. And I was like man. That is a great, great analogy. In Santa Fe, they say there are over 300 galleries in that region and so it is really a hotbed of incredible art and art collectors. And if you can make it in Santa Fe. You know your art is there. You've really, really done something, and so it reminded me a lot of Asheville. You know Asheville is really known more for fine craft and, whereas Santa Fe is really known more, in my estimation, of paintings and bronze sculptures and things like that really contemporary art. But both incredible towns.
Speaker 1:But really learned a lot and just absorbed a lot while I was there, uh, and I wanted to share, um, just some, some highlights of this. We're actually going into this a lot deeper inside of the mentoring program, uh, this week, uh, and talking a lot about what I learned, but I wanted to bring this on the podcast to you just to give you a taste of of some of the things, um, that I learned and observed and Tanya and I just talked about on our long. I think it was like 12 hour drive home just from Santa Fe, so we had a lot of time to process, but 12 things I wanted to kind of kind of bring out. And the first thing is this and you, you may have heard me say all of these things before, but they're just things that were really on my mind as we were in Santa Fe.
Speaker 1:Number one where you sell your art matters. You know the old real estate adage that says location, location, location. Uh, that is so true, and if you want to sell your art, you have to be where people are actively looking for and purchasing art. If you want to catch fish, you got to go with the fish art right, and so if you're just hanging your art anywhere, you can, but it doesn't intersect with where your ideal clients are, you're wasting your time. Number two who you sell your art with matters, because you're judged, and your art is judged by the people you sell with, just as much as the people who are selling you, the galleries that you're in and that sort of thing. So the reputation of the gallery and the area and the other artists that you're being presented with, it matters in a huge way. It raises or lowers expectations and it creates either anticipation or confusion about your work, and so you have to be thinking about that. That's why being somewhere you know, like New York, like Asheville, like Santa Fe, like you know reputable galleries it makes a difference, because it brings a higher perception of your work.
Speaker 1:Number three selling art requires setting the stage, and I think that was one of the just fun things to be able to walk down Canyon Road and see all these incredible galleries that have been there for a lot of years and you know, from lighting to placement, to wall color, to just the general ambiance. Great galleries know how to set the stage and I think great artists that are. Whether you're selling your work in a show, you know, a retail show, indoors or outdoors, or through a gallery, you got to present your art in a way that causes it to be seen and celebrated and enjoyed in a high-end way, not just slapping it up with the cheapest thing that you can and hoping, you know, for the best. Number four success requires asking for the sale. You know most of the galleries that we entered we were, we were welcomed by, uh, somebody that was a total professional, uh, super friendly and the. The conversation was always hey guys, welcome, so glad you're here. Are you, uh in the in the market for a new piece of art? Today? It immediately went to hey, you know, are you? Our intention is to sell you something. You know there there's no dancing around, dancing around the issue Are you in the market for a new piece or looking for a new piece of art or whatever? They just kind of set the stage and I think so many artists.
Speaker 1:When we're selling our work individually or in a gallery, you tend to back up from the sale, not wanting to be pushy. But listen, it's great If I'm in a gallery and I'm looking, I want to be helped. It's great if I'm in a gallery and I'm looking, I want to be helped and I. And if you're just looking, just tell people you're looking. But it really set the stage that you know we're not here just for philanthropic reasons, we're here to make a sale and we'd love to help you take home a great piece of art.
Speaker 1:In line with that number five, I would say this the best gallerists tell your story and they tell it well. You know the most impressive galleries that we went in while we were in santa fe. Uh, you know, yes, had friendly staff and all that sort of thing and, yes, talked about the sale, but they watched what pieces that we were drawn to and immediately kind of darted in and gave us some feedback on the piece, on the artist, their history, the process, the story, the piece, and that really accentuated the experience for us. It made it enjoyable and informative and it helped us build a connection with you, know us as potential buyers, with the artists, even though they weren't there. And again, I'm always you know we're always talking about that and teaching you how to to make your story better and to connect with people inside the mentoring program. But I just I would say, if you're anywhere selling your work and you're not connecting with people about the process, the origin story, the inspiration, who you are as an artist, you're missing a huge, huge place of relationship, because nobody buys art because they need it. They buy because of connection and people connect through story and so that's just a really something that was highlighted for us.
Speaker 1:You know just some, I think, some real practical things. Big art sells. Uh, although there are a lot of galleries selling smaller works and you know smaller traditional landscapes and things like that, I would say the vast majority of the work that we saw being sold in santa fe was contemporary abstract work. That was big, big, big, like you know 48 by 60, 60 by 72, even even bigger paintings, sculpture. They had big size, big impact and big price tags. And I just I always tell folks in the mentoring program it's like guys you got to remember, people that have big houses buy big art. And if you're just buying the art that you think would fit in your house, you're missing a huge opportunity. All right, just like that. You know big sales, quality sales as well.
Speaker 1:Quality matters, and that's number seven, because, regardless of the galleries that we were in in Santa Fe, every piece of art that we looked at, honestly, was just simply perfect, from the finishes to the framing. Uh, there weren't blemishes, there weren't scraps, there weren't unfinished parts, there weren't pieces that made you go, uh, did they know what they were doing with that? No, the work was presented in a way that screamed this is the highest quality, it's worth paying for, it's worth investing in. Now, this was an interesting thing for me, and I just was. It was one of the things that was really surprising in Santa Fe as a whole.
Speaker 1:Number eight most galleries represented very few artists. You know, in a world of oversaturation, it can feel like sometimes it was refreshing to see galleries that really bought into the work of as many as eight or 12, maybe 15 artists, but some even as few as four or six artists within their catalog. Every artist had a significant amount of work in the gallery in a variety of sizes, and it gave me as a buyer, and Tanya, as a buyer, you know full view of their range and style and overall aesthetic, rather than just seeing, kind of, you know, a piece of work here and there. And most of those galleries had the work collected all together for each artist. So each artist had a room or each artist had a wall or a couple of walls. That again really gave you a full, immersive view of their work.
Speaker 1:Now, because of that number nine, the competition was stiff because there are limited galleries and everybody wanted to be you know wants to be in a place like Santa Fe. Competition was absolutely stiff and you know, to be in a gallery like that, your work's got to be unique and it's got to be masterful and it's got to be desirable and it's got to have a history of sales and marketability. Again, this is the big time right. And so it was really clear to us that every artist who was featured in the galleries that we visited were either mid-career or late career. They had a strong sense of uniqueness and style and voice. They were not figuring out how to mix color and do composition. I mean, they knew what they were doing, they had honed it for years and that's why they were there and it was a joy to be in that kind of environment.
Speaker 1:A couple of other things just. Lastly, you know, all of the galleries that we went in had big signs about offering shipping, and I thought that was great because it seemed like most of the people that we were interacting with and meeting in Santa Fe were from out of town, and so the assumption was from the gallery owners that the work needed to be shipped. And so you know, for you and for me as individual artists, always having that option to make the process easy that when somebody buys from you can you can ship it. That makes it easy to do business with you and and it doesn't, you know, put the onus on the person about how they're going to get this. You know big piece of expensive art home. You can handle that, and those galleries handled that beautifully and, um, I just thought that was again just another way to make sure that it was client focused, easy to do business with, and, um, made it simple to invest in a piece of art.
Speaker 1:Now, one of the things that I will say that was interesting we got to talk into a gallery owner of a very well-established gallery and just about the art business and that sort of thing. And what does she see happen to that that make it versus don't make it? And she said one of the biggest mistakes, um, that artists make is that when they start having a little bit of success in a gallery or kind of a string of purchases, um, they automatically want to jack up their prices 30 percent and come try to renegotiate their terms with the, the gallery. They kind of get the big head right and she it almost always turns into a disaster. And so as much as I talk about you know, most of the artists that we work with need to up their prices.
Speaker 1:It's important to price your art realistically but also raise them slowly and realistically over time and at the same time, do that in concert with the galleries that you're working with. If you're working with galleries, you know value that relationship. Don't squeeze them on their commissions. You know trying to get five or 10 more percent out of them If they're selling your art well for you, you know, lean into that. See them as a partner, see them as somebody that is telling your story and shipping your work and paying the rent and the light bill for having your work out there. It is a huge, valuable relationship that we all need as a part of our marketing as artists. And then the last thing I would say is this Always be willing to take a risk. For me, I'm a talker, of course, and so I'm always kind of starting up conversations and that sort of thing.
Speaker 1:But it was amazing as I was just friendly to people and Tanya was just friendly to people how the Lord opened up doors. I actually went to see an artist who I'm a big, big fan of and have taken some cold wax and oil classes from. I went to their gallery to see some of her work represented and told that, you know, as we were there, they were asking how we found the gallery and why we were there, and so I told her that I was a student of this person and she said, oh, do you paint? And I said, well, I've been painting, you know, for the last five or six years, but I'm actually a basket maker for the last 30 years, and I'm kind of bringing those two things together. And so immediately, the gallery owner said, well, wow, that sounds interesting, I'd love to see that.
Speaker 1:And so I was ready with something on my phone. I just pulled it out and showed her some of my recent work and it was amazing, the door that started opening there. And so she said, well, you know what? I think your work would look great in Santa Fe. Are you in a gallery here? And I said, well, no, but I mean I'm open to that. And she said, well, you ought to look at XYZ. And she gave me three or four different galleries to look at and so we just started, as we're in those galleries, saying hey, so-and-so over at this gallery, said that that you might be interested in my work and I just want to take an opportunity to share it with you. Well, it was. It was amazing.
Speaker 1:One gallery that was really the, you know, most well-established gallery that we went in and the one that we felt the connection with the most the Lord opened up a door and that gallery owner invited me to create some work for the gallery and to be in Santa Fe. And I was like, wow, something that was not even on my radar really. But I'm always open to the things that God has for me and that sort of thing and being willing to take the risk and to talk to people and be friendly and all that. You never, ever know where the Lord is going to take that, and so I would just say, being willing to take the risk as an artist especially as you're in a place like Asheville or Santa Fe or New York or wherever it is that you want to be and have your work trust that he's working for you and working with you on your behalf behind the scenes to bring you into places of divine appointments that can really be a blessing to you and a blessing to others. Listen, I'm sure there's lots of other things that I'll come up with as I reflect on our time in Santa Fe, but I hope those things will be an encouragement to you today as you're continuing to build your art business and take it to the next level.
Speaker 1:And listen, of course, if you're trying to do that by yourself, what are you doing? Join the mentoring program. Let me help you, let my team of experts help you in search engine optimization, building your website and email marketing and all the things that you need to do to build a marketing engine and a marketing machine to get your work out there, to grow up in the Lord, to become the person that you know that God's called you to be, to step into everything that he's got for you. That's what we do inside the program, inside of Created to Thrive. We've been doing it since 2016. We've been the flagship, the gold standard for artists who love Jesus and want to grow their business, and want to grow in their faith and in relationship with others, and want trusted advice and proven strategies that work today, in 2024, to sell your work and grow your business. There's no better place to do that than Created to Thrive. You can find out all the information right here, as usual, in the show notes, and we would love to see you become a part of Created to Thrive and let us help you make this year your breakthrough year.
Speaker 1:All right, listen, my friend. Thanks so much for spending some time with me here on the podcast. I love you. I'm always appreciative of your support. Be sure to share the podcast if it's a blessing to you. Be sure to comment, like, subscribe, do all the stuff and join me again right here. All right, remember until next time. You were created to thrive. Bye, hey, thanks so much for spending a few minutes with me today on the podcast. Listen, I hope it's been a huge encouragement to you on your journey as an artist. Hey, also, before you leave, make sure to hit the subscribe button so you don't miss any of the other episodes of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, and also be sure to connect with me on Facebook, instagram or at my website, which is matttommymentoringcom. Until next time, remember you were created to thrive. Bye-bye, thank you.