The Business of Art

By George Johnson

I come from a long line of painters. My grandmother, great uncles, great grandfather, and great uncle once removed are all artists. There are paintings and sketches everywhere: the walls, the bathrooms, the garage. Other than the works of a few dedicated uncles, however, few of these paintings ever reach the gallery.

When my mom was in her twenties and looking for a career, she once asked my great uncle, “How can you afford to spend your time painting? It seems like a dream job!”

To which he responded, “family money lasts five generations, but sorry... you’re the sixth!”

Oof.

But inheritance is not essential to succeed in the art world. Van Gogh, da Vinci, and many modern artists like Rothko were born into families of modest means (da Vinci’s was wealthy, but he was an unwanted child). Globalization, education, and a strengthened economy may be encouraging the artistic profession.

To learn what it is like to make a living as an artist, I interviewed a local painter from L.A.. Wade Harrington began his journey as a child.

“Most kids are interested in drawing and coloring, but then they stop. I just never stopped,” he quipped.

Following his passion, Harrington completed an MFA (Master of Fine Arts degree) program in the Bay Area and has been painting professionally for nearly twenty years.

He loves his work, and he believes his insights on the business side of art are important, but that financials should not take any meaning away from the art itself.

“Each piece has to have its own integrity and sense of vibe,” Harrington said. He does, however, have a few tips to share.

FIRST, if you are looking to become an artist it is important to think about your medium. While Harrington works in galleries, many artists look to Etsy or other online services to market their work.

SECOND, it takes time and practice before you can begin thinking heavily about art as a business.

Harrington noted that his art pursuit roughly broke even for the first ten years, so he had to work a side job to support his interest. Once he was confident in his style and the quality of his work, however, he began pursuing his artistic niche with more energy to spare to consider business.

“If you do a piece, and someone really likes it and wants to buy it, then do like ten versions,” he says. Again, each piece must have its own value, but if people enjoy something, it is okay to dig that well deeper.

THIRD, consider the price point of the buyers and your venue.

As Harrington put it, “when and if you swing big, and start increasing quality/costs of materials, make sure you have a studio lined up or people who are interested.”

“People receive art through the context that it is in,” he also notes. For this reason, it is important to understand the pedigree of the venue before investing heavily in time and/or materials. People will pay much more for something shown in Gagosian than in your friend’s spare hallway. Also, there is only so much space available in the gallery, so consider how to fit your works in the location before painting too much or too large.

FOURTH, and finally, network, network, network. As seems to be the case with everything, who you know can make a huge difference.

While there may seem to be a lot of distance between the top galleries and a coffee shop exhibition, Harrington points out that “the boundaries are more permeable than people think or realize.” Everyone “sort of knows each other,” and these connections can be the best way to accelerate your artistic career. He recommends living and working in New York, L.A., or another artistic hub to best connect with others involved in the profession.

So my great grandfather wanted to paint but not to sell his paintings. He did it as a hobby, but to be a professional, art must be your livelihood. While the true value of a work comes from its own integrity and “vibe,” it is helpful to consider business when pursuing art as a career.