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What you will not see in a gallery. I certainly learned a lot during a far reaching conversation with a gal who is a gallery owner. I will call her The Gallerist. I often visit her gallery, both for her insights and her exhibits. On the day of our discussion, the gallery walls were adorned with lovely watercolors of buildings…from Pomona CA to Verona Italy. However, our discussion veered from the exhibit to what was not exhibited. I deduced that The Gallerist presented a prevailing perspective. 

You will not see work by artists who do not have a body of work.

The Gallerist said that she is approached by artists who do not even know what a body of work is.  Perhaps, for them, the term conjures up images of tats, or abs, or tucks. These artists present her with large numbers of pieces in various media, styles, subjects, and formats. A viewer would not be able identify their work in a lineup. The Gallerist shared a great insight with me. After all the classes, workshops, and tutorials; an artist must spend significant time working alone. He or she must experiment and dig deep to create authentic work.  An artist who has not found his artistic soul has not found his gallery.

You will not see work by artists with chutzpah. 

The Gallerist told me stories. 

• She recalled an incident at a crowded reception where she complimented an artist on a painting. The artist very loudly replied “Well, so are you going to give me a show at your gallery”?  
•  Once an artist came to the gallery, without an appointment, toting many huge, cumbersome paintings. He wanted to show The Gallerist all of his work and was annoyed that she didn’t have a handy display easel.  
•  Frequently artists call or come in, requesting a show when they had never previously visited the gallery. 

Artists who have a sense of entitlement, wear blinders, and are disrespectful are no-shows.

You will not see work that does not meet the parameters of the gallery.

There are all sorts of considerations. The quality of the work and the framing must meet the gallery standards. Sometimes the work simply does not represent The Gallerist’s vision and belongs in another venue.  When price points or sales potential are not viable, the work will be rejected. The Gallerist reminded me of her operating costs…a visitor doesn’t see that in a gallery.

Seeing is Believing. I am skeptical. So, I rarely succumb to Facebook chains, challenges, or requests to copy and repost. I am wary of the consequences and obligations. However, there are two exceptions. They are the challenge of posting a painting a day and the challenge of posting a b&w photo a day.  You may have seen Facebook posts like this: “Day #x.  Seven days of black and white photos. No people, no pets, no captions. Nominate someone new each day. I nominate Jane Doe.” Variations of this challenge seem to have gone viral…actually, I mean visual.

While in the midst of a b&w challenge, I experienced an artistically juxtapositional week. For seven days my iPhone targeted inanimate objects that had black and white potential. And, twice during the same week, my eyes stared at living breathing human models in an attempt to detect every hint of color. I loved doing both.

My snapping escapades allowed me to explore my world.  Since it was my world, I could discover, select, arrange, and ignore whatever I wanted. I played with household items, I considered roadside prospects, I checked out piles of produce. However, in my painting workshops, my control of the situation was limited.  The model and attire were predetermined. I chose where to place my easel within the constraints of the crowded room and only suggested minor tweaks to the pose. But once set up, I painted the model my way. 

I now realize it was all about seeing in its many forms…discovering, scrutinizing, squinting, observing, discerning. During the week I renewed my appreciation for the eye of the photographer. And, when I painted, I cherished the opportunity to focus intently as I painted. I was reminded that the eyes have it. They are the foundation of creative visual expression.  I believe in seeing.