Tips for Selling Art - 1Earth Antiques and Appraisals Magazine

Selling your first painting *Hello 1Earth Antiques,* I consider myself an artist, but I'm a bit unsure of how to sell my work. I've only finished one so far, though I am sure that I have the talent. Can you help me? *— Katherine* Dear Katherine, Selling your first work is very, very difficult, but it can be done. First up, you need to complete at least 20 more paintings before you try to sell anything.
	Galleries look for a consistent, distinctive style and an ongoing body of work. Gallery directors will often ask to see your work again after six months to see how you've progressed. They'll judge your work on skill, craftsmanship, uniqueness, and style.
To have your paintings shown in a gallery, be respectful, direct, and brief with gallery directors. You don't want to turn them off by appearing unprofessional or taking up too much of their time before they see your artwork. You'll need 35mm slides of your paintings to show prospective buyers, gallery directors, and exhibitors. Neighborhood galleries or co-op galleries often sell work by emerging artists for $400.00 to $800.00. They won't buy your paintings outright, but they'll sell them for you and keep a 30 to 50 percent commission. If you can't find a gallery to take your work, try libraries, cafes, or nightclubs. Of course, for those of you looking to buy a good, inexpensive piece of art, these are great places to search. Who knows, maybe you'll find the next Picasso. Art competitions, shows and regional exhibitions all offer exposure to the unknown artist. Like any career, an art specific CV should list competitions won, exhibitions (especially solo exhibitions), press clippings and in some cases references (or referrals).