Many artists believe that only the very best, most technically proficient artists will get gallery representation and sell their art. If you’re waiting for your work to reach some imagined level of perfection before you begin putting it out there, you could be holding yourself back in a big way.
There’s a natural tendency for artists to strive for perfection in their work. It’s part of what makes you an artist—the desire to create something exceptional. But if you’re waiting to achieve perfection before you’re willing to share, show, or sell your work, you might be waiting a long time. Worse, you may be slowing down your personal and professional development as an artist.
This misconception plays into another common issue: self-doubt. You might feel like your work isn’t good enough to be out in the world, and that doubt keeps you from sharing your art with others. However, what we need to realize is that galleries aren’t looking for perfect art. Yes, galleries want to find work that’s excellent, but they are also looking for work that’s marketable, consistent, and created by artists who are professional in their dealings.
What Galleries Are Really Looking For
When a gallery considers representing an artist, they’re not expecting absolute technical perfection. What they’re really looking for falls into three categories: marketability, consistency, and professionalism.
- Marketability: Galleries need to show work that will appeal to their buyers. Art buyers are an incredibly diverse group of people, and often, a piece of artwork that you or I might have doubts about will be the exact piece a buyer falls in love with. If your work interests you, it’s likely going to resonate with others too. You need to give galleries the opportunity to see your work and share it with their collectors.
- Consistency: If a gallery sees marketability in your work, they’ll want to know that you can consistently create more pieces in the same style or theme. Consistency is important because collectors often want to follow an artist’s body of work over time. If a gallery can count on you to produce cohesive and consistent work, it builds trust and creates opportunities for future sales.
- Professionalism: When a gallery represents you, they’re entering into a partnership with you. They want to work with artists who communicate well, deliver on promises, and are reliable and easy to work with. Being a professional in the art world is just as important as the work you create. A gallery wants to know that you’ll be a good partner over the long term.
Don’t Wait for Perfection
If you’re waiting to reach some level of artistic perfection before you start putting your work out there, you’re missing out on valuable feedback and growth opportunities. Getting your work in front of buyers and gallery owners will help you gain perspective on how your art is received. This doesn’t mean you should create just to please the market, but understanding what resonates with people can help you refine your work and direction.
Also, remember that galleries, like artists, are at different stages of their development. Sure, it might be tough for a brand-new artist to get into a well-established gallery in a major art market, but there are plenty of galleries in different phases of growth. Some are just starting out, others are more established, and some focus on emerging artists. No matter where you are in your career, there are opportunities to get your work shown. It’s just a matter of finding the right fit for where you are today.
Take Every Opportunity to Get Your Work Out There
My advice to every artist is to take the earliest opportunities you can to get your work in front of people. This might mean participating in local art festivals, weekend shows, or open studio events. But it’s also important to start thinking about approaching galleries, even if you feel you’re not quite ready. Presenting your portfolio to gallery owners is a great way to start building those connections and getting valuable feedback.
Ultimately, waiting for your work to be “good enough” could mean you never take that first step. The sooner you get your artwork out into the world, the sooner you’ll find your audience.
Have you ever struggled with the feeling that your work isn’t ready to be seen? How did you overcome that? Leave a comment and let’s start a conversation.