ART/WORK: Everything You Need to Know (and Do) As You Pursue Your Art Career (Paperback)

~ (Author), Jonathan Melber (Author)
Key Phrases: submission materials, collector name, representation agreements, New York, Los Angeles, First Name (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This book is a godsend...it should be required reading in fine arts curricula."-- Santa Fe New Mexican

"I'll bet this powerful little paperback finds a permanent home on the list of best business books for artists.... The contract, invoice and inventory templates alone are worth the cover price."-- The Artist's Magazine

"Together [the authors] make for a powerful combo, offering both extensive knowledge of the gallery system and the ins and outs of art law, for some well-founded tips on how to succeed in the art world...it's the perfect gift for anyone working in a creative field."-- CoolHunting.com

"This book is filled with the kind of nuts-and-bolts business advice every artist needs to read."-- ArtBistro.com

"Bhandari and Melber, both Brown University graduates, have drawn on their own experiences and interviews with 100 curators, dealers, and other arts professionals to offer advice on everything from preparing artwork for shipping to coping with rejection."-- Boston Globe

"Emerging curators, along with established curators who work with living artists, would do well to read it, as would art dealers and workers at nonprofit spaces or organizations.... One unique aspect of the book is the quotes in the margin -- from high-profile artists and well-known professionals who've been around the block. Shamim Momin from the Whitney Museum and Peter Eleey of the Walker Art Center talk about how they meet new artists and visit their studios, and Seattle gallerist James Harris underscores the importance artists' websites have when he looks for new work to show."-- College Art Association News

"...even those who have no interest in the art world may find Art/Work of use. Their instructions on how to pack objects for example, are so thorough, only the most dexterously challenged will find difficulty executing them. What's more, should this book reach the majority of working artists today, the quality of gallery staff life would improve by a level of magnitude..."-- Paddy Johnson for The L Magazine

Product Description

Find Out What They Didn't Teach You in Art School

The most comprehensive guide of its kind, Art/Work gives artists of every level the tools they need to make it in an art world so competitive one dealer likens it to "The Sopranos, except nobody gets killed." Whether you're an art school grad looking for a gallery, a mid-career artist managing a busy studio, or someone just thinking about becoming a professional artist, this indispensable resource will help you build your career and protect yourself along the way.

Unlike other creative professionals, visual artists don't have agents or managers. You have to do it all yourself, at least until you find gallery representation -- and even then, there are important business and legal issues you need to understand to stay in control of your career and ensure you're being treated fairly. Heather Darcy Bhandari, a gallery director, and Jonathan Melber, an arts lawyer, walk you through these issues so that you can essentially act as your own manager and agent. They show you, for example, how to tackle business basics such as tracking inventory and preparing invoices; how to take legal precautions like registering a copyright and drafting consignment forms; how to use promotional tools like websites and business cards; and how to approach career decisions such as choosing the right venue to show your work.

In addition to drawing on their own experiences, Bhandari and Melber interviewed nearly one hundred curators, dealers, and other arts professionals, in cities across the country, about what they expect from and look for in artists. The authors also talked to a host of artists about their careers and the lessons they've learned navigating the art world. The book is full of their entertaining anecdotes and candid advice.

No matter what kind of artist you are -- or want to be -- this book will help you. Art/Work covers everything you need to know to succeed, saving you from having to learn it all the hard way -- and letting you spend more time making art.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Free Press (March 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416572333
• ISBN-13: 978-1416572336
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #19,269 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive Resource for Artists and Art Professionals!, March 17, 2009

By	Shaun Irving (Richmond, VA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm an emerging artist who's been shooting for the past couple of years. I've done some shows in the non-profit realm, but only in the past few months have I been actively trying to figure out the ins and outs of the gallery scene.

For months now, I've been scrounging for the most basic information: How do for-profit galleries operate? What kind of contractual/financial obligations are required? How do you properly document your work? I've gone to workshops, interviewed artists, and dug through a lot of junk on the internet...

Only to find that everything I needed (and lots more) was in this book.

This is the definitive how-to book on running a fine art business (from the artist's side), specifically in regards to working with galleries. They don't offer any secret formulas for success, but instead dish out best practices for presenting yourself as professionally as possible.

What amazed me most was the depth of subject matter this book covers. It offers everything from sample legal forms to explicit instructions on how to pack your work for shipment. They use a very open and honest writing style throughout. Instead of coming across as preachy or snobbish, the authors sound more like a good friend letting you in on the secrets of the industry.

An interesting device they use throughout is to include relevant quotes from art professionals on almost every spread. These tie in directly with the subject matter of each section and represent the perspectives of artists, curators and gallery owners. It's one thing for the author to say what he or she thinks, but another thing when you get other voices add to the mix.

My only complaint about the book is a very minor one. While the book is striking in its design, I question the use of a bold sans serif for the body text throughout the book. There's enough white space and leading to make it work, but it seems a choice of aesthetics over practicality.

I don't often get this jazzed about books (especially not over a how-to manual). But I've seen firsthand what a lack of comprehensive resources there are for artists trying to figure out the how's and what's of the art world. This book does a magnificent job of filling that void and I'd recommend it to any artist who's trying to get established.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Very helpful resource for students graduating in a fine arts program., March 23, 2009

By	skippy "sam" (norf caroliner) - See all my reviews

I bought a copy of this book for all my graduating seniors in photography. I wish I had this book about 9 years ago when I graduated with an MFA. Definitely worth the read! Easy to understand, great examples and overall I would recommend to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed with continuing in their art practice upon graduation!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn to be a business person as well as an artist, June 4, 2009

By	Charlene Anderson "Purveyor of All Things Cre... (Jackson, WY United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Where was Art/Work when I was just starting out? Here's a down-to-earth book that teaches you all the nitty-gritty details you didn't learn in art school.

Art/Work gives artists of every level the tools they need to make it in the highly competitive art world. Whether you're an art school grad looking for a gallery, a mid-career artist managing a busy studio, or someone just thinking about becoming a professional artist, this book will help you build your career and protect yourself along the way.

Heather Darcy Bhandari, a gallery director, and Jonathan Melber, an arts lawyer, walk you through issues directly related to being a visual artist. They show you, for example, how to tackle business basics such as tracking inventory and preparing invoices; how to take legal precautions like registering a copyright and drafting consignment forms; how to use promotional tools like websites and business cards; and how to approach career decisions such as choosing the right venue to show your work. I found the chapter in dealing with galleries most informative, and I've been a practicing artist for almost 30 years.

In addition to drawing on their own experiences, Bhandari and Melber interviewed nearly one hundred curators, dealers, and other arts professionals to talk about what they expect from and look for in artists. The authors also talked to a variety of artists and the lessons they've learned navigating the cutthroat world of art.

No matter what kind of artist you are -- or want to be --No matter what your media, or what stage you are in your career, this book can help you. Art/Work covers everything you need to know to succeed, saving you from having to learn it all the hard way -- and letting you spend more time making art.