Please remember that the following advice is for thoughtful, mature adults who are contacting an award-winning, commercial fine art gallery. There’s lots of great info here, but it’s not sugar-coated. It’s honest and real. 

If you’re not ready for that, please don’t continue reading. No need to contact us. Thank you.

Friends, it’s very, very tough to succeed as an artist and way, way, way more difficult without any formal training. Imagine going to visit a doctor and when you get there he tells you, “Hey, I’m “self-taught”; I’ve never really taken any classes, I just got so busy and they cost money, so I just kinda feel my way around”. 

Does this sound like a professional who you trust to do a great job?

Creating meaningful, valuable art is so much more that just sticking pretty colors and shapes on a canvas. 

Knowing and understanding the history of art can help greatly to give your work depth. 

Studying under an accomplished painter is crucial. 

You need guidance by a trained professional. Sign up for a class soon. 

Meanwhile, here’s some advice: knowing who is here to help you and who is here to bend over backwards for you helps. It’s especially crucial to learn who is NOT here to help you. No need to waste your time with them as they’re busy serving other people.

Who’s here to help you? 

• People you know well – your friends and family (if you’ve been good to them).

Who will bend over backwards to help you? 

• People you know very well whom you’ve done a lot of things for. 
• People you’ve built a great relationship with by being amazing all the time and thinking of them and their needs, not your needs. 

Who’s NOT here to help you? 

• People you’ve never met. 
• People you don’t know.

Where do you get to exhibit? 

• There may be a coffee shop or wine bar that wants to show you if you’re putting lots in of effort in and getting great results. 
• Terrain is an excellent event, but you need to apply and be accepted to make it in.
• Spokane Arts sometimes has opportunities arise, but if you want to get into the galleries, you need to start formal training. 
• Artist Trust is another organization that can help, but again, you won’t be turned into a rockstar overnight. Be realistic in your expectations. 

Where do you NOT get to exhibit? 

• Many coffee shops. 
• Many wine bars. 
• Most art galleries.
• Fine art galleries. 
• Award-winning fine art galleries. 
• Local museums.
• The Smithsonian.

Things You Can Do To Move Your Art Career To The Next Stage 

• Be nice to everyone. 
• Eat some vegetables. 
• Draw and paint as much as you can. 
• Take as many art classes as you can.
• Work hard to get good grades in these classes. 
• Work hard to get good grades in other classes, too, especially communication classes. Artists need to know how to communicate clearly in writing and in conversation to succeed.
• Start researching art. There’s lots of great stuff on the web. 
• Watch some cool movies about art and artists. 
• Choose a favorite artist and learn more about them. 
• Get out of the house. 
• You should be attending all First Fridays, period. It’s a great way to get to know the scene: the spaces, the artists, etc. 
• Buy you a piece of art in a local gallery – if it’s a First Friday then you can also ask the artist questions. You’d be amazed by the doors that open when you actually chose to support the artist and the gallery, to participate in the scene. Take an extra shift at work for a few weeks to pay it off. It’s not that difficult, if you want it. All artists looove to answer questions from people who actually purchase their work. 
• Exercise regularly. 
• Be super nice to everyone. 
• Start checking into what Spokane Arts is up to. They often have opportunities for younger art producers. 
• Have fun, but also realize that this is a career choice that requires a lot of hard work as well as time spent developing your “people skills”.

These articles are absolutely packed with essential info that nobody has ever told you : Absolutely Essential Artist Tips. We suggest you read this article very, very carefully: What Galleries Look For In Artists then follow it’s many suggestions. 

And don’t miss this one: Common Misconceptions About Galleries. All three of these articles were written by a highly successful arts advisor in California with decades upon decades of experience in the art world.

Lastly, as you can tell from the info above, there’s no need to contact us. You’re not ready and won’t be for quite awhile. There are some places above where you may be able to exhibit. Check out the list again for details.