24 Artists & IllustratorsCOLUMNIST
V
isit my studio and you will usually find a selection
of works piled neatly against a wall. The question
of how to handle a stock of artwork and what to do
with older work is one that affects most artists.
First, try to accept that work in stock is a good thing. It is
easy to look at the piles and see them as clutter or as
evidence of a failure to sell. I fight the impulse by taking
time and great care to manage stored work. The trick is to
see it as a resource, not a burden. At the very least, make
sure that you can keep older artwork in a safe, dry place.
Bad storage can result in ruined work fit only for the skip.
We all tend to be more passionate about our latest
creations. The temptation is always to show off new pieces
at exhibitions or events while hiding the older ones. It is
important to have a mix of work on display, however. Your
audience changes all the time and, while returning visitors
will like to see new ideas, they won’t expect an entirely new
collection and may well enjoy ‘seeing old friends’ on the
walls. I’ve sold plenty of work to people who, on seeing work
again, couldn’t
resist. Never be
afraid to display old
work alongside new.
First-time visitors will
see all your work as
fresh and, if you are
travelling to a new
venue or joining a
new gallery, you
start afresh too.
I also sell work online and, although I try to keep my
website gallery up to date, the older work remains on
display and still generates sales. Likewise, if a gallery is
showcasing your work in a solo or group show, you can
include work hung previously. A gallerist friend says her
audience always responds best to a mix of familiar pieces
alongside new work for group and solo exhibitions.
The one exception comes with commercial galleries who
don’t follow exhibition cycles and just hang a general
selection of works. Owners of these galleries will expect
new work to replace old and generally won’t want to exhibit
a piece on more than one occasion. In this instance, you
need to come up with different work at each submission,
but remember that “different” doesn’t always mean new –
you could submit a piece already seen elsewhere.WE SHOULD BE MORE POSITIVE
ABOUT OUR OLDER ARTWORKS,
SAYS COLUMNIST LAURA BOSWELLARTIST
“THE TRICK IS TO
SEE UNSOLD ART
AS A RESOURCE,
NOT A BURDEN”ABOVE Twelve
Views: Early
Morning, Spring
Japanese
woodblock print,
25.5x39.5cmIf you really need a clear out, try my final trick. I hold an
annual open studios event and, every few years, I will hold
a fun “thrift shop” alongside this, stocking older work.
People enjoy hunting for a bargain and I can say goodbye to
my oldest prints with a happy heart.
http://www.lauraboswell.co.uk24 Columnist.indd 24 17/02/2016 16:09