Learning how to conduct a good studio visit is an essential component to getting your work out into the world. Because dealers, curators and other art professionals are frequently inundated with requests for visits (there are a lot more of us than there are of them), you should treat a studio visit like the special occasion that it is. Practice on a fellow artist before an important visit. Have water, coffee or snacks on hand. Make sure your studio is a comfortable place for looking at and discussing art. A pleasant environment goes a long way in helping a person get interested in your ideas.
Your studio should be set up to optimize the work. Although the studio is your workspace, it is important to get it organized and clean enough so that your visitor’s focus will be on the art and not on his or her surroundings.
Don’t overwhelm your visitor with too much work. After showing 5-10 pieces, ask them if they would like to see more. Show a range of works which all support your explanation of what your work is about. This could mean showing a suite of drawings or prints that will flesh out the major pieces. Make sure there is enough room to see the work from several distances.
When discussing your work, be conversational. Unless your work is about theoretical issues, don’t try to impress with academic or jargon-y language. Some relevant personal information (where you grew up, who you studied with in college, what your interests are) is always helpful in locating where your influences and ideas come from. Point out passages in your work that best illustrate your ideas. Try to discuss your work in such a way that you invite questions and dialogue. This means responding to comments without lecturing or conversely falling into long silences. If the curator or gallerist starts treating the visit like a critique, diffuse the situation by moving the
conversation to a different piece. Although you may want to explain how certain decisions come about in your work, you have invited this person in to learn about your art-making process not critique it.
Be sure to ask your visitor if he/she can think of other curators, gallerists or artists who would be interested in your work. Take notes and follow up on all suggestions.
Have a packet ready to hand off to your visitor when they leave. The packet is meant to reinforce the studio visit therefore all images included should be current (the last 2-3 years). The packet should include your C.V., artist statement, slides and 3-4 press clips (filed in order of importance of publication). You may also want to include a CD, a catalog as well as a few color lasers of your slides. Don’t make the packet so comprehensive that your visitor needs a forklift to take it home — be selective and include only your best press clips and images. The materials should be placed in a folder that is clearly marked with your name and contact info.
FOLLOW-UP
A thank-you email or letter provides an opportunity to continue your relationship with the curator or gallerist. The goal is to establish an ongoing relationship and ultimately secure a return visit. Often art professionals take a wait-and-see approach to an unfamiliar artist and are interested in following the development of the work. Be sure to put them on your mailing list and keep them abreast of exhibitions and awards.
Finally, be attentive to how visitors respond to your work. Does their response line up with what you are trying to convey and what you think your work is about? Based on their responses, you may need to fine-tune either your explanation of the work or the work itself. Having outsiders into the studio, be they other artists, gallerists or curators, is essential to finding out whether your work is communicating in the way that you want it to.
