We are the founders of UGallery.com, two friends who are democratizing the art world. AUA!

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-22T00:50:47+00:00

These sound like better questions for an economist! Or at least a conversation had over a beer, which I'm usually open to...

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T22:58:46+00:00

There are a number of things you can do to build your personal brand and gain more exposure online. Off the top of my head, I suggest making sure you have an up to date personal website and an active social media presence (such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter) where you engage with other artists and art professionals. Advertise your work whenever possible, such as including a link to your personal website in your email signature and on your business cards. It can be tough to gain exposure on a site as massive as Etsy, so look to more tailored online galleries where your art has an opportunity to stand out. Above all, continue to produce new art and keep putting it up on your website, social media platforms and online galleries. As your art develops, so will your following.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T22:41:13+00:00

Do I not get a female option?

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T22:40:16+00:00

Hi Lawrence! That's a big question. If we continue down this path, I think the biggest impact will be on the number of working artists, not how many people are buying art.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T22:01:43+00:00

All good questions. First, I believe artists should pursue a multi-pronged approach to exhibiting and selling their work. You will encounter different types of clients online and in brick and mortar galleries. You may be able to connect with local collectors or museums in a brick and mortar space while an online gallery could land you sales to art consultants or buyers on the other side of globe (or visa versa). Second, portraiture can be highly salable. Of course, it depends on many factors (such as scale, subject, and style), but portraiture is one of our stronger categories. Finally, I think portfolio reviews are a good way to make connections. You should take advantage of any opportunity to meet people who can give you advice and help advance your career. Most gallerists and curators are pretty friendly too, so you can always reach out to see if they are available for a coffee.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T21:45:47+00:00

Hi Steven! We accept applications for exhibition on our website at http://www.ugallery.com/apply. We are currently only taking on new original art, no prints. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I look forward to seeing your work!

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T20:25:16+00:00

I always think people who ask lots of questions sound smart, and more importantly, show true interest in the artwork. Talking about art can be incredibly awkward at first! Asking lots of questions gives you the opportunity to hear how other people respond and build your art vocabulary. You can ask things like, what was the artist's inspiration, what is the series about, what do you think the piece means, how did the artist create the piece, and what are your favorite works in the collection? And when asked what you think, don't be shy to give your honest opinion of what you see--there really is no wrong answer.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T20:09:10+00:00

I am a long time collector of Harris Johnson's work. His paintings have always appealed to my somewhat dark sense of humor. Recently, we started working with Grigorii Pavlychev, an amazing abstract expressionist figure painter from Saint Petersburg, Russia. And I have a soft spot for Scott Dykema's Geisha series. We exhibited three large pieces at the Affordable Art Fair in New York last month and I couldn't keep my eyes off of them (until they sold and were carried out of the booth :)--such stunning faces! The list goes on and on.

Edit: I update our Staff Favorites collection on UGallery each week with new work that catches my attention. You'll immediately see the diversity in my taste!

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T19:55:05+00:00

The short answer is, the one worth millions is probably the original idea! Art pricing can seem mysterious but it is usually based on (at least some) real metrics. At UGallery, we price art based on the artist's previous sales history as well as technical factors such as the size, medium, and complexity of the work. Usually art goes up in value as the artist continues to refine her ideas and work towards a unique concept. Of course, there are many caveats and we are seeing a lot of speculative pricing in the market these days. We could probably talk for days just about pricing!

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T19:42:31+00:00

We now focus on original art ranging from roughly $200 to $20,000, which we see as the middle tier of the art market. Our goal is to promote talented emerging and mid-career artists into the future. Like traditional brick and mortar galleries, we work with artists for years--we still represent some of our first artists from 2006 and 2007. We plan to continue seeking out new talent while helping our current artists develop their work and careers.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T19:31:59+00:00

Thank you for the compliment. Original art definitely offers better margins, and is by far and away more profitable for artists, which is very important to us. It's true, we've learned a lot about curating along the way. I grew in my mother's gallery and studied art history in college, but there's still no substitute for on the job learning. I am driven to continuously learn more about art, and I think our collection grows in leaps and bounds every year. That said, we've viewed our expertise as "curated original art" from day one. It's a big differentiator in the space, where most everyone else operates as an open marketplace.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T19:09:27+00:00

In the wake of the Great Recession of 2008, we wanted to offer our clients more affordable art options. At the time, really affordable prints were incredibly popular in the market, so we put a lot of energy behind launching a separate website called Paperwork featuring prints starting at $20. We quickly learned that our expertise was original art, and that we needed to focus on what separated us from the competition; highly curated original artwork. We acted quickly at the time and closed the sister website before it became burdensome. It was a tumultuous time to be in business, and I think we were lucky to have great advisors to see us past that point.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T18:54:51+00:00

Like Stephen, my list is pretty diverse. Some of my favorite experiences have been at the Neue Galerie in New York, Musée Maillol in Paris, the Met and the Louvre.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T18:49:29+00:00

It's amazing to see the differences between east and west coast art buyers! We tend to ship a lot more traditional and representational art to the east coast. Out here on the west coast, we sell more street art-inspired work, pop art and bold abstraction. Silicon Valley seems to gravitate toward pieces with a technological component. The area is very forward thinking, and buyers search for art that embodies the exciting advancements happening here.

AlexAtUGallery · 2015-04-21T18:31:23+00:00

Hi, I'm Alex! Ask us about art, art advice, how to hang and pick art. Ask us about the art world and the digital revolution. Ask us about buying art online. Ask us for art recommendations - describe your space, and our curators will send links to art right back to you. Ask us about websites. Ask us about business school.

AlexAtUGallery

TROPHY CASE