Anatomy Of An Art Sale
My evidence-based design art business is not without its challenges. I live in a clean, safe, nature-filled part of Northern Michigan. It’s a fabulous place to create evidence-based design art, but it’s SUPER REMOTE.
I sell online at https://dorotheasandraart.com and https://singulart.com/en/artist/dorothea-sandra-36937 and I’m galleries in the U.S., but I also like to sell locally. I’m fortunate that about 40 miles away there’s a town called Alpena, Michigan. I really enjoy Alpena and call it my “authentic” arts town because it has not yet become too commercialized. It’s busy with so many downtown festivals and so many summertime visitors from all over the world. In 2024, Viking Cruise Ships on their Great Lakes Tours will stop 26 times in Alpena’s harbor.
Recently, at the Art In The Loft gallery in downtown Alpena, I sold a 6’x9’ painting called Wildflower Wonderland.
A cruise ship visitor from Kansas City, Missouri fell in love with this evidence-based design work of art. She really wanted to buy it but had no idea how to purchase it (while on a cruise) and then get it up on the wall in her home. The staff at Art In The Loft told her I shipped internationally and nationally and gave her my art studio number. When she called, I assured her I would take her through the sale step-by-step.
(Image source: Alpena News)
After she made the purchase, the first thing I did was have the painting taken off the gallery wall, wrapped back up, and transported back to my studio. In the studio, I then examined the painting and rewrapped it in acid-free glassine paper (which protects against moisture, air, and grease).
I gave the painting additional protection by wrapping it in bubble wrap and had a shipping crate prepared.
Another Dorothea Sandra work of art ready for UPS shipping pick up.
While this was going on, I got on the phone and called framing shops in Kansas City, Missouri to arrange for the painting to be stretched and attached to a wooden frame.
Why didn’t I stretch and frame the painting here in Michigan and then ship it to Missouri? If I had tried to ship a 6’x9’ framed painting, the cost would have been too expensive.
Finding the right stretching/frame shop for a client is one of the trickiest parts of the sale.
The first place I called—a well-known art chain store in Kansas City—wouldn’t stretch such a large painting. The second place I called—a framing store with corporate clients—at first said stretching a 6’x9’ wouldn’t be a problem and would only costs a couple hundred dollars, which is a good price for a stretch. The second time I called to confirm the sale, the manager told me he’d get back to me in 10 minutes. After waiting, I called him back an hour later and an employee told me he was busy talking to customers. He never did call me back. The third place I called—the Brookside Gallery on 114 W. 63rd Street in Kansas City—was fabulous. They were a tiny bit more expensive, but they could easily trim and stretch a 6’x9’. We decided to ship the painting directly to them, which would save the buyer any to-and-from transport headaches.
When I make arrangements like this for my buyers, I always look for extreme business competence and excellent customer care. The Brookside Gallery also agreed to connect my buyer with their local art transport company/wall installer.
One thing I do as an art business owner is take responsibility for giving clients an easy, stress-free buying experience.
I figure if I am taking the extra time to create evidence-based design art that triggers the brain to produce happiness chemicals, then I should also take the time to create buying experiences that also produce happiness chemicals in the brain.
In the end, my client who bought an evidence-based work of art while on a cruise, will have been taken care of every step of the way.
I told her, until the painting is installed exactly the way she wants it on her wall, we are in this together.
