Is It Worth Setting Up A Gallery?

[echnidna]

Is It Worth Setting Up A Gallery?

Or does it might mean spending too much time as a shopkeeper instead of making sawdust.

I suppose a good workable alternative might be a co-op with other crafts people where each puts in say a day a fortnight playing shopkeeper.
Theres a co-op like that at Elmore and it seems to work ok.

Comments ??????????

[Big Shed]

Is It Worth Setting Up A Gallery?

Or does it might mean spending too much time as a shopkeeper instead of making sawdust.

I suppose a good workable alternative might be a co-op with other crafts people where each puts in say a day a fortnight playing shopkeeper.
Theres a co-op like that at Elmore and it seems to work ok.

Comments ??????????

I think your co-op idea is a good idea, I have seen single person galleries/craft outlets come and go.

Two reasons I think, your stated one, not enough time to make sawdust, secondly just because you are a good craftsman/artisan/artist, doesn't make you a business person.
And unless you have your own premises with plenty of tourist type traffic, the overheads are a killer.

I didn't realise there was a co-op in Elmore, care to give me some more info, eg name/location?

Might need to go for a drive!

[RufflyRustic]

I reckon a co-op would be the way to go. You could get firsthand feedback and still get plenty of time for the shed work.

cheers
Wendy

[echnidna]

In the main street just north of the Shepparton turnoff

[Sir Stinkalot]

We saw a good setup in NZ earlier in the year. There were a number of small craftspeople who had a small display area which was attached to a glass encased workshop. It was possible to walk between different artists, not only viewing their goods but also the workshops. From memory each sales area was run by each craftsperson, so if there was somebody wanting to purchase something they would stop working to serve.

[I_wanna_Shed]

We saw a good setup in NZ earlier in the year. There were a number of small craftspeople who had a small display area which was attached to a glass encased workshop. It was possible to walk between different artists, not only viewing their goods but also the workshops. From memory each sales area was run by each craftsperson, so if there was somebody wanting to purchase something they would stop working to serve.

Saw one of these exact setups when down in Tassie. I think it was in Geeveston. Seemed to be an ideal setup - you could work while manning the shop. From a tourist point of view, it was good to see different crafts under the one roof.

[Big Shed]

In the main street just north of the Shepparton turnoff

That's why I hadn't seen it! Every time I go to Elmore it is either for the field days or to go to Schepp.

Will definetly have to take drive.

Thanks for that

[ptc]

we have one in Stanley
all contributors do a shift maning the shop.

[jow104]

Tea rooms in tourists areas, here in the UK, sometimes have a table displaying small handmade crafts and art.
The proprietor wants a commission of course.

[bfx]

Is It Worth Setting Up A Gallery?

Or does it might mean spending too much time as a shopkeeper instead of making sawdust.

I suppose a good workable alternative might be a co-op with other crafts people where each puts in say a day a fortnight playing shopkeeper.
Theres a co-op like that at Elmore and it seems to work ok.

Comments ??????????

I am thinking of doing this on my property. We have visitors to the winery but want to offer them more so turning the wood shop into a co-op and outlet is on the cards. (I've already spoken to some of the local woodworkers and they are interested.)

If that works we are thinking about a potters shop (not that I know anything about the art/craft) and possibly a general gallery for local artists.

The ideal for us would be tasting room, winery tours, picnic area and 2/3/4? co-op workshop outlets/galleries.

Worst case, I get to set up my dream woodworking shop, make a few nick nacks (or is it knik knaks) for sale and claim it all on tax.

Bill

[corbs]

I grew up in Elmore and didn't know about the co-op. Haven't lived there since joining the Navy 13 years ago though. Is the Elmore shopfront woodie oriented? If so then I might have to stick my head in next time I am down that way, the parents still live in Rochester so its a pretty easy to drop in.

Corbs

[echnidna]

Its been a coupla years since I dropped in but there was a reasonable cross selection of crafts including woodwork & some nice handmade furniture.

[old_picker]

In my experience as a pro craftsman over 25 years, i found I did a great job making the pieces but a poor job as a shopkeeper. For most of my career I left it to professional gallery owners to deal with the public. They did a lot better than I did at extracting the dollars from the customers. Also when i had showrroms attached to the workshop i spent a lot of time with people who just wanted to talk or would spend an hour talking and spend $10.00 out of the 2nds bin. In the end the only people I had near my workshop were gallery owners who were allowed in when I had a heap of work ready to go.

I also seen many co-ops and none that I ever seen lasted longer than a few years and most less than 12 months. You always eneded up with a hotch potch of work some very good and a lot of cr@p. There were always the ones who shirked and just cruised along making the minmum effort.

My advice is to forget selling and concentrate on producing top of the line work and hire top flight galleries to sell it. They take a good slice of the pie but they also take all the cr&p from the buying pubic.

[AlexS]

Have to go with OP. Do what you do best, and let gallery owners do what they do best.

They should:
advise you on what they reckon will sell
pay promptly
promote your work
advise on pricing
charge a fair commission

You should:
listen to their advice
give them a reliable supply
provide top quality work
don't b1tch too much about their commission

[bitingmidge]

Or does it might mean spending too much time as a shopkeeper instead of making sawdust.

I agree with Alex, remember that operating a gallery is a business in its own right, and as such to be successful needs to be treated seriously.

Many co-ops fail, or don't sell much because they are operated by well-meaning crafts people.

The mix of artist and business person is not one that succeeds often!

Cheers,

P