A lot of my students and clients have mentioned their desire to open a gallery. And some have done so without putting much thought into what it takes and … later regret it.
I’m excited that artist and gallerist Tracy Miller is on this episode to talk about her experience running Tracy Miller Gallery for the last 7 years.
She talks about selecting a tight focus for her gallery, which she feels was critical for its success. The artists she chose to work with are in the genre of New West and have some experience under their belts. They are also savvy professionals.
She also reveals why she chose the specific location for the gallery and the many challenges—including wildfires and city-wide flooding—she overcame while running the business.
Tracy, who spent much of her time networking and connecting to people and businesses in the community, offers at least three pieces of advice for anyone interested in opening a gallery.
1. Work at another gallery for awhile. She learned a great deal by working at a large space for 5 years.
2. Crunch the numbers. And know the numbers. Tracy knows not only her average monthly sale in dollars, but the average sale for surrounding businesses.
3. Figure out how you will continue to have studio time. If you say you’re an artist, you must be making art and serving as an example to the artists in your stable.
Tracy also discusses her decision to