{"id":53,"date":"2015-04-05T13:43:49","date_gmt":"2015-04-05T12:43:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/?p=53"},"modified":"2025-09-22T09:34:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-22T08:34:45","slug":"10-tips-to-help-you-get-your-paintings-in-a-gallery","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/10-tips-to-help-you-get-your-paintings-in-a-gallery\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Great Tips That&#8217;ll Help You Get Your Art Accepted Into A Gallery"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Getting your artwork on display to the public for the first time can seem very daunting, and the thought of wandering into a art gallery carrying some of your prized&nbsp;paintings, only to have the proprietor give them a cursory glance and turn you down, can be very demoralising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fortunately, with a bit of forward planning, there are some things you can do that will greatly help your chances of success. So let&#8217;s get into it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1)&nbsp;Try not to walk into the gallery looking like you&#8217;ve just been dragged through a hedge backwards<span style=\"color: #ffffff;\">.<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-121\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel.jpg\" alt=\"worsel gumidge\" width=\"280\" height=\"390\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel.jpg 280w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel-215x300.jpg 215w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px\" \/><\/figure><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>As artists we&#8217;re pretty good at the &#8216;distressed&#8217; look, necessity dictates that when you&#8217;re throwing paint around all day you don&#8217;t want to be wearing your finest paisley trousers and sporting your &#8216;going out&#8217; cravat, right. However, when you&#8217;re trying to be taken seriously by a business, it will help your chances no end if you look relatively tidy and professional when you approach them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2) Do a bit of reconnaissance&nbsp;( disguise optional ).<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel1.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"280\" height=\"390\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel1.jpg\" alt=\"posh worsel in disguise\" class=\"wp-image-122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel1.jpg 280w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/worsel1-215x300.jpg 215w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 280px) 100vw, 280px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you approach a gallery to ask if they will display your art, wander in and have a look around to see if they show work similar to your own. There may not be much point in approaching a gallery that only shows humongous abstract paintings, if you paint miniature wildlife paintings. Having said that, an art gallery is a business, and if they think they can sell your work they may still take you on, so it\u2019s always worth asking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3)&nbsp;Contact the gallery and make an appointment first.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ring-the-gallery380.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"380\" height=\"255\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ring-the-gallery380.jpg\" alt=\"baby ringing a art gallery\" class=\"wp-image-170\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ring-the-gallery380.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/ring-the-gallery380-300x201.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Never just drop in on the off chance hoping\/assuming that the gallery proprietor has the time to stand and look at your work right there and then, get in touch and make an appointment first. Not only will this&nbsp;allow the owner to make some time to look at your work, but it makes you look more professional.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An added bonus of making an appointment first, is that you will have already made that daunting initial first contact before you turn up with your work, which more often than not reassures you that the gallery proprietor isn&#8217;t quite as scary as you thought, and in fact, is really very&nbsp;nice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4)&nbsp;Only take properly framed paintings which will show off your work to its best.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/badly-framed.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"248\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/badly-framed-248x300.jpg\" alt=\"badly framed painting\" class=\"wp-image-130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/badly-framed-248x300.jpg 248w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/badly-framed.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you walk in to the gallery carrying floppy pieces of watercolour paper with dirty finger marks all over them, or poorly framed paintings with wonky corners and that have a piece of your Dad&#8217;s fishing line&nbsp;on the back to hang them up, it won&#8217;t help your cause. If the gallery does decide to display your work, then you\u2019re more than likely going to have to get your paintings framed, so get some\/all of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/links.htm\">paintings you plan on taking in professionally framed<\/a> beforehand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5) If the gallery you\u2019re approaching offers a framing service, ask them to frame your paintings.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/fighting-over-tiger.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"180\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/fighting-over-tiger-300x180.jpg\" alt=\"two people fighting over a painting\" class=\"wp-image-160\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/fighting-over-tiger-300x180.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/fighting-over-tiger.jpg 500w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is of course a great way to subtly make contact with the gallery, and start building a working relationship, without having to start from scratch. You never know, they may like your work so much when they frame it, that THEY ask YOU if you would like to display some of your art in their gallery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6) Decide on an approximate price for your paintings.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/dont_know.jpeg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"206\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/dont_know-206x300.jpeg\" alt=\"confused person\" class=\"wp-image-134\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/dont_know-206x300.jpeg 206w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/dont_know.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 206px) 100vw, 206px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, this needs to be flexible, and when you get chatting to the proprietor they will be able to advise you if your figure is way out. Do a little research beforehand, look at other paintings\/artists similar to you as a gauge. Ideally, you want to be able to say a figure when the gallery asks you where you would like to price your paintings. What you&nbsp;DON&#8217;T&nbsp;want to say, is that you have no idea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7) Have your contact details written down and ready to hand over.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/business_card3.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/business_card3-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"a homemade business card\" class=\"wp-image-149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/business_card3-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/business_card3.jpg 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Preferably have a pamphlet or business card to hand over with your phone number on. If you can&#8217;t afford to have this done professionally, and you have access to a home printer, you can make your own pamphlets in most word processor programs these days cheaply and fairly easily. A lot of programs have a few pamphlet templates you can choose from, and all you have to do is add images and text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8 ) If you have your own website then put the&nbsp;address down with your contact details.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/computer_cat.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"263\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/computer_cat-300x263.jpg\" alt=\"kitten asleep on a computer keyboard\" class=\"wp-image-139\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/computer_cat-300x263.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/computer_cat.jpg 471w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not think having a website is a substitute for taking your paintings into the gallery for them to see in the flesh. Most galleries won&#8217;t accept artwork on the basis of what they see on a website. Besides, your art will always look better in real life than on a monitor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9) Try not to be intimidated.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/inferiority380.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"380\" height=\"297\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/inferiority380.jpg\" alt=\"intimidated person\" class=\"wp-image-171\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/inferiority380.jpg 380w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/inferiority380-300x234.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I think artists in general are quite shy people, and walking into a gallery with lots of wonderful expensive looking paintings on the walls can make you feel quite inferior. If you\u2019re not fortunate enough to have a large purpose built studio at home that you create your art in, this doesn&#8217;t mean that your work isn&#8217;t as good as other artists.&nbsp;Remember that&nbsp;most paintings in most galleries were created in cramped makeshift conditions in a house full of dogs, cats and children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10) Lastly, after all your efforts, if the gallery do turn you down don\u2019t forget to ask politely the reasons why.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/7b76083dee19def229ae84e32c6f137f.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"720\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/7b76083dee19def229ae84e32c6f137f.jpg\" alt=\"master beginner\" class=\"wp-image-3086\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/7b76083dee19def229ae84e32c6f137f.jpg 720w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/7b76083dee19def229ae84e32c6f137f-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.chrischalkart.com\/painting_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/7b76083dee19def229ae84e32c6f137f-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it\u2019s the quality of your work that they don\u2019t think is quite up to scratch, then don\u2019t be too disappointed. This just means you need to go away and continue to paint like crazy, until your level of skill has improved and you can approach them again.&nbsp;It may be that your subject matter has let you down, and although loving your miniature paintings of flowers, the gallery would rather display enormous landscape paintings. If this happens, then you must either try a different gallery, or consider changing your subject matter &#8211; whatever the reasons are, it\u2019s in your interests to know, so that you can go away and take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Good luck ( not that you need it ) and happy painting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chris<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>I look forward to some great comments below, and if you enjoyed this post and found it useful, please share it, thanks.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Getting your artwork on display to the public for the first time can seem very daunting, and the thought of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center 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