At the 2014 “full house” opening at the Bass Rocks Golf Club, seARTS recognized artists as well as one of their most important, but not so obvious advocate groups, art gallery owners. Over 100 artists, patrons, and curious art observers were treated to a panel moderated by Leonie Bradbury, Director and Curator, Montserrat College of Art Galleries, Beverly and a panel composed of Belinda Recio, Owner and Gallery Director, True North Gallery, South Hamilton, Alison Rowell, Gallery Director, Central Street Gallery, Manchester-by-the-Sea,Matthew Swift, Owner and Gallery Director, Trident Gallery, Gloucester, and Roger Armstrong , Co-Owner of State of the Art Galleries, Gloucester.
Questions were posed to the panel about why they opened galleries, how they choose artists, how they develop relationships with patrons, and how they help people evaluate and collect art. Each person had an intimate viewpoint about what they hold in their gallery and how they represent their artists. From a touching story about a nun’s working at the Hermitage and her first art purchase to navigating between spouses’ choices, the panelists helped uncover some of the mysteries involved in their world. As an artist, it spoke to me from this perspective. Truly, the work of the gallerist is one of relationship building. The selling is secondary after their own standards and objectives have been met to match the artist’s work with the right home that gives the artist the right exposure and a future. The “elephant in the room” question from the audience was about negotiating. All part of the process, but done with considerable respect for the profession. And clearly, just having great work will not guarantee a place in a gallery. Each gallerist has their own profile of what they want to see in on their walls. So, artists have to do their homework. For collectors, the galleries do a great service, educating and raising the comfort level about a purchase. The panel was ever-so-prepared, sincere, & entertaining & the moderator was a great discussion leader! The audience was fully engaged, jovial, and feeling much smarter as they walked around the room afterward chatting about their learning & all the great work hanging around them.
seARTS also announced the Jury award winners – First Place to Judith Monteferrante for ‘Dahlia’, Second Place to Rob Diebboll for ‘Storm Surfers,’ and Third Place to to Deb Schradieck for ‘Gannett.’ Honorable Mentions to ‘Blue Lobster Boat‘ by Marilyn Swift, ‘Burham’s Boat Yard,’ by Kathryn Tuck, ‘Row Boat at Rowe Point‘ by John Thomas Grant, ‘Summer Findings‘ by Lynda Goldberg, and ‘Rockets of Desire‘ by Patricia Yarborough Reed. Congratulations to all the many wonderful artists who are in the show and the award winners!
