How to Open Your Studio

Whether you participate in the San Francisco or East Bay Open Studios events, or periodically open your studio to the public and your patrons, there are simple things you can do to ensure a successful event.
     The critical factors to remember are that, no matter how beautifully you present your work in your studio, you must first get people to actually come, keep them long enough to appreciate your work, talk to them while they are there, and, if they are interested in your work, give them a reminder to take home.

Mailing List
The best way to insure a large attendance is to invite as many people as you can possibly afford to mail to. You can expect a 10-20% return on the number of invitations you send. Your mailing list is vital and should include friends, relatives, classmates, co-workers, clients, doctors and other professionals, as well as your patrons. You never know who will fall in love with something you have made; their response is completely unpredictable and is the sole reason for their willingness to buy something.
     Once you’ve got your mailing list, you must send invitations. See Your Work in Print for a list of inexpensive printers of quality color cards. There are also countless ways to create your own inexpensive postcards at a local copy center. If you put out extra cards in your studio, visitors will take them home to remind them of your work.
     Make it easy to find you! If necessary, include a small map with the invitation. Post sturdy, inviting signs outside, and maybe some balloons.
      If you include media people on your mailing list, you should send them a press release and black and white photo of your work, as well as an invitation.

     Now that your visitors have arrived at your studio, what will they see? What will you tell them? Will they come back? The following is a basic list of practical suggestions:

Your Studio
Clean it up. Not to make it perfect, but because any mess will distract people from your work, and tools and loose piles of stuff can be hazardous to visitors. A neat work area looks more professional. You should also put away anything small and valuable. Get the best lighting you can. You can use temporary clip-on spotlights from a hardware or discount lighting store. Borrow lamps from friends. Play some relaxing music, any soft music that will not intrude on your visitors' concentration.
     Show and tell. Have examples of work in progress, tools, sketches, photos of you working in your studio. Non-artists and other artists will often make a connection with your work through curiosity about how it is done. Put your portfolios out.

ArtWork
Make sure each piece is well-lit, and that small pieces are on a sturdy, clean large surface, so that they can be moved around for easy access. Make sure the work itself is clean and undamaged. Frame everything you can, or mount it beautifully, or put it on a pedestal. Special attention to presentation results in respect for your work.

Pricing
Every piece must have a price clearly marked on it or near it. Many people are uncomfortable asking how much something is, especially artwork, and may leave rather than ask you. If you have a different price for framed versus unframed, list them both. Do not show work that is not for sale. Invariably this makes people want that piece and they will disregard the others. If you sell a piece, replace it with another. Have work in a range of prices. Smaller work, sketches, a bin with seconds, even note cards created from scraps will appeal to people who really want something of yours but cannot afford a major piece.
     If you feel your prices are higher than average for this type of show, do not lower them. Instead, offer an installment plan (see Selling, below). If a purchase is made on installments, spell out the installments clearly in a written contract. It would be smart to have a contract ready -- you can even write it up by hand -- but both parties must sign it, and both parties keep a copy (so have a few copies available). Do not hand over the artwork until the final payment has been made.

Informational Offerings
On an open, well-lit surface, put as many of the following items as you can: a reference slide book of your work; your guest book, clearly marked and a few pens; and a reference publicity book, if you have one.
     Make sure you have a number of copies of your resume and artistÕs statement, postcards of your work or invitations to future shows, your business card and any other free items to remind them of your work.

Food and Drink
You should only offer simple, non-greasy finger food. The same fingers that handle the food will be handling your work. Grapes, strawberries, anything on toothpicks, cracker sandwiches, raw vegetables and bread are safe. Water, white wine and apple juice will not stain things badly should they spill, but red wine is too risky.

Shmoozing
Greet every visitor as if they were your guests, because they are. Invite them to sit or have something to drink, and tell them you’ll be nearby to answer any questions they have. If they say they love your work and you are uncomfortable talking about it, you can ask them a question in return. “What does this piece say to you?”
    I f what they think or feel about the piece doesn't agree with your conception, don't directly contradict their feelings. Instead, think of it as a fresh perspective on your work. If you think they're missing a crucial detail about content or process that would explain the piece or make it more interesting, share it with them. Be charming and interested, not pushy. People are often excited about art but very insecure about their lack of knowledge.

Selling
If someone seems very interested in buying a particular piece, try to satisfy their concerns. If they hesitate over price, offer an installment arrangement (but do not let them take the piece until all the payments have been made!)
     If they are worried that their partner/mate will hate the piece, invite them both back as soon as possible (strike while the iron is hot!) for a private viewing. If they're worried about transportation, offer to deliver; about framing, offer to help them get it framed. Do not let them leave without a photo or slide of the piece in question.
     In any case, send a note or call them within a week. Thank them for coming and ask if they've been able to make a decision yet.

Support/Security
Ask a friend to stay with you. You should never be alone while your studio is open to the public. Your friend can greet visitors while you are shmoozing deeply with a prospective buyer or fan, or while you take a necessary break. Your friend will also keep an eye on things when your back, and will give you support on the rare occasion that someone really strange wanders in off the street.
     Your friend may not be able to put in a whole day, certainly not a whole weekend, so split the shifts among a couple of friends. It'll be fun.

Follow-up
As soon as you get a break, go through your guest book! Make notes about your visitors: What pieces were they interested in and why? This list is worth its weight in gold. You can send cards to some of your guests, thank them for coming and remind them of upcoming shows. Mention that the piece they were interested in is still available, or that you're working on something they may like as well.

Relax
Once you open your door, stop worrying about the details. If you’ve made most of these preparations, you have all the ingredients for a successful event.

Enjoy yourself!

-- copyright Li Gardiner