How Artists Work With Interior Designers? Article 9
Interior Designers have to be everything to all people on a design project. They dream in color and shapes. Inspiration comes intuitively while half asleep. A good designer works a minimum of eighty hours a week mainly because ideas come from all things. Life experience molds their thoughts. Today we will look through the eyes of these artistic dreamers. Sound familiar? It should. It sounds very much like the vitals of a successful visual artist.
Designers have to take all the required creativity and blend it in to a practical plan and a budget to make their project come alive; so the project survives all the way to job completion. Many times, on big projects, the accessories take the first hit if budget is a concern. The way to avoid you work becoming a casualty of attrition is to know your fine art inventory well. Put the right art in the right place. Presentation means a lot so the interior designer can see it as the focal point of the room or in a commercial application; a piece of art can be the focal point of the entire project. The higher end the project the more important the art becomes. Yes, Art is considered an accessory. If you can create the desire for the art to be the focal point, then the art moves from accessory into the “necessary list”.
One important secret that you must understand if you are to work with this group of fast moving, cutting edge individuals is client confidentiality. Think about this carefully. A designer knows every square inch of their client’s homes. They know what is in the undergarment drawer so, to be successful and keep the trust of their clients; they have to be professional and discrete day and night. Many deals are sealed at a VIP parties. As an artist or gallery owner, the designer needs to know that you hold yourself to the same high standards that they do.
When it comes to your art, I am not saying sacrifice your artist style in any way or to paint something just to sell it. You and I both know this does not work. Let me refer you back to a previous article #4 , “The Secret of Paying Your Bills As An Artist”. It says that the bread and butter account has to exist in all successful businesses. You need a consistent stream of business associates that appreciate your work. Every great art gallery collaborates with some kind of designer whether it is fashion or interior design. You are looking for consistent patronage so you would naturally have associates that always need your art for their daily job fulfillment.
The perfect scenario for an artist is to work with an art gallery that has accounts with Interior Designers. This way you know that your work crosses a greater spectrum than you could create yourself. This is one of the purposes of a gallery. Using the term, bread and butter, does not mean in any way that designers are the poor kid on the block. Quite the contrary, depending on the project, a designer could spend millions on fine art.
What are the magical words for a gallery owner to hear, when a designer walks through the door? After looking once, then twice, she or he nods and then with a big enthusiastic smile says “I’ll do it”.