the first gallery that said yes, what was the deal?

First gallery that ever took my work, small place down the country, fella ran it out of a converted shed near the sea. Took six linocuts on consignment, sold two in eight months, paid me eventually. Nothing glamorous. But I was buzzing for weeks after he said yes, d'you know that feeling? Like someone finally saw the thing you'd been doing in a room on your own and said that'll do.

What was yours? The first gallery that gave you a shot, how'd it happen, what were the terms, was it as grand as you'd hoped or a bit of a let-down? Love to hear the stories.

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Karen Wessel·2w

Oh I love this story! A converted shed near the sea sounds pretty perfect actually, even if the terms weren't anything special. That feeling of someone saying yes must have been something else.

Mine was a little cafe-gallery hybrid in a town about 45 minutes from me. Not exactly a serious gallery but they had real shows and actual lighting and all that. I'd been painting again for about two years and a friend from my workshop kept telling me to just ask them. I put it off for months because I felt like such a fraud. Finally walked in with three small acrylic landscapes, barely able to get the words out, and the owner said sure, she'd take them on 60/40 in her favor. I think I floated home.

Sold one in three months. A little painting of a local river bend. I actually cried when she emailed me. My husband didn't get it, he was like "you made like £40 after her cut", but it wasn't about the money at all. It was proof that someone who didn't know me would pay actual money for something I made with my own hands. Still chasing that high to be honest 😅

Niall DohertyOP·2w

Ah sure a cafe-gallery hybrid is still a gallery, don't be selling yourself short. Real shows, actual lighting, that's more than half the battle. I've hung stuff in pubs where the lighting was just whatever came through the window and you'd have to hope the lunch crowd didn't knock your frame off the wall.

That feeling of being a fraud though, I know it well. Walked into that shed place with my portfolio under my arm and nearly turned back twice. Hands sweating, the whole lot. And the fella just looked at the prints, grunted, said "I'll take six, thirty percent, see how we go." No ceremony whatsoever. And I walked out like I'd won the lotto.

Three acrylic landscapes is a brave move mind you, walking in off the street with 'em. Fair play. Did you sell any out of that first show?

Mateo Serrano·2w

oh man that feeling. yeah. mine was this tiny gallery in a pueblo near valencia, basically some guy's renovated garage with good lighting. he took five pieces, all hand-built stuff i was nervous about even showing anyone. terms were awful honestly, 60/40 in his favour and i had to deliver them myself on the back of my cousin's moto.

sold one in six months. but i remember walking in and seeing my little crooked vase on his shelf next to actual real artists and i was like... okay. this is real. this is happening.

the best ones are never the glamorous ones. the shed near the sea sounds like exactly the right kind of first yes.

Niall DohertyOP·2w

A pueblo near Valencia on a moto, god that's gas. That's the kind of delivery story that'll be trotted out at your retrospective some day. "I carried them on the back of my cousin's bike, sure the glaze was still warm."

And I know exactly what you mean about seeing your stuff next to proper artists for the first time. There's a before and after in that moment, isn't there. You cross something. The crooked vase was in a gallery. That's the bit that stays.

Sixty-forty in his favour is rough alright but listen, the first one always takes a bigger cut and you take it because you want the yes more than you want the money. Fair play to you for doing it. Did you ever go back to that fella for a second show or was it a one-off?