Anyone can open up a gallery—real or virtual—and start selling art. I mean anyone. You don’t have to hold a degree or pass a test. You don’t have to have ethics or morals or know anything at all about art. But I am impressed by what UGallery is doing and the services they have been providing artists and clients since 2006. Everything about them feels different.

On this episode of The Art Biz, I’m joined by Alex Farkas, founder of UGallery.com. Their business model is different from others in that online space. They know art. They curate the work so there aren’t thousands of random artists competing for eyeballs. UGallery is paid on commission, so they only make money if art sells.They invest in marketing to help sell more art. They are looking for relationships with their artists and nurture their artists to help them sell better online. The focus of UGallery is on painting, but you should listen to their story even if you are not a painter because you need to know that there are people and companies out there who are on your side and doing things the right way.

Highlights

The beginnings of the UGallery journey. (2:53)

Storytelling to promote UGallery artists and their work. (4:39)

Curating art on the website in non-traditional ways. (7:19)

The process of finding and connecting with artists. (11:05)

Working with artists to help them succeed. (16:10)

What is selling at UGallery? (19:09)

Finding and marketing to clients. (20:36)

Artist to customer—the order fulfillment process. (23:09)

Maintaining ecommerce platforms and client relationships. (28:00)

Mistakes that many artists make when applying to UGallery. (33:55)

Tips for a better online presentation and ecommerce platform. (36:22)

What’s coming next for UGallery. (38:30)

This Week’s Assignment

Assess where you show and sell your art. Consider what venues you are (and aren’t) working for and why? How can you find more of the right places? What venues aren’t working for you and why? Make a plan to move on from those.

Mentioned

Resources

Quotes

“It’s important that we find ways to combine the old school aspects of a gallery with the new school aspects of the technology that we use.” — Alex Farkas
“We see this as a partnership. We don’t succeed unless the artists succeed.” — Alex Farkas
“Part of the relationship is making sure that artists understand if they put the time and money in upfront, it comes back out later.” — Alex Farkas
“Think about what you’re trying to accomplish and what your goal is, and then work from there.” — Alex Farkas

About My Guest

Alex Farkas is the Gallery Director of UGallery. His love of art traces back to his hometown, Jerome, a tiny arts community in northern Arizona. Alex grew up creating sculptures in his uncle's woodworking studio and learning about the art business in his mother's gallery. He co-founded UGallery in 2006 with the goal of helping emerging artists connect with patrons. As one of the first ever online art galleries, UGallery significantly improved the opportunities available for artists. The gallery has been featured in the New York Times, Vogue, and Art in America. He currently lives, and UGallery is based, in San Francisco.

On a Dark Tangent