You’ve hired contractors. You’ve decided which family furniture to keep. You’ve chosen paint colors and coordinated a zillion other details, until here you are at the final styling stage of sourcing original art from local artists. A whirlwind of design goodness BUT a giant time-eater.
Right about now, a savvy interior designer says, where’s my favorite art consultant?
A Size, Price and Style Expert Who Costs You Nothing.
An art consultant gets right to it – sifting by price, size, style, medium and color quickly. They’re an expert who lives and breathes this stuff: paintings, sculpture, fiber, photography, metal, lighting, hand-crafted furniture pieces, you name it. Their vast knowledge and mental cataloging saves time, money and headaches. That’s a smart business move.
Keeping you up-to-date on new local artists is also a true joy for art consultants. You have enormous influence over art decisions. It’s truly in their best interest to make life simple for you. Nothing makes them happier than helping you be 100% confident about any recommendations you make. They also both genuinely want to help artists they rep connect with people who love their art and then educate your clients about it.
When it comes time to schlep a large or fragile piece, an interior designer needs a logistics person too. Pull in an art advisor and everything gets to its destination efficiently and carefully.
Art that’s more original. Less work
Clients come to interior designers because they want a comfortable nest, done right. They want their space to reflect their personal style. The most unique final choices are original (and often) local art. And when giving that first re-done home or corporate office tour with friends, who doesn’t want to be able to tell the story attached to their newly-purchased original art? Art consultants know how each piece originated and the backstory on the artist. They have strong connections with artists and understand their process. That’s especially helpful when commissioning an original custom work. People also get excited about knowing they’re supporting a real person making art for a living vs buying something pretty off an assembly line. This all makes art more personal, more emotional and more valuable no matter how little or how big the price tag is.
You have enough to do. Let us find the art.
Expert Art Advising
Delegating to clients can be a business mistake.
Art is a highly personal decision. After a few nightmares, some interior designers make it SOP to turn buying art over to clients. This may leave the “final” home project unfinished. It also opens up potential relationship issues. Clients are often far less equipped than interior designers to know where to buy affordable and high-quality art.
Overwhelm can set in, which affects the happy halo they had while working with you. As an extension of your expert service, an art buyer keeps good vibes flowing your way so you can focus on rising above your competition.
You’re both in the same business, connecting people with beauty and meaningful purchases that make life happier, an office more welcoming, a home more restorative. Maybe it’s time to hang out with one before you hang anything for your next client?
This article was written by Andrea Bogart, professional artist, lead art consultant and the founder of Embrace Creatives, matching you with original art to love.
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