Working with galleries..

One of the joys and challenges of running your own pottery business is learning how to work with galleries. Each gallery has a different way of working but there is one thing that is consistent and that is the need for communication – finding out who owns the gallery and how they would like to be approached, keeping in touch while working on orders, thanking owners for payments received, all good manners and good business.

Blairmore Gallery

One of the galleries we sell at is the lovely Blairmore Gallery here on the Cowal Peninsula. I have been lucky to meet Ciorsdan (promounced Kirsten) on a few occasions now, including on training courses for social media. It was great to be paired with Ciorsdan so we could support and advise and encourage one another – me from the artist’s point of view and Ciorsdan from the gallery owners point of view – while looking at our blogs, websites and social media pages. I really appreciated Ciorsdan’s kindess.

Blairmore Gallery is in an idyllic spot on the shores of Loch Fyne and sells work from local and other Scottish artists. It is well worth a visit, to browse arts and crafts or to sample the tasty cakes and coffee.

Every gallery experience has been different – what is appreciated and / or sells in one place might not be appreciated in another. It can be a case of trial and error and learning to roll with that is tough at the beginning, but worth working through so that we all have a better experience as we go along, artist, owner and customer. It is about not making it personal while somehow keeping it personal.

​If you are reading this with a view to contacting galleries yourself, there is a really helpful blog here – it is from the generous gallery owner at Inchmore Gallery, which will soon be exhibiting our seatree crafts too – very exciting. After such a long gap without my own studio, I am playing catch-up now with orders but hopefully will be working on their order before too long.

Wishing you all the best in your gallery work too.