By creating a secure buying environment. Now, most everyone knows that art is only as valuable as what someone is willing to pay for it. If you can make the painting secure by getting an artist, the name of the painting and a solid provenance, you can make 2 +2 = 5.
Christeby's is hyper-aware of this. So, when the expert who was 'helping' us with our house sale project came in to chat with those of us in the British paintings department he not only picked out paintings we were struggling with but quite clearly showed an interest in who had potential and who didn't.
What were they looking for? Brains mostly so you can find the 2 + 2, though connections, a nice accent and solidly personable demeanour were probably also of importance.
Being a yank I fail miserably on the accent account. People like to buy art from someone with a posh English accent.
Coincidentally, all that time spent on perfecting my Keira Knightley impression has really paid off.
Generally if I've been drinking or if I'm talking to someone I know I need to impress in the art world, my American accent becomes very soft and a version of Keira slips in. It's relatively pleasing.
Well, enough that people listen long enough to let me smile and crack a joke.
While I went ahead and let myself look stupid as concerned a couple of my pieces that have me stumped, I did manage to redeem myself and maybe get a nod.
'Uh, excuse me, but before you go, could I ask you about these two pieces. I think they're George Morland and the other is John Berney Ladbrooke. What do you think?'
'Why do you think this is a Morland?'
'Well, I looked at the style of the building and the horses, as well as way the people were painted and it's very similar to his groom and horse portraits that were sold in the Kensington showrooms. So I compared and felt they were similar.'
'Good, very good. I'd say that if it isn't a Morland copy, it is by him. Double check using artnet and artprice but you're on the right track. Now, why do you think that is a Ladbrooke, what led you there?'
'I looked through old auction catalogues and decided he looked the most similar.'
'Why?'
'I looked at the leaves and the way the artist painted light dappling on the buildings. I figured it was the same hand.'
The expert smiled a little to himself, 'Very good. I'd say you were right and if it's not him, it's Stark.'
'Stark, great thanks.'
It was on that note things ended. I'd started out with my dead end paintings that have been nightmarish only to end on a high. And this is a good thing as the experts do ask about us to our tutors. The backdoor dealings are very key to this world.
But so is networking. As such Cocker Spaniel and I went to LIFAF yesterday in order to hone our networking skills and make new contacts.
We chatted and laughed with many different dealers. Cocker Spaniel introduced me to the people she had vetted with just last week and we had a lovely chat about a French ebony cabinet. It was really lovely, and the dealer told us to upstairs to see his object that was up for Antique Object of the Year. A cabinet that took 17 years to make.
Wow. And I thought women had it bad with a baby taking 9 months to make.
I digress.
We visited Glass Guy and said our hellos, apparently if we'd come the day previous we could have met Mick Jagger who is one of his clients.
Maybe glass is looking more glamourous.
nah.
Mick Jagger probably buys paintings too.
We headed upstairs and started to walk around the stalls there. I told Cocker Spaniel I was flagging and about to give out. I needed tea and was tired. She pushed me onward saying, 'I'm tired too but just a few more stalls, look that's all modern we can skip those.'
As we rounded a corner, a stall specialising in Victorian art was relatively empty, as such we trawled through it. They had some nice furniture too.
We started to chat with the man running the stall.
I have a new contact who may potentially offer me a position at his American branch for English art based in Vail, Colorado.
random.
Can't hurt to pass through my CV.
Sophie and I saw the cabinet that was 17 years in the making and were in awe. It really was a thing of beauty and a labour of love. It seems that when you're that passionate about something time and effort have no meaning.
Or the guy who made that was entirely neurotic.
Probably the latter.
Today has been spent avoiding Christeby's Institute of Art and making sure that I network. While the project is important, the network is equally if not more so. My tutor will not hand me a job if she likes me, she'll open doors to opportunities whereupon if they like me they'll hire me.
In a way, networking cuts out the middle man.
Not that I'm going to piss off the middle man, in fact I need to go start pleasing said middle man in order to springboard my way ahead.
No one else is going to do it for me.
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