Question from a collector?

“ Can you please address this practice in a blog?

I've been to art shows or galleries where I love the artist work and every single piece has "price upon request" by it. Immediately I think it's so expensive I'm not even going to ask or I'm being sized up for what the artist thinks I'd be willing to pay so he/she might be giving different prices to different people. Either way I walk away and they loose a potential sale. Am I off the mark in thinking this way or is there a good reason for trying to sell art this way?

Thanks for taking the time to consider this issue which I find very irksome.”

I wish this practice did not exist but for some reason Galleries think it is the right thing to do and yet it just makes them elitist and snobby and will scare the average person away. It a practice that just not make sense and if you ask why they do it the answer will be, because everyone else does it!

There is nothing more frustrating than going to an Art show and liking a painting and having to ask one of the Gallery staff if they have a price list. Then they run off to get it and usually say that they are all in use or we have lost it, no wonder Galleries are going broke. I was at a prestigious Gallery and looking at some wonderful paintings by a young Artist but I could not read the title cards it was so small and I had to put my glasses on and then could hardly read it, and no price. I wanted this piece and I asked the Gallery attendant how much it cost, she did not know and she went off to find out and came back and told me I would have to go to the front desk and ask there, I just said no need I don’t want the painting and the Artist lost a sale.

Galleries are there to serve the customers and make it easy for them to buy the paintings, not make it so hard you just give up in frustration.

At the Gallery I ran I made sure the type was big enough to read and the selling price was clearly displayed.

Something Galleries never consider that most people who are going to spend a $1000 or more on a painting are older people who all need glasses to read small print and will not be scared off by seeing a price.

It is a rude practice and very elitist and Galleries wonder why the average person does not go into their Gallery.

Artist insist that the price is on you paintings because you would be surprised how many people will not walk up and ask for a price list. Just like most Artists are afraid to speak to strangers, so most strangers are afraid to speak to strangers especially in Art Galleries because most are intimidating, elitist places and you lose the sale.

Artist it is your business and your career, insist on your prices being shown.