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Navigating the art world

Economy, buyers’ habits affect galleries and artists

Durango prides itself on being an arts town, but if artists wants to make a living while pursuing their art here, it pays to have a career that doesn’t depend on the local market.

An economic study proved cultural events are a draw and make an impact on the local economy. The city of Durango invested in the study on the economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations, and their audiences, that was conducted by Americans for the Arts in 182 communities and regions around the country. The study found that arts and culture nonprofits generate $9.1 million in total economic activity in Durango, which includes $3.2 million in event-related spending. But that was based on what happened in 2010, and it didn’t include working visual artists and the galleries that represent them.

Durango galleries are experiencing mixed results.

“I’ve talked to the other gallery owners and several of the stores in town, and we all had a miserable winter,” said Karyn Gabaldon, owner of the eponymous gallery, who wears both hats, artist and gallery owner. “And sales in the gallery haven’t recovered yet (from the recession).”

Gabaldon hopes the strengthening housing market will lead to improved sales in the galleries.

“First, people buy their house, then, they buy their couch, then, the art for the wall is the last thing,” she said. “My mother sent me an article from the Albuquerque Journal, and galleries are closing left and right in Santa Fe, so it’s not just here.”

Shanan Campbell Wells, owner of Sorrel Sky Gallery, took a bet on the art market in 2014.

“Business is strong,” she said. “I think the fact that I opened a gallery in Santa Fe last year shows I feel good about the future.”

Cristie Scott, executive director of Durango Arts Center, said exhibits in the Barbara Conrad Gallery are a bit different because many have an educational component and often items are not available for sale, such as the recent quilt show.

“But our annual juried show, which features local and regional artists, we tend to see sales there, although it’s not what we rely on to sustain that gallery,” she said. “And our Winter Solstice Market (in December), which is all local and features both crafts and fine art, exceeded our expectations and was way ahead of the previous year.”

Several artists said off the record that fans of their work say they’re waiting for the next nonprofit silent auction, so they can get a deal. They pay pennies on the dollar, one of them said, and artists are allowed to deduct the only cost of the materials, not the value of their time, talent or expertise. That’s a harsh reality for an artist who is trying to make a living in a community with 300-400 nonprofits.

The economy, though, might not be the only thing making it tough on galleries.

“Many art collectors are getting older,” Gabaldon said, “and either their walls are full, or they’re getting rid of art as they downsize. And young people are buying at art fairs or on the Internet. People will come into the gallery and take a photo of the label with their phones, planning to go online to check out the artist’s website and purchase from there.”

The tide may be turning on a global level, but whether it will trickle down to the local market is anybody’s guess. The European Fine Art Foundation published its annual report in mid-March, showing higher art prices and a higher number of transactions had pushed sales up 7 percent compared with 2013 to about $68 billion, with the market dominated by the U.S., China and Britain.

As hard as it is for gallery owners, the art world is a maze for the artists themselves. Many work day jobs, forced to create their art on the side as they struggle to afford the expensive cost of living here. Others price their work at a point the local market can bear. And still, others have created a career that extends out into the world beyond Southwest Colorado, expanding their marketability and playing on a bigger field.

abutler@durangoherald.com

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