How to sell art at fine art exhibitions is a question that I have often thought about, especially when sales were down. While I've done plein air events which are slightly different than the traditional exhibition, my main experience has been with wildlife and historical art. Here are some things I've learned over the years that you may find helpful.

Sell Art at Fine Art Exhibitions by Having a Professional Display

This is covered more in-depth in my previous article, Preparing for a Fine Art Exhibition-Part 2. However, I think it's good to just briefly mention that if you have a professional-looking display, you will increase your chances of selling your work.

Look Relaxed

Something I’ve realized over the years is that I can scare potential buyers away by looking too anxious. Body language and your tone of voice can say way more than your words. If you look anxious or desperate, you will drive people away no matter how good your work is. If you look relaxed, the people around you will feel more relaxed and be more likely to come into your booth.

My approach is to stand confident but relaxed and almost ignore the people as they walk into my booth. If they just walk through without stopping, then they probably are not interested and no amount of talking will change their mind (there is no such thing as art that appeals to everyone). But if they stop and start talking or pointing, I give them a minute and then say something like, "Hi, how are you doing?" or, "I see you are looking at this painting." I have read from other successful artists that you should address everyone who comes into your booth, but in my experience, I've found that just drives many people away. I like to let them look on their own for a few moments and then engage them.

Tell Them the Story

Another thing that can help you sell art at fine art exhibitions is to tell the story behind the painting. This could be the story of the subject matter, the location that inspired the painting, or the creative process. I have always had a tough time accepting the fact that most people don't buy artwork because of its superior quality; they buy artwork because it invokes an emotion, reminds them of something meaningful, and/or because it will look good in a certain spot in their house. You need to be prepared to tell them the story that will further entice their emotions and lead them closer to taking the painting home. Sometimes a painting will sell itself, but it's the exception, not the rule. One thing that helps me is typing up little storyboards that I will hang next to the painting, listing also the size and the medium. These work great for getting the story told to those who may not be very conversational, but it also helps me to remember the story when relaying it to a potential collector.

Magically Find Wall Space

The most common objection I hear against buying a painting is, “We don’t have enough wall space.” While this is a tough objection to overcome, in many cases it’s bogus. While people with full walls may still attend an art show, most people can and will find the space if they like the painting. When this objection is presented, the best thing you can do is repeat the objection back to them in the form of a slightly exaggerated question, “So you are completely out of wall space?” Many times, they will respond with something like, “Well, we could probably find the space, or hang it in such and such a place.”

Sell Art at Fine Art Exhibitions by Taking Art Off the Wall

When I sell a painting, I take it off the wall as soon as possible. There have been so many times when I would sell a painting and leave it hanging with the red dot, only to have people say, “I would have bought that painting if it wasn’t already sold” and not look at anything else. This is probably because we want what we can’t have, and it may be just a way to get out of your booth without having to buy. All I know is that having the sold painting on the wall doesn’t help sell any other paintings. It does make sense to leave it up if you are selling prints, and may help get a commission, but that is rare in my experience. However, make sure to keep the tag with the red dot on the wall at all costs. A booth with a lot of red dots can have a snowball effect when it comes to sales. And when you remove the sold paintings you can cluster the red dots together in a prominent place, which increases the perception that you are selling fast.

Post Those Sales

When a painting does sell, I’ll get my photo taken with the collector(s) and the painting. I then post this on social media right away announcing the sale. Seeing the happy collectors with your painting is great for your reputation and can result in more sales. Potential collectors may be following you on social media. And the Be Backs will be more motivated to come back if they see other people happily buying your work.

This just covers the tip of the iceberg. Please leave your comments and experiences below. I would love to hear from you! Also, see my artwork at www.jasontako.com and be sure to check out my YouTube channel.

Jason Tako is a nationally known fine artist who specializes in western, wildlife, plein air, and Historical Native American subject matter. He spent his learning years sketching the wetlands and wooded areas of rural Minnesota. He has been featured in Plein Air Magazine and Western Art Collector Magazine and he was the Featured Artist for the 2020 Southeastern Wildlife Expo. See his work at www.JasonTako.com and his demonstrations on his YouTube Channel.