Officially in a Gallery

I have been officially invited into a co-op artist gallery. I am the newest member of the Old Town Art Gallery, the oldest artist-owned gallery in Eureka, CA.

For me, as a digital artist, this is a very big deal. It is not lost on me that digital artists are rarely invited to be in galleries. Galleries have, almost exclusively, been the purview of traditional artists. 

I can only assume why. Historically, the advent of digital art-making displaced a lot of traditional art processes, and undermined the careers of many professional illustrators, painters, and commercial artists. Photoshop, as one of the original "programs" (as they were called back then) seemed to be faster and easier for a lot of workflows for commercial products. Digital tools seemed to supplant a lot of traditional ones, and digital artists replaced a lot of hard-working traditional artists. 

And galleries have almost always excluded digital art because there are no "originals" to market and sell to collectors. Limited edition prints are usually supplemental to the originals and marketed as cheaper alternatives for those who can't afford the originals. They were easily reproduced, and limited edition series were only so good as the integrity of the artist who promised not to make any more prints after a certain number. 

So I feel like there's a built-in disdain for digital artists when it comes to comparing it to traditional works. And generative AI has only made it worse. 

There have been galleries that specialize in digital art, and make no distinction between digital and analog mediums. Nucleus Gallery in Alhambra, CA (in the heart of the LA area) has gone out of its way to celebrate digital art and illustration. In the past, the former San Diego Comic Art Gallery (owned and operated by IDW Comics) was a good place to see comic art of both traditional and digital origin. The Los Angeles Center for Digital Art  is another space that has embraced digital art. The most recent museum, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, doesn't seem to have a problem with digital art used in storytelling. 

But generally, the concept of digital art as a legitimate artistic expression worthy of being sold in galleries alongside traditional art hasn't necessarily been embraced. And certainly not by co-op galleries owned and operated by traditional artists who have their misgivings about the medium. 

And thus it is not lost on me that my invitation is an exception to the norm. 

I can already tell that I need to invest time in educating my fellow artists about my process, because when I was installing my pieces to my assigned space on the second floor of the gallery, I realized the two I met that day had little idea how I created the art they'd perused in my application. They knew, theoretically, that it was digital, but with the advent of generative AI they had real questions. I was lucky enough to have my iPad with me and showed them a speedpaint video of one of my most recent pieces, explaining how I happened to use an iPad instead of paper. 

And while many of the local artists I've met have heard of the app I use to make my digital art, Procreate, knowing and understanding are two different things. I will need to help them know what I do and how I do it so they can then explain to potential purchasers when they ask. Some of the younger artists I've met over time know more about my process when I tell them I use Procreate and can appreciate what I do in a different way than most of the older artists I've shared with. 

So I'll have a lot of education to do. 

But I'm marveling at the moment right now. The caché of being able to say my work can be seen at a gallery adds credibility to my professional status. And I'm deeply happy. It's a great space, and I'm looking forward to committing to the endeavor. I've been looking for an artistic home right now, and the minimum commitment is six months. I pay $60/month, and put in two days each month as a gallery sitter. They rearrange the space every three months, so we'll see how it goes. I can offer framed pieces, prints, and greeting cards. I think I have good price points. 

I have great hopes! We'll see how it goes!