Studio Visits by Way of Instagram - It's Where the Excitement Is
Alumnus Kate Bellin (Christie’s Education New York, M.A. Modern and Contemporary Art and the Market, Valedictorian, 2009) on her route to success.
I knew shortly after entering the Christie’s Master’s program that I wanted start an art consulting company at some point, matching clients with artists. How I would get to that point, I wasn’t sure. As the program wound down, I called upon a mentor, Michael Findlay, who gave me an internship at Acquavella Galleries, and then allowed me the opportunity to work on the Robert and Ethel Scull show at the gallery, after my official duties ended. As the curator’s assistant, I sourced works and interacted with artists, skills that serve me well still today. Through a posting at Christie’s, I then accepted a job working on the Jasper Johns Catalogue Raisonne of Paintings and Sculpture, where I contributed about three years of research, all the while developing relationships with galleries and artists and getting to know the art scene in New York intimately.
As I was finally working on a website and printing business cards for Kate Bellin Contemporary, I found out I was pregnant and — while initially worried that I wouldn’t have time to work after the baby was born — soon found that little Lucky opened up a whole new client base for me, “mom friends”! My business at first was all word-of-mouth, and friends of friends still form the bulk of my clientele, though it’s been significantly expanded since I began working with designers and engaging with social media. Most recently, I’ve focused on finding very emerging artists by doing a ton of studio visits — often arranged through Instagram or over email. That’s where the excitement is.