An Interview with Brandon Lynch of Artisan Style

Happy New Year!

I don't know about all of you, but I'm really ready for a fresh start this year and optimistic that it will be much better than 2009.

Don't get me wrong, lot's of very good things happened in 2009, but hopefully a lot more good things will be in store for us in 2010!

My most exciting news is that my artwork is now represented in Dallas, at the Artisan Style Gallery, a wonderful and eclectic space in the uptown area by the Crescent Hotel. The gallery is situated in a lovely old home dating back to the early 1900's and is filled with colorful, energetic art carefully curated by owners Brandon Lynch & Steve Iha. Their goal? To provide a twist on the traditional gallery and offer affordable artwork to everyone. To visit their site and blog: http://www.artisanstyle.net/ and http://blog.artisanstyle.net/

I was lucky enough to learn of this little gem and meet the owners while in Dallas this fall, and they not only invited me to be part of their gallery, but will also be hosting a two-person show for myself and Gina Dunn this Spring with the opening reception tentatively scheduled for March 26th! Needless to say, this is very exciting and if you will be in Dallas during that time, I'd love for you to attend - more details to come later!

In the meantime, I had the opportunity to interview Brandon and here are some of his thoughts about the gallery and current are scene:

dc: What was the decisive factor for you to open the gallery?

bl: The decision to open Artisan Style was a direct result of the current state of the economy. Both my partner and I worked in advertising; he sold airtime for NBC and I bought airtime for clients such as Ford and AT&T. In May of 2008, he was laid off. At that point, so many people at my company had been let go as well that I was working 10 hour days. The day he was laid off, we sat down and talked about what our plan of action was going to be. Within minutes, we had our laptops flipped open and we were searching for commercial properties that would be perfect for an art gallery. Art had been something that we fell in love with at the same time, at a gallery in the Bishop Arts District. It was something we were both passionate about, taking trips to New Orleans on a regular basis just to see the galleries. The only vacation time I took from work was to drive to Eureka Springs, Arkansas, one of the nicest art towns I have been to. The decision to open the gallery was an easy one. We knew it meant a change in lifestyles and a lot of hard work, but we also knew it would mean that we were doing something we both loved. Fortunately, it has turned out to be just that.

dc: What do you feel is different about Artisan Style from most traditional galleries?

bl: In creating the gallery and the concept behind it, there were two important factors that we knew were going to be the foundation of the gallery. First, we wanted to remove the notion that original artwork is a luxury item only afforded to the wealthy. Second, we wanted to find a gallery location that would allow us to make it inviting and create a warm and friendly atmosphere. That is largely why we opted for a neighborhood setting in an early 1900’s home. I have heard other gallery owners say that they make their galleries approachable by adding friendly sales staff, and one even said they “placed a rug symmetrically on each side of an added partition used as a wall to create a home-like environment.” I had to laugh at that, because strategically placing rugs symmetrically on each side of an added fake wall is not “home-like” or inviting.

dc: What is your background and how does it add to your success as a gallery owner?

bl: I graduated from Southern Methodist University in 2005 with a degree in corporate communications and public affairs. I was fortunate to get the first job I interviewed for out of college at MindShare, the buying arm for J. Walter Thompson. My schooling and my work experience with the media are the reasons we have been lucky in getting as much press as we have. The small article in Daily Candy, which took three press releases to even get a call back, ran on November 13, 2009. I am still seeing people almost every other day that say they saw us in Daily Candy. Being able to market the gallery and the artists is imperative, and I am lucky that I can do this on my own without the need to hire a PR firm or spend thousands of dollars on advertising. Although we do continually advertise, as I believe it is necessary for branding, we do so in affordable publications. The bulk of our advertising budget is set aside for solo and group shows.

dc: What type of art do you represent, and why?

bl: We represent contemporary art that is produced by emerging to mid-career artists who share the same belief that we do; that original art should be more accessible to everyone. Opening night, our gallery was full of modern abstract wall assemblages and various paintings by local artists. We wanted people to open the door and have to take a step back because of all the fun, beautiful colors on the wall. I think this worked well for the opening, but we have naturally progressed and have now established a much broader and more eclectic list of artists and styles. We have added sculptural pieces to our collection, landscapes, figurative paintings, and we are always seeking to add other unique pieces to insure we have something for every customer that comes in the door.

dc: Do you predict any trends for 2010?

bl: It seems that people everywhere are becoming more aware of materialism, and how they have taken for granted their ability to buy various and unnecessary items for years (I include myself in this by the way ;)). Personally, we have sold many of our own items we did not need and essentially “de-cluttered” our home as we realized this. Who needs a ton of tchotchkes anyway? I think their will be a sort of “back to basics” trend across all industries. As far as art goes, I have already started to see that people want very specific items, painted a certain way with certain colors. Custom work will most likely increase and the cost is going to have to stay close to what the artist would charge for an already produced piece that is similar in size and subject matter.