Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean McGarry.
Hi Sean, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My wife and I used to run the gallery out of our previous location on Grand Ave. Our last show opened on March 6th, 2020. This show was open for one day. It was the last time the public ever set foot into our old gallery. Fortunately, we were able to relocate to The Lawrence Building in partnership with Galvanize Phoenix.
We have set up our residency inside this beautiful co-working community in a way we never thought possible. Our permanent collection rotates constantly, and hundreds of people get to see and appreciate the artwork on a daily basis. This partnership gave us an opportunity to thrive during a time when a lot of galleries closed. We could not be happier with our Galvanize partners and our Lawrence Building community.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The Covid 19 pandemic obliterated the gallery paradigm. We took this as an opportunity to really step up our online presence and make the most of our digital savvy. We began integrating QR codes with all of our art labels – these link directly to each individual work on our online store.
We set up online interviews with artists discussing the artistic process and published them on our YouTube channel. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to extend ourselves digitally and forced us to rethink how a gallery could connect with collectors.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
One truth I realized speaking with so many artists is this; artists don’t always spend time with other artists. Many artists are the only artist in their friend circles. This means many artists do not have the chance to talk about art with other artists. Once I realized this, I began running invite-only artist critiques.
I would invite 5-10 artists to gather at the gallery and be ready to talk about their work with other artists of the same level. This invite-only environment gave them a chance for artists to get productive feedback on their work while being able to comment on and absorb the work of their peers. The unexpected result was how many friendships were cultivated through these critiques. The power of community in the art world is real.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Be a professional. Treat your art career like a business. Find other artists and share ideas. Above all else, never take rejection personally. No one ever remembers your failures, they only remember your success. Learn from your rejections and savor your success.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://9thegallery.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/9thegallery/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/9TheGallery/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/9TheGallery/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPwaDPL6EYm45pw5MUklqIg
