Being an Artist with Geoffrey Gorman (#124)

An artist's best resource is another artist. And to really know what a real artist's life looks like on a daily basis, you have to study and talk to those artists. You can read their biographies, watch their videos, and listen to them on podcasts, including this one. In this episode of The Art Biz, I talk with Geoffrey Gorman about what it's like to be a working artist, an identity he came to later in life and has sustained for nearly two decades. Geoffrey and I discuss his background as a furniture maker, gallery dealer, and artist consultant and how each role has contributed to his life as an artist. He also reveals how he approaches his work, where he finds inspiration, his take on how the art world is changing, and his advice to artists in the rapidly-evolving market.

Highlights

• "You can make something from anything." The evolution of Geoffrey's process. (2:35)

• Journeying back into the arts after a 30-year break. (8:45)

• Geoffrey's timeline from furniture maker to gallery dealer, artist coach to full-time artist. (11:08)

• What does being an artist look like in Geoffrey's material-driven world? (16:02)

• Carving a whale and honoring the passing of time. (23:21)

• Tactics for increasing your credibility as an artist. (28:02)

• Evolving with the demands of a constantly changing art world. (31:16)

• Navigating your relationships with dealers. (36:02)

• Feedback worth soliciting as an artist. (38:55)

• The importance of connections as a small business owner. (43:00)

• How can artists utilize social media to find collectors and curators? (48:00)

• A look at where Geoffrey is putting his efforts next. (50:22)

Mentioned

• Geoffrey Gorman

• Geoffrey on Instagram

• Lewallen Galleries

• Allan Houser Estate

• Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, Sicily, Italy

The Art Biz Connection

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Resources

• Show notes, images, and listener comments

• How to Price Your Art free report

• Art Biz Connection artist membership

Quotes

• "I realized I had to create this world that I was producing." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "You are the number one expert about your work in the world." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "A lot of old benchmarks are now gone for artists." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "There are so many opportunities for us as artists out there." — Geoffrey Gorman

• "Your best resource is another artist." — Geoffrey Gorman

Guest Bio

Geoffrey Gorman was born in Paris, France, but eventually moved to and grew up on an old horse farm in the countryside near Baltimore, Maryland. The dilapidated architecture and abandoned quarries of his childhood influence and inspire the found material sculptures the artist creates today. Gorman has worked as a contemporary furniture designer, gallery dealer, curator, and art consultant before becoming a full-time professional artist. He has exhibited nationally and internationally, including in China and South Korea. Gorman's work is in public and private collections, including the Racine Art Museum and the University of Colorado.