Susan Jane Belton, Espresso Success, 2011. Ink, acrylic, paper.
I look forward to the Museum School Sale every year. The openings become joyous reunions between artists, and I love talking to collectors. It’s a great experience for both of us—I get to see the work through the collector’s eyes, listen to their interests and questions and offer any history I might have about the artist and/or the artist’s process. It makes a marked difference to their connection to a piece, and it reminds me of all the reasons people have art in their lives. I also enjoy connecting the potential purchaser with the artist—a great experience for both parties. Artists, and perhaps especially students, can have a mythical idea of who the “collector” is. It turns out, of course, that collectors are everyone.
The sale is amazing in that it is so large—literally constantly changing. I love walking around and seeing the work on the walls rotating even as I make the loop around the galleries, as one piece is purchased and another takes its place. I also just love the atmosphere of the sale—the validation for all the artists, the excitement and interest from the general public in the work of the students and associated artists. One always find something new and interesting—it’s a great way to see what students are creating and thinking about. And students get to see their work in a professional context, displayed amongst works from faculty, staff and affiliated artists.
I always encourage students from my Professional Practices course to submit work to the event. Professional Practices covers career trajectories and issues in the art world, and offers in-person, actual practice in presenting work to visiting artists, all of whom are respected professionals, artists, curators or activists. Recently my students have been preparing pop-up exhibitions, complete with wall text, press releases, bios and artist statements. They prepare themselves and their work to meet their audience. All of this accelerates their skills and preparedness for taking their next steps toward launching their professional careers. At the Sale, all of this comes together when I can connect my student with a potential collector. I listen as they give an intelligent, clear, poised introduction, hand them their card, and cement an authentic connection. Needless to say, if a sale results, as it often does, everyone is thrilled.
Susan Jane Belton teaches Professional Practices at SMFA and is a painter whose work has, for several years now, considered logo-emblazoned takeout coffee cups as an object of study. She is represented by Howard Yezerski Gallery in Boston and George Billis Gallery in New York and Los Angeles, and Gleason Gallery in Portland and Boothbay Harbor, Maine. She will have a one person show at the Museum of Art of University of Maine in 2012. She will be participating in the Museum School Sale and helping to sell work for the duration of the event.
