Dec 6

Dec 6 Interview with Gallerist & Art Dealer Nick Bentley (part 1)

Episode 8: Interview with Gallerist & Art Dealer Nick Bentley

This week we look at art from the other side of the fence with gallery owner and art dealer Nick Bentley. His gallery Bils and Rye is based in Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire, but his job consists of far more than sitting behind the gallery’s counter.

It's great to hear what artists think about galleries, but that is only one side of the story. Today Peter and Laura talk to Nick Bentley, owner of Bils and Rye, a wonderful gallery in the North Yorkshire town of Kirkby Moorside. Bils and Rye have a great portfolio of artists including sculptors, painters, printmakers (including Laura, which is how we were able to lure Nick into our studio!) and ceramicists. Nick's view is that a gallery needs to be more than a place that potential buyers might visit: it has to be pro-active, finding both artists and buyers and fostering a healthy relationship with both in order to thrive as a business.

In this episode…

Second career and emerging artists are positively welcomed by Nick who applauds the professionalism of the first and the potential of the second. Galleries are not just looking for the established and well known.
Nick is pro-active in his relationship with customers, understanding their tastes and interests, contacting regulars when relevant new work comes into the gallery. He builds this relationship around his understanding of each artist, their work and methods. Be equally clear and pro-active about sharing new work and your developing practice with your own audience.
Nick hunts for new artists constantly. You might meet him or another gallerist at an art fair, local show or through social media. Don’t be shy, it’s important to put your work out into the public arena.
Nick’s business is built on good communication. He takes great care in understanding and ‘reading’ his customers so that he can offer them the best shopping experience. This is a good hint for artists; never forget that art is a luxury purchase, so make buying it a happy and special event.
Visiting Bils and Rye is like stepping into a beautifully curated home. In creating the right atmosphere, Nick often sells a painting, the pot set beside it and perhaps the furniture the pot is sitting on. Don’t underestimate the power of presentation at shows, fairs and open studios.