Alan Bamberger is a leading Art Expert and Writer based in San Francisco. He is the founder of www.artbusiness.com a practical resource for Artists and Collectors.

Sean Corcoran is an Artist based in Waterford and a member of Mutant Space who has an interest in exploring the potential that the Internet can offer Artists; www.SeanCorcoranArt.com

On Mar 13, 2009 Sean Corcoran emailed Alan Bamberger:

Hello Alan

I’m a great fan of your website and the advice and articles you present.
I would very much like to interview you for an Irish online magazine called The Mutation.
It’s part of a relatively new Artists Resource called www.mutantspace.ie that I’m a member of.
I’m not a journalist, I’m an artist.
I have an interest in how artists can improve themselves by availing of the opportunities that the Internet provides.
I have attached an Interview/online conversation that I am currently conducting with Moray Bresnihan, the founder of www.mutantspace.ie .
We used Google Docs so that we could both work on the document online at the same time. Have you tried it?
It makes for a more collaborative approach and the results I believe are more interesting.
I would hope to use the same technique for your Interview/online conversation.
What do you reckon?

Sean Corcoran

Alan Bambergers Reply:

Sean

Appreciate the email.  Glad to hear you find the site helpful.  I’m happy to do the interview. I’m not really familiar with Google Docs– other than that I’ve heard of it. I usually do the interviews by phone, but suppose I’d be willing to try this out, assuming it’s not too complicated.  I’m not that technically inclined, but I do use Google Calendar and find that pretty easy. Why don’t you give me a call at 415.931.7875 or email and we’ll set something up.

I’m in California USA, Pacific Time Zone.

best,
ab

On Mar 14, 2009, Sean Corcoran wrote:

Great Alan

Delighted you’ll take part.

Believe me Google Docs is Simple. I’ll open a document and send you a link to it. You have a Google account so you just need to be signed in and we can both access the document at any time. It’s just like a word document only it’s online and only me and you can access it.

I’ll give you a ring shortly for a chat. I believe it’s 9am with you when it’s 4pm with me. I’m 7 hours ahead of you I think.
For the online conversation / interview if we could arrange a target time that suits us both to try to be online each day. Nothing strict but it’s easier if we both have an idea what the other is up to. We can work on it individually at any time but it’s nice to collaborate together occasionally too. That can make for interesting results. This might take days or weeks depending on our pace.

I’ll be Blue if that suits you and if we both initial before our text. We can both edit as we go along and come back and add more bits etc. Some photos would be nice too. If there’s anything your not happy to talk about just say and we’ll remove it. We’ll keep as much of our exchange as possible, even these emails might work good as an intro.

Sean

After a brief telephone telephone call Alan replies:

Good to speak with you this morning Sean. I’ll wait to hear from you.

Best,
ab

And so the Online exchange begins;

SC: Great Alan, here’s a link to the Google Doc that I’ve opened; http://docs.google.com/Edit?id=ddvqpbzj_0gtg867g6

As you’ll see I’ve put our email correspondence in as an intro. Nice to talk with you today and thanks for taking up the challenge.

Firstly let me give you some background. As an artist I have found your articles very enlightening. I like the way your advice is informed, practical and easy to follow, as well as interesting. Also my wife and I had planned to build an Arts Centre on a site we bought on the Cliffs in Waterford. I found your writings invaluable for our business plan. Unfortunately our project was turned down by the planning department. We’re looking at Plan B now, well actually Plan C to be more accurate.

I’ve been building my own website over the last few months and again I’ve called on your expert opinions. Your website really is a fantastic resource for artists (and collectors too no doubt). So I must say a big THANK YOU for that to begin with.

SC: To kick off I wonder would you tell us a bit about yourself. We’ll get to art and your career a bit later. Tell us about Alan Bamberger, where your from, your lifestyle, your life…

AB: Big question Sean– but here goes.  Born and raised in Cleveland area of Ohio USA.  Majored in psychology in college; moved to San Francisco area of California in the mid-1970s to continue my studies.  Developed an interest in antiques and collectibles shortly afterward and by 1976, had begun buying and selling items in those areas.  For a while I was also very involved in selling vintage clothing, but by 1979, I began selling antique and vintage paintings.  From there, I expanded my business to selling rare and out-of-print reference books on the fine and decorative arts.  I had my first article published in 1983, evolved that into a syndicated column for antiques and collectibles newspapers by 1985 (called “Art Talk”) and from there progressively expanded my art world knowledge into the contemporary realm, particularly from a business perspective.  I started artbusiness.com in about 1997, and from there, you can read www.artbusiness.com/expert.html for a continuation and brief bio.

SC: What does a childhood in Ohio consist of?

AB: Good upbringing, good parents, two brothers, suburb of Cleveland, Ohio, good schools, good education, good values.  Very typical all the way around.

SC: I’d say there’s a big contrast between suburban Cleveland and downtown San Francisco? Do you go back? Do you still have family there? Big lake there isn’t there?

AB: I still have a brother there.  Try to get back once every year or two.  Always enjoyable.  And yes– Lake Erie is so large, you can’t see across to the other side– it looks like an ocean.

SC: Would you describe the more personal side of your life, in terms of living in San Francisco, your average day, your average week, your dog, your cat, family, friends, holidays, likes, dislikes, other pastimes etc. [I hope this is OK with you as I would like to begin by creating a picture of you in an informal style].

AB: Let’s see… dog, wife, two sons (one in high school, one in college), live only a few minutes by car from downtown San Francisco.  What do I like?  Art.  I’m pretty busy these days, so don’t find that much time to get out like I used to.  But there are many great restaurants here (I tend to prefer ethnic cuisine– Indian, Chinese, Thai, Mexican, old school Italian, etc.), plenty of interesting events, lots of very liberal creative people– so it’s easy to stay entertained.  And when I need something more, I can always walk up the hill a few blocks and look out over the Golden Gate.

SC: Wow. The Golden Gate on your doorstep. Your environment is so different to mine. By the way can you insert some pictures that might represent the dialogue? A nice postcard picture of you and your dog at the Golden Gate, now that would be corny! No, your choice whatever you like. Maybe even that picture of you in 3D glasses that I’ve found in a Google Image search. Oh yes I’ve done my research, I’ve even listened to 2 radio interviews you did on Neighbourhood Public Radio. That Jonathon Keats is a character, and a well respected artist too I believe. Anyway some pics would be good.

AB: Pics?  OK.  I’ll have to take some.  I take them for everybody else, but hardly ever of myself.  I’ve got one or two on my Facebook profile that would work.

SC: So you’ve been working in the art industry for over 30 years?

AB: That is correct.

SC: Where did you learn about art?

AB: One day, while driving around the Sierra Mountains in Northern California, I bought an old beat up painting in an antique shop for $15– not quite sure why– but I did.  When I got back to San Francisco, I found out that if I restored it, it would be worth $3000.  That was a mark-up I could get used to, so I decided to become an art dealer.  I had about 6 months of income coming in from selling vintage clothes (I was pretty good at it), so I quit that and went about learning the art business– with a 6-month do-or-die deadline.  Well… I did.

SC: You have no formal qualifications or training? Have you ever found this to be a disadvantage or quite the opposite?

AB: Actually, it’s kind of an advantage.  By learning from people in the business, I not only come to understand the significance of an item from scholarly and historical perspectives, but also in terms of collectability– in other words, how much value it has, why it has that value, and who cares about it enough to want to pay the price.

SC: What have been (and still are) your biggest Influences?

AB: Professional people in the art business and any artist who would take the time to talk to me when I knew nothing and wanted to know everything.

SC: Have you ever picked up a paintbrush or made a piece of art?

AB:I actually won several awards for my art when I was in junior high school, including one nationally, but math and science seemed to be more viable than being an artist, so I gave it up… even though the art teachers strongly encouraged to rethink my decision.

SC: Would you take it up again some day? What kind of artist would you be if you decided you needed a career change?

AB: I play a pretty decent blues harmonica.  That’s about all the art I need these days.  Though some years back, a friend who owned a gallery asked me if I’d do a piece of art for a group show– just for fun.  I bought a pack of water-based markers, did a little abstract, called it “Morning Coffee,” and priced it $45.  It was one of 2 pieces that sold at the opening.

SC: Do you love art or is it a job?

AB: What do you think?

SC: Well yes I can see already that you love art but I’m just wondering with the amount of work that must be involved in your enterprise…does the love turn to slog? Or are you Mr Happy every day skipping out your front door?

AB: Love occasionally turns to slog, but then the instant I consider the alternatives, it turns right back into love again.

SC: Can you describe www.artbusiness.com and some background to it?

AB: Bought the domain about 1997, intended to use it as an online resume of my writing– a place where I could direct newspapers and magazines to see samples of my work, and hopefully publish me.  Before long, I realized that quite a few people were reading my so-called resume (sample articles about the art business), so I began to expand the site as sort of a consumer advocate service for artists, collectors, and anyone else who was interested in learning about the business.

SC: Do you have any plans for the site over the coming years?

AB: Keep on adding helpful information for artists, collectors, and anyone else who has a hankering to learn about how the art business works.

SC: What’s the most exciting part of your business?

AB: It used to be making a great find at an antiques store or used book store. Now I suppose it’s the adventure of never knowing who’s going to call or email with what kind of quandary.  Could be anyone from anywhere.  In fact right now I’m doing this online interview for an artist website in Ireland.  Uh… wait a minute… never mind.  That’s you.

SC: How much time do you spend online and on your computer?

AB: Lots.  Maintaining the website, consulting for artists, and appraising art is a full time job.

SC: Do you do this work from home? If so do you have good self discipline or do you end up like me at crazy hours of the day and night trying to catch up? Or pacing up and down, turning the kettle on every ten minutes? 

AB: Working from home is great; I love the commute.  And yes, I have loads of self-discipline.  Sure, I suppose I work crazy hours sometimes, but I don’t really regard it as work.  It’s life.

SC: Can you recommend any other websites, printed or online magazines?

AB: I find www.artnet.com to be quite good.

SC: What makes you like a piece of art?

AB: It’s got to hold my attention, show me something or make me think about something in a way I haven’t seen or thought about it before.  And it has to be well-made.  Poorly made art does not do it for me– no matter how brilliant the mind of the artist behind it.

SC: Is your perception affected by the sheer volume of art you have seen?

AB: Yes.  The more art you see, the more discriminating you become, and the better you get at making fine line distinctions between good, better, and best.

SC: What types of art do you favour?

AB: Art that holds my attention.

SC: Do you ever speak out about art you don’t like?

AB: Artists and art dealers have a tough enough time as it is without me having to complain about stuff.  Plus, if an artist has the courage to make art, or a gallery the courage to show and sell it, then more power to them.  Going negative doesn’t help anyone.

SC: Who are your all time favourite artists dead or alive?

AB: I don’t really think that way anymore.  I suppose the best answer would be whatever artist’s work I happen to like the most at the moment.

SC: What artists are you into at the moment then?

AB: Let’s see… what have I liked recently… a Richard Lindner show, small paintings of drive-thru windows by Mark Trujillo, abstracts by Naomie Kremer, decorative arts by Italian industrial designer Enzo Mari, a couple of group shows of contemporary Chinese artists.  Next week, it’ll be totally different.

SC: What do you think of art schools and what they turn out?

AB: Art school is good; artists need an education just like any other professionals– and an understanding of the evolution and current state of creative expression.  As far as inadequacies go, art schools do not teach enough about the business– and I think the main reason why is that many of the people who teach there know little or nothing about how the art business works.  Also– sometimes art schools tend to preach about what kinds of art are more or less “worthy” or “significant” than others.  If professors would focus more on how to make good quality art, and less on imposing their own personal views on their students, that would be nice.  Last time I checked, brainwashing does little or nothing to evolve the creative process.

SC: How many shows would you say you’ve been to?

AB: Thousands and thousands and thousands and thousands.

SC: What’s the best party/opening you’ve been to?

AB: The opening night gala of the San Francisco Fall Antiques show is killer.  Also the Tribal Arts Show and Asian Arts show.  Oh– and there was a Scion sponsored art show on Alcatraz Island once.  That was pretty good.  People I’ve seen at art events/openings– Steve Martin, Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Marilyn Manson, Dianne Keaton, and many I can’t remember at the moment.

SC: How many photos have you taken in your life?

AB: I’d have to guess well into the hundreds of thousands… maybe more.

SC: Do you understand art more from a buyers perspective than an artists?

AB: Both.

SC: Are all artists mad?

AB: Not at all.  Many are extremely well organized, understand the business, and are perfectly capably of integrating their creative natures with the exigencies of the marketplace.

SC : What pisses you off most about artists (and users of your website)?

AB: People who take things without asking permission.

SC: What do you think about the mystic that some artists like to convey?

AB: Do you mean mystique? Oops yea! People can either try to convey or successfully convey whatever they feel like conveying.  My favorite type of conveyance?  Genuineness, sincerity, etc.  If someone’s trying to be someone they’re not, sooner or later they get found out.

SC: Could you define what you think an artists statement should be?

AB: Read this– www.artbusiness.com/artstate.html

SC: Should an artists statement be necessary? Why can’t art speak for itself?

AB: It’s perfectly OK to let your art speak for itself… assuming you make talking art.  But seriously, I prefer to know something about what I’m looking at.  Art is not a random occurrence.  Every work of art happens for a reason, and I happen to enjoy knowing what those reasons might be.  Otherwise, it’s a guessing game– and it’s often difficult to understand or appreciate something you know absolutely nothing about.

SC: Does the commercial machine of the art industry ever make you laugh?

AB: Yes.  I’m endlessly entertained by watching people sell a commodity that has no tangible value.

SC: Sentimental about art? What’s your most treasured piece of art

AB: I don’t really see art that way.  If an artists feels compelled to create a work of art and show it in public, I am compelled to respect that.

SC: Have I confused you in this question? I mean are you sentimental about art you possess?…which I guess you’ve answered in the next question.

AB: Yes.  You’re right.  I am sentimental about a number of art pieces I possess– and money is irrelevant– some are worthless; others are otherwise.

SC: Would you find it difficult to sell certain things you possess?

AB: Yes.  Some pieces come to represent various occurrences or periods of my life– in fact, I don’t even care to know whether they have material value or what that value might be because it ruins the pleasure I take in owning them.

SC: Ever make any big finds at flea markets?

AB: Not big finds, no… but decent ones.  I supported myself for decades by making “finds” of varying degrees.

SC: What’s that scene like now?

AB: You have to follow it day by day or else you get rusty and out of practice. But for educated informed visionary thinkers with trained eyes, bargains will forever abound.

SC: Do you ever feel that contemporary art has gone to the dogs?

AB: Not really.  It’s fascinating to watch what people create… and to learn about why they create it.

SC: What do you think of conceptual art?

AB: I like anything that’s well thought out, no matter what kind of art it is.  I’ve seen difficult conceptual art, and delightful conceptual art.  As long as the artist is clear about what he or she is doing, and makes the point well with the art– that’s more than enough for me.

SC: Where would you draw the line in terms of art being accessible?

AB: I think art should be as accessible to as many people as possible. My personal mission statement is “More art everywhere is good.”

SC: You worked in the art industry right through the dot com collapse, what similarities are there to the current world economic crisis and what lessons can artists and the art world in general learn from back then?

AB: Read this– www.artbusiness.com/osoquunewec.html .  These days, artists have to really seriously demonstrate that their art has value– not dollar value– but value as art.  When art sales are easy, like they were for a number of years, artists don’t have to think so much about what the value or significance or “worthiness” of their art might be.  But now they do.

SC: You wrote the following piece in conclusion to your recent article entitled; Art in the new economy; Art will always have value and it will always express the most elevated and progressive aesthetics, tendencies, and ideals to which human beings can aspire. Art is timeless; it represents the future– it always has and it always will. It represents talent, brilliance, genius, vision, and the materialization of hope, faith, and the courage of conviction. It represents solace and beauty– an oasis where people can escape from the stresses and pressures of daily life. No matter what happens out there, great art has the power to reenergize, to reinvigorate, and even to heal. Ultimately and above all, it offers the promise that at some point in the not-to-distant future, everything will be well once again and that with the passage of time, we will unquestionably recover what we only temporarily have misplaced. Beautiful words. Do you sense this kind of optimism on the street or is this your own  idealistic viewpoint?

AB: I do what I can to help out.  If there was no art in the world, what do you think life might be like?

SC: Financially do you think the art scene can continue to be sustainable?

AB: People will always buy art.  The size of the art market may wax and wane, but it will never disappear.

SC: Could you give artists your top ten tips for maximising sales?

AB: To this I’d answer to go to my website and read the Articles For Artists section– they’ll find hundreds of tips.  www.artbusiness.com/artists.html

SC: What are the biggest mistakes you see artists making?

AB: Read this– www.artbusiness.com/osoqartworld.html .  It’s my ongoing list of all the things artists do to sabotage their art careers.

SC: How important is it for an artist to have a website?

AB: I think having a website is increasingly essential.  It’s your portfolio– a record of your art, a presentation of what you believe in, an indication of your commitment and dedication to the profession.

SC: Your site is vast. Could I ask how many hits you get?

AB: I average around 2000-2500 visitors per day.

SC: How do you make a living from your website?

AB: I haven’t figured that one out yet.  Just kidding.  I appraise art, consult with artists, write statements, write essays, help artists with contracts and contract negotiations, advise collectors on whether or not to buy particular works of art and how much to pay, help people who’ve been victimized by scammers, and consult on insurance, divorce, tax, mediation, and whatever other art quandaries anyone cares to throw at me.

SC: What does art appraisal consist of?

AB: Simply put, an appraisal from me tells someone how much there art is worth and– here’s the important part– why.  I support every appraisal I do with concrete verifiable facts.

SC: In relation to San Francisco can a good artist easily make a living?

AB: A good artist can make a living anywhere– even in San Francisco.

SC: Are there any trends in relation to art and galleries?

AB: I’m the last person to ask about trends.  I love looking at art.  And whatever they have to show me, I’ll look at.  Beyond that, I have no idea– nor do I care to get involved.  Whatever they make, I do my level headed best to appreciate.

SC: What about artists lifestyles, their studios, collectives, cooperatives etc?

AB: Too broad a question.

SC: Is San Francisco as ‘Arty’ and cosmopolitan a city as we are led to believe?

AB: It’s a marvelous place to live– unlike any other.  That I can attest to.  It’s about as progressive and accepting as any place on this planet– possibly the best.  As for cosmopolitan– let’s call it a very large small town.

SC: How do you manage the amount of shows you attend?

AB: That’s a good question.  I really don’t know.  I go to as many as I can.  The uniquely dense and compact geography of San Francisco allows us who know our way around to go to almost everything all the time.

SC: Is most art still displayed in traditional white cube spaces?

AB: Yes.  Although I see more bars, clothing stores, boutiques, bookstores, and even a gardening supply store setting aside space for galleries.  That may be a trend– you sell something else to support your love of the arts.

SC: Do big crowds attend shows? What age groups?

AB: Sometimes big; sometimes small.  And all age groups.  No matter what your age or your propensities, you can find a gallery to hang out at.

SC: Can you spot a buyer amongst those that are there for the free drink?

AB: I’m better at spotting freeloaders, but I meet an occasional buyer.  The best collectors know everybody.

SC: Whats the governments relationship with the arts world in San Francisco?

AB: I have been to many art openings at City Hall– several city supervisors (council members) are very supportive of the arts.  And there is a San Francisco Arts Commission– they operate several galleries and also commission works on occasion.

SC: What’s funding like?

AB: Be prepared to fund yourself.  You have to prove yourself before you get a penny.  And then you have to dedicate yourself to being funded– filling out application forms, proposals, and the like.  Government funding is sadly lacking in America.  Perhaps that may change with the new administration, but I wouldn’t count on it.

SC: Tell us a little about the art layout in terms of neighbourhoods…

AB; Neighborhoods with the most galleries– downtown, South of Market, the Mission District.  But there are galleries all over the city.

SC: Does art in San Francisco or even USA seem insular to you? Does it have blinkers on in terms of what’s happening in the outside world?

AB: San Francisco is a place where things germinate, where they begin.  It is extremely fertile ground creatively.  Often, however, you have to go elsewhere to make your living.  That is the nature of the geography here.

SC: Does American events like 9:11, Hurricane Katrina and Obama’s election feature strongly in American contemporary art?

AB: Not strongly, but in tune with the news, and on an occasional basis.  Making “current events” art is a tough way to go.  There’s an old saying– even older than me (and that’s old)– that “today’s news is tomorrow’s fish wrap.”  In other words, the fish merchants used to wrap their fresh fish in yesterday’s newspapers. (One more reason why newspapers are history– no matter how much they complain about it.  They’re not even good for wrapping fish anymore.)

SC: Have you travelled much? Where’s your favourite place in the world?

AB: I just got back from a quick trip to Montana– a powerfully beautiful region of the American West– reminiscent of the old frontier.  Rugged mountainous unforgiving land where you have to be tough and resilient to survive.

SC: Is there much of an Irish scene in San Francisco and in the art community?

AB: San Francisco has a large Irish community– always has and always will.

SC: That looks great Alan. I think we’ve covered a lot. I reckon it’s complete apart from some pictures if you could. I’ll format it and get it ready for The Mutation ezine. Not sure if it will go in for the April issue or else May. I’ll ring the editor now and keep you posted. So get some pics to me as soon as you can. Email them to me and I can insert them might be easiest.

Thanks Alan. Keep up the good work. It’s been a pleasure.

Sean Corcoran