Picturing a new way to sell artwork | Home Accents Today

Two years in the past, when Paul Robinson determined to retire after 50 years within the effective artwork enterprise, his son Matthew assumed that will be the tip of the household enterprise. However the pandemic proved {that a} new method of promoting artwork was potential, and continued consumer curiosity satisfied him that the house furnishings trade was price sticking round for.

In 1969, Paul Robinson based Paul Robinson Nice Artwork, an organization that bought unique paintings to high-end furnishings shops and designers all through the Southeast. It operated a showroom and warehouse in Marietta, Ga., the place the corporate stocked a daily stock of roughly 2,000 items of paintings from a community of American and European artists in addition to these in Asia and South America. An area body producer designed proprietary frames for the items.

Gross sales representatives would promote the paintings in individual to stocking sellers and inside designers, and the corporate maintained a Excessive Level showroom that might show near 1,000 items of artwork. Within the Nineteen Eighties, Paul Robinson hit on a brand new technique to promote his artwork stock. He bought a van, and later transitioned to field vehicles, that he loaded with paintings, changing them right into a cell artwork gallery. Gross sales reps traveled the nation, promoting paintings straight from the truck.

“That was the great thing about it—it was instantaneous gratification,” Matthew Robinson stated. “The rep may convey the paintings into the shop or the consumer’s workplace and it took all of the guesswork out of it.”

Matthew Robinson obtained concerned within the enterprise as a baby. He started accompanying his father on gross sales journeys as a four-year-old, and all through center college, highschool and faculty breaks, he labored within the warehouse on numerous duties, like placing the canvases on stretcher bars. “It’s a enterprise I grew up in and liked,” he stated.

It was a terrific enterprise, Robinson stated, till 2008 when the Nice Recession took a toll on the furnishings retail enterprise. Some shops went below, and different, second-generation homeowners have been much less within the effective artwork enterprise, in keeping with Robinson. Paul Robinson Nice Artwork shifted its enterprise to be much less depending on stocking sellers. Though furnishings shops nonetheless accounted for many of the firm’s enterprise, it began to widen its scope and included extra work with inside designers.

Within the fall of 2019, simply earlier than Individuals started to deal with the coronavirus, Paul Robinson, who was by then in his early 70s, determined to retire and promote the corporate headquarters constructing in Marietta. The corporate deliberate to make its last hurrah and have a good time Paul’s retirement throughout Excessive Level Market that April, however the pandemic scuttled these plans. Paul Robinson Nice Artwork formally closed in June 2020 and was liquidated.

“I assumed I used to be going to maneuver into a unique trade, however prospects continued to name,” stated Matthew Robinson. “Whereas I used to be job looking out, I took orders, connecting designers to artists.”

The distant nature of pandemic work began him considering — if he may reestablish a secure of artists and product stock, maybe he may promote paintings on-line through video appointments. He knew that when viewing paintings, potential prospects prefer to expertise the colour and texture of the work in individual. However so many individuals have been buying sofas and chairs and mattresses on-line — merchandise you’ll assume they might need to sit or lay on earlier than buying — that, after consulting with a number of of his finest prospects, he determined to offer on-line promoting a attempt.

A spread of paintings types and designs is on the market.

He named the brand new enterprise Designed by Artwork and reconnected with roughly 70 totally different artists, a lot of whom his father had labored with earlier than. He started surveying prospects to study their preferences by way of shade, dimension and magnificence, and performed the show-and-tell course of just about, making a “sure” pile and a “no” pile of paintings after every appointment. Generally he emails prospects with paintings ideas and typically he texts photos to them. He’s additionally in a position to ship prospects nook samples of frames.

“It’s labored effectively, and I’ve had some repeat orders,” he stated. By working with the identical artists over time, the enterprise has developed a observe file that lends purchasers peace of thoughts. But when for some cause they don’t seem to be happy with their buy, Robinson stated, they will ship it again and check out one other.

Designed by Artwork may also fee paintings, and out of each 100 items it sells, about 15 to twenty of them are commissioned. However since inside designers usually need one thing distinctive, Robinson stated he expects the variety of commissioned items to develop as he expands his designer consumer base. Designers can ship material samples and paint chips from tasks as a part of their requests.

Inside designers can fee paintings to swimsuit their tasks.

“That’s a extra engaged course of than promoting a inventory merchandise, however as soon as the designer reaches that “a-ha” second, they make repeat orders,” he added.

Provide chain delays haven’t impacted most artists’ schedules, however they’ve brought about a number of complications on the framing facet of the enterprise since lumber has been briefly provide. Nonetheless, merchandise from current stock may be shipped in about two weeks, and backordered objects in about eight weeks. Commissioned works take about eight weeks to ship. That’s been constant, Robinson stated. Timing additionally is determined by the medium the artist makes use of. Oil paint (most of Designed by Artwork’s paintings is finished in oil) takes a very long time to dry. So do closely textured items with thick layers of paint.

Designed by Artwork exhibited at Excessive Level Market final October by accessorizing the partitions of avant-garde Amish furnishings firm Abner Henry with about 54 items. After 23 years of working in his father’s 6,000 square-foot showroom, Robinson was unsure what to anticipate however he stated, “It was a terrific expertise. I used to be proud of the gross sales I did. All the parents at Abner Henry have been a pleasure to work with.”

Matthew Robinson, left, continues the work of his father, Paul, proper, with a extra tech-savvy enterprise mannequin.

The previous yr has been about establishing a brand new method of doing enterprise (together with his father’s recommendation and counsel), getting the web site (designedbyart.com) up and operating and giving a face to the brand new firm. “I assumed this may be a facet hustle, however nothing else actually me,” Robinson stated. Prospects to date are happy with the brand new mannequin.

He’s making ready for the Excessive Level Market this spring with ramped-up stock, together with pictures. He has roughly 200 items in stock and is within the means of discovering a brand new business location to carry it. He plans to recruit gross sales representatives as soon as he can accumulate sufficient knowledge on delivery and lead occasions and is hoping to make extra connections within the inside design enterprise. “Furnishings shops are how we obtained our begin and are our greatest prospects,” he stated. “However not a whole lot of new shops are popping up, so I’m specializing in inside design in addition to hospitality alternatives.

“I would like the inside design group to know me as their supply for unique paintings … in a contemporary, up to date enterprise mannequin.”