Richart Ruddie Official Site

3 Actionable TakeawaysTake 60 seconds to answer one or more of the following questions courtesy of the Ivy from our email below:

1. How can you maximize your chances of succeeding as an artist?
   The biggest myth is getting discovered as an artist because of your great talent. Talent doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is what network you’re in and who’s showing and buying your work. There is a ‘holy land’ of top galleries and institutions. Getting in that network is critical. Successful artists tend to make sure they spend more of their time meeting people outside their studio versus the time they spend producing. 
   
   One success story is Oscar Murillo, who is an artist who rose to fame around five years ago when he was suddenly shown by David Zwirner shortly after graduating.  He understood he wouldn’t get discovered sitting in his studio so he was actively reaching out to collaborators in order to expand his network. You find this over and over with successful artists who are very strategic in expanding their network and who to reach out to. It’s also acceptable to form these relationships online or through Instagram.
    
2. How can you maximize your returns from investing in art?
   Don’t invest in art just to see a financial return. Unless you buy one of the 20 artists that make up 40% of the total auction annual revenue, like Picasso, Warhol, or Jeff Koons, art is not necessarily a good investment. What I find more interesting is buying younger artists who are not part of these 20, and making a contribution to their growth. I call it “responsible art buying”. It’s investing in something way more powerful. I invest in this artist, and I invest in the community that the artist is in, to see them grow. I support them in continuing their practice and introduce them to my friends who might also buy them. Who knows, they might become superstars in the future.
   
   You need to put in the legwork. You need to go to openings, you need to go to art fairs. The more you see, the better. You’ll start to recognize names and understand the power play in the art market. It’s important to talk to people. Galleries are usually very chatty. They love to meet new buyers because there are not enough of them out there. Let them know you’re starting your collection and they’ll continue to invite you. When you’re getting started as an art collector, I recommend buying a few pieces you like. It’s a bit like fashion, you need to wear something first in order to find out if you like it or not. Don’t overspend at the beginning. After a while, you create a taste. It’s helpful to follow creators and collectors on Instagram to see what they are looking at. 
    
3. How can you better navigate art fairs? 
   Consider one of these steps the next time you’re at an art fair, especially Art Basel or Frieze which specifically focus on showcasing top galleries: 
   
   a) Get a Map & Identify Target Galleries
   Get a map and identify the alpha galleries like Gagosian Gallery, Pace Gallery, or David Zwirner. The closer another gallery is to these top galleries, the closer they are likely to be showcasing important rising artists. Critical galleries are likely to be at the center of a fair, whereas the borders of the art fair are usually where the less well-known galleries are located. 
   
   b) Identify Appealing Work & Look at the Artist’s Resume 
   Once you’ve chosen a gallery to check out, find a work that speaks to you and ask the gallery to see the artists’ resume.  Try to identify what career stage the artist is in, who represents them, and whether you recognize any top institutions or galleries that have displayed their work. 
   
   c) Dig Deeper on the Price 
   Don’t be shy about asking for the price. If the price is above $10,000 and there are no recognizable names on the artist’s resume, ask the gallery to explain why the price is what it is.  Always ask for a 20% discount, and offer to pay upfront if you’re able to secure the best possible deal.

For your convenience, here are some links to dive deeper: 

• Read All Key Learnings | Watch the Full Video | Listen to the Full Podcast

Linktr.ee or if you use Instagram has become an incredibly popular place to organize your URLs and news stories. If you are a big influencer and want to promote multiple products or stories than Linktree has grown to become a perfect medium that compliments the growing nature of Instagram and social media.

I created my first linktree coming on the heels of the announcement of me sharing any of my artwork with a local South Florida museum. One of my favorite artists Alejandro Vigilante picked up the story as well!

So if you want to organize URLs see how my first setup of a Linktree looks and create your own: https://linktr.ee/richartruddie

A website I just ran across for the first time in years is the Ladders. This is the site that had the famous Super Bowl commercial in 2009 when the theme was recession and jobs. They target higher end job applicants and job prospects.

I hadn;t heard of them in years but they popped up on my feed today and I made a profile there that you can see at: https://www.theladders.com/expert/richart-ruddie-0a3ad1

So if you’re looking for a high end job in this great job market with lots of openings that are hard to fill The Ladders may be a great fit. I’ve personally never used it before but am going to see about posting a job on there for one of my companies.