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You might be familiar with Greg Gawlowski's amazing photographs. His images have widely appeared in magazines and on posters and calendars. We think Greg has a talent for capturing the pure beauty and romance of places and moments. It's no wonder that he's so well respected and his photographs are so popular.

Greg has been a customer of Documounts for many years and we're grateful for his participation in this series. So step away from your present moment and look through the eyes of Greg Gawlowski. We know you'll learn from his experience.

How long have you been selling your photography?

I've been licensing images to publishers for 23 years, and selling photographs for a little over ten.

What were the first few years like for you?

In terms of exhibiting at art festivals, the first year was a HUGE learning curve.  I didn't know how to price my work, what booths were the best quality, how 2D artists displayed their art, or even how you set about establishing a vendor credit card account.  By the time my second year rolled around, I'd gotten answers to all of the big questions that I had.  But I still tweak every aspect of my business several times a year as I get new ideas or am inspired by another artist's approach.

What do you think was the best lesson you learned in the first few years of your business?

The best lesson I got was that there is no ONE way to approach this business.  So many artists develop their own approach in terms of presentation, booth design, and product.  That being said, I also learned that no matter how an artist presents his/her work, it should look as professional as possible!  That not only makes it possible to ask healthier prices, it makes you feel good about the work you are exhibiting, which builds confidence, which carries over to how you appear to the public. 

Another lesson I learned is to have a business card that features a photograph of your artwork!  Place yourself in the public's shoes: if you pick up a card of an artist you like, do you actually think you'll remember what they do by looking at their name?

What Documounts products do you use and why do you find them to work best for your business?

I now rely on Documounts for all of my matted needs.  You provide the backing board, over-mats, and Acrylic for all of my framed work.  The more I explore your web site, the more products I find that I am getting from other vendors, so it's great to find a reliable source of everything that I use just from Documounts.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?

I wish I had known how easy it is to ask a company like Documounts to cut my mats for me!   The time saved is priceless.  As a sole proprietor, there's such a myriad of tasks I'm responsible for, time-consuming projects like mat-cutting are wonderful to outsource.

What advice do you have for other people regarding the matting/framing process?  Regarding the business of selling your art overall?

I'd suggest following your vision with regards to how your work looks best, and not be tied to certain formulas that tell you how you should mat your art.  Feel free to experiment.  See what other people are doing so you can get your own ideas for your work, but NOT just to copy someone else.

Regarding the business of selling art, you have to remember not to take low sales personally!  Just because people don't line up to buy your work all day, that doesn't mean your creativity isn't valued.  The color may clash with their throw pillows, or the style might not go with what they currently live with.   But you CAN be as observant as possible, and get feedback from people who look at your work.  The most valuable information will come from those who DON'T buy your art.  Find out why, and see if you can tweak your art in the future to appeal to a broader customer base without compromising your vision.  That's a delicate balance, but worth achieving if you want to be successful.

How do you market your artwork?

I have most of what I exhibit on my web site, and I always have plenty of business cards in my booth with the web address on it so people can find me later.  I do anywhere from 12-19 shows a year, all over the country, so I try and get my images in front of as many people as possible.

I also am represented by Lonely Planet Images, the publisher of the famous guidebook series.  Stock sales are a nice way to supplement my income with very little effort beyond periodically submitting new photographs.

How do you keep things fresh and stay current with new trends and with the changing market?

That's a good question!  I like to pay attention to design trends by looking through decorating periodicals at the bookstore, and by seeing what other artists that I admire are doing.  Again, the goal isn't to copy what someone else is doing; it's to take what I do and make it fresh.

I also have a friend who's a professional interior decorator, so I can pick her brain on what she sees coming as a trend.

What are your favorite parts of your business?

The best part of what I do is often when I can see on someone's face their response to my work.  It might be the dominant color in a piece, or the tranquility it implies, but when I see an expression that tells me I've moved someone, that's priceless.

You can find out more about Greg and his work at Greg Gawlowski Photography. Thanks so much, Greg, for taking the time to be a part of this series.

If you missed it before please take a look at our previous Customer Success Story with photographer Michael Bertrand.