Blue Bottle was the first professional gallery that I showed in. Now it is six years later. I am coming off of a dual show at the Blue Bottle with Justin Hillgrove in April of this year and have lined up a Solo Show for September of next year. I decided to touch base with Andrea Porter, co-owner and operator of the gallery, to hear her thoughts on how Blue Bottle got started, the state of the art industry, and owning a small business in a big city.
-Mike Lewis, Guest Contributor
Can you tell me how you started Blue Bottle?
We started Bluebottle in 2002 for a few reasons. First: Matthew was looking for a more consistent venue to showcase his work. Coffee shops were great but it was often hard for customers to find his work two or three months down the road particularly if they forgot his name or web site. He found it difficult to get into a gallery setting at the time so we figured we'd open our own place. Second: I was looking to start a graduate level program in Social Work but did not get in at my first choice school so I kind of threw the idea out. Third: We saw a lot of amazing work from artists, typically in coffee shops or street fairs and we thought that we'd love to see it all in one spot on an ongoing basis.
What was the driving force behind making a gallery featuring DIY crafts, younger artists, and more affordable art?
Again we thought that younger artists were kind of stuck between coffee shops where the art is not the main focus and higher end galleries, which are not always into the type of work we like, or was way out of our price range. We wanted a space that everyone could walk into and feel comfortable. We wanted to showcase work that was affordable. We wanted to show customers that art didn't need to cost a fortune. The handmade DIY craft ascetic was something we have always been interested in so it seemed a natural fit to showcase work from artists, crafters, and designers. We wanted to get away from the big box stores, to find something one of a kind or really limited run.
How has the artwork, both functional and visual changed over the years?
We have always had a pretty consistent ascetic as I was always the main curator but over time I think we have gotten work that just looks a bit sharper. We showcase less work say created on found wood. We also tend to showcase more craft work that is created as a limited edition run as it is easier for us to stock and showcase on our web site.
Which do you find more successful, your physical gallery or the online shop?
Our physical gallery space. This could change if we put a lot more energy into advertising. We do find the art shows can do almost as well online as in the shop if the artist has a following from outside the Seattle area.
Do you think that artists and gallery owners need to be in a city, or with the advent of so many social media sites and websites is it just as easy to work remotely?
I feel that a physical presence is still really important. People give more credibility to an artist or gallery that has a physical space. I think artists and galleries can combine the two, but generally someone who only sells online has a more difficult time building up a following. People like to connect to a real person. I think customers are happy to buy with us online but generally they came to the gallery first and then started to make online purchases after.
What is it like, especially in the recession that we have experienced recently, to own a small business in a competitive town like Seattle?
It is difficult. We are certainly considered a luxury type of store. Last year we had a major snow storm the two weeks prior to Christmas and that also really hurt us as we can do a third of our business just in the month of December. Our customers have been super supportive though as they really appreciate that we support local artists. They are aware that when they purchase work through us more money will go directly back into our community. For every $100 spent locally $68.00 returns to the community through payroll, taxes, and other expenditures compared to only $43 if someone purchases at a national chain. The 350 project has a lot of good info about this. http://Www.the350project.net/
Our customers also have been great in that they want to make sure they don't lose us which feels fantastic! Our customers value that we showcase work that is unique. We have found that customers who in the past may have spent $60 on a birthday present will now spend $30. So that is really how it has effected us not so much losing customers just that they have needed to cut back just like everyone else. We really value that they have decided to still shop with us and want to make sure we remain in their community.
Image: Trish Grantham
I sort of do feel that way. We have said we just need to get through this tough time and we'll be ok. I am just not willing to give up on my dream and all the hard work we have put into this business. We are expanding Matthew's work into a larger children's line and looking for more opportunities to grow all the time.
My suggestion would be just to keep going! If you need a part time job for a little while do it. Make a goal of when you can drop the second job again. The economy will change so don't let a small portion of your career decide your future. Look for ways to expand maybe create a line of prints for the holidays.
Image: BagPainter
You have a list of resources for artists on your website and you often blog about other resources available for artists. What prompted you to start sharing these creative assets?
It just seems I got so much information sent my way that it seemed like I should put it out there. I always get a lot of questions from customers and artists about resources so in some ways it makes my life easier than writing out suggestions all the time for people. Also, I wanted to make sure I helped create a stronger artistic community here in Seattle. I find it really frustrating when people won't share resources. Your art is what makes you stand apart and what people will want to buy not the type of packaging or production that you used. I find people that don't share resources are typically not very secure about their work. If you have strong work you know people will fall in love with it. And to sound cheesy Karma does work wonders! Next time I need help I know a lots of people will be willing to share with me!
For more information, check out Blue Bottle's website
Mike Lewis is an art enthusiast & painter. His interest ranges from classic Renaissance Painting & Sculpture to the Lowbrow and Street Art. His paintings highlight images from pop-culture; Hannah Barbara and Looney Tunes cartoons, as well as street signs, advertisements, 40’s-70’s science fiction book covers, nature books, and eighties hip-hop culture, but seen with reverence to more classical art. You can see more of Mike’s work here.
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