studio art visit

Barbara Issahary

Sharing my journey in paint

• Painting Tips

Visiting an Artist Studio: The Ultimate Guide for Visitor and Artist.

An artist studio is seen as belonging beyond the bounds of communal life, a place where artists practice alchemy and engage in other mysterious activities. Unfortunately, this romantic notion works against the mutual interest of artist and community, as both depend on each other to stay vibrant and diverse.

Whether you are a collector, curator or art enthusiast, visiting a studio will offer an insider’s view into the creative process and the artist will gain feed-back on his or her work.

Tips for a Successful Studio Visit

Tips for the visitor:.

• Ask questions :

Visitors often feel that asking questions somehow shows their ignorance but in fact, questions are mutually beneficial.  Remember that the artist will probably be feeling a little awkward himself, so asking questions can put you both at ease.

For example, you might ask where the artist’s inspiration comes from, why he works in certain materials or techniques and how long each piece takes to complete, In fact, almost any question would be appropriate .

• Give Feedback :

Guests are allowed to comment on the artwork and give feedback on individual pieces, or the body of work as a whole.  This can be very helpful for the artist, but remember that their work is personal, so it is wise to comment kindly.  Equally so, the artist should be willing to listen to comments and be open to accepting criticism.

• Purchasing Art:

If you are interested in buying a particular piece, feel free to ask the artists if his work is for sale. Buying from the artist himself makes it more personal and meaningful and you will feel a greater connection to the piece once you have seen it in a studio. Art takes a long time to produce and techniques take many years to learn, therefore if the prices seems high to you, remember they don’t come close to reflecting the true time and effort the artist has put into his/her work.

Tips for the Artist:

Artists are often introverted by nature, so having your work scrutinized and maybe even criticized, feels like exposing your most intimate thoughts. Nevertheless, it is a necessary step towards finding your voice.  What makes art so fascinating is that there is no consensus, so visitors’ reactions are almost always varied and unpredictable, provided valuable insight into how others view your work.

• Breaking the ice:

In order to break the ice and set a more relaxed mood, offer your guests light refreshments and a place to sit down.

• W hat to show:

A studio visit is an opportunity to show as much work as possible, this can be achieved in many ways. Each possibility has pros and cons which can be used for different situations and people.

1. The more the merrier: Hang as many pieces on the walls as possible, while keeping the rest in easily accessible piles facing outwards. This allows the visitor to independently walk around and rummage through the various piles at his/her own pace and leisure.

2. L ess is more: Hang a few pieces but keep most of your work turned to the wall, stored in piles according to subject matter. In this approach the artist is in control of what and how the audience experiences the development of his/her work and allows him to give a more thorough explanation. In some ways this approach is similar to a gallery exhibition, as the audience is not bombarded by many different items at the same time.

3. Show your earlier work as well : Artists often feel that what they are working on at the present time is most relevant, and they tend to highlight these items at the expense of earlier work. But this is not necessarily true for the guest. It is almost impossible to divine what your visitor will be interested in so it is advisable to show older works as well as pieces you are working on at the present time. In my experience , I have almost always been mistaken in predicting the taste of my audience and the paintings I showed last often turned out to be  the ones they were most interested in.

4. Show works in progress : Show work in progress as well as works which are not fully resolved. People love to see behind the scenes, so showing works in progress can make the visitor feel he is part of the process.

• Talking about your work , your methods and materials .

Art is about communication and hopefully artists communicate through their work.  Nevertheless, it is helpful to share your artistic philosophy, how it is expressed in your work and the stories behind your daily struggles. This is also beneficial for the artist, allowing him to step back and view his work more objectively.

In order to navigate through the room, explain the difference between finished pieces and works in progress, and point out which materials you use on a daily basis.  For instance, I have noticed how visitors are particularly drawn to my vast collection of paint brushes and other materials lying around the studio.

• Selling your Work :

Hopefully although not necessarily, a studio visit will lead to a sale or it might expose your work to people who could help you in your career. Artists are not usually natural salesmen so discussing money is probably the most awkward part of a visit. Having a printed list of prices of some of the works can help towards allowing the visitor to understand the range of your prices, thus making the situation feel less uncomfortable.

• The Follow Up:

After the visit, it is important to keep in touch by email or on Facebook. You can refer to matters you discussed during the visit, you can ask about their impressions of the visit, as well as mention new directions your work might be taking.

Please add your own ideas and comments in the box below in order to make this list more comprehensive!!!!

Please write your comments below.

3 thoughts on “ Visiting an Artist Studio: The Ultimate Guide for Visitor and Artist. ”

This is a very valuable post. It sounds as if you sell well and are a great host to your studio.

When I took part in the local Open Studios last year I made it know that there was a scheduled talk at 3pm each open day. It was only 10 mins and was a demonstration of the first stages of making a Bargue drawing. Holding a fine cotton thread I showed how I plotted the main important points, explained its place as part of an academic process and pointed out, in the paintings on the walls, that I had done exactly what I was showing on a small piece of paper.

People could miss this talk by coming at a different time, or come along. It acted as a visible introduction to the simple physical act of making an image. It also broke the ice for me, as much as the visitors and showed the purely physical side of painting which is a surprise to many non painters and lead into varied conversations.

That is a fantastic idea for an open studio, to demonstrate something for the audience!! I am sure everyone loved it as people are always interested to see behind the process.

Hello mates, its fantastic paragraph concerning educationand fully explained, keep it up all the time. Emylee Base Lidda

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What is a Studio Visit?

What is a studio visit.

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Artist Studio Visits: A Guide to Selling More Art

An artist recently asked me for some advice on how to sell more of her art. After going back and forth via email several times, I suggested that she try some artist studio visits. Her response:

“This may sound stupid, but how do I make anyone interested in that? Please understand, I am an introvert. Yes, I can make myself pretend to be outgoing, but it’s just an act. I guess the other part of this is I need to understand why anyone would even want to see a studio? I’m not trying to be silly, I just understand it. It’s a place where I work. I’m not trying to be difficult, but as I don’t understand the appeal, what would I say or do if someone wanted to see my studio.”

Let’s talk about it.

What is an artist studio visit?

In simple terms, an artist studio visit is nothing more than fans or collectors going to an artist’s studio, seeing their work, and talking to the artist, like this picture from Ianthe Jackson with a collector at her studio.

In-person visits. There’s a wide variety of ways in-person visits can happen. The most common ones include open studio tours hosted by arts organizations, open invites from artists to their general fans, or invite-only one-to-one visits. It often also includes watching the artist make work.

Virtual visits have been rising in popularity and exploded in 2020. Whether its direct Facetime, Zoom, or some other tool, there are many ways to video stream a tour of your studio.

Why would anyone want to visit an artist’s studio?

Curiosity and entertainment. Many people love to see an artist’s studio because it’s inherently interesting. Many artists forget that making art is magical. It might seem normal to you, but it’s definitely not to the average person. It’s fascinating to watch artists make their work. You don’t have to put on a show, but just welcoming people in while you work and showing them around is enough.

To feel good about making a purchase. Some collectors just want a personal connection with the artists they collect. They want to hear your stories, your voice, and your worldview. They want to know the mind and background that created the work that they love.

How to host a studio visit

Show your work. Hang your work in your studio. If you don’t have a big studio, that’s ok! Host a virtual visit of your home art making space or hang your work in your living room and invite people by appointment. Whatever you choose to do, make it about showing your work – the finished pieces and the works in progress. Give your visitors time to connect with you and ask questions.

Be welcoming. Put out some snacks and drinks (even if it’s just water). Refreshments always make people feel like they can linger, and you want people to linger over your work. Smile and welcome people, make polite conversation and ask them questions about themselves and what brings them to your studio. Some artists will make small cards for themselves with notes on what to talk about and ask. Take pictures with them like this one from Vrenni Renggli .

Set a time and invite everyone in advance. If you’re not working with an arts org, simply set a time and let your people know you’re doing it. You can email 10-20 friends for a practice session if you don’t have a mailing list. If you do, email your list. Be sure to also post on social media like Instagram. You can even try submitting to local event calendars like your news orgs, Facebook groups, Meetup.com and other websites. Try to schedule it at least two weeks in advance, and as long as 2-3 months if you expect a large crowd.

Personalized 1:1 visits by appointment. Scared of illness or just don’t want a lot of people in your space? Try doing prescheduled 1:1 visits. These work especially well for regular collectors or people with very limited time. Schedule 30-60 minutes with 10 minutes of recovery time between sessions. 1:1 sessions often lead to deep discussion and bigger sales opportunities, but they are a lot more work.

Ask for emails. Be sure to put out a guest book and if people are interested in your work, have them register for your email list. Read more about email marketing for artists .

Ask for the sale. If someone is excited about your work, be sure to let them know its for sale, and ask them if they’d like to take it home. Read more about basic sales skills for artists .

Follow up. If someone says they’re interested, or if they sign up for your mailing list, be sure to follow up with them after the open house and ask them if they would like to purchase any of your work.

Studio visits are a regular part of most artists’ sales process. Connecting with your collectors is the best way to build a long-term sales relationship with them. Read more about how you can count upon your existing collectors to notch up sales . If you have any additional guidance on how you make your studio visits great, please share in the comments.

January 26, 2022 at 10:25 AM

This seems rather formulary…i.e. I didn’t see the aspect of having to spend the time to make a working studio into a display place. Would love to see what folks do about that being a fairly messy person who can put her hands on any piece of paper in my office in an instant…meaning organization is in my head but not my environment.

January 29, 2022 at 3:05 PM

Hi Joan – I hear you. I’m not terribly organized either. We’re doing a show very soon with Sam Hunter, who is a fiber artist and has a business focused on helping artists organize their creative spaces.

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Art Visit, San Francisco Bay Area

Art Visit connects artists with art collectors. Visit artists in their studios. Get the best artwork before anyone else.

10 tips for artists to organize a successful studio visit.

Posted April 2, 2022

Article by Amanda Perry & Michal Sloboda

🕑 (6 min read)

Are you an artist trying to find alternative income streams or sell more art? Have you consider opening your studio to art buyers and collectors? This is how you do it. At our visits to artist's studios we noticed good practices that help artists sell more art. Follow these 10 simple tips to present your artworks in the best light.

1. Clean up your studio.

Let's be honest, some artist, when they create, are pretty messy. If this is you, prepare your studio for a formal visit! Your studio is an extension of your art practice. Think about what your space tells about you. Wipe the floors, dispose of the waste, clean the sink area. Use the walls to display your recently finished art. Use this opportunity to document, catalogue and store your artwork. Store old and unfinished artworks. Think about presence of 10 people in your space. Are they going to have enough room to move and experience your artwork? How likely they will knock down your new sculpture? Can your wet paint ruin their clothes? Ventilate your studio. Some people are very sensitive to fumes! 

2. Advertise early.

Start promoting your event one month ahead. If you are part of an artist collective or you share a studio space, reach out to the space manager. If you inform them early enough they can share your event in their newsletter or on social media. Be creative with finding alternative promotional channels. Submit your event to local facebook groups or online event calendars. For San Francisco Bay Area list your studio event in SF Arts , Do The Bay , Marina Arts , SF Fun Cheap , Oakland Magazine , East Bay Mag , Oakland Central , Diablo Magazine , Eventbrite and Meetup .

3. Invite the right people.

You don't want time wasters in your studio. Frame the situation from beginning. When you're inviting people to your studio talk about the purpose of the visit. Visitors are in your studio to inspect and consider buying your art! Invite art buyers and art collectors that you know. If you don't know any ask your artist friends. Friends and family members can come other time. On social media experiment with hashtags #artforsale, #artmarket, #artbuyer, #artdealer or #artcollector.

4. Mark your studio well.

Some studio buildings can be difficult to navigate. Welcome your visitors at the main gate. An extra person can be handy to help your late visitors get inside. Create two temporary signs informing about your event. One for your studio door and one for building's main entrance. It looks professional and reassures the visitors that they are at the right place. The will be also able to leave and come back without your help.

5. Have an agenda.

Be prepared, control the situation! Plan for 1 hour. Think about the first minute when visitors enter your studio. Think about how to end of the studio visit. Think about the time between. Welcome visitors, present them with your agenda. Start with introducing everyone who come to your studio. Ask how they learned about the event and what they expect from the visit. Continue with your artist introduction. Talk about how you have started, where you are now and what do you plan to do next. Selected 1-3 artworks to talk about. Explain your intention, your inspiration and technique that you use. Make space for visitor's questions, but remind them of your time constraints. End on a high note! Share your business contacts with interested guests. Process orders and say goodbye!

6. Offer refreshments.

You don't have to serve the alcohol but few water bottles will help refresh both you and your visitors. This is time when artist needs to speak up and show their artworks in best light. Refreshments makes atmosphere more hospitable and shows an extra effort that you made. Some artists go an extra step and provide food. This is not necessary. Studio visit shouldn't be too long to starve you!

7. Talk about price early.

Ballpark your artwork's price early on. Explain the price difference when visitor buys artwork in studio from you or from a gallery. The worst situation is when visitors run out of questions but no one has asked about the price! It intimidating to transition from a friendly artist to a pushy salesman! If don't know how to open money discussion try to memorize something like this:

Hey! Welcome! I'm Miriam, the artist. Feel free to look around. My latest works are on the wall. My older works are back there. If you like something let me know, we can discus price. The original paintings are from 5 to 50 thousand dollars, for the biggest pieces like this. I understand that that my price range might not be for everyone here. That's why I made these limited prints for 200 dollars each. And this little swag here! :)

8. Have price list ready.

If you don't like to talk about prices prepare price list of your artworks. With nice pictures of your artwork list year, size, used materials and price. Organize your artwork by art technique or by year created. Print 3 copies and place it to your studio. If you don't know how to price your artwork, ask more experienced artist in your community. If you are in doubt start with a higher price and leave a space for negotiation.

9. Do not expect sales on spot.

Some people might not be comfortable open wallet or even talk about prices in front of the others. Collectors often need more time to think when buying artwork. They like to consider new art in the space where they plan to display it. If someone want to buy artwork on the spot, be prepare to process credit card. Venmo , Paypal or Square reader can save you from an embarrassing moment or a missed sale.

10. Prepare small gift.

Not every visitor ends up being your collector, but every visitor can be your advocate. Your visitors have already made an extra effort to come to your studio. Appreciate them with a small gift, that looks cool in pictures. It will be a great prompt to share your name on social media. You don't have to dilute your art by creating new cheap artworks to give away. A nice post card that you already have or a signed page from your old sketchbook can make an excellent present.

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Show and Tell: The Dos and Don’ts of Studio Visits

By Ann Landi

“In the heady days of 2007, I remember Damien Hirst sending me a helicopter to his studio,” says Andrew Renton , director of Marlborough Fine Art in London. “There, it was not about the artist in a paint-spattered smock. The artist was moving from room to room, overseeing all the projects. It was so razor-sharp how he looked at what his assistants were doing.” Renton continues, “The scale of the organization was bonkers. Hirst said, ‘Oh, do you want to see my latest shark ?’ And he tells a guy to go and get one. The guy goes into the freezer in a truck. That’s how big the freezer is—it’s a drive-in freezer!”

While most studio visits lack the high drama of a summons to Hirst’s operation, the ritual is familiar to those in the art world. The reasons for a visit are many and varied: a curator is trolling for an exhibition, an artist wants to show new work to a collector or a critic, a dealer is interested in representing the art, or a group of art lovers simply wants to see how an artist puts it all together. Whatever the pretext, certain elemental rules of care and courtesy can make the visit a success for both parties.

A savvy artist will figure out the expectations of his or her visitors. “If it’s people who don’t know me at all, I usually prepare a history of my work,” says Brooklyn-based painter Carolanna Parlato . “I use a slide projector for that and go back to the early ’90s.” Others keep binders of clippings and images of earlier work on hand for the truly curious.

Still, there is such a thing as overkill, and most curators, serious collectors, and astute dealers will have done their research before showing up at the front door. “I don’t like doing visits where the artist treats himself like a dead artist,” says Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn , founder of Salon 94 in New York, “where he starts going through his history. If you’re making an effort to go to somebody’s studio, you already have a bit of background and you want to know what the present tense is rather than the past.”

“There are collectors who are interested only in one specific body of work or one time frame. Others want to see what’s brand new. Usually I ask in advance,” says Michelle Cooke , an artist based in New York and Taos, New Mexico. But it doesn’t hurt to be prepared for the intelligent snoop. “I’m curious about what’s tucked away in corners or turned to the wall or at the bottom of a drawer,” says Robert Storr , dean of the Yale University School of Art . “I rarely go to studios to see gallery-ready production.”

How much work to display during a studio visit varies from artist to artist and depends on the interests and sophistication of the visitors. Some say they dread a salon-style hanging, with works packed chockablock on the walls. Longtime dealer Michael Findlay , a director of Acquavella Galleries , recalls a recent appointment with an established artist who’s not represented by his gallery: “She had selected a small number of paintings and gave me a piece of paper with the titles. An assistant brought them out one by one. I wasn’t overwhelmed, and I didn’t feel I needed to come to any conclusions. I felt it was a visit between one professional and another.”

The number of visitors can also determine the nature and structure of the visit. Nick Cave often takes large groups through his multiple workspaces in Chicago, as many as 50 people at a time, but he breaks them up into smaller clusters and has assistants to show them around. At the end of the tour, he ushers everyone upstairs to his serene and art-packed living area. “They get an insight into what I live with, and why I need to live with art,” he says.

Mary Shaffer —who maintains studios in Taos and Marfa, Texas—says that when a “busload of collectors” comes to one of her places, she hires someone to help out, especially with pricing. “You may not know your prices by heart, so a helper can follow through,” she notes. “In the early days, I was totally embarrassed to give prices and sometimes low-balled my work.”

Buying directly from an artist is a particularly delicate issue. “If an artist has a contract with a gallery,” says Findlay, “then he shouldn’t sell work out of the studio. The purpose of a dealer is to take the responsibility of marketing and selling and collecting money off an artist’s shoulders, just as much as providing a venue and a stage for the work to be shown and seen.” Adds West Coast collector Dean Valentine , “I have a strict rule. If I do buy out of a studio and the artist is not represented, I spend a lot of time explaining how the market works and give her a couple of other people to talk to who are gallerists. I don’t want artists to feel they were had in some way.”

How to have a conversation, especially during an initial visit, can be as perplexing as what to say on a first date. “Some artists are articulate, some aren’t,” says Carter Foster , curator of drawings at the Whitney Museum . “That doesn’t mean an artist isn’t a good artist, but it can make for a painful visit.” You don’t need to be mellifluous, but be prepared to have a dialogue. “What I hate is when an artist says, ‘You tell me what you think first,’” says Tyler Stallings , director of the Sweeney Art Gallery at the University of California, Riverside. “What I prefer is for the artist to say some things about her work, and then I can evaluate the objects based on what the artist has established and is laying out for me.”

Many professionals enjoy a certain amount of silence in which to digest the work. “When I’m looking, I don’t want to be talked at, and I also don’t want to answer questions or provide a running commentary myself,” Storr says. “This is not a sportscast. I really just like to look and let my mind and eyes range as far as they can. Some of my best visits are generally rather quiet.”

Still, it’s sometimes necessary for a curator or critic to take charge of an awkward situation. “I like the challenge of an artist who isn’t very articulate,” says Elizabeth Armstrong , assistant director for programs and exhibitions and curator of contemporary art at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts . “It’s the curator’s responsibility, in a way, to lead the conversation.” The visitor may bring new insights to the artist, or come away with sharpened thoughts about a show. “Artists are interested in how other people see their work,” Armstrong adds. “I may see something that’s not their intention but that may help me refine how I want to approach certain exhibitions.”

Though most artists say they don’t want to hear it, negative feedback can have its uses. New York artist Barbara Rachko was appalled when a visiting critic told her, “You’re in a rut. You need a new direction.” Rachko says the visit was a “horrible” experience, but in time it forced her to think anew. “I simplified my imagery and cut out a lot of background material. His comments ended up helping me.” When Rachko’s own dealer, H.P. Garcia , first came to her studio, “he hardly looked at the work, all he did was tear apart my frames,” she recalls. “I couldn’t get a word in for maybe half an hour, but after I thought about it, I realized he was right, and I switched to black frames and black mats.” Rachko calls the experiences “tough love,” adding that “sometimes we get so caught up in our work that we don’t see it as someone else might.”

Other kinds of serendipitous events can evolve from studio visits. “I did a show at the Hammer five years ago called ‘ Oranges and Sardines: Conversations on Abstract Painting ,’” says Gary Garrels , senior curator of painting and sculpture at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art . “It came out of a conversation with Mark Grotjahn , whose studio I’ve been visiting since 2001.” They’d talked about influences, the things the artist was looking at. “I realized it was such an interesting topic that it’s a question I raised with other artists I knew, and it had a great impact on my own encounters with art,” says Garrels, who went on to organize the exhibition, which included Grotjahn, Amy Sillman , Charline von Heyl , Mary Heilmann , Wade Guyton , and Christopher Wool .

A visit to an artist’s studio should be treated as an occasion just as worthy of respect as an introduction to someone’s home. That means no texting, phone calls, or blaring music. As for the expectation of refreshments, a host’s offer of a beverage is generally welcome and in some cultures is an ingrained part of the ritual. “In China, everyone offers you tea. There’s a whole ceremony attached,” says Mary Sabbatino , vice president of Galerie Lelong in New York. “In Brazil, it’s coffee in little cups with a glass of water on the side.”

Sometimes, the hospitality can extend in surprising and gratifying directions, for both visitor and artist. Years ago, when the late collector J. Patrick Lannan Sr. dropped in on Shaffer at her first studio in Providence, Rhode Island, he brought a whole entourage. “He complained about his big toe hurting and that none of the people with him could give him any solutions,” Shaffer recalls. “I looked at his shoes, which seemed to be made of extremely expensive alligator. Then I handed him a box cutter and suggested he cut a hole in them—‘Give your big toe some room.’ He quickly changed the subject and invited me to his house in Palm Beach, where he said he could introduce me to people and help my career.” Marella Consolini , chief operating officer of the Chinati Foundation and the former director of Knoedler Project Space , warmly remembers visiting the painter Caio Fonseca at his studio in Pietrasanta, Italy. “He’s an extremely accomplished musician,” she says, “and no studio visit was ever complete without his plopping down at the piano and serenading you with some beautiful piece.”

“When you have a really great studio visit, it’s a little bit like a great therapy session,” says Armstrong. “Is the artist the therapist? Or the visitor? It’s really great if the role goes back and forth. Both of you get insights into something you hadn’t thought about in a certain way before. That’s what art does—it gets people thinking in new ways. You go out of a conversation like that feeling energized.”

Ann Landi is a contributing editor of ARTnews.

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Getting Inside the Studio: The Importance of Artist Studio Visits

Learn why artist studio visits are crucial for artists and how they can benefit by showcasing their work, receiving constructive feedback, and networking with professionals in the art industry.

Rosita is an art historian and researcher based in Madrid. She’s been working in the art market since 2015, for galleries and collections based in London, until she joined ARTSVP in 2021.

Table of Contents

What are the main benefits of studio visits for artists?

What about those who visit, how to make the most of your studio visits. a few tips for artists.

• Create a welcoming space : Make sure your studio is clean, organised, and comfortable for visitors. Consider lighting, seating, and other elements that can enhance the visitor's experience. Remove any distractions or clutter that could detract from the focus on your art.
• Curate your work : Consider which pieces you want to showcase and prepare some work-in-progress pieces to demonstrate your techniques and methods. Choose a selection that represents your style and skill level, and make sure they are properly displayed.
• Be ready to talk about your art: Think about what you want to communicate to your visitors about your work. Be prepared to explain your process, inspiration, and any challenges you've faced. Practice talking about your art with friends or family members beforehand to help build confidence.
• Be professional : While you want to create a welcoming space, it's important to maintain a level of professionalism. Dress appropriately, be on time, and have materials ready to share with visitors. After the visit, follow up and send a thank you email and add visitors to your mailing list if you have any.

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State of the Art Newsletter

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By Loney Abrams

Nov. 9, 2016

The studio visit is one of the most intimate, sensitive, and otherwise emotionally fraught encounters in the art world, when an artist welcomes a significant visitor—a collector, curator, journalist, or the like—into their creative sanctum sanctorum and both sides try, desperately, not to screw it up. It's like a tender first date that could end in either intellectual romance, or rejection.

Back in September, Artspace provided  a guide for artists on how to nail the studio-visit  challenge. But artists are hardly the only ones who need to put their best foot forward in the encounter. Here, we’ve asked artists (and some curators and advisors) about the annoying things that visitors do during studio visits, and what advice they’d give to people preparing for their next meeting with an artist. If you’re a curator, collector, advisor, or dealer, do yourself a favor and read this guide—your artist-hosts will thank you for it.

Tip #1: Do Your Homework

“My only pet peeve is when people show up for a studio visit knowing absolutely nothing about my work. And that happens often enough.” –  Katja Novitskova, Amsterdam-based artist represented by Kraupa-Tuskany Zeidler Gallery in Berlin

“Artists complain that they have critics coming to their studios without knowing anything about their work. It’s strange that someone would want to visit a studio of someone they haven’t learned anything about. One should know the artist’s work before they go to the studio. Artists can do whatever they want. We’re the ones who need to be prepared—and on time!” –  Florence Derieux, curator of American art at Centre Pompidou Foundation and curator-at-large at Centre Pompidou

“Bring you A-game as a viewer. Hop online and do some research. I would never dream of showing up to a studio visit unprimed.” –  Tara Downs, owner of  Tomorrow Gallery  in New York

“Questions that involve asking artists about who shows their work, or where they have exhibited, or how much their work sells for, can be easily answered by researching online before the visit. You don't have to be able to write a report on the artist, but basic facts that can be found on an artist's website and CV help facilitate more interesting conversation.” –  Megan Green, collector and occasional Google HQ curator based in New York

Tip #2: Don’t Compare Artists to Other Artists

“My biggest pet peeve is when they talk obsessively about another artist. A gallerist that references other artists is okay, but to just talk about another one for no reason is annoying. Namedropping for the sake of it is also in super bad taste. I don’t care if you are friends with Hans Ulrich Obrist  or if you went to X dinner.” –  Debora Delmar , artist represented by DUVE Berlin

“Be careful when comparing the artist to other artists—sometimes artists can be prickly about that.” – Green, collector

Tip#3: Be Clear About Your Intentions

Tip #4: It’s Okay to Talk About Subjects Other Than Art…

“Art is complicated and sometimes unpacks/unravels slowly. Look around and notice the idiosyncrasies of my environment that are both the product of and inform my work. Ask about the music playing, where I got the coffee cup you're drinking from, etc. Everything is interrelated. Sometimes in life, the best way to have a conversation about philosophy is to ask a question about sports. Talk. We share a common purpose. 

“The objects/gestures that artists produce, which you might eventually exhibit or buy, are just the tip of the iceberg of a larger framework by which each artist approaches life. I want to talk about that approach to life, the larger framework—it is not only more stimulating, but will create a context for better understanding the individual objects I've made.” – Andrew Birk, Mexico City-based artist represented by  Anonymous Gallery

"The best visits use the work as an opportunity to expand the conversation in a lot of different directions beyond formal specifics. The subjects that come up may or may not directly address the work, but recording where the conversation goes is useful feedback. My last visit was particularly exciting; all of these auxiliary topics came up and the conversation was really lively. The hour seemed to go by in minutes." –  Truax, artist 

Tip #5: … As Long As You Don’t Just Talk About Yourself

"I had one guy way back in the day come to my studio and talk to me about himself and the shows/artists he had worked with the entire time. I suppose my pet peeve would be when studio visits aren’t about the work being looked at. A good visit, conversely, is where someone is generous with their time and really wants to get into your head and hear about your ideas and see your world. Those are always the best. With art being something that (should be) somewhat complicated, it's really great when someone puts in the time/effort to wrap their head around what you’re doing." – Ryan Lauderdale , New York-based artist represented by KANSAS Gallery

Tip #6: Ask Questions AND Listen to the Answers

"I remember speaking to a Berlin artist who had a terrible studio visit with a New York gallerist. If you’re an out-of-town gallerist doing 15 studio visits in one short visit, you’re not engaging with anybody’s practice, you’re entering the studio in a really ungenerous fashion as if to say 'Please explicate your work to me.' That’s not a productive conversation. You’re implying that you’re there to be entertained rather than to have a productive dialogue where you’re actually riffing off of ideas and asking questions about the aritist’s practice. Be prepared, be engaged, have questions. Ask about their practice, ask why these particular choices—you can be antagonistic, slightly. A studio visit shouldn’t just be listening, and absorption, and 'Thank you very much.' It should give the artist insight and knowledge on their work." - Downs, Tomorrow Gallery

"Ask artists who they look at, and how their work relates to the history of that tradition (representation, abstraction, etc.). The artist’s answer may help a collector or gallerist discern sincerity and intelligence—or lack thereof—in the maker." – Jason Stopa, New York-based artist

"Listening is important. One of my pet peeves is when an artist has said something to a group and then someone in the group who wasn't listening asks that exact question moments later. As in any scenario, pay attention and don't get lost in designing your questions." – Green, collector

" I once had a collector visiting who started out by answering an incoming call while I was explaining the most intimate details of a painting he has previously acquired. While he was on the phone I thought: It doesn’t get much worse than this. But then he stayed for another two hours, providing me with tremendous feedback, for which I’m now feeling very grateful. So, I guess my point is: you never know. " – Mikkel Carl, independent curator and  artist represented by Last Resort in Copenhagen

Tip #7: A Studio Isn’t a Gallery—and an Artist’s Practice Isn’t Limited to the Studio

"People have a hard time seeing things in progress, especially in terms of sculpture. A studio isn’t a gallery. But I don’t know if that is anything anyone can do anything about." – Lauderdale, artist

"It’s important for collectors and artists to know that studio visits can happen at all levels. A studio visit could be having coffee and conversation with someone outside of the studio. Artists are always at different points of production; sometimes the studio is empty, sometimes it’s full, sometimes you’re Skyping with someone halfway around the world so you’re not actually seeing things. Multiple points of contacts are also really nice. I find that sometimes during a studio visit it’s best to stop, think, and take away from the conversation, and return to it as well because more questions arise after." – Downs, Tomorrow Gallery

"Remember to consider scale. Not just physical scale, but conceptual, social, and collaborative scale. Many artists are engaged in social and/or interdisciplinary modes, and what you see in their studio is often just a fraction of their practice, or even just models for much larger scale projects. Do not get distracted by what’s in front of you. Use it simply as a clue, and ask larger questions. Don’t get overly seduced by materiality; materials are a necessity—and often a by-product—of economy or a metaphor for a larger idea." – Leah Dixon , artist and co-owner of Beverly's in New York

Tip #8: But You Should Respect the Space as If It Were a Gallery

"On a practical level, it's important to respect the artist’s space. Be helpful if the artist needs to move large works, but never touch anything that you have not been invited to handle. I avoid photography, but if you are compelled, always ask permission." – Elizabeth Pergam, Faculty at Sotheby's Institute of Art

Tip #9: You Aren’t Administering a Quiz

"We have to adapt to artists and not the other way around. I think we should make sure that artists can be the way they want rather than try to format them. The younger generation of artists especially have gone to art school and they’ve been forced to write and talk about their work. But artists chose art, they didn’t choose literature. Their way of communicating is by making art." –  Derieux, Centre Pompidou

"While some of us are better than others at doing a sales pitch, artists are fundamentally not sales people. We are thinkers and makers. During studio visits, there is pressure to perform and impress that can sometimes distract or impede from a concise, honest flow of ideas. Breaking down the hierarchy of power between an artist and a visitor is one way to relieve this tension. It is both of our jobs to find an intellectual middle ground. You are not my boss, this is not a job interview, this is not a blind date, this is not a cold call or a sales pitch. A studio visit is none of these things and potentially so much more. I am looking to work with people who are on board with my ideas and who I am as a person, and inversely, I look for the same in you. We are making an investment in each others lives and dreams and ambitions. Then, and only then, is there room to breach the subject of business." – Birk, artist

Tip #9: Don’t Be Late!

"As an artist, my least favorite thing is when you’ve prepared for a visit, cleaned up, and are waiting when they tell you they are running super late or not coming at the last minute. Insanely rude…" – Brian Willmont, New York-based artist and owner of Greenpoint Terminal Gallery

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How to Nail the Studio Visit, Pt. 2: Easy Rules for Not Making the Artist Think You're a Crazy Person

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Paul McCartney. Photographers in Central Park . New York , February 1964. Pigmented inkjet print. Copyright Paul McCartney under exclusive license to MPL Archive LLP

Studio Immersion: Paul McCartney and Candid Photography

Sunday, June 30, 2024

2–6 pm

Education Studios, 1st Floor

Tour our special exhibition Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm and get an inside look at Beatlemania from the perspective of one of its main protagonists. Hear from Director of Curatorial Affairs Catherine Futter and Executive Assistant Jennie Tang about McCartney’s versatile creative output. Then, head to the studio, where artist and educator Julia Forrest will guide you through camera operation, framing, and digital inkjet printing. Learn to create dynamic candid images that capture your point of view and tell compelling stories. End the afternoon with a professionally printed photograph to take home. Cameras will be provided. 

Tickets are $100 and include admission to Paul McCartney Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm . Member tickets are $80. Not a Member? Join today!

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15 injured in tram accident at Universal Studios

A group of amusement park visitors were injured Saturday evening in a Universal Studios tram accident near Los Angeles.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department was dispatched shortly after 9 p.m. PT Saturday and transferred 15 patients to hospitals with minor injuries.

The California Highway Patrol said a tour was underway at the studio in Universal City and the tram was making a turn following the "Jurassic Park Cars" attraction.

"Due to unknown reasons, while negotiating the turn onto Avenue M, the last car of the tram collided with a metal guardrail on the right side of the roadway causing it to tilt and eject multiple passengers from the tram," the agency said.

The injuries were evaluated as "minor to moderate," the highway patrol said. Neither drugs nor alcohol are being considered as factors.

A spokesperson for Universal Studios Hollywood confirmed the accident in a statement and said a tram collided with a guard rail while it was turning left.

"Our thoughts continue to be with the guests who were involved, and we are thankful that based on agency reports, the injuries sustained were minor," the statement said. "We are working closely with public agencies, including the California Highway Patrol, as we continue our review of the incident and safety remains a top priority."

Universal said the Studio Tour has resumed "with a modified route" and the park is "reinforcing our operational and safety protocols."

Universal Studios is owned by NBC News’ parent company, NBCUniversal.

According to the park’s website, the tram tour is set to celebrate its 60th anniversary Friday.

The Universal Studios Tour offers park visitors a chance to ride a tram through behind-the-scenes locations of some of the studio's famed films while tour guides impart some of the history of the lot.

Many of the locations are still used for filming, so the locations may change. A consistently popular attraction includes re-creations of scenes such as a "Jaws"-style shark attack.

Doha Madani is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News. Pronouns: she/her.

Emilie Dorn is an NBC News assignment editor.

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When U.S. Diplomats Visit China, Meal Choices Are About More Than Taste Buds

Visits to China by American officials like Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken can bring fame to local restaurants, as well as scrutiny to the dignitaries.

By Yan Zhuang

Beijing beer made with American hops, to highlight the trade relationship between the two countries. Tibetan food, to send a human rights message. Mushrooms with possible hallucinogenic properties, just because they taste good.

Where, what and how American dignitaries eat when they visit China is a serious matter. Choices of restaurants and dishes are rife with opportunities for geopolitical symbolism, as well as controversy and mockery. Chopstick skills — or a lack thereof — can be a sign of cultural competence or illiteracy.

An exorbitantly expensive meal can make an official look out of touch. Too cheap or informal, and you risk appearing undignified. Authenticity, history, cooking technique and taste can all affect the perception of a meal choice.

When Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken started a trip through China on Wednesday, part of the Biden administration’s efforts to stabilize the relationship between the two countries, some on Chinese social media wondered whether he would have time on his visit to Shanghai to stop and try some of the city’s famous xiaolongbao (soup dumplings).

One recommendation that he do so came with something of a political warning: “Eating xiaolongbao is just like handling international relations,” a commentator wrote on Weibo . “If your attention slips even a little, you’ll burn your mouth.”

Mr. Blinken did in fact visit a renowned soup dumpling restaurant that night. It’s unclear how much he considered the symbolism of his dumplings, but by indulging in a traditional popular snack, and by attending a basketball game, the optics suggested there was a more cordial spirit than on the trip he made last year, soon after a Chinese spy balloon drifting across the United States had heightened tensions.

While in Beijing, Mr. Blinken visited a notable establishment, in addition to the city’s restaurants: Li-Pi Records. Mr. Blinken — a musician who has touted “musical diplomacy” — bought two records: an album by the Chinese rocker Dou Wei, and Taylor Swift’s “Midnights,” which he described as a successful American export.

Mr. Blinken’s eating habits have drawn far less interest than that of Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Over two trips, this month and last year, her meals in China attracted so much attention that the state-run Global Times deemed it a form of “food diplomacy.”

Last year, Ms. Yellen made headlines when, at a restaurant in Beijing serving cuisine from Yunnan Province, she ate mushrooms that were revealed to be mildly toxic and could cause hallucinations if not cooked properly.

Ms. Yellen later said that she was not aware of the mushrooms’ potential hallucinogenic properties when she ate them and felt no abnormal effects. Still, the story sparked a brief craze for the mushrooms in China.

This month, during a four-day trip to China, Ms. Yellen visited a famed Cantonese restaurant in Guangzhou, and a Sichuan restaurant in Beijing. The dishes she ordered were quickly posted online, drawing broad approval from commenters for the variety and affordability of the dishes ordered, her chopstick skills and the fact that she and her team sat among other diners instead of in a private room.

The dishes Ms. Yellen and her team ordered were classic meals from their respective regions and were not modified to foreign tastes, according to Fuchsia Dunlop, a London-based cook and food writer who specializes in Chinese cuisine.

“They haven’t chosen really expensive, show-off dishes and ingredients,” Ms. Dunlop said, speaking about the Sichuan meal. “This is very much what everyday people in Sichuan like to eat. This menu was chosen for flavor, not prestige.”

According to a Treasury Department spokeswoman, the department generally solicits suggestions from staff at the local embassy for restaurant recommendations when Ms. Yellen travels. Then, Ms. Yellen will research the restaurants herself and make the final decision.

On occasion, specific establishments will be chosen to convey a diplomatic message, the spokeswoman added. She cited Ms. Yellen’s visit this month to a brewery in Beijing that uses American hops, aimed to highlight the significance of American agricultural exports to China.

Some restaurants where Ms. Yellen has dined have capitalized on her fame, like the Yunnan restaurant where she ate the mushrooms, which released a set menu based on what she ordered, called the “ God of Money ” menu, a nod to her position as Treasury secretary.

Ms. Yellen isn’t the first American dignitary to turn Chinese restaurants into overnight sensations. In 2011, a visit by then-Vice President Joe Biden to a Beijing noodle restaurant sent its business skyrocketing, according to Chinese state media, and led the restaurant to create a “Biden set” noodle menu.

In 2014, after Michelle Obama visited a hot pot restaurant in the city of Chengdu, the restaurant said it would create an “American First Lady” set menu. Articles in Chinese media noted approvingly that Mrs. Obama was able to handle the spicy soup, which was not toned down for a foreign palate.

Her visit to a Tibetan restaurant in the same city, however, attracted controversy, and her staff at the time readily acknowledged that the venue had been chosen deliberately to show support for the rights and religious liberties of Tibetans in China.

But for Mrs. Obama’s husband and other U.S. presidents, Chinese cuisine served at official state banquets is often Americanized or customized to better suit a foreign palette.

In 2009, President Barack Obama was served a Chinese-style beef steak and baked fish, according to Chinese state media, and in 2017, President Donald J. Trump ate dishes including kung pao chicken and stewed boneless beef in tomato sauce. Both meals finished with fruit ice cream, which is highly atypical of traditional Chinese meals.

But even those meals may hint at an international trend, Ms. Dunlop said. Mr. Obama’s menu contained “very safe, conservative choices that would be appealing to foreigners,” she said, while Mr. Trump’s menu was slightly more contemporary and showed off more Chinese cooking techniques.

That shift, Ms. Dunlop said, “may reflect China feeling a bit more confident with Westerners’ familiarity with real Chinese food” in 2017 versus 2009.

Ana Swanson contributed reporting.

Yan Zhuang is a Times reporter in Seoul who covers breaking news. More about Yan Zhuang