In 2009 while closing down at Edina, a gentleman (I use the word sarcastically) came around saying he was Steve Sugarman from Gallery 13 in downtown Minneapolis. He wanted to take artwork for his gallery. His spiel to me was that he got to the show late, he was collecting work for his relatively new gallery, he'd like to take a piece of my artwork (his choice), and offered the assurance that if it didn't sell within 6 months he'd return it to me at his expense, knowing I lived in Indiana.
A bit more than a year out, I have a client that wants to see the piece. Rather than produce another (times being what they are), I contacted Steve and asked for him to return to the piece. He was hesitant saying times were tight, sales were slow, but eventually when reminded of his initial words to me, our agreement, he relented.
Short of it is ... he claims he packaged it up, took it in for mailing, and found it would cost $130 to ship, which he then said he couldn't/wouldn't do. I wrote back and said, besides being disappointed in his unwillingness to honor his word, I'd split the cost, have him ship on my shipping account, and send me $65. He now has written back saying, and I quote here: "We are not going to be able to pay any of the shipping". He now says he will keep it until it sell or if I wish it back, it must be at my expense.
I know there are reputable gallery owners out there, apparently Steve Sugarman at Gallery 13 is not one. Sadly, he gives all gallery owners that notorious "black eye". So I write this to say specifically that if you have work in his gallery, and expect at some time he will return it to you at his cost or some shared cost because, oh let's say because he told you in person he would ...... don't get your hopes up too high. His honor, his word-of-mouth assurances are, from my brief experience, worthless. Had I known this would come to pass, I would have put this word out sooner, before Uptown. Hopefully none of you gave up your work to similar assurances.
And yes, from my end, I was naive, an idiot, and should have given up the piece only with a written contract in hand. Surely one might conclude I would have, should have, learned by now that trusting people at their word is an idiotic thing to do. As our illustrious past President tried to say ... "Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice ......... " .... I don't think he ever finished it, did he?
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Call & catch up sometime :)
I have had artists leave work in my storage area for years because they were "too busy" or "just forgot" to pick up the work from what they thought was a free, no charge, gratis, complementary storage space for their orphaned paintings for an unlimited, completely without charge period of time. When I mention the $1.00 dollar a week storage fee to people that do nothing to collect their work after 3 reminders - well, then I am Satan's evil twin and so on. There's two sides to every story. You get my drift?
Even though this situation is different, it is still fairly common.
There is always a solution.
You stated that you apparently felt that you were "naive, and an idiot, . . . should have given up the piece with a contract in your hand" and so forth. For what it's worth - no, you are not naive and at the very least you should have had a contract in your hand. You should have seen the gallery, checked references, crossed your "T's" and dotted your "I's".
But you apparently didn't. No big deal. 6 months went by, he didn't hear from you. You didn't hear from him. Doesn't sound like a relationship to me. That doesn't make you an idiot though. Just a person who didn't nurture your end of the relationship. 6 months after that, you two finally communicate. You need what he has possession of to make money for you. There is no incentive on his part to do anything for you. You're not an idiot for that. He's being difficult and probably more than likely a person that is not upholding his end of a verbal agreement you two had over a year ago. It doesn't take a Harvard lawyer to make Swiss cheese out of this agreement you two had. That doesn't make you an idiot. It just means that he is going to rely on a different interpretation of your agreement. Still doesn't make you an idiot.
You offered to split the cost of the shipping I am assuming because it would still be profitable for you to regain possession of your work for a sale on your end. I suspect he's thinking "storage issues" when he thinks of your work and him holding it in safekeeping for you - rightly or wrongly. That doesn't make you an idiot either. That's just a tangled web.
Apparently you were not in one of the three shows in Minneapolis this past weekend for whatever reason or you of course would have regained possession of your work. Or maybe I'm an idiot for not reading what your wrote correctly. It does happen occasionally.
You have raised hell about about this guy on a fairly popular forum that many artists not only participate in, but lurk around as well. Nope. Still not an idiot.
Several artists were in Minneapolis last weekend. I was there and I hope to be back next year. I had my first sushi dining experience with Nels and his very beautiful wife at a wonderful place called Wakami just off Lake Street and I had an absolutely wonderful time there as well! That makes neither of us idiots though. I hope you will join us next year there.
Nels and his Mrs. live in Michigan during the warm months and travel all over the place.
I will be coming to Chicago twice in August. I'll be in Louisville, KY in October - just as easy to go through Indy as the southern route.
I am not going to check right now, but I am sure many people you know (or know of) were in Minneapolis this past weekend.
Ron, I am sure anyone you would have asked would have stopped by the Studio 13 or would have accepted a delivery of your work at their booth from this guy and arrangements could have been made to ship it from Chicago, or pick it up from Chicago, or Michigan, or even an Indiana artist could have schlepped it for a nominal fee or perhaps a trade. Maybe just for good karma they would have done it. Maybe they would appreciate $20 or something, who knows?
The gallery owner obviously treated you poorly. I agree, I hope no one gave him work this year if what you say is true.
I'm not going to call you an idiot, but you had an opportunities to solve this problem at minimal cost and stress. Those opportunities slipped away each and every time and artist pulled out of Minneapolis this past weekend without your work in their van or trailer.
There are lots of lessons to be learned here. Something about vinegar flies or flies with more honey or honey vinegar, or something along those lines anyway.
-Munks