Can a Gallery charge you to wire your painting without telling you in advance?

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Question:

A gallery just deducted $40 from me for wiring the back of a painting that sold, without telling me in advance or providing me with any receipt, and no contract saying this something they do!. I had no prior warning that they were doing this and therefore no chance to just do it myself!. Usually work is sold as is anyways, so I am confused!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

If there is no contract, and they did not consult you, they should not have charged you!. If the painting was already sold they should have charged the buyer!. That said, if they are selling well for you, is it worth making an issue of it!? You could ask for a contract for the future!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

If you're selling art through galleries, it's part of your job as the artist to have the work ready to hang!. That includes wire on the back (not those little sawtooth hangers, or other hardware)!.

There is probably no receipt because they didn't pay someone else to do it--putting wire on the back of a painting isn't rocket science, after all!. The $40 is probably what could be called an "annoyance fee"--if you're not going to bring in your work ready-to-hang, and they have to fix the problem, that's annoying and inconvenient for them!. They could call you back in to do it yourself, but why wait!? They want to get it on the wall and sell it!. So they fixed the problem and charged you a fee high enough to ensure you won't do it again!.

If the gallery has to do part of your job for you, I do think they are within their rights to charge you for it!. However, that is something that should be in your written contract/sales agreement!. If it's not, you can try challenging the $40 fee; maybe they will waive it this one time, especially if there is nothing in your contract that allows for such a deduction!.

However, if it will damage your relationship with the gallery it might be a better idea to eat the fee, chalk it up as a learning experience, and remember to put wire on all of your paintings from now on!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

I think that the gallery was likely operating within their rights to ready your art for sale!. I have chaired many art shows and juried exhibitions, and the rules for gallery and show hanging is that "artwork must have proper hanging hardware" !. !. !. of which the standard is brackets and wire!. I once had paintings dropped off for a show with no hardware and the artist gladly paid to have me apply the hardware!. It was that, or not be accepted!.

While contact that they were adding hardware for a buyer would have been a courtesy, I am going to guess if you looked further they have somewhere advised that artists will be charged for any installation of hardware, tightening of canvas, repair of frames, etc!., that will facilitate a sale!. You say the stretcher bar had a hanger on it!. !. !. sounds like a sawtooth!. If your hardware was not one of these types (the one on the bottom is the most secure and professional) then it probably was not proper!. http://www!.vistagallery!.com/assets/image!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Sounds to me like they just wanted to add to their cut!. In addition, that's awfully high for just putting wire on the back of your painting!. The supplies alone don't amount to even a quarter of that amount!.
They shouldn' t have charged you for that!. Any gallery I've ever showed at has never charged for installing wire!. You should contest that!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would DEFINITELY contest this situation!. Galleries are constantly taking advantage of us artists and I don't think that we should put up with it at all!. Eating the fee just to save face with this gallery is like letting the bully take your lunch at school!. Do you think it will happen again!? OF COURSE!!! In my opinion this is a very cheap shot at you just to raise the already too high commission that they take!. I avoid galleries as much as possible just because of this sneaky behavior!. Remember, without us they would be selling something else!.!.!.like used cars or shoes!. Where's the love here!?

Good luck to you!.

KimberlyWww@QuestionHome@Com