Today we’d like to introduce you to Timoty Tew.
Timoty, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Seeking to enlarge my opportunities, I moved to Paris, France in 1986 for a year. While I was there, I started looking at art very seriously, which led to discovering some work I loved and then meeting the artists. When I returned to Atlanta at the age of 28, I began promoting them as a side business, hoping to find homes for them in contemporary galleries.
However, I found that galleries were either resistant to work with an agent, didn’t want to invest in foreign artists or didn’t like my choices. This caused me to refocus my energies and I began selling work directly to interior designers and individuals out of the huge trunk of my 1968 Cadillac. There was one very fortunate sale at the beginning that gave me just enough money to buy a plane ticket and go back to Paris to get more artwork.
Then I had a few more sales like this, giving me the opportunity to prove to the artists that I was serious. Money was very tight and I was fortunate to be able to live with my parents in the first few years. In 1988 I started showing art in a French restaurant and had a small office in the back where I could conduct business. In December of 1988, I moved from the restaurant into a very small space and opened my first independent space.
There have been many steps in the process of building the gallery, including expanding beyond French art, adding more artists, increasing the size of the exhibition space and moving to another location. Then in 2005, I bought a commercial townhome in The Galleries of Peachtree, where the gallery is located today. I was able to build out the interior exactly as I wanted and space is aesthetically very beautiful.
Today the gallery represents a dynamic group of American and European artists and TEW Galleries is still known primarily for showing contemporary painting and sculpture.
Has it been a smooth road?
No, it has not been a smooth road. But something always came along to keep me going. Often this was a much-needed sale, but it was sometimes the encouragement of clients, friends or artists.
Beyond the financial struggle of having enough money left over to invest in expanding the business, one of the biggest issues was staying true to the art I loved. Even though I always wanted the business to be bigger, I learned that keeping it small allowed me a lot of maneuvering, which ultimately allowed me to build a reputation for what I do and the art I show and love.
Another difficulty has been dealing with artists when their art isn’t hitting the mark and goes through a period when it isn’t selling. I’ve learned that talking to artists about this and giving them good feedback requires developing particular skills.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I own a contemporary art gallery that focuses on painting with emphasis as well on sculpture and works on paper. I am known for showing beautiful, thoughtful art with a more classical aesthetic that is really well crafted. What sets me apart from other contemporary art galleries is my desire to extend the tradition of great painting into the future, rather than catering to the taste for new media and concept-driven art.
I’m most proud of the fact that I’ve been able to give many artists the opportunity to develop their careers and this has enriched the lives of art lovers.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Atlanta is growing and attracting people from around the country and world. Atlanta is definitely a good place to start an art gallery, but it will take dedication because Atlanta is not primed for loving art the way New York, San Francisco or Los Angeles area.
Pricing:
- Art is priced from $1,800 to $45,000
Contact Info:
- Address: 425 Peachtree Hills Ave. #24
- Website: www.tewgalleries.com
- Phone: 404-869-0511
- Email: jules@tewgalleries.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tewgalleries/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TEWgalleries/
Image Credit:
Phil Bekker – www.bekker.com
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