Lansing area art galleries suffering after COVID-19 outbreak

The starving artist is a popular archetype. But recent events have forced many artists into a tight spot. When the coronavirus outbreak hit, it suddenly became a lot harder to sell art. Many of the galleries that they depended on were forced to shut down. And the galleries themselves are receiving less patronage.

“When people are unsure about their income or future, they tend to pull back a little bit,” said Melody Angel from the nonprofit organization Art in the Wild. “And we also just don’t want to put additional stress on people who are worried about money.” To make up for it, Angel started planning free events to promote local art and artists.

Angel sought out local artists for a Facebook interview series. She said that any interested artists can apply on the Art in the Wild website.

“We particularly want diversity,” said Angel. “And artists who aren’t famous yet. We just want to hear from people in the area and amplify their voices.”

There are many complications in the art gallery world right now. Angel said that people don’t want to spend money because their income took a hit from the pandemic, some people are afraid to travel and most venues where artists can show their work are shut down.

One of the artists that Angel works with used to do group art classes, but holding those classes is an impossibility in the era of the coronavirus. So, she went virtual and started hosting online art classes.

“She’s finding that people actually like it,” said Angel. “This is a time where artists have to get creative. COVID has drastically impacted the art world, especially those dependent on an artists’ income.”

MSU’s Broad Art Museum started offering a Facebook live event called Studio (In)Process at Home, which takes place Thursdays at 9 p.m. on its Facebook page. Each week, a different artist will lead attendees through an art project that they can do at home. Attendees of the event are invited to participate or just watch.

The Lansing Art Gallery also joined in on the virtual game. They have created virtual exhibitions that are available for viewing on their website. They are also offering online classes which you can access through their website. The Lansing Art Gallery is also hosting a series of ARTpath Artist Talks every Tuesday at 6 p.m. They take place at various spots on the Lansing River Trail and offer the community a chance to connect with local artists.

The talks are free with a suggested donation of ten dollars. They are also recorded and posted to the Lansing Art Gallery website.

“In March, when this first started, I thought I’d never sell another piece,” said Mark Chatterly from Chatterly Scultpures Inc. “But it’s picked up since April. It’s getting better and better.”

Chatterly said that he gets the majority of his money through galleries. When they shut down, he had to figure out how to promote himself online.

“That took a little bit of getting used to. I’m not from the right generation,” he laughed. Chatterly felt technology-illiterate. So, he asked his daughter to help him set up a website, Facebook and Instagram.

The coronavirus outbreak hasn’t affected Chatterly’s output. He’s been working on commissions and producing a series of work about the virus. “I wanted to convey what the human collective looks like with my work,” said Chatterly. “Because we have to get through this together. I’m going to be working on that for awhile.” He described his latest piece as a wall of bodies symbolizing humanity’s connection to each other. Usually, Chatterly spends his time working on sculptures of large dogs. The opportunity to work on a piece that was relevant to the current moment meant a lot to him.

“One of my pieces inspired by COVID was sold to a collector in Chicago within a week. Only a week old and someone snatched it up,” said Chatterly. “I have a lot of pieces that don’t come together, but this one did. It worked out.”

“Our sales have been down 95%,” said Sarah Christiansen from Katalyst Art Gallery and Gift Boutique. “Now we’re at about 70% and it’s been slowly inching up.”

Katalyst has over 300 local artists featured in their gallery, and they feature a new artist every month. It is approaching its 10th anniversary this upcoming September.

Last month, Katalyst held its first virtual opening on its Facebook page. Ten pieces were sold. Christiansen said that she also started a website since the coronavirus outbreak began so she could sell pieces over the web.

There is a donation button on Katalyst’s website if you would like to support them, but Christiansen said that those who don’t have money to spare can simply follow Katalyst’s social media pages.

“It’s tough out there right now, and we’re doing the best we can to deal with the cards we’ve been dealt,” said Christiansen. “We’re just trying to keep our heads above water. This virus has touched every single person, maybe in different ways. But everyone has been harmed by this.”

Kathy Holcomb from Absolute Gallery has also been struggling to keep her business afloat.

“We have a lot of loyal customers who have been trying to help as much as they can,” she said. “But it hasn’t been easy. That’s for sure.”

Absolute Gallery has been in Old Town since 2003. It does custom picture framing and sells handmade American gifts.

Holcomb has been working on creating an e-commerce website for Absolute Gallery, but she has run into some complications. She has to figure out shipping and deal with posting the items on the website. Absolute Gallery sells so many one-of-a-kind items that posting them all online has been a nightmare. Holcomb has over 20,000 items to post online, and it’s no easy task. She has to take pictures and write descriptions for each artwork.

“I keep hoping that people’s awareness of buying local is increasing because of the shutdown,” said Holcomb. “We’re trying to be here for people and getting the focus away from buying from big box stores.”

Since Absolute Gallery has reopened, they’ve received more walk-in traffic. Holcomb joined a campaign started in the U.K. called “Just a Card.” It promotes buying something small — even just a greeting card — from local businesses.

“Even buying something like a greeting card can help the little guys out,” said Holcomb. “We’re trying to make people more aware of that.”