Studio Visit Ps and Qs

(Note: all of the people pictured here behaved impeccably while in my studio!)

Studio visits are a wonderful opportunity for artists to share their work and their enthusiasm with visitors, and to receive thought-provoking reactions and feedback in return…but they can also be uncomfortable if hosts and visitors aren’t on the same page. Artist’s studios are often a weird hodgepodge of office / showroom / storage shed / factory, a space that can be both open to the public and more personal than a bedroom. No wonder it can be hard to know how to act! 

While there’s certainly some artist somewhere who would adore having visitors jog around their studio while shouting into a cellphone, slopping red wine onto the walls, and draping wet raincoats on the pedestals, I suspect that they’re the exception. For the most part, observing the guidelines below would be a good start for having a win-win visit to an artist’s studio. 

Basics for all visitors

• Food and drink: It’s best not to take food or drink into a studio; if you need to have water, use a closed container and/or leave it in a safe spot near the door. This rule relaxes during a party or reception at which refreshments are served, when artists will probably have tidied away their more hazardous materials; be a good camper and pack out any cups/cans/plates you packed in, or dispose of them properly. 
• Baggage: As in a museum, leave dripping umbrellas and large bags near the door and move backpacks to your front–especially if the studio is small or the work is fragile. 
• Photography: Ask permission before photographing or recording an artist, their work, or their workspace. Don’t assume that permission to photograph automatically implies permission to publish. Let the artist know if you intend to use the images you take for anything other than your own personal records. If you share these images on social media, in a blog, or through a newsletter, include the artist’s name, handle, or website. 
• Handling: Whether the studio looks like a showroom or the town dump, understand that objects may be fragile or arranged in a particular way and shouldn’t be touched without specific permission. Even when handling work with permission do so carefully; if possible use both hands and hold the work over a table to minimize the potential for accidents. 
• Shopping: Work in the studio may or may not be for sale. Don’t be afraid to ask if you see something you’re interested in, but don’t take it personally if an artist isn’t able to immediately quote a price or if a piece isn’t for sale at the moment. Many artists prefer not to sell unfinished work, and some works-in-progress may be intended for a specific application or exhibition. You can always ask the artist to contact you in the future if the piece that caught your eye becomes available. 

Extra considerations for leading group visits

• Notice and scheduling: Accommodating groups can mean rearranging furniture or plans, so visits should be organized in advance wherever possible. Communicate how many visitors will be in your group and let the artist know any special needs, specific questions, or interests your group may have. Coordinate with the artist or organization to schedule your appointment, including start time and duration, and be sure to arrive promptly. 
• Back to the basics: Don’t assume that everyone in your group is familiar with studio visit etiquette–no matter their age or background. Go over the above basics before you enter the studio.  Feel free to blame me :)
• Break the ice: Why not learn a little about the artist(s) you’ll be visiting and share some background info with your group? This isn’t common, but when group leaders do it, visits tend to be much more substantive and enjoyable for everyone. 
• Walk the talk: Whatever behaviors you suggested to your group, be sure to stick to them yourself. 
• Compensation: This is my personal (possibly controversial) opinion, but I think that if you’re being paid (as a teacher, professor, tour guide, etc) to lead a group on a visit to an artist’s studio, then it is courteous, professional, and fair to also compensate the artist. Even if not expected or accepted, offers of compensation are appreciated and signal respect for the value of the artist’s time. 

Bonus Moves

• A thank-you message or card stands out! I’ve received exactly 4 post-visit thank-you cards in my entire career; to this day I can tell you which groups they came from and I’d be even more likely to accommodate any interest they have in future visits. 
• Did you get a really great photo (with permission) while in the studio? Share it with the artist! I had a studio visitor a few years ago who followed up by sending me the only high-resolution images I had of me in action working on a particular project. I was grateful to receive them and used them (with credit to the photographer) in several applications. 
• If you took an interest in the artist or their work, be sure to sign up for their newsletter.

Hey fellow artists! Anything I missed or was too much of a stickler about? What was your best-ever studio visit experience and are there any guidelines that could make a similar experience more likely to happen again?