The business of art: Stevensville High art students get a chance to sell their work at a gallery

Stevensville High senior Alecia Jessop could be the next Monte Dolack. But she will never know unless people see her paintings.

That is why Kate and Robert Lutzenhiser, owners of 1888 Metal Arts of Stevensville, offer their gallery space once a year to the high school’s advanced art students.

By DANA GREEN Staff Reporter

http://www.ravallinews.com/articles/2004/05/13/news/news01.txt

This past month, the jewelry shop featured art by 21 Stevensville High students, including Jessop.

The students have the opportunity to earn money for their art – and more importantly, to learn the business side of the art world.

"It’s the one aspect of art education that’s rarely touched upon," Robert Lutzenhiser said.

The gallery owners have the students sign a contract, price and frame their work, and then attend a reception, where their work will be viewed – and judged – by fellow artists, family and the community.

"It gives students a chance to see the business end of things," Kate Lutzenhiser said. "They have to market themselves."

Mike Mickelson, who has taught art for 25 years at Stevensville High and is a professional artist himself, encourages his juniors and seniors to take the opportunity to participate in their first gallery show.

"Some kids have sold quite a few pieces, for others it’s brand new," Mickelson said.

First, the students had to choose which art pieces would hang at the gallery opening. This year, Mickelson told his students that if it went up on the gallery wall, it was for sale.

"The kids would put up ‘NFS’ – Not For Sale," Mickelson said. "I told them, this is a gallery, not a museum – it’s not fair to take up wall space."

Mickelson told them they had to learn to price their work so if they never see it again, they can live with it. "Some of them really hate to see (their work) go," he said.

For junior Jessi Trauth, the choice was difficult.

"I felt really torn. I wanted to display my best work, but I was very attached to some of the pieces," Trauth said.

Like Trauth, Jake Packer, who paints planes and jets, just couldn’t part with the pieces he liked best.

"These aren’t my favorites," he admitted.

Efrem Wehrli, a senior, had to choose from among 50 watercolors he painted. He chose paintings of a rose, a bright green forest and a weathered barn – popular themes in Montana.

"I put up things I thought would sell," he said.

Once the paintings were chosen, then the students had to decide on a price.

Wehrli found out that he had underpriced his forest painting when a Stevensville business owner bought it – for twice the asking price.

Wehrli admitted it was difficult to put a price tag on his work. "Everyone here went through a pricing dilemma," he said.

After choosing art, settling on a sale amount, and having it framed, the students had to go through the final step – mingling with the art crowd.

That meant attending the May 7 First Friday reception, hosted by 1888 Metal Arts.

The gallery owners were firm that the students should get the experience of being at a gallery opening. "It’s always a big show – we were packed," Robert Lutzenhiser said.

The students have to overcome shyness to answer questions – and take some constructive criticism, according to Mickelson.

"They are emerging artists, so 50 percent of their work is selling yourself," MIckelson said. "They need to learn to … meet the public."

Mickelson warned his students that they might get critics in the crowd. "We talked about how everyone’s an expert – if you paint an elk someone will tell you this is wrong and that’s wrong," Mickelson said. "(But) the town’s very supportive."

Packer received a bit of helpful advice on his airplane paintings from the community’s aviation professionals. "Some of the war veterans would correct me on my planes," Packer said with a grin.

Matt Piedalue, a senior in Advanced Placement art, put up his startling paintings of fantasy figures – even though he knew they wouldn’t be for everyone.

"Most people say the gargoyle’s good – but they don’t want it in their house," Piedalue laughed.

Once the reception crowd had seen the student’s work, they voted on two awards: Best in Show and People’s Choice.

The gallery owners credit the awards with bringing out the competitive spirit in the students.

"There’s some competition between them – which I think is good," Kate Lutzenhiser said.

This year, the People’s Choice award went to Jessop, for her delicate watercolor of a horse being led to the barn during a winter storm.

"It was a big shocker – I really had no idea," Jessop said.

Now that the young artists have experienced the marketing aspect of the art world, many have had to adjust their thinking.

Piedalue said that he wouldn’t stop producing his science-fiction inspired pieces – but he may not rely on it for a paycheck.

"I’ll always do stuff like that – at least on the side," he said. "But if you are really trying to make a living, you have to adjust."

Other students are going into more traditional lines of work: architecture, graphic design, interior decorating work.

Elysa Ermatinger, who is attending the Portland Art Institute in the fall, believes that graphic design would be both artistic and lucrative.

"Computers are the new thing," Ermatinger said. "It’s hard to make a living just as an artist."

All the students agreed on one thing – making money from your art doesn’t make you an artist. That comes from your own perspective.

"An artist is anyone who sees the world in a different way," said junior Joe Piersma.

"It doesn’t matter if you sell anything, it’s just your view of the world," added Emmon Snyder.

Kate Lutzenhiser said that when they first invited the students to display their work, they never expected to see the quality of art that the students have produced.

"A lot of them are very confident artists by the time they come to us," she said.

Robert Lutzenhiser agreed. "Every year we’re more surprised," he said.

If one of the Stevi students does go on to become famous, the gallery would have been responsible for ushering a major young talent into the art world.

But for Kate and Robert Lutzenhiser, that would just be icing on the cake.

"That would be wonderful," Kate Lutzenhiser said. "Being a professional artist, it’s a hard life. Hopefully they will keep doing art – even if it’s just for themselves."

Reporter Dana Green can be reached at 363-3300 or at [email protected]