Be respectful
As Stamm pointed out, there’s a certain uneven dynamic baked into the studio visit itself. “Be mindful of the power having the money to buy art grants you over the people you’re visiting,” he said. “Just because artists need patrons doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be afforded basic courtesies and a sense of dignity. You are not doing an artist a favor by buying their work, you are, ideally, compensating them fairly for their labor. You and the artist are equals, irrespective of any possible financial transaction or difference in status.”
What does respect look like? Well, on the simplest level, it starts with having the graciousness to actually arrive for the studio visit you’ve organized. “I find it annoying when a collector or gallery person asks for a visit, and then is ridiculously late, or doesn’t show up at all,” Maloof said. “It’s pretty common.”
An artist’s time is valuable—she may have reorganized or hung her work for the occasion, or even put some LaCroix on ice for you! Being stood up can throw off the rhythm of an entire day.