Art Sales

The Art of Business

Atlanta gallery owner Timothy Tew finds success in his passion for art.

BY CARRIE WHITNEY

It’s been 20 years since Timothy Tew first stepped off a plane from Paris, a roll of canvases tucked under his arm painted by burgeoning French artists. During the past two decades, Tew has evolved from selling artwork out of the trunk of his vintage Cadillac to owning a thriving Buckhead gallery as one of Atlanta’s most respected art dealers.

With 3,700 square feet, five employees, and a roster of more than 40 contemporary artists from the United States and Europe, TEW Galleries celebrates what few businesses— let alone art spaces—ever achieve: staying power.

While Tew’s road to success was certainly paved with aesthetic treasures, it was not always as glamorous as the art world might seem to those on outside. His first exhibition space—following the Cadillac, of course—was in the corner of a small café.

But the restaurant attracted more artists than collectors, so Tew took the plunge and sublet a 450-square-foot gallery space that put him in close range with other art and antiques retail spots.

“It was a very humble beginning,” Tew says. “That is one challenge that I have overcome. I fondly remember my dad hanging the single row of track lights that I had purchased from Sears the day before my first gallery opening.”

Initially planning to be a designer, Tew earned degrees in interior design and music, but while studying in Paris, he met the artists whose work would eventually push him toward his metier.

His course set, he steadily expanded his gallery, roster of artists and staff through the years, culminating in 2005 with the purchase of the enormous building that houses his current gallery space.

Today, TEW Galleries calls a three-story townhouse home. Unlike most galleries, which are basic white boxes, TEW Galleries is located in the 18th-century French-style Galleries of Peachtree Hills, which melds Tew’s appreciation for architecture and décor. He is able to present art in a facility that is more like a livable space than a museum, partly to help his clients see and understand art and to imagine it in their homes more easily.

The gallery interior incorporates diverse design elements inspired by Tew’s love of worldwide travel. Nineteenth-century appeal, modernism and a bit of Art Deco glamour combine with Moroccan curved walls, wooden pediments and undulating iron stair railings emblazoned with the TEW logo.

Through the years, Tew’s loyal following has increased. “Growing a gallery is not a steady thing,” he says. “You have to navigate between what you love and what you can sell.” Yet, his business has evidenced strong, steady growth since 1987.

That first year in business—the year of the Cadillac—sales were $10,767, and the gallery’s sales bloomed thereaft er. In fact, since 1997, TEW Galleries’ sales have nearly quadrupled.

In honor of his business acumen, TEW Galleries joined businesses in industries like technology and marketing to be named one of Catalyst magazine’s Top 50 Businesses in 2006. And the year prior, The Atlanta mayor’s office recognized his contribution to the arts community by honoring him with a Phoenix Award.

While Tew has achieved monetary success, his passion has always been for the local arts community as a whole. With this in mind, he founded the nonprofit Atlanta Gallery Association in 2003. Rather than maintaining a competitive view of the relationships between art galleries, Tew thought the arts in Atlanta could improve if the fine arts galleries joined forces. During Tew’s presidency, the AGA had more than 30 members and hosted successful events like ATLart, an annual citywide celebration of visual arts in Atlanta.

Tew is also involved in a variety of other charity eff orts. Helping children is a passion for Tew, who volunteers with CHRIS Kids Inc., My House and the Atlanta Young Singers of Callanwolde. “I think you need to treat people well,” he says. “You have to put that in front of profit. To make profit and not treat people well; it’s not worth it to me.”

As Tew looks toward the next 20 years, he has already started to acquire a new group of buyers: the children of his first clients. The next generation of artists emerges, too, and experience has given Tew a heightened sense of what to look for in an artist, and it’s more than just raw talent.

“You’ve got to be very creative in this business,” he says. “You’ve got to stay on your toes. Now, I look for artists who are ambitious. If a gallery owner is more ambitious than the artist, ultimately that doesn’t benefit the gallery or the clients.”

And since Tew’s ambition is incontestable, those artists have a high standard to meet.

TIPS FROM TEW HOW TO INVEST IN ART

1- When looking for art to purchase, you must know whether you are buying for investment or aesthetics. Your purpose in buying will cause you to look differently.

2- Buying art is an emotional process, but when it’s for investment, put your business cap on first. Think more about how the art market is faring than what you find beautiful.

3- Some helpful places to get information about trends in the art market are auction houses like Sotheby’s and Christie’s or websites like www.artpriceindex.com and www.artnet.net.

4- Investing in contemporary art can be tricky.

To assist you in making choices that will have positive investment outcomes, locate a reputable art dealer who pays attention to fluctuations in the art market and changes over time. A good art dealer should boast a great reputation.

5- If you prefer buying art with your heart instead of your head, know that quality pieces stand the test of time. When you fall out of love, look for art resale opportunities to refresh your collection. TEW Galleries hosts an Annual Collector’s Sale each January that allows collectors of various levels to sell what they no longer adore.