Online commission and sell?

[Anupam Halder]

I am portrait artist from Kolkata, India. India is a lower economy belt ,for that reason art is still the business of corporate level and it is very difficult for a middleclass artist like me to enter and be successful in that trend. Once portrait art was popular here especially in time of British rule but now for last few years abstraction and semi realistic trends has acquired the market through out India. Art now became the investment for profit, not passion anymore. So I'm very much struggling for commission work and also unable to sell my other works than portrait because my style is completely academic. So my point is that shall I able to get commission or connect to few clients from USA or Europe through Internet? Any portrait agency is there to promote artist from other countries like India? But reliability in the business both for artist and agency or client must be the key factor. I

[Steve Craighead]

Anupam,
Check out Paul Newton http://www.paulnewton.com.au/. He's an Australian and does quite a bit of work in the US. My understanding is he doesn't charge for travel to/from Australia and the US. I don't know about his selling over the internet.
Gwenneth Barth is another artist that might be of interest to you http://www.gwennethbarth.com/. She lives in Switzerland and does commissions in the US.
Both artist, I think, are represented by Portrait Brokers and perhaps Portraits South and probably several other US portrait agencies.
Now, if you can tell us how to get a commission in India. That would be cool!

Steve

[Anupam Halder]

Steve,
Thanks for your suggestions. I shall check the links. I have already got response from Portrait South asked me to post required data but maximum agencies displayed on the forum's portrait agent page remain silent. Perhaps they don't allow artist from out of USA. Portrait south also informed me that of one trip in USA for business purpose but I am not sure who will bear the travel expenses? Is it agency or the artist? Though I have not asked yet this to the agencies, do you have any idea? You asked that about portrait commission in India...its not good as USA and Europe. Yes, it is true some commission portraiture available in here but all depends on personal influences. In case of Government commission it is by the politician or higher officials and Non government projects depends on authority of the specific organization. So as result lots of substandard portraiture installed on many public places, offices and other significant places around India and then artist like me who really love portraiture has to look forward to western world like USA and Europe. Even there is market of portraiture of common people who has money as well as good taste, but it is scattered. No agency of portraiture still not available here. It is very difficult to get sufficient commission for an artist to live. Now few galleries are opening new wings of commission works but it is only beginning. In next few years we hope there will be more scope for portrait artist who would like to work for commission that good portrait artist should not be looking for works anywhere else than India.