Why Creating an Art Catalog Could Be Your Best Career Move
You work incredibly hard in the studio. The art you create is posted to your website and on social media, and maybe you can track it all on Artwork Archive, but after a while, it’s easy to forget what you’ve made. Sold pieces move to collectors' homes, galleries display your work across different cities, and you're already deep into your next creative project.
That's exactly why I created a professional catalog for my first solo show.
Let me share a personal story: When preparing for my debut solo exhibition, I didn't just want to document my artwork; I wanted to capture the complete narrative. I created a catalog that included the artwork, companion stories, and in-situ photographs. I also included my artist statement and an essay about the collection. Using BookWright (Blurb.com's design program), I created something that exceeded my expectations.
But other than having a concrete record of your art, why bother? Creating the catalog takes several hours, and we are all busy. Here are a few reasons why it’s worth your time:
Professional Documentation: A catalog provides an organized, professional record of your work, including essential details like dimensions, materials, dates, and prices. This makes it invaluable for sales, insurance, and establishing provenance. If you use Artwork Archive, you’ll have all this information.
Marketing Power: A well-designed catalog is a powerful tool for approaching galleries, collectors, and institutions. It shows professionalism and makes it easier for potential buyers to review your work. If you are sending a query, instead of only including your website and social media details, you could attach a PDF of your catalog.
Exhibition Support: Catalogs give visitors to your shows something tangible to take home, extending the impact of your exhibitions. I loved seeing the catalog leave the gallery in the hands of those who had viewed the show in person.
Career Development: A catalog strengthens applications for grants, residencies, and exhibitions and helps establish one's professional reputation.
Artistic Growth: The process of creating a catalog encourages self-reflection on one's body of work. This can inspire new directions and ideas for future work. I’m still looking back at my catalog and seeing new connections or being inspired for future projects.
Legacy Building: Your catalog becomes a historical record of your art. Years from now, you can flip through it, remember the collection, and be proud (again) of all that you’ve accomplished. It’s the modern version of the photo album you can bring out at family gatherings to show exactly what an artist can do.
You don’t need to have a solo or group show or even want to sell or market your art, but consider making a catalog just for you. Creativity is something to be proud of, no matter where your art ends up.
Creating the catalog took me a few days, as I had to learn how to use BookWright. I created the catalog and had a copy printed, and once it arrived, I saw that I needed to make multiple edits with image size, spacing, and what writing I included. The second version, one I also printed, was much better. The catalog was completed after the show was hung, so I could include photographs of the work hanging in the gallery, which made for a more interesting catalog.
For more details about what to include in your catalog, I suggest this blog on artist catalogs written by Alyson Stanfield.
Ready to create your own art catalog?
Join my newsletter, and I’ll send you my exhibition catalog PDF as your personal reference guide.