Today we’d like to introduce you to Trish Matute.
Trish, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have been working in the arts for the last 14 years. In my junior year of college, my advisor suggested I get an internship. I had not studied much art history but was always drawn to art, and even more so to the world of makers and collectors, before even understanding what that really meant. I flipped a Houston publication to the arts section and started calling in alphabetical order. My second call was to Booker Lowe Aboriginal Art Gallery. Serendipitously, it was the gallery owner who answered, even though they were closed. They invited me to come after class twice a week, but within a month a part-time gallery assistant position opened and they offered it to me. It was such a pivotal experience; not only was I surrounded by very specialize Aboriginal Art, but I was also nurtured by two incredible women. The gallery owner, Nana Booker (Australian Consul General), taught me so much about business etiquette, professional procedure, and included me in every aspect from updating the mailing list & writing artist bios, to selling art-work. The gallery manager, Karen Rezai, mentored me in regard to art. Karen introduced me to the Houston art scene, inviting me to openings, talking to me about the artists she had relationships with, and even including me in after-show dinners with artists and gallerists, which is where I got my first up-close glimpse at the magic makers. Shortly after I started at the Booker Lowe, I shifted the focus of my degree; I knew I wanted to pursue a career in which I could support artists’ efforts. Weeks after graduating from college, I was introduced to Gremillion & Co. Fine Art. Just like with my first gallery, ending up with Gremillion seemed meant to be. My best friend is an interior designer and while working on a project with Gremillion, she learned were looking for a gallery manager; a week later I was interviewing, and 3 weeks later I joined the team. It was a great fit; I only had experience with aboriginal art, so being at Gremillion & Co., which represents around 50 living artists and just celebrated their 40th year in business, was an amazing opportunity to learn about contemporary art. Again, I found myself in a place where I was nurtured professionally and socially. The owner of the gallery, Ron Gremillion took me under his wing from the beginning and has always taken the time to share his experience with me. Likewise, the CFO, Robyn Walker, recognized my interest in the business side of the gallery and made sure to always encourage and foster that. Over the years, I’ve had many roles at Gremillion, as my projects began requiring more time, I was given the opportunity to transition into an art advisor role. I had resisted this, having seen myself more as a behind the scenes person, but in 2016 I took the leap. I find so much gratification in the projects I collaborate on; I’m invigorated by the challenge and find immense value in sharing the work of artists with clients and friends. Last fall I became the first female director at the gallery, joining Harwood Taylor (co-director) in the role.
My years of gallery operations and management experience, paired with my experience as an art consultant, readied me for this role. After 14 years of working with artists and collectors, I’m still surprised and excited by the possibilities. The experience is renewed with each new artist, client, project, and relationship. It’s been such a wellspring of opportunity for growth and transformation. In 2015 I had my son, and working in this world afforded me the ability to bring him to the office two days a week after maternity leave, I didn’t feel like I had to sacrifice my role as a professional in order to be the mother I wanted to be. Now I get to watch my son grow up surrounded by art, artists, creatives, and art patrons; it has been another really beautiful, transition for me in this world.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
In some ways, it has been smooth. I have explained how destined my entrance into the art world felt, but in other ways, it has been challenging. I feel like insecurities can be the biggest obstacle to overcome, I did not get my degree in art history and I also didn’t grow up in a home where we could afford to collect most of the art I sell now; there have been times when insecurities around those circumstances left me feeling like I didn’t belong, which is of course not true. I eat, sleep, and breathe art, I made payments on a piece of original art before I ever even bought a sofa and I have been trained by some of the best. I’ve had to get out of my own way; second-guessing whether or not I belonged created barriers. Even after 14 years in this business, working with artists and placing work on incredible projects, I still get imposture syndrome sometimes! When I start feeling like I should know more about the history of this or the origins of that; I remind myself that art is much more about connection and communication, and that is something I understand, strive for, and deeply believe in. Ego and self-doubt get in the way of authentic connection and communication.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Gremillion & Co. represents more than 50 living artists, from Houston, across Texas, the United States, and Europe. It is such a humbling experience to work with so many talented individuals and gratifying in that I truly believe art makes the world a better place and our role in the process is a valuable one. Gremillion celebrated its 40th anniversary this year, I have been here for nearly 13 years and the rest of the team have all been with the company for more 20-30+ years, which really speaks to the closeness of this chosen family. Our goal is to be the link between artist and client, to give artists the freedom to create and bringing an elevated collection of fine art to clients. We want the art to play a meaningful, active role in our client’s space and aspire to build relationships so we can assist with their collections for years to come. Our slogan is Encouraging Thoughtful Perception, supporting the notion that you will truly see the artwork, when you know it- which is opposite of the popular “I will know it when I see it”. It is a privilege to share and educate collectors about the artists we represent. One of the most rewarding parts of what I do is sharing bits of information I’ve gleaned from the artists or from one the other members of the team and then seeing that information transforms the way the viewer sees the artwork. I don’t disagree that a person can look at something and instantly have a feeling of like or dislike, but we also know that with anything complex, we need more information and time to really absorb and reflect. One of my favorite analogies is comparing looking at art to tasting wine. As your pallet matures and you learn about flavor profiles, your taste starts to open up and you are able to really value the subtleties in wines that you may not have even been willing to try before, and then you learn how to pair the wines with food and they get even better. What we like, changes with what we know. That said, I don’t try to talk anyone into something they don’t like, but feel that the value I bring is the years of personal relationship with the artists and their work that I can efficiently translate to clients. When I help connect collectors with art that will continue to open up to them, provoke them to think differently, and feed them emotionally for years, then I have really done my part and hopefully made the process fun and meaningful!
Where do you see your industry going over the next 5-10years? Any big shifts, changes, trends, etc.
Even before Coronavirus, I would have said that big shifts were coming, but I feel we will see things fast forward a bit, due to this situation. While selecting art is a deeply personal experience, we will continue to see more business being done virtually. It will take longer for some to get on board, but I truly believe it will become much more the norm. Relating to art in person it is such an impactful experience, so there will always be a place for physical gallery spaces, but I think more and more purchases will happen online. 10 years ago, I would have said that this industry wouldn’t translate to e-commerce, but I’ve come full circle. I follow artists in other countries and cities and find myself feeling just as connected to those creators as I do to artists whose exhibitions I attend in person.
For example, there is an artist in LA that I started following about five years ago and started collecting last year. We’ve never met and I haven’t even physically made it to the gallery that represents her in New York, BUT I forget that we have not met and I forget that I have not been to the gallery, because the relationship cultivated through email and social media is palpable. As a collector and admirer, I feel invested and that creates a solid connection, our brains fill in the rest. This will be the biggest shift- the evolution of how we connect. The artists will still make magic, dealer representation will still be valuable, and the connections will still be solid, it will just require a little bit more communication & imagination. Frankly, I’m thrilled at the prospects of this evolving market, it will open doors for artists, dealers, and collectors alike. Since the pandemic started, I have heard from my out of state clients the most. I am currently packing 3 newly acquired pieces to ship to collectors in New York this week. Virtual connection has been the only option during this time and we found it to be effective and fulfilling!
Pricing:
- Works on paper starting at $300 – $20,000
- Works on Canvas $900-$100,000
- Sculpture $400-$250,000
Contact Info:
- Address: 2501 Sunset, Blvd, Houston, TX 77005
- Website: www.gremillion.com
- Phone: 2816601832
- Email: trish@gremillion.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/trish_1/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gremillionfineart/
Image Credit:
Charles Baldwin, CHB Photography
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