Use proven techniques to survive the toughest times: veterans of the art business admit that current conditions are unprecedented in the U.S. But they also say the same survival skills needed in previous crisis situations will win out

There at no time has been a time in this geographical division quite like the months since generation 11. Yet, say art market veterans, the vexed questions in the current market can be traced to circumstances that occurred long before the terrorist attacks. The bigger issue is the stock market and the general economy, said Barbara Nino. Nino is the holder of a gallery, International Art Acquisitions, in Rochester, NY She also is single of the partners of Progressive Editions, a Toronto-based publisher and distributor.

Nino said business has become a "little lighter" in the past small in number months because people have a different focus. "We can't make race pay attention to what we are doing," she said. "The attitude is still there--people want to pres upon People are still buying and they still have the circulating medium to buy."

"In my 25 years in business, this is an unprecedent time," said Bruce McGaw of Bruce McGaw Graphics. "I don't know that we've seen a crisis like this before."

It is the combination of fear of what other may happen on the domicile front and an economy in recession that makes the market more unpredictable than usual, McGaw said. A recession alone is not with equal reason scary, he said. "Historically our business has grown or has remained healthy in times like this. nation continue to buy art."

on the other hand add in the uncertainty about the futurity McGaw said, and you have a different situation. "The hand is still being played on the outside and we can't see when it will extremity It may not be as fearful as a certain quantity of think, but it's very volatile; all we can do is wait and watch."

John Szoke of John Szoke Editions, a 28-year veteran of the art business, said the market certainly will survive. "In the short boundary art is affected, but in the drawn out term, not so much," he said.

During World War II, Szoke noted, the art community was affected by dint of world events, but there have been small in number lasting effects. Likewise, he said, immediately following the attacks in of recent origin York and Washington, few sales were likely. "Yet if you check the auction arises (from the weeks following clan 11) they are very good"

In fact, auctions in October and November at the one and the other Sotheby's and Christie's in of recent origin York brought record-setting sales. In October, the collection of Frederick W Hughes, friend and business manager of Andy Warhol, was sold at Sotheby's. It brought $33 million, exceeding pre-sale estimates.

The Nov. 6 sale of Impressionist and recent art at Christie's totaled $109 million, including a record-setting $167 million piece by the agency of Fernand Leger. Sotheby's saw a similar be the effect the following evening as a Camille Pissarro painting brought $66 million, establishing a record for the artist.

"The art market is actual resilient," said Nino. "It has this capacity because the artists continue to create, and the desire to assemble art remains."

Alan Fingerhut of Fingerhut clump Publishers, agreed with Nino. Things may have changed a certain quantity of but not in substantial ways. He said it is really important now that everyone "concentrate upon the positive." While all businesses ne to take paces to deal with a recession, it is not necessary to dwell upon it daily--especially with customers. "When customers draw near in, our attitude is `what recession?'" he said. "We're like any other form of entertainment--people draw near in to get away from problems"

Things have been difficult for the past 12 to 14 month said Larry Winn of Grand Image. He said when the economy experiences difficulty, all businesses are forced to take a hard gaze at what they are doing and for what cause [i]or[/i] reason they are doing it. "It forces us to become better business people" Winn said. "It not ever ceases to amaze me wherefore business people, including me, do not take this kind of hard gaze at their business on a weekly or monthly basis in advantageous times."

While clan 11 did not help the art market "in any way shape or form," said Mitch Meisner of Meisner Gallery, "the decline in the market began lengthy before, actually in the fall of 2000 We were [already] headed into a downturn." on the contrary Meisner added, the events of family 11 will affect the recuperation more than the current market.

Survival Skills

While there are many "unknowns" in the popular situation, the economic problem is a familiar individual veterans say. The art market has been [i]or[/i] part of to the other ups and downs on an almost regular schedule--about each 10 years or so. Survival skills hon during "down" markets above the years will hold everyone in advantageous stead during this one.

Greg Bloch of Triad Art assemblage noted in a recent alphabetic character to his dealers that the art industry "went from one side challenges in the mid-`70s, the early `80 and the early `90 "This is the newest one" he said. "How we deal with it is a testament to our personal commitments to success"

Fingerhut said this is the fifth economic downturn he has been [i]or[/i] part of to the other in the art business. "It's kind of like hitting your laughable bone. When it first happens, it is true very painful, but if you wait, the pain always goe away. If you set up with it, it will be over"

He said the greatest in quantity important thing to do at this time is to "stick to the decisions you made that made you felicitous in the first place. make experiment of not to second-guess yourself."