Its finally open, its called The Yard. Its not only a gallery its also a thrift store. Nice people and great prices.

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Congratulations!

Nice to see you are putting some life back on Ocean Avenue.
(and artsy life at that!)

Good Luck!


PS- interesting piece.

Name: Farah Nuradeen
Occupation: Gallery Owner/ Artists Representative
Contact Information: fnuradeen@yahoo.com
Gallery Location: 424 Ocean Avenue, Jersey City NJ
Website: www.nuradeengallery.com



How did you become involved in the arts?
For me, it was natural. When I was young, I was always around creative energy. My uncles, grandfather and great grandfather were all builders. They were artisans. They built homes. My father was a creative man. My brother is an artist. My sister was a commercial art director for approximately 30 years. My nephew was an actor. My younger brother was an exhibiting artist.

How important is the arts?
The arts and artists are very important to the world. They record history based upon their own interpretation of events, history, emotions, religion and politics through their unique connection to the divine based on how they see the world. As someone who represents artists, I find the art world and artists to be amazing. There is always energy around you that you are never board with. There is always something new!

How do you view your role as a gallery owner who represents artists?
I am honored to work in this field. I am also honored that artists allow me to be their representative. I take my role seriously. It is a great experience. It is my passion and I love it.

What category would you place Nuradeen Gallery in?
I do not categorize my gallery. My gallery is not a Black gallery nor is it a woman?s gallery. My gallery does not show artists of one particular orientation. It does not focus on inner city art specifically. I do not limit my gallery because artists do not know limits themselves.

What types of artists are featured at Nuradeen Gallery?
There is no particular type of artists or art featured at my gallery. My gallery shows all types of art. We show sculptures, photography, paintings, drawings, contemporary and folk art. We show art from Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. The gallery is very open. I normally show art that I believe in, love and art that gives me some sort of emotional connection. We work with established and emerging artists. I like to work with emerging artists their perspective is new and fresh.

How do you determine the art to show at the gallery?
Art/Artists are selected by my Curator, Darin DeField. Darin is a premier collage artist. I own the gallery, but Darin runs it. We pick a lot of artists from Jersey City, New Jersey because that is where the gallery is located. We also reach out to artist in different parts of New Jersey and New York.

Does your relationship with your artists every change?
The answer to this question is yes. You are always welcoming new artists. And sometimes you have to say good bye to artists. Sometimes artists have different ideas about their own success. When you represent artists you have to understand that you may not be the only representative that they have. An artist is a creative being he/she could have two or three representatives if you do not have an exclusive agreement.

What portion of your time is spent operating the gallery versus marketing the gallery?
All of my time is spent operating and marketing the gallery. In addition to owning the gallery, I also work a full time job. When I am not working my full time job, I am visiting other galleries, meeting with artists and reviewing art work. I am always involved in meetings with my Curator, Darin and artists. We are always discussing a current or future art showing. We are planning travel shows. Not all of our shows are held at the Nuradeen Gallery. My focus is not just on Nuradeen Gallery it is also on promoting the artists that I represent.

What is your relationship with your artists? Is your relationship strictly professional? Do you socialize with your artists?
I grew up around artists, so in my gallery, my interactions are not solely related to business. I socialize, eat, have good times, laugh, debate and argue with my artists. This is all part of the energy that exists in a creative environment. Emotions such as friction, laughter, sorrow and the occasional butting of heads and ideas is a part of the fusion that goes into a great creative space, a great gallery and great exhibitions of art. But at the end of the day, I?m the boss. (LOL)

Does every artist?s showing end with sales?
No, every art showing does not end with a sale. For instance sometime you have a show that you truly believe in. You go out and promote the show with all the passion in your heart. 100 ? 300 people come to the show and they do not buy that night. Sometimes they will come back and buy after the show is over. Sometimes I receive calls 2 ? 3 months after a show has ended to inquire about a piece of art. Sometimes potential clients need to take time to think before making a purchase. They discuss the purchase with their husband and/or wife before making the decision to come back and look at a specific piece of art and making the purchase.

How do you measure success as a gallery owner?
There are different ways to measure success. It is also difficult to measure success in the art world. I measure success by having a gallery that has stood the test of time. When I opened my gallery, there were a lot of creative spaces in Jersey City, New Jersey. I have seen more than half of those spaces close down or leave the area and I am still here. So I guess you can say that one of the ways that I measure my success is by continuing to do what I love to do and believing in it. Another way that I measure success is by the fact that the artists that have been with me from the beginning are still with me now.

Some people will open galleries because it is a fad. Some people will open a gallery because they think they are going to make lots and lots of money. If your objective for being a part of the arts is solely for making money you will not succeed. This is a hard business. You are not relying on foot traffic. You have to create your own following. You must court potential clients and get people interested in your gallery and the artists you represent. You will be making lots of calls and knocking on lots of doors. And you will hear the word no a lot!

Are there any new changes at your gallery?
I have moved my gallery from downtown Jersey City to the Greenville section of Jersey City. I will be the 1st commercial gallery of my size and scope in the Greenville section of Jersey City. In addition to having a gallery, I will have a shop and a living space.

What should new artists know about the business of the arts?
There are some basic things that new artists should know about the business of being in the arts. New artists tend to get very excited at the prospect of taking on a project. Sometimes they forget about the business aspects of the art world. As a result of this, they sometimes do not get paid for projects. Artists should get things in writing (a contract). The contract should include the terms of how the work will be produced, delivered and payment terms. Artists should never perform work without receiving a down payment. The artists must adhere to the terms of the contract. It is also a good idea for an artist to have a representative. It does not have to be a gallery owner, but they should select a representative whom they have checked out. Artists should also have business ethics. If you are being represented by an individual or gallery owner, you should not make side deals that exclude your representative. You should not conduct your personal business in other people?s gallery. It is a practice that is frowned upon.

Should new artists expect instant fame and success?
No, new artists should not expect instant fame and success. A lot of new artists come into the industry without ever having sold a piece of work expecting $4K, $5K and sometimes $10K per purchase of their work. In this situation, it is the representative?s role to educate the artist on the financial side of the business. I start the conversation by asking the artist if he/she has ever sold anything for $4K, $5K or $10K. I also ask if they have a client that is willing to pay that amount for a piece of their work. The answer is usually no. From this point we begin a dialogue about the art market, the pitfalls and expectations of buyers. Normally after I have this conversation with new artists, they begin to look at the business aspects of the art industry from a realistic view. New artists usually come to the understanding that at the start of their career, they are not going to sell in the $4K - $10K range without connections.

How important is reputation in the art industry?
Reputation is extremely important. Like other industries you are judged by your actions and character. People make a decision about whether or not to do business with you based on your reputation. I can say (knock on wood) that I do not have any artists that I sold work for who have not been paid. I pay my artists on time even if I take a loss. I make sure my artists are paid even if I have to wait for a client?s payment.

How true is the term ?starving artists?? Is the term strictly related to the economy?
The term starving artists is true and in some instances the term can be extended to include starving gallery owners too. The art world has changed from the 1970s and the Andy Warhol era. The term is not exclusively related to the state of the economy. But in many ways the art world is greatly impacted by the economy. Some galleries (not all) ask artists to share in the expense of printing their promotional pieces, marketing expenses, the cost of their opening and closing receptions. When the economy is not doing well, people make cut backs in their spending and that is sometimes reflected in their ability to be a patron of the arts. When I say arts, I am including all types of arts such as art that is found in galleries, going to the ballet, the theatre and plays.

How important is the arts to education? And has the economy affected the arts in schools?
Art is as important to education as education itself. I cannot image education without the arts. There have been so many cut backs in schools. Communities and families must find a way to bring culture and beauty into the lives of their children. I am a firm believer that in the poorest home you should be able to walk in and see a piece of art. People think art is expensive and it is not. You can always buy art from an emerging an artist. Parents also have to make a decision about what to spend their money on. For example, if you child has $300 worth of sneakers and several game systems what is more important buying more of the same stuff or doing something to enrich your child?s life? Parents need to see the value in visiting galleries and deciding to invest in art. When you buy a pair of sneakers it is just a pair of sneakers. When you buy a game system it is just a game system. But when you buy a piece of art it is an investment in your family. An art purchase is a financial investment, similar to what Chase Bank does when it makes an art purchase. You can invest $300, $500 or whatever amount you feel comfortable with. Some families start with prints and gradually work their way up to purchasing canvas.

If your child does not have art in school, you have to decide what you are going to do with your money. Are you going to buy more of the same things? Or are you going to invest in dance lessons, art or acting classes. It is all art. It can be performing or visual arts. Ultimately you have to decide what you are going to bring into your child?s life. Art should be important.

Growing up in my household art was every single day. I grew up in Newark, New Jersey. In the heart of the inner city, the Central Ward of Newark. I can remember when people would come to my mother?s home and they would comment that she had original pieces of art on the wall. We were not rich, but art was very important to our family. You have to make a commitment. Not a school, not the government. It is the families that have to decide to bring art in to the lives of their children, the young people and adults in their community. Do not ever say art is out of your reach or unaffordable because it is not. Art is an investment. Rich or poor, every house in America should have art. If you can afford a flat screen television you can afford art. You can make installment payments on art just as you do with other things. You can follow a particular artist through out his/her career and one day that piece of art will become a family heirloom.

How important is the opening and closing reception for the artists?
The opening and closing receptions are very important for artists. Both receptions are attended by a wide range of people in the art community such as gallery owners, art patrons, other artists, potential clients and the media. The opening reception introduces the artists and presents their body of work to the public. It does not matter if it is the artist?s 5th reception, each one is equally important.

Is there a dress code for artists?
I do not have a required dress code for my gallery. I do not know of any gallery that has a required dress code other than for a special function that may be hosted. The arts are fun and you can come as you are. People can wear shorts and sandals and it?s all good. It does not matter if you dress up or down.

Are the arts a career that embraces women?
I think the arts are one of the few careers that embraces women. I have been asked if I faced racism as a gallery owner and my answer is no. I face sexism more and it is not from the people involved in the arts. It is when dealing with maintenance of my facilities and trying to get things fixed. I am sometimes first viewed as a woman, then a business owner. Sometimes people act as if they can put one over on me because I am a woman. They see that you had the brains to put together and operate a successful business, but still they try to take advantage.

Where do you see your gallery in ten years?
I lived in Italy for sometime and I would like to take my gallery overseas. I would like to have another branch overseas. I have always wanted to live in Prague, France and my ancestral land of Morocco. I would also like to expand into different areas of the arts. Right now I am working on a private project that I have not told anyone about and I am hoping to launch it soon. I see myself doing well with a lot of hard work.

What advice do you have for future gallery owners?
Decide to do something else (LOL) just joking. You need to have a business plan. If you do not have a plan, you will plan to fail. Your business plan does not have to be anything formal. It should be something that you connect with, something that you understand and most of all it should be something that you are able to follow. Make sure your goals are not set too high. Your goals should be realistic and attainable. I am not saying that you cannot dream big. But your first set of goals should be something you can realize within a set time frame. Do not depend on family and friends to always be there to support you, sometimes you have to follow your path alone.

I have moved my gallery from downtown Jersey City to the Greenville section of Jersey City. I will be the 1st commercial gallery of my size and scope in the Greenville section of Jersey City. In addition to having a gallery, I will have a shop and a living space.Gallery Info