The Breakdown: From Artist to Curator Featuring Annie Espejo Acosta | The Open Palette Podcast | Episode 7

On this episode of The Open Palette Podcast, we sit down with Annie Espejo Acosta, fine artist, events curator, and founder of Common Vibe Art House, to break down what it really takes for artists to present their work at a professional level and get into galleries.
This conversation dives deep into the importance of building a strong portfolio, how artists should structure their work based on the opportunities they are pursuing, and what curators are actually looking for when selecting artists for exhibitions.
From the artist perspective to the curator perspective, Annie shares real insight on how to properly pitch your work, present your vision, and package your art in a way that stands out in a competitive space.
We also discuss the business side of art, understanding your value, pricing your work, and navigating gallery environments with confidence and clarity.
If you are an artist looking to grow, get booked, and take your career to the next level, this episode is a must watch.
Subscribe to The Open Palette Podcast for more conversations where art, culture, and community come together through real experiences and insight.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:03

Life is the canvas we paint. Yeah. Opening the dialogue, removing the barriers and restraint. Uh-huh. It's the open palette, insight, access, and the human story. The palette is open. Open now.

SPEAKER_02 0:21

Welcome back to the Open Palette Podcast where art, culture, and community come together through real conversations. I'm your host, Brian Camacho, and in today's episode, we're diving into one of the most important topics of any artist looking to grow and build a sustainable career. We're talking about portfolios, pitching, packaging your work, and understanding your value as an artist when stepping into gallery spaces and professional opportunities. How you present your work to the world. Joining us today is a fine artist, an events curator, and founder of Common Vibe Art House, Annie Espejo Acosta. Welcome to the show.

SPEAKER_01 0:58

Thank you, Brian. Thank you for having me.

SPEAKER_02 0:59

It's a pleasure having you here today, Annie.

SPEAKER_01 1:01

I'm excited.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Nice. Let's get right into it. Let's talk to the people and tell them a little bit about yourself, where you're from, where'd you get your start?

SPEAKER_01 1:07

Okay. I I won't go too long, I promise. Um, as he said, my name is Annie Espejo Acosta. I was born in Peru. I migrated to Jersey when I was four years old with my mom, and that's where I build my resilience. Nice. Um, I think the turning point for me as an artist, because I grew up in a very creative family, was when I actually relocated with my job to Memphis. In 2017, I was out there by myself for three years, and that's where I really dug deep into who I am as an artist, into my art soul. Um after that, 2020 hit, and that was middle of COVID, and I was like, I'm not settling in Memphis, it wasn't for me. Um, and I came out here to Florida, and Florida where it literally was where I grew, I want to say, as an artist, um, as a curator. I really dug deep into the art community here, and it's been nothing but a blessing.

SPEAKER_02 2:05

Oh, that's amazing. That's great to hear. Nice. That's a that's an amazing transition. So you said back in 2013 in Memphis is when you were 20, 2017. Excuse me, 2017. Okay, and that's where you started finding your passion for it.

SPEAKER_01 2:17

I was out there by myself. Um, I took that leap. I worked for a printing company.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

Okay.

SPEAKER_01 2:23

So I uh every job that I've ever had, uh I'd been always kind of creative.

SPEAKER_02 2:27

Amazing.

SPEAKER_01 2:28

Right. Dug a little bit from everything, but um, yeah, I I was out there by myself for three years. I would travel back to Jersey to see my family. Um, but it just I needed that. I learned later in life that I needed that, those three years alone to really discover me as an artist. Um, I did a little bit of everything, graphic design, photography. I've always been very creative in all forms.

SPEAKER_02 2:52

Amazing.

SPEAKER_01 2:53

That's but that's where my art really took its its own form. And I I study different techniques, different methods, and you know, I I dug deep.

SPEAKER_02 3:03

Nice. And since then you said you've made your transition to here in Central Florida, uh, where you've been building your roots uh with your company, with yourself as an artist, which is amazing. Um, I want to speak to that one uh with through through that transition, how were you able to you know continue expanding as an artist, you know, finding yourself, but also finding balance to sustain as a living artist?

SPEAKER_01 3:27

The balance is the key word, right? I think a lot of people ask each other, how do you balance everything? And it's like we don't, we really don't. We we try our best, but sometimes it can get a little bit overwhelming. I mean, as an artist, I try my best to create on a daily basis. Does that always happen? Absolutely not. Life happens, right? But um it was, I want to say 2024 that I was working with a print company here in Orlando, and um they got bought out by another company, and I was happened to work IT in that in that moment, and they let me go.

SPEAKER_02 4:04

Okay, right.

SPEAKER_01 4:05

So as any person right now, adult the way life is, that's like a hard warning sign, right?

SPEAKER_02 4:12

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

But it just happened to come when I was already submitting to other art galleries. I was trying to get my art out there, I was um meeting with different collectives and learning how to expand your community, and I was getting opportunities sent over to me. I was being asked to, you know, be part of certain shows, and I didn't have the time because I was at my nine to five. So I feel like everything happens for a reason.

SPEAKER_02 4:38

Interesting, totally understandable.

SPEAKER_01 4:39

Perfect alignment. Obviously, I was scared when they let me go, but with the support of my family, my wife, they were like, this is your time to really push what you've been trying to push, which was your business to help other artists, to share the knowledge, share the experience that I've had and I've gathered throughout the years. And since then, I've been a full-time artist, run running my own business with Coming by Bar House, trying to help other artists, you know, find the resources that I found that worked hard to find, but um that aren't out there for everybody.

SPEAKER_02 5:12

Yes. Let's elaborate on that and speak to that as well. You know, when you took that leap and uh made that transition and understanding that, hey, it's my time to take hold of this business that um I'm putting out there and and structure it the right way. You know, let's speak to the first steps, you know, with regards to that as an artist, where you were pitching your artwork to these galleries, the importance of building your portfolio and structuring it in a way that is representing to, you know, it represents you.

SPEAKER_01 5:40

Yeah. I mean, I think for me, simplicity has always been key and it's always identified how I approach anybody, right? And even my lifestyle. I've always been the what my wife and my sister like to call me very bougie, right? On a budget. But um presentation to me was everything. Okay. It's all it always has been. So when it came to my art, I always wanted to present it in the best form, right? Um, it was me really learning and researching other styles of artists when they submit or galleries when they're the aesthetics of the gallery, of the show, you know, of the theme of the place, that I would really start to kind of curate my artwork, my display of my artwork in that manner, so that I could kind of fit that vibe, right? Um, it's important to build that portfolio the way that you want to present yourself, not just your artwork, but yourself, how your art represents you, how you represent your art. So it takes really putting yourself out in experiences through other galleries is going out there and really learning how how they select artists. You know, what are they looking for? What kind of aesthetics? Not every gallery looks for you know the same artist or multiple artists. They have they like to stay key to their persona, let's say. Yes, for sure. Um, so what I did when I first started as an artist going into building my own business with Coming by Bar House was I really had to learn myself, how I wanted to re represent myself, how I wanted my art to be looked at. And I started kind of doing my branding, right? My branding was everything. I've always been big on branding, so I'm a black and gold kind of person. My website has those kind of aesthetics. I started building the platform of what I wanted to include in my business, who I wanted to include in my business, what my business was really for, um, ironing out all the details. It was a lot of trial.

SPEAKER_02 7:48

For sure, for sure.

SPEAKER_01 7:49

A lot of trial and error, but it takes time, and I developed it little by little, putting out literally a game plan. That's amazing. What am I gonna offer an artist that I would have liked offered to me?

SPEAKER_02 8:02

For sure. You know, and uh I definitely want to acknowledge the the importance of we're speaking to the branding and how how are you how you're elaborating on black and gold is your thing, and and you you show up in all black. You know, you always represent your brand, your company through all different forms, whether it be how you show up, how you present, through your logo, through your website, through your presentation of your pitch and your portfolio. You know, even when pitching to said gallery, how you approach them matters. Absolutely. The presentation, the story that you're selling, because at the end of the day, you're selling a story behind your artwork. Absolutely. They're buying into who you are as an artist and the individual that is presenting at that moment. So showing up and um and and and understanding the full storyline and presentation when you show up is very important. Um, as a art curator as well, let's speak to that for from that perspective when having artists submit to be able to, you know, participate in the events that you put together. Yeah, what are you know what are something let's speak to the the do's and the don'ts? How about that? Let's let's elaborate on the do's and the don'ts. Because you know, just sending a photo of your artwork is definitely a do not. Yes. You know what I mean? You have to elaborate on uh on that. You have to put a you know, what's the description? What's the title of this artwork, right? Let's elaborate on these things. Please talk to us.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

And by all means, I'm fresh curator, right? So I'm learning as I go, just like the artists are. Correct. But I also know how far I want to take my business and the presence that it wants to have. So what I look for is to make sure that the artists that I work with kind of match that presence, right? And if they don't know how to, then what I'm doing is I'm teaching. That's one of my favorite things to do, is I'll teach. And the importance when it comes to submitting to an art uh gallery or art show, um, any type of event that's being curated intentionally and with purpose, you want to take great quality pictures of your art. You want to paint a picture of how your art can be represented, whether it's on a wall at a barber shop because it's urban art, or it's at a fancy home because it's fine art. You want to really paint a picture of where your art should be or how it should be displayed, have title information correct and on point. Um, you have no idea how many times I've received corrections or um, you know, changes to their title card information the night before the day of. It's not saying that it's um the wrong thing to do. But yes, it adds pressure. It adds pressure, it really does because me as a curator, I want to make sure I represent everybody's art correctly, right? You know, so those last minute changes, it really can make or break an event as far as you know, the elegance that I want for my events and the accuracy, everything is done with purpose, for sure, right? So it's how would I say this? It's crucial that you're you're reading emails, all of the email, not just bypassing it, signing off and submitting. One thing that I do with my company is that I'm very professional when it comes to my submission forms, my contracts. I like to cover all details just because one, it's my business and I'm very proud of how much I've built it, so I always will protect it. Right, right. I like to make sure that I teach the artists that they should do the same. Correct. You know, because I'm here as a curator, I'm handling your art, but I want you to know that you it's protected and the communication is fully open and transparent there.

SPEAKER_02 11:58

For sure.

SPEAKER_01 11:58

Right. So I always send out contracts, I send out, you know, invoices when art has sold. Like it's also showing them that this is more than just uh let's say a street market submission.

SPEAKER_02 12:13

Right.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

This is on a different level, right? Um, so everything that I do when I work with artists is to make sure that they are now working in an elevated level, and it's possible to do so without having that um rapport from specific galleries or your name on plaques and things like that. You're you're able to work with you know valuable brands and valuable galleries as long as you are presenting yourself well, you're following all the expectations from you know their submissions or their art calls. Um it's in it's important. Presence is important and read the fine print, read all the details on the emails, read what time you need to show up.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

Don't get excited by the money that you hear about.

SPEAKER_01 12:57

Right. You know, it comes with work, you gotta put in your part too, you know. If we ask to um make sure your art is wired and ready to hang, make sure it's wired and ready to hang. For sure. It's it's little things that really put you on a different, you know, on a different level than some of what you would consider, I guess, emerging artists or startup artists or hobbyists. Right.

SPEAKER_02 13:19

Another thing I elaborate and I speak to with a lot of different artists is along with your presentation, is the understanding of framing. It may seem so simple. You a lot of artists just want to leave it up to the collector to frame it. My advice is frame your artwork. That will give a way more, you know, a way bigger understanding to the presentation of the artwork.

SPEAKER_01 13:40

Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 13:41

So definitely take that into consideration, artists. Frame your work.

SPEAKER_01 13:45

Listen, I I think when I first met you, I was working on just canvases, right? And that's when I started kind of doing some bigger pieces, but you were one of the first ones that told me that. Yeah, frame your work.

SPEAKER_02 13:56

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 13:57

And I was like, you know what? You're absolutely right. Because you put a frame on a on a naked canvas, and it's like it's a whole different perspective, completely different.

SPEAKER_02 14:06

It just it it just and it it brings more value to the artwork. Absolutely, you know what I mean? So definitely something you artists should be taking into consideration. I want to speak to, you know, the understanding of, you know, like I said, the money. They hear the money, they talk about the money, right? Obviously, the end result in any project that somebody has put their hard-earned time, you know, and energy and um concept, building this project is uh has an expectation for that. Um when stepping into galleries and doing partnerships with um, you know, galleries, museums, and things in that space, there's always the other the idea or the what's hanging over, you know, the idea of having to do a split 50%, sometimes 40%, 30%, whatever the case may be. I want to speak to as an artist now how you go about valuing your art to give an understanding, you know, to give a fair exchange for yourself and the business that you're partnering with, and understanding the intellectual property and the ownership of what you have put up for this project, you know, because that matters as well. We we have a partnership here in this sale, but the said artist still has the ownership behind that intellectual property. So the importance, let's speak to that.

SPEAKER_01 15:21

I mean, for me, I'm not gonna lie, it was it was pretty uh tricky. It was a touchy subject for me when it came to even pricing my art, right? I think for any artist that has been uh a stepping stone to getting to uh really establish yourself as an artist, um, it took a while for me to see the value that I've wished for to actually see it in my art. Um everybody else that supports you, your family, your friends, they'll be like, oh my God, it's it's worth a million bucks, right? But for us, it's like nowhere, nowhere near. But as I grew and as I really found myself, who I was as a person, it really started showing in my art. So once I kind of started seeing myself in my art, I'm like, okay, well, if my biggest fan is me and I value me the most, then my art has to feel the same way for me. Right. You know, so I started really paying attention to everybody that told me that you need to raise your prices on your art and you need to stay true to your art. Um, so I would set my price and I haven't budged on any prices, right? And that's something that I also try to teach every art artist that I work with is don't negotiate your price. If you set that price, stay true to it, you know, because that's that's what you see it, that's how you value it. That's the the sweat, the tears, the late nights that you put into it, and it's it's worth that or even more. But to you, it's worth that. So don't don't negotiate your price. Um it it's a learning curve.

SPEAKER_02 17:01

Now that's that's getting to the first step of understanding your value, but now once you step into the space of partnership where they want their PC, right? Right, everybody has well, it's this business, right? We got to keep the lights on at this location. You're hanging at my gallery. Yeah, I want 50%. I don't agree with that.

SPEAKER_01 17:19

I don't either.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

My my approach is how I go about it, and as you know from working with me uh when I was curating different events, is uh what is your price? You want 500? Great, we'll tackle on the percentage on top of that, versus where in galleries typically that's the price. Okay, we're taking 50% off of that price. So it's it's like you know it is whatever works for for you at that moment, but just understand that whenever you're stepping into these spaces, as you said, be true to yourself, be honest with yourself in the value that you're seeking. And uh, one thing I tell emerging artists when they don't understand, like how do I price this? I say, listen, start with the idea of how much does the canvas cost? How much does the the tools, you know, whether it be spray paint, brush, acrylic paint, whatever the tools are that you had to put together to facilitate this project, what was the value of that? Right? We start with just that. Now, you as an individual, how much do you realistically want to be paid for your time? You want $25, you want $50 an hour, start with that. And how long did it take to execute this project, right? That's a basic point. That's your base point, right? Right. That's your base point, right? As you can start with that and then take it from there, right? And obviously, as you build your skill set and you build your style, you may be able to work a little bit faster. That hour rate raises along with the fact that you're able to produce this at a faster rate. So those are the balances that artists should be taking into consideration and understanding, you know what I mean? Because yes, you can be true to yourself and and your value and how you hold yourself at high standards, but does your work really represent that? Right. Is it showcasing that? You know, are people appreciating it at your work and that same level? Are you able to tell the story behind the message so that it resonates with the collectors? Exactly. So that it resonates with the galleries, the museums, and those out there that you seek to have your artwork.

SPEAKER_01 19:19

Yeah, and I think it also comes down to identifying the kind of artist that you want to be, right? Right. It's there's so many. You have your your commercial artist, which is like your commercial market artist that just wants to provide, provide, provide as much qu quantity of art as possible just to share it with the entire world. And then you have your gallery, more fine artists, museum artists that are more exclusive because they find more value or they're they're searching that higher standard of a collector. Um, and then the you have the hybrid, which are doing both because, you know, there's bills and you have to be able to balance a little bit. Um, but it really is identifying the kind of artist that you want to be and the kind of art career that you want to have, whether you're gonna make it a business or whether you're gonna just make it a hobby and something that you enjoy, you know, sharing with the world. Um, I think that's crucial when that comes to how you will better accept when a gallery tells you they want to take a certain percentage from your art.

SPEAKER_02 20:23

Correct.

SPEAKER_01 20:23

Right? Like um, it's not easy sometimes submitting to a gallery and then having to give up that cut, but at the end of the day, they representing you, they're they're selling it out there, they're getting the collectors, they're putting in work as well because that's their business. Right. Yeah. Now, don't take me wrong, there's different tiers. There's some that are out there being super um, I'm gonna say extra for lack of better words. But we're being nice, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 20:54

Yeah, we're being, you know, we gotta keep it no, but that's the fact, though. It's the truth. It's good there's there's those there's those people out there, you know, just chasing a buck versus actually representing the artist and giving a fair understanding to you know the message that they're that that they're putting out there. Um, so definitely take all that into consideration when you're presenting yourself, when you're pitching your artwork, when you're you know taking those steps to building your collection, building your portfolio that it represents you through and through. Absolutely. Yeah, you you can grow as an artist and step into different lanes and you know, try different things, but be true to your aesthetic and your representation of your brand so that it it's understood across the board. Right. You know, I can go anyway and be able to see your artwork and understand that that's Ani right there.

SPEAKER_01 21:44

Right. You know, and that took me a while too. I've tried different styles, I've tried painting all different types of characters, landscapes, portraits, I've tried it all, but again, it wasn't until I really discovered who I was as a person. Um That it started showing in my art. You know, my thing is as bad as Buddhas now. And that's because that's my personality. I'm both a baddass and I'm a Buddha because I'm cool, calm, and collected at all times. There you go. But you know, when I want something, I'm gonna go for it and there's nobody stopping me. So that has been developing and showing into my art, whether it's that collection or the warrior woman collection that I have, it just transpires into it. And that's where I really establish the value of it, you know. So for a gallery to see that clearly, I need to make sure I'm presenting that clearly. Right, you know.

SPEAKER_02 22:38

Speaking of those collections, what what what should we be expecting from you coming up soon with uh you as an artist and of course with your company as well?

SPEAKER_01 22:48

Well, as an artist, again, my Badass Buddha collection, I'm expanding it. I'm expanding it beyond belief because I have so many ideas in my head of how I can really express that personality, not just for me, but for others that match that personality, that um don't necessarily understand how they can be both, but it's so possible. It it really is. There's so many people that are out here trying to identify with just one bit way of being, and we're such diverse people that you can be multiple emotions, multiple characteristics, and don't have to restrain to being just a nice person. Don't have to restrain to being, you know, a go-getter. Like there's balance that you can find within yourself. So that badass Buddha collection, I have so many more coming out. All right. I have I'm streamlining. I'm streamlining, I got so many more coming out. Um, and then the second collection that I'm very excited about is my Warrior Woman collection. Okay. I actually created that collection to submit to the um Kissimmee City Hall right for the Women's International Month a few years ago, and it's been developing since. You know, I had the my second annual Warrior Woman art show past April 11th, and I've chosen one of my Warriors to represent every year that I I have a show.

SPEAKER_02 24:16

Oh, nice.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

So now I'm developing into a little bit more digital form, collaborating with some really dope artists. I have some big plans for that. Some plans for that.

SPEAKER_02 24:28

So stay tuned for that. Yeah, definitely make it a point to check that out. Where can they find you? On socials, your website, how can they connect with you?

SPEAKER_01 24:36

Uh, personal pages annie.espejo on Instagram, and then the business is Common Vibe Art House on Instagram, and my website is commonbibarthouse.com.

SPEAKER_02 24:46

And is that where they can get your artwork and stuff like that?

SPEAKER_01 24:48

Yes, they can. I have my shop there, and then I have um some galleries, some some feature artists that are part of my network on there. I have the events that we're working on that are coming up soon, too. So we have a lot of stuff, a lot of information on there.

SPEAKER_02 25:02

All right. Well, you heard it here first, right here on the open palette podcast. Thank you once again for joining us.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Thank you, Brian.

SPEAKER_02 25:08

It's a pleasure having you here. Make sure to like, comment, subscribe, stay tuned. We're coming right back.