Each week, CGN interviews a local art dealer to discuss the ins and outs of running a gallery in the city of Chicago. This week we caught up with Linda Warren of Linda Warren Projects.

Gallery: Linda Warren Projects
Name: Linda Warren
Age: 55
Previous occupation(s): Film Producer/Production
Hometown: Rochester, New York

Chicago Gallery News: How did you become an art dealer?   

Linda Warren: A friend of mine was evicted from his studio, so I let him store over 100 pieces of artwork inside my home and garage. Friends would stop by to visit and began to buy some of the work. Two other artist friends brought their artwork over to my house to see if I could sell theirs as well, which I did.

Initially, I wasn’t trying to make any money at all–I was just basically helping my friends out. But I started to realize that I could possibly make a living as an art dealer, and I was tired of the film industry and being out of town for months on end shooting films. I decided to convert my home into an art gallery and started having rotating shows every three weeks, introducing new artists. It was in Silverlake (Los Angeles), and there were a few others who were doing the same thing out of their apartments and homes. It became a little scene that drew a lot of people to the neighborhood. It all took off from there.

CGN: Please describe your gallery’s program in one sentence.  

LW: An eclectic mix of aesthetically and academically compelling artwork by emerging, mid-career and established artists working in all media and styles, but with an emphasis on strong painting and Chicago-based talent.

CGN: What's the first thing you do each morning when you get to the gallery?   

LW: We have a staff meeting to discuss and prioritize goals of the day and week. The art consulting end of my business is extremely busy and demanding. To integrate that with the daily needs of the gallery, exhibitions and artists requires a lot of teamwork and juggling.

CGN: Thumbs up or down on art fairs?  

LW: I am happy to be evolving more into a buyer then a seller. As a seller, art fairs are not my favorite way to use my energy or money. But as a buyer, they are a helpful and easy way to research and see a lot of good work.

CGN: Artists you admire but don't represent?   

LW: Nick Cave, Jacob Hashimoto, Richard Hull, Claire Sherman, Jason Salavon, Anne Toeb, Jean Pierre Roy, Angel Otero, Merlin James, Anselm Keifer and Kerry James Marshall, to name just a few.

CGN: Best sale you ever had?  

LW: As a gallerist, selling four very large-scale paintings by Michiko Itatani to one client; as an art consultant, commissioning a monumental kinetic sculpture by Pedro de Movellan.

CGN: What advice would you share with new or young collectors?  

LW: Spend time researching online. Visit sites like artsy.net, artnet.com or Chicago Gallery News (plug…though I’m serious). See what moves you and what you gravitate towards. Make lists of what you like and visit galleries. Buy what you love and what you would want to hold onto, not what you think you can resell. Don’t rely on your first reaction to anything. Often the work you wind up loving the most is the work you might first have an aversion to. Be prepared for your taste and style to change over time and go with it. Don’t be afraid to have and express your opinion. There should be nothing wishy-washy about your feeling towards what you buy. When in doubt…don’t buy it.

CGN: What major successes have you had this year? What about challenges?  

LW: I have completed three corporate projects—one in LA, one in SF and one in Chicago.   I am about to do a major install in Houston this summer for a corporate job and am working on another corporate project in Boston. I spent most of the winter in LA, and it’s challenging being away from the gallery for too long. But I have a fantastic staff and wonderful Gallery Director, Natalia Ferreyra, who keep things running smoothly and effectively, so I am lucky.   

CGN: How do you view working as an art dealer in Chicago?  

LW: It is what I love to do and could not see myself doing anything else. I love Chicago and will always view this as my home base. I feel the most connected now and think it’s a great city for me to live and work.   

CGN: What is your favorite interest outside of the art world?  

LW: Traveling.

CGN: What is your favorite work of public art in Chicago?  

LW: Crown Fountain by Jaume Plensa in Millennium Park.

CGN: What’s coming up next at your gallery?  

LW: On view now are three exhibitions: Chris Uphues: Heavy Sunshine, Chris Cosnowski: I Love Humanity This Much and David Reninger: Transformation. Our fall opener is Chris Silva and after that, ending the 2017 season, is Peter Drake.

CGN: You began your career as an art dealer in Los Angeles. What five differences do you see between LA and Chicago?

LW:

1. LA’s art scene is thriving and feels more alive and ever expanding than Chicago.
2. Geographically, the art scene in LA is even more spread out then Chicago, so that, combined with the horrible traffic, makes it more challenging city to get around.  
3. There are many more galleries in LA then Chicago and in particular more significant international galleries have a presence there.
4. Large-scale artwork seems easier to place in LA then in Chicago.
5. LA is the opposite of conservative – so anything “out of the box” is looked upon favorably.

Linda Warren is the owner of Linda Warren Projects located in the West Loop in Chicago. For more information about her gallery visit: Linda Warren Projects.