The art of selling art – putting it together

It’s an art collector’s dream vacation come true – visiting a resort in one of the country’s top art meccas where one can purchase the most desirable works at a fraction of the cost without even having to leave the premises. Oh, and it comes with a spa. Such is the case at La Posada de Santa Fe Resort & Spa, A RockResort that hired Curator Sara Eyestone to manage the gallery collection on property. Eyestone was hired in 2009 and turned what used to be a few local paintings scattered about the resort into one of Santa Fe’s hottest galleries, which houses over 600 pieces throughout the property.

Because the resort does not charge gallery hanging fees, she is able to offer these works of art to guests at a fraction of the cost. She also hosts “Meet the Artist” sessions where the artist will do a painting or sculpting demonstration, lead a lecture, or be available for a fireside chat with collectors completely free of charge. She can even arrange lessons or private lessons with the masters. When Eyestone spots guests who are intrigued by a certain artist, she invites them back to the resort when the session next takes place at a discounted lodging rate (guests who take advantage of this offer have changed their Santa Fe visiting patterns from once every few years to up to four times per year). Through her intuitive nature and ability to connect with people to find their desired art needs, Eyestone has sold over $500,000 in art over the past year. As a testament to her success, over 400 artists are on a waitlist to have their works displayed at La Posada de Santa Fe.