Laurie Tanguay wants to fill her walls with art, not for herself but to help artists sell their works.

"I want to help artists learn to make money from what they love to do."

Tanguay owns LoBo Design, a copy center she and her late husband started six years ago when they moved to Sequim.

Her husband, well-known artist Robert Brown, was a master at marketing and promotion. Tanguay wants to share his techniques to help other artists.



Marketing coach

She has a meeting room attached to her business at 865-D Carlsborg Road that artists can rent by the hour, day or week to showcase their work. Cost is $50 a day.

Tanguay's staff will help with the theme and set up of the room. She coaches the artists on sending out invitations to art lovers for a special afternoon or evening, perhaps contracting with a restaurant to cater the event.

Tanguay says her husband created a market for his work this way and she thinks others could as well.

Tanguay says a market always exists for art because it is an emotional purchase.



Emotions drive buys

Robert Brown supported his family for 40 years marketing himself and his art in just such a fashion.

One of Tanguay's tips is to observe who shows interest in a picture. The artist should talk with that person, telling the story behind the work. This often encourages a purchase.

Tanguay has tables to display 3-D art.

"Presentation is everything. If the smell is wrong, the lighting is bad or the color of the walls wrong, buyers are put off."

For more tips on marketing or to reserve the room, contact Tanguay at 582-1919 or info@LoBo.com.



More at LoBo

LoBo Designs, which

opened in 1997, also

offers these services:

• Electro-mechanical design

• Fine art reproduction

• Giclée

• Graphic design

• Marketing

• Photo restoration

• Web design

• Wide-format scans

and prints

Source: www.lo-bo.com





Reach Dana Casey at dcasey@sequimgazette.com