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 now deceased 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 use some of his techniques to help other artists.

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

Marketing coach

Tanguay’s staff will help set up 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.

One suggestion is to have a theme, for instance a “color-blind” theme for black and white pictures or a “blind’ event for 3-D work that should be picked up and held.

Tanguay says there always is a market 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.

Another of Tanguay’s tips is for the artist to watch for what persons show interest in a picture. The artist should talk with that person, telling the story behind the work. This often encourages a purchase from someone who might have been reluctant.

Tanguay has a variety of tables to display 3-D art and she has rented the space to driftwood artists.

“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.

Reach Dana Casey at dcasey@sequimgazette.com