Stop Chasing Art Collectors. Let Them Come to You.

A dining area resonates with the power of Perseverance, 36” x 48” x 1.5” Acrylic on Canvas, © Deb Chaney Prints available on Saatchi Gallery.

 Why resonance—not chasing—is the key to finding your collectors

Have you ever wondered how to get your art in front of the people who truly see it? Those collectors, curators, designers, or gallerists who say, “Yes, that’s the one!”

The path might seem mysterious. But in my experience, the most aligned opportunities don’t come from chasing. They come from resonance.

When my daughter was younger, we had a little game. While watching movies, I’d pause the screen and point to the background:

“See that artwork? Let’s pretend it’s mine.”

Perseverance, 36” x 48” x 1.5” Acrylic on Canvas, © Deb Chaney Prints available on Saatchi Gallery.

Years later, I received an unexpected call from a Netflix art director. A production designer had discovered my work online and wanted to use it for a production set.

I didn’t pitch or pursue that opportunity. I hadn’t chased it down. I simply kept making the work, sharing it with genuine passion and belief, and holding a quiet vision.

That energy—clear, authentic, consistent—does the work of calling the right people in.

Collectors and collaborators are already out there.

What they’re looking for isn’t more art. They’re looking for a piece that feels like home. When your work carries your unique energy and message, it becomes easier for them to find you.

What if your job is not to push harder, but to speak more clearly through your art—and let the right eyes recognize what’s already theirs?

Collaborative painting for donation to The Woods

The Colour Connection (20" x 20" x 1.5) by Alini Garcia, Deb Chaney, Tamara Grand, Roman Rozumnyj

This past Sunday marked the end of The Colour Connection group art show that I was part of. It ran for about a month at the Silk Purse Arts Centre in West Vancouver.

The central feature of the art exhibit was a collaborative artwork painted by myself and 3 other West Coast Canadian artists. You can also read an earlier post for more about the exhibit, but I’ll cover much of it below.

About The Colour Connection art show

The exhibit was held in West Vancouver’s Millennium Park and ran from February 7 to March 3, 2024. There was a Meet the Artists event in early February as well as an Artist Talk Livestream, which is now available on the gallery’s YouTube channel.

In addition to showing individual pieces by each artist, the show featured one collaborative painting done by all of us. And that is the painting I’d like to focus on here.

Donating the painting to The Woods

The final painting was donated to The Woods Arts & Wellness, a non-profit charity that supports mental health through art and nature. You can learn more about the organization (and make a donation) on The Woods website.

The process of collaborative painting

I had the painting–or rather the blank canvas–to begin the collaboration, then I mailed it to Tamara in Port Moody. After her additions she mailed it to Roman in West Vancouver, who made his contributions then sent it to Alini in North Vancouver.

The final painting, The Colour Connection (20" x 20" x 1.5”) is mixed media on canvas and created by Alini Garcia, Deb Chaney, Tamara Grand, and Roman Rozumnyj.

You can see the stages of the painting’s progress in the gallery below.

About the artists

Follow the links below to see more beautiful artwork and learn more about the 4 Canadian artists who contributed to The Colour Connection collaborative painting and art exhibit.

Tamara Grand

Contemporary painter and mixed media artist: My paintings are simultaneous explorations of what I see, where I’ve been and how I want to feel.

Roman Rozumnyj

West Coast Modern Artist: If I Could Explain it In Words, Then I Wouldn’t Have To Paint It.

Alini Garcia

Abstract artist

Deb Chaney

Contemporary abstract artist: Based on Gabriola Island, BC. My current Drishti Paintings are inspired by capturing the vibrational frequency of well-being.