By james art 
Art galleries in Baton Rouge are experiencing a shift in the art market. Contrary to global trends in the art market seeing a decline in wealthy people spending on art, local art galleries are finding that art buyers are more invested in artists and are demanding more commissions, custom frames and large-scale works – resulting in higher costs.
Chelsea Norris, co-director of Ann Connelly Fine Art, says the average price per unit has increased as more customers have requested custom pieces since the pandemic. Prices have also been affected by the rising cost of goods and shipping over the years.
“Since COVID-19, architecturally, homes have become larger in scale,” says Norris. “It has changed the way we acquire art. We’re doing a lot more commission-based work that we didn’t do as much before. Everything became more bespoke. People thrive on the idea of artistry and creativity. There seems to have been a renaissance of appreciating beautiful things, especially in your domestic life, and this seems to have led to a more personalized approach to artwork.’
As demand for larger pieces increased, Ann Connelly Fine Art began selling larger pieces readily available at the gallery. The company also switched from cutting mats by hand to using a computerized mat cutter to increase the volume of frames it could prepare. Over the past three years, the gallery has also diversified the artists it presents to include sculptural elements, non-traditional media, and more progressive and contemporary works.
“The clientele is changing,” says Norris. “It’s younger, it’s bolder and less inhibited by trends. They want more things that speak to them. So we’re trying to respond by bringing fresh, exciting things to people who crave it.”
Jason Andreasen, president and CEO of the Baton Rouge gallery, says he’s also seen more art buyers seeking more “adventurous” pieces and eschewing the more commonly sold styles of art.
Although the gallery hasn’t seen a significant shift in big spenders, Andreasson says there has been an uptick in inquiries to buy original art since the pandemic. In 2022, the gallery began offering delivery services to art collectors within 14.5 miles of the Baton Rouge gallery. It also started using ArtPlacer, an app that allows would-be art collectors to see what art in their home looks like on a real scale.
“There’s a shrinking base of people who can afford these big art purchases,” Andreason says of the declining sales of high-dollar artworks on the global art market. “It seems that often the discussion of the art market is focused on the glamorous auction sales or famous artists. But in reality, when you think about the art market as a whole, there is a lot more trade outside of that realm. Now it’s more talked about that appreciating and supporting younger and emerging artists is something that collectors love to do.”
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