Today we’d like to introduce you to Martha Schneider.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Martha. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started when my husband was a lowly resident in psychiatry and I had fallen in love with collecting art. My husband said I needed to find my own way of making money, so I started getting more involved in the art world, making friends with dealers, collectors, and artists. My husband and I are originally from Argentina, so I started bringing small works back with me, and finding friends in my social circles to buy them. My circle grew and with the help of time, persistence, and word of mouth I had a nice and growing base of collectors. I made some more important connections with larger corporate collections like US Bell. Eventually, I started to use my home for a display space and invited groups to view the work. For example, when I lived in Park Ridge, I invited the founders of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago come to my home and look around.
When I moved to Highland Park I began advising people in art from home. I could be with my children and continue to pursue art dealing. I dedicated one of the bedrooms into a small home-gallery. From there I generated more clients and followers. Everything was working fine until one Sunday my doorbell began ringing like crazy; I opened to discover three clients in need of an emergency present for a friend, we solved their problem, but the experience was enough to make me decide not have my home disrupted any longer. So, I bought a gallery space on Green Bay Road in Highland Park, on the second floor. I opened it in ’82 where I specialized in ceramic and handmade jewelry. In 1988, my husband and I decided to move to the city, so I moved the gallery with me to the River North and I’ve stayed. It’s from the River North location that I started to add photography. The ceramics faded, and today I focus on contemporary photography.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Fairly smooth road. The only problem came with the 2008 depression and for 3 or 4 years, it was really hard. Then in 2014, I considered retiring, but wouldn’t have a passion to pursue, so I’ve downsized instead. We moved from a large space at the River North crossroads to a smaller boutique venue on the edge of the district that is closest to Michigan Ave and the cultural shoppers who go from the Mag-mile to the Gallery District.
Please tell us about Schneider Gallery.
We specialize in contemporary photography by established and emerging international artists. We have museum quality work that is affordable. We are known for works that feature the figure, so the portrait is a theme that recurs, as are issues of identity and other contemporary issues, we are also known in the field for our connections to many Latin American Artists, and for giving platform to unknown artists.
We have a history of introducing unknown artists to the market, developing their careers. Many of the artists she discovered while in school are now important even textbook names in the field of fine art photography.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I’m content with what I have accomplished for my artists. This work is a struggle as much as it is a pleasure. It’s a road that leads you- discovery of new great work is what keeps me engaged. The discovery and the ability to share it with others. I don’t think I’d have changed anything about my approach. It always suited me.
Pricing:
- Most artists have work available at $2,000-$5,000 range
- Some small works are $500-$1,000
- Some major investment works are $8,000 and up
Contact Info:
- Address: 700 North LaSalle Dr. Suite #401 Chicago, IL 60654
- Website: http://www.schneidergallerychicago.com
- Phone: (312) 988-4033
- Email: schneidergalleryinfo@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Schneider-Gallery-Inc-569705916402637/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/SchneiderCPG
Part of the series L’Enfant-Femme
Image Credit:
All works are ©Artist Name | Courtesy of Schneider Gallery
Rania Matar, Tatiana Parcero, RES & Constanza Piaggio, Jowhara AlSaud, and Luis Gonzalez Palma
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