Continue reading to learn more about Linda Guenste & Jonathan Hertzel or Guenste / Hertzel Art Studio, one of this year’s Spotlight Program Recipients!

Guenste/Hertzel Studios were founded in Santa Fe in 2016. The Salon space is designed to focus on the varied creative arts in Santa Fe and surrounding communities. Together, they focus on commercial and non-commercial shows of new and emerging arts in the visual, literary, and performance fields to promote dialogue.

“I have been splitting my time hiking on the beautiful New Mexico trails and painting in the studio. Covid has had a silver lining for me as an artist. I have been so productive since the first covid lockdown with not many distractions. After my initial “virus” paintings, I did a series of work entitled “Traveling From Home”. But mostly I have been connecting with my roots in the landscape with a focus on trees again. Nature has been the one consistent inspiration in my life. Check out the “landscape gallery for new work in oil and gouache.” – Linda Guenste

Visit booth #512 at Art Santa Fe 2022 to see more from Guenste / Hertzel Art Studio. Tickets for Art Santa Fe are available here.

The post Art Santa Fe 2022 Spotlight Recipient: Linda Guenste & Jonathan Hertzel, Guenste / Hertzel Art Studio appeared first on Art Business News.

USING NATURAL LIGHT

In the ideal studio, natural light comes in through a north-oriented window and fills the entire room. However, in most studios, artists are grateful if they have any windows. Even if every artist had a well-positioned studio with plenty of windows, natural light might still be problematic.

Direct sunlight and the movement of the sun can influence the lighting of the room. Also, it can bounce through the room using the floor, walls, and ceiling and end up reflecting in the wrong spot. You could use some tricks to direct the light, but they will only work for specific times during the day. In the end, even if you do have great natural light, you will need to enhance it with an artificial one. That is why the best option is to work with both and make them complement each other.

THE ADVANTAGES OF ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

One of the primary benefits of using good artificial lighting is that you can work at any time of day or night. Furthermore, unless you want it to, artificial light will not lose intensity, move or bounce. You can choose to have warm or cold light, directed from above or below, dim or bright. The possibilities are numerous, and you only need to know which is the best combination for your art studio. After all, having too much light can be as harmful to your art studio as having too little. To assist you in finding the ideal mix, we will go over four factors to consider while using artificial light. They are:

• Temperature
• Color
• Intensity
• Angle

LIGHT TEMPERATURE

Different light sources have different temperatures that can be warm or cold. It is measured in degrees Kelvin and refers to the visual temperature produced by a light source. It can vary between 1000 and 10.000 degrees, and the barrier between warm and cold is at 5500K degrees. A candle flame, for instance, has a temperature of 1800K, while the light of a clear blue sky has a temperature of 10.000K. Most artificial lights in our homes, such as lightbulbs, have a Kelvin temperature between 2500 and 3000 degrees. Therefore, they would be inappropriate for use in an art studio, being too warm. As a result, choose something neutral, around 5000K, and it will be excellent. If it’s colder, your cool colors may be affected, causing you to warm them up more than necessary.

LIGHT COLOR

Depending on the temperature, the light you are using can have different colors. For instance, warmer light is yellow, orange, or red, while cold light is white or blue. The best way to choose the perfect light is to search for it based on the Color Rendering Index. CRI is the capacity of a light source to create light that resembles natural light. Natural daylight has a CRI of 100, so aim for anything higher than 80 when choosing lights for your studio. The higher you can find it, the better. In a word, if you want to know how to properly light your art studio, seek lights with 5000-5500K and a CRI of 98. With such a great light source, you can even create an art studio at your home.

LIGHT INTENSITY

The power and distance of the light source impact the intensity of light. The closer you bring the light source to your painting, the more intense the light and vice versa. At the same time, the more powerful it is, the more it illuminates. It can be great to have powerful enough light in your studio but, make sure you put the accent on enough. If you have too much, it might trick you into thinking that you should make your drawing or painting darker. For this reason, you can use the value scales of Watts and Lumens to choose the right light. Watts measure how much power the light source consumes, while Lumens measure how much light it produces. For example, an 85-watt lightbulb with a CRI of 90 and 5500K will provide around 5000 lumens. That is a clean, bright light that is perfect for working.

LIGHT ANGLE

It’s also important to have light coming in from the right angle on your workspace. When working on an easel, the light should radiate from behind you at a 45-degree angle. That should help the light fall evenly and eliminate any poorly lit spots or glares. You can control the quantity and intensity of the light by placing the light source at the perfect distance. Not too far away to have insufficient light, but yet not too close. If you don’t have an adjustable light source, move your easel to the best-lit place. If you are working on a flat surface, the light should also come at a 45-degree angle. To achieve this, you can put light sources on both sides of your work desk. It will ensure the perfect distribution of the light and prevent reflection.

TYPES OF LIGHT AND LIGHT SOURCES

Now that you know how to properly light your art studio using light temperature, intensity, and angle, you need to know what types of lights there are. Hence, here are the four types of light and light sources that you can choose from.

• Because incandescent bulbs usually have a light on the warm side of the Kelvin scale, it is unsuitable for use in an art studio.
• Fluorescent light bulbs are long and tubular, and they distribute light pretty evenly. Their light is more on the cooler side of the Kelvin scale, so it is closer to natural light. Unfortunately, fluorescent lights need certain fixtures, which can be hard to set up.
• Compact fluorescent. These bulbs function similarly to fluorescent lights, although they appear more like incandescent bulbs. They may have a variety of light temperatures, making them an excellent choice for an art studio.
• This type of lighting is a great choice for photography studios. It has adjustable color temperatures and intensity, and it is known to last a long time. They are available in panels and strands, and they are simple to install.

CONCLUSION

As you can see, there are many factors to consider when you are setting up the light in your studio, from light temperature, color, intensity, and angle to types of light and light sources you can use. It may be tough to do it right the first time, and some options may be pricey, but the effort will be worthwhile. The quality of your art will improve, and you could even get accepted into a gallery. In the end, knowing how to properly light your art studio will only bring you benefits.

Author bio: Audrey Meyer has over ten years of marketing and communication experience and has worked in several sectors including marketing, advertising, and fashion. She is now working with Best Movers NYC to offer them an advantage when it comes to marketing and gaining the appropriate exposure.

The post How to Properly Light Your Art Studio appeared first on Art Business News.

Envision Your Ideal Art Space

You probably already have a picture of your ideal studio in mind. Even if the art studio of your dreams is out of reach at the moment, don’t worry! There are probably some features and ideas you can incorporate into your in-home studio. If you’re unsure about what you want, do some research online. There are so many beautiful art studio ideas that will inspire you and help you design the one that will be perfect for you.

If you’re just starting to dip your toes into the art world, there are probably many other things you have to consider. For example, balancing your full-time job with your art career isn’t an easy task. If you create an art studio space at home, you might be more inspired and motivated to work consistently. Therefore, think about the colors, patterns, and inspiring items that will make your studio an oasis of productivity and creativity.

Think About Art Supplies

Of course, you have to think about all the items and supplies you need for creating your art, as well. What sort of tools do you use? Do you need a large work desk? How many storage containers and supplies do you need? Asking yourself these questions will enable you to plan and choose the best space in your home for your studio. Make a list of essentials and continue from there. Make sure to plan for some extra space for later additions as well as your artwork.

Choose the Appropriate Space

Once you know what you want and need, the next step is to choose the right space for your art studio. Before you decide, think about the lighting, ventilation, heating, and humidity. All of these factors can affect your work. Naturally, you want a place that will motivate you, inspire you to add artistic endeavors to your daily routine and help you focus on creating. Here are some ideas:

• Convert a room – If you have an extra bedroom or a dining room you rarely use, look no further!
• Utilize your attic or basement – Converting one of these is an excellent idea. You can add some area rugs or flooring, install some shelves, and you’re ready to go. Of course, make sure the heating system doesn’t damage your artwork and add a dehumidifier if necessary.
• Dedicate a part of a room to your art – Even if converting the entire room is not an option, don’t worry! You can use a curtain or screen in your living room to separate your art studio from the living area.
• Use a closet – Move your clothes and shoes somewhere else (under the bed, for example), install a fold-up desk, and use the existing shelves for storing art supplies. That way, you’ll create a cozy nook for your artistic work.
• Repurpose a shed or garage – If you can’t find room for your studio inside your home, consider other spaces. With a bit of creativity, you can quickly transform your shed or garage into an art studio. Just make sure the temperature is comfortable enough for work.

Find Storage For Your Supplies

No art studio is complete without art supplies. Your paints, brushes, canvases, easels, or any other tools and materials you use can take up a lot of space. So, unless you want your art studio to turn into a mess, you have to consider organization and functionality. Luckily for you, there are many ways to store your supplies and tools in a way that will maximize your art studio space.

A table is probably the most prominent and vital piece of furniture in your studio. So, if you don’t have much space to work with, it might be a good idea to use a drop leaf table with lots of storage. That way, you can adjust your working space and make room for supplies, too.

When it comes to shelving, there are many options to choose from: floating, rustic shelves will not only be useful but aesthetically pleasing, as well. Wire shelving units are perfect for those who have loads of supplies. 

On the other hand, if you don’t have room for shelving, consider some vertical storage options. For example, pegboards with wire baskets will take up little space and keep your supplies neatly organized. Rolling carts will keep you mobile as well as store a lot of your tools and supplies. Get creative and practical and repurpose anything you might use for storage, from old jars to wine racks.

Display Your Art

Finally, don’t forget to find some room in your studio to display your art. Whether you’re creating art for yourself or looking into ways to promote and sell your artwork, seeing your progress will inspire and motivate you to continue developing your skills.

Even though every artist has their working preferences, having a creative space that promotes focus and productivity is essential. Consider your wishes and needs, add a touch of creativity, and plan thoroughly. By following these few tips, you will be able to create an art studio space at home that will suit your style and personality.

Author bio: Jake Dean is a consultant for Tik Tok Moving and Storage NYC and a freelance writer. He is also an art enthusiast and an amateur painter. He often writes about art, interior design, and relocation issues. In his free time, he enjoys watching movies and playing tennis.

All images via https://www.pexels.com/.

The post How to Create an Art Studio Space at home appeared first on Art Business News.

Determine what kind of space you need

Artists need the space to plan, make, show, sell and store their art. When determining the kind of space you need, consider the type of art you intend to do in that place. A painter does not require the same sort of space as a musician. Maybe you’ll want to look for a suitable pre-designed studio for your type of art?

Some artists need administrative or office space as well. Art studios for theater groups or musical bands, for example, need space for a desk and files. If you are going to sell the artwork, you need a retail setup for handling cash. Do you need storage space for finished pieces, supplies, and equipment you use rarely? Make a list of things you need in your new studio and from your new studio.

Set your budget and define your properties

Looking for a new art studio is almost like looking for a second home because you will probably spend a lot of time there. That’s why you need to set your priorities and know your budget at the outset. Choosing what you’ll prioritize depends on you and the form of your art.

It’s essential to figure out how much you can afford to spend on a space before negotiating an art studio lease. Write out two lists of expenses. Expenses related to the initial setup will probably include:

• Security deposit
• Moving fees
• Furnishing
• Decorating, etc.

Monthly ongoing expenses usually include:

• Rent
• Utilities
• Supplies

If your budget is tight, you may need to share the space with other artists and be open to various kinds of arrangements and compromises.

Some spaces may already have the equipment you need, and it’s included in the rent. Other places may seem cheaper at first, but without the specific tools you need, there may be additional costs.

What is vital for your art?

Most artists are looking for big windows, lots of natural light and good ventilation. Good lighting (both natural and artificial) is crucial to show off your work. Airflow and access to power for art tools is also pretty important for every artist. You don’t want the power to go out in the middle of creating a masterpiece. Furthermore, some artists need to be able to modify the space, and if you’re renting an art studio, your landlord will need to allow it. Good acoustics is crucial for music rehearsals since it will make practicing easier. Also, some artists need soundproofed studios for their recordings.

You know what time of day is most creative for you, so make sure that you have access to your new studio space during that time to be able to create the best work. If you balance your full-time job with your art career, having access to the studio before or after your shift is crucial. Some art studios provide tenants with 24-hour access, but some creative co-working studio spaces may have different rules.

Choose the right location

You probably don’t want a long commute to your art studio, so carefully check public transportation possibilities and the availability of parking spaces nearby. If your art atelier is far away from your home, it might be challenging to get there regularly. Studio spaces you look at should be located in a safe and accessible area. Proximity to your suppliers will also play a significant role. Moreover, if your studio is really near your home and you can walk there, that walk to and from the studio can help your mental and physical well-being and get you in a state of creative flow. You may draw inspiration from various daily routines, such as riding a bike to your studio. If that’s the case, check if there is a space to store your bike.

KEEP SAFETY IN MIND

Building and studio safety is an essential factor to consider when looking for a new art studio, especially if you have expensive equipment. Ask about fire escapes and fire sprinklers. Space should also have all proper city permits. Furthermore, ask the current occupants about electric hook-ups and temperature. And don’t forget to consider insurance.

Noise levels matter when looking for a new art studio

An artist also needs to consider noise levels and whether others, for example, neighbors, will tolerate the noise they make. Also, if there is any noise that can affect your concentration, it may not be the place for you. A studio close to a freeway or a train station or a place under the airport’s flight path is probably not a good solution for an artist.

Insulation and ventilation

If you’re working with odorous materials, it’s crucial to ask about ventilation. Some old buildings have poor insulation and no air conditioning. If that’s the case, you’ll need to consider whether a fan during the summer and a space heater during the winter will be necessary. Will they be enough and safe to use in that space? The electrical bills will also be higher in that case. Finally, the direction that windows face will also impact heat because of the sunlight.

Understand leases and get to know your property manager

It would be best to understand all the legal responsibilities and the rights of being a tenant. So far, signing at least a one-year lease has shown to be the best solution for an artist. It’s always advisable to have a lawyer review the lease to protect the artwork and business. Signing a one-year lease will provide a bit of stability and a chance to focus on studio practice. Artists who are just starting out need to focus on what they’re doing and allow their work to evolve in order to be able to sell their art. On the other hand, long-term leases are better for those consistent in their practice and volume of work.

Final thoughts

When looking for a new art studio, you need to know your needs and priorities. Being realistic and willing to compromise will make looking for a studio less stressful as you visit space after space.

_______________________________________

Author bio:

Maria Thompson works as a manager at Divine Moving and Storage. She has a deep passion for all kinds of art, even though she’s primarily focused on painting. Maria is currently searching for a studio space where she can dedicate more time to her art. Being an occasional blog writer as well, she decided to write this article as a guide for those who may find themselves in the same situation.

The post Important Factors to Consider When Looking for a New Art Studio appeared first on Art Business News.

By Jack Hamann

In a damp April chill, a line stretches around the block on a crowded Seattle sidewalk. Restless folk with mittened hands and cups of steaming coffee hunker down to spend the night.

Sports fans queuing up for season tickets? Concertgoers stalking seats?

Nope, these are artists. Four hundred or so painters, sculptors, musicians, poets, and other creatives, each hoping to grab one of just 57 available rewards: a space to live and work in a sparkling new building made possible—and affordable—by Artspace, a wildly successful national organization.

Craig Cundiff is seventh in line. The 30-year-old with close-cropped hair and puppy-dog eyes has waited months for a chance to sit in this line. During the night, Cundiff chats with Admassu Guessese, a 38-year-old with a soft, sweet Ethiopian accent who’s two spaces back in line. Guessese compares the scene to a post-Thanksgiving shopping sale. “It is like Black Friday,” he says.

When the doors open at 8 the next morning, a few folks try to cut in line. But the all-nighters have maintained an informal written waiting list, ensuring that Cundiff, Guessese, and the other early comers have priority. With first-come, first-served tickets in hand, the two men face stacks of paperwork that lead to weeks of anticipation, until that magical day in July 2014 when they hold keys to their new Artspace apartments.

“It’s pretty much everything I wanted it to be,” says Cundiff more than a year later.

The Artspace story begins at the end of the Civil War. The nation needed storage space for westward migration and commerce, so Minneapolis-St. Paul built huge, ornate storage warehouses on the west bank of the Mississippi

River. A century later, the deteriorating warehouse district attracted artists looking for affordable space to live and work. In 1979, the Minneapolis City Council and Arts Commission launched Artspace, an organized effort to connect artists with reasonably priced rentals.

By 1986, Artspace evolved into a real-estate nonprofit, refurbishing entire buildings for the benefit of artists. Artspace pioneered the use of low-income housing tax credits to finance its first formal standalone project in St. Paul. Since then, the organization has received funding and partnered with local governments and like-minded nonprofits to offer below-market-value living and work spaces in 21 states and the District of Columbia. Many extensively remodeled buildings have historic pasts. Some, such as the Mt. Baker Lofts in Seattle, where Cundiff and Guessese now live, were built from the ground up.

Most of us know the raging storm that submerged much of New Orleans in 2005 as Katrina. But to Cundiff, that tempest will always simply be “The Hurricane.” Cundiff was a 19-year-old Louisiana State University art student in Baton Rouge. He grew up in New Orleans’ Chalmette neighborhood, a few blocks east of the Lower Ninth Ward. When Katrina breached the city’s levees, Cundiff’s childhood home—and the houses of all his relatives—disappeared under 17 feet of water.

“Everybody evacuated to Baton Rouge,” he says. “I had 16 people, plus a couple of dogs and a couple of cats, living in my place. It was pretty much beds down the line and all the way around. It was probably four or five months with that many people.”

Cundiff quit college and got a job shoveling mud and hanging drywall. After nine months of hard but satisfying labor, however, he still considered himself an artist. New Orleans, alas, was in no shape to support would-be artists. By comparison, faraway Seattle seemed full of possibilities.

As a child, Cundiff filled reams of white printer paper with drawings, preferring vivid colors. Growing up 8,000 miles away, Guessese did the same. “In Ethiopia, there is a tradition for boys,” he says. “For the New Year, we go to the Addis Ababa market and get powdered primary colors—blue, red, and yellow. We mix [them] with water, create our own palette, and paint on office print paper. We give the paintings as gifts to family members and friends.”

Years later, Guessese discovered Seattle and moved to the city within months of his future Artspace neighbor’s arrival. At the University of Washington, Guessese majored in art history and minored in international studies. In 2012, he began curating art shows, trying to bring African art, especially painting, to the Pacific Northwest. He dreamed of opening his own gallery, where Seattle’s growing immigrant community might see—and display, buy, and sell—art from their own cultures.

In Seattle, some folks make a game of counting cranes—construction cranes, that is. Amazon, Starbucks, Microsoft, and a host of tech start-ups spur the building boom and attract thousands of new residents each month. Realtors compare Seattle’s current housing squeeze to that of San Francisco: Wealthier newcomers outbid those without such deep pockets. Artists, of course, are among those with the most modest means.

Over the course of 18 months, Cundiff’s rent increased by $400. He was a new father, paying bills by working endless shifts waiting tables. “At that point, [I was] too tired when I came home to really put in the work that I needed to put in to be competitive in the art world.”

Guessese also had a second job: repairing watches. He, too, knew he’d never realize his gallery dreams if rents continued to climb. Both men viewed Artspace as a way to break the cycle.

Only those with incomes 60 percent or lower than their region’s median are eligible to be Artspace tenants. For Seattle, that median income is almost $90,000. Monthly rent varies, depending on one’s annual take-home pay.

Artspace applicants who meet the income threshold need not make money from their art, they need only to show an ongoing commitment to it. Artspace is available to more than just visual artists like Cundiff and Guessese. Musicians, writers, poets, tattoo artists, filmmakers, and dancers all rent from Artspace, with fresh categories added with each new location.

For Cundiff, the building’s creative mix has proved magical. “There’s a piano player who lives two doors down. He’s in a reggae band. I bring my easel down there, he’ll play piano, and I’ll work on art. In that little hour or two hours, neither of us wants to quit. We just want to keep going ’cause the other person’s going. I probably work more in that two-hour gap than [I would] in a week … because I don’t want to put the pencil down,” says Cundiff. “I don’t want to stop working, ’cause he’s just killing it on the piano.”

A writer-poet-philosopher lives one floor below. Cundiff knocked on his door while studying a concept known as l’appel du vide, or “the call of the void.” Simply put, it’s the strange—and almost always unheeded—urge some people get to jump from high places, such as a bridge or a cliff. Cundiff and his philosopher neighbor spent hours exploring the complicated nature of free will: Nothing stops us from leaping into the void, save all the connections to others we’ve spent a lifetime building. “I’ve come to this realization: There’s an infinite amount of space outward as well as inward, and the intersection between the two is the connection,” Cundiff says. “That’s what the feeling is.”

His paintings started featuring anatomical drawings at various depths of the human form: outer skin and hair in one rendering, subcutaneous musculature in the next, skeleton in another. Bold colors. Body parts. Exquisite juxtapositions. The creations immediately call to mind Frida Kahlo, and the similarities are no accident. Cundiff, who occasionally sports a T-shirt bearing her portrait, says he discovered the Mexican painter’s work through her husband. “In high school, I was a big Diego Rivera fan,” he admits. “I wanted to be a muralist. And lo and behold, he had a wife who was a pretty good artist.”

If Kahlo’s lifetime of pain informed her painting, was Cundiff’s experience after The Hurricane a similar motivation? “It’s easy to lie with your art and not get to the truth and get to that meat of suffering,” he says. “Kahlo did it so effortlessly, with such beauty and grace. Her light was a pure truth. My use of anatomy is a way to look inside a person while seeing the outside, too. It’s the duality between isolation and connection.”

Mt. Baker Lofts is the fourth Artspace site in the Seattle region. It was built in one of Seattle’s most diverse neighborhoods, a few miles south of downtown. Significantly, it’s adjacent to a major bus and light-rail transportation hub, allowing most Artspace residents to forgo the expense of owning a car.

Before he landed one of the 57 brand-new apartments, Guessese had already saved enough watch-repair money to sign a lease for a street-level retail space in the same building. He calls his business Tobya Gallery, using the Amharic word for “Ethiopia.” Within months, he opened shows for Ethiopian artists Kerima Ahmed and Emanuel Tegene. The art was first-class, and the shows were well-received, but the going has been tough.

Many in his target audience of recent immigrants have no idea his gallery exists and have little cultural experience with the business of art. Like any good gallery owner, Guessese invests in mailings and posters, carefully curates his shows, and stays on top of social media. He plans to teach introductory art to children, especially those in the immigrant community, and to sponsor workshops featuring touring artists. “My priority is to keep the gallery going: Find money, pay the rent, and organize strong shows,” he says.

One of the strongest shows, it turned out, got its start right down the hall. Artspace allows its residents to display their art along the apartments’ corridors, an offer Cundiff accepts with relish. Dozens of his paintings line the hallway outside his door, drawn from several periods of his work. The portraits. The landscapes. The existential anatomical drawings.

“Art has to say a lot more than just to … be art just for the sake of art,” says Guessese. It should also say something, and I see that something in Craig’s art.”

Cundiff’s was the first non-African show in Tobya Gallery, and the opening was a big hit, with “lots of beer, lots of pizza, and lots of good friends who came out to support my show,” says Cundiff.

“It went well past midnight,” says Guessese, smiling at the memory.

Since then, Guessese has continued to expand his reach. A recent show featured Vietnamese-American artist Chau Huynh, reflecting on her experience during the Vietnam War. One striking piece features holes carved in a book, evoking bomb craters outside the door of her childhood home.

Cundiff, too, is expanding. “Call of the Void” opened in Brooklyn’s IMAGE Gallery on Sept. 11, the 14th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States. He appreciates that a New York City gallery show is a long way from shoveling Mississippi River mud.

Because of Artspace, Cundiff now waits tables just three days a week; his goal is to cut that number down to two. And, as Seattle rents continue to climb, he sees more artists moving to the Mt. Baker neighborhood, bringing more traffic to Guessese’s gallery. In some ways, both men are still in line, holding numbers as they wait tantalizingly close to fame’s bolted door.

“It’s hard to be unknown.” says Cundiff. “I mean, that’s the struggle of the art world in general, isn’t it? But if you can make it a couple of years, the momentum will grow. Places like Artspace, made to keep artists in the scene, are only going to make it better for everybody.”

Jack Hamann is a writer and documentary producer. His website is nolittlethings.com.

The post A Space for Art appeared first on Art Business News.

By Alan E. Katz, Esq.

After months or years of searching, you have finally found the ideal studio space. The location, light, and rent all meet your criteria. The only thing between you and your ability to move in and start creating art is the dreaded lease.

Negotiating an art studio lease presents many unique challenges. The first of these challenges is the “use clause,” which defines the purposes for which the tenant can use the premises. Few landlords object to a gallery use, but some might find it disturbing that paint and other flammable materials will be on the premises. Thus, if you need more than just a retail space, the use clause must clearly stipulate that the lessee has the right to use the premises for creating art in addition to using it as a gallery.

However, your problems do not end there. The fine print of the lease often contains numerous clauses that might thwart the intended use of the space. Most leases stipulate that the tenant may not use or occupy the premises in violation of the building’s Certificate of Occupancy or local zoning or environmental laws. Accordingly, your attorney must review the Certificate of Occupancy for the building and the zoning laws to ensure that the proposed use is permitted, even if you have overcome the hurdle of spelling it out in the use clause.

Most leases contain a hazardous-materials provision, which prohibits the tenant from keeping any hazardous or flammable materials on the premises. Moreover, the tenant is generally liable for the cost of removal of any such materials, for the cost of any remedial action incurred by any governmental authority, and for personal injury or property damage arising from any violation of this provision.

Leases are complex instruments. You may think you have agreed upon the rent, but you will soon find out that the rent figure is only a base number, because the rent is often subject to annual percentage increases or increases based on the Consumer Price Index. The tenant often must pay a pro rata share of real estate tax increases and, depending on the location of the premises, a pro rata share of common area charges over a base year. Other items that are quick to add up include electricity, water, sewer, insurance, garbage removal, snow removal, and extermination services. You should immediately ascertain their cost so that you can determine whether the deal is still financially feasible for you.

If you default on a lease that you personally signed, you may face a huge amount of personal liability, which may equal the amount of the unpaid rent and other financial obligations for the remainder of the term of the lease. This amount of liability varies, depending on the state in which the property is located. Therefore, it is advisable to ensure that the tenant be a limited-liability company (LLC) or a corporation. The cost of organizing either entity is minimal, especially compared to the potential liability you would face if the lease were in your name. On the other hand, landlords may still want a personal guarantee because they recognize that LLCs and corporations have limited or no assets from which to recover damages in the event of a default.

If the landlord requests a personal guarantee, it is generally limited to a “good-guy” guarantee, which means that if the tenant knows that he or she will be unable to pay the rent and wants to return the premises to the landlord, then the tenant must give the landlord notice of his or her intention to vacate the premises and pay all of the rent and other charges due through the date set in the “notice to vacate.” The length of the notice to vacate is subject to negotiation, but is generally 90 days. The tenant must also deliver the premises in “broom clean” condition or in any other condition that the lease stipulates and must hand the keys to the landlord. If the tenant meets all of these conditions under a good-guy guarantee, the guarantor is no longer liable for obligations arising after the vacate date. However, the LLC or the corporation is still liable for the obligations under the lease for the balance of the term or until the landlord finds another tenant.

Most leases stipulate that the tenant is in default and can face lease termination if he or she is late in the payment of rent or if he or she fails to comply with any other lease provision. Hence, it is important to negotiate a “notice clause,” which states that the landlord must give the tenant some number of days’ notice and the opportunity to cure the default before the landlord’s right to terminate the lease comes into existence. The typical recommendation is 10 days’ notice for monetary defaults and 30 days’ notice for nonmonetary defaults.

To seal the deal, a landlord will often agree to give a tenant either some period of rent abatement or a cash allowance to make improvements to the premises. Otherwise, the landlord might decide to make some improvements, such as painting, electrical work, and lighting, before the commencement of the lease term.

In short, negotiating a studio lease can be a daunting task for an artist. Having an experienced attorney representing you in structuring the deal before signing a term sheet or a letter of intent and negotiating the lease is as important as priming your canvas with a good gesso.

The post Negotiating an Art Studio Lease appeared first on Art Business News.