The Ideas Behind Root Gallery

In those early years, I often wondered how other galleries worked. How they built their audience, how they developed long-term collaborations, how artists shaped their careers. Over time, I learned that the answers rarely come from theory, they come from doing the work, making mistakes, building trust and being present.

What I now know is that running a gallery is not about display alone; it is about relationships. About steady, honest growth, not tomorrow’s trend. About working with artists whose work I would happily live with myself, and being both their most devoted supporter and their most constructive critic.

Art has the ability to move people in ways that are difficult to articulate. Often unexpectedly, often persistently. Not because someone planned to buy art, but because a work simply stays with them. I see this again and again, and it is the heart of why I do what I do: placing artworks in people’s lives in a way that carries meaning.

In this field I also see a wide spectrum of expectations. Some people deeply value the time, expertise and commitment that artists invest in their practice. Others approach art as something to negotiate strategically, aiming to bypass the gallery or find the lowest possible price. But a sustainable art practice does not grow from shortcuts. It grows from support, investment, and respectful collaboration between artists and galleries. Trust is the foundation of that relationship.

The same goes for the way I work. Delivering artworks, thinking along about placement, building long-term relationships with clients, these things are not driven by efficiency goals. They are the moments that make a gallery come alive. Clients do not visit weekly, like a bakery, but they do return. Sometimes after months, sometimes after years. Because a connection has been built that is based on care, not speed.

In a world full of advice about scaling, optimising and maximising, I choose to do some things differently. Not because it is the most commercial route, but because it reflects what I believe a gallery should be: personal, thoughtful, and built on trust.

For artists

“Can you actually make a living from this?”
It’s a question many artists hear, and one without a straightforward answer. Most artists build their practice gradually, combining different income sources, not because they lack ambition, but because a sustainable career in the arts takes time to grow.

After more than eleven years in the field, I see the same patterns returning:

– Gallery representation is not a finish line; it’s the start of a long collaboration where visibility and opportunities grow step by step.
– Freelance work beside your practice offers freedom, but also uncertainty. The balance shifts constantly.
– Teaching can support your income, but it requires significant mental space.
– A part-time role within the field (installation, museums, framers) is often invaluable: you learn, stay visible and expand your network.
– Major grants aren’t the only route. Smaller funds can be a better fit, and a short call with a funder often provides more clarity than days of writing.
– Discuss fees openly. There is usually more room than you expect.
– Join Pictoright if you live in the Netherlands, it matters for your long-term rights and income.
– For commissioned work: ask a colleague to check whether the budget makes sense.
– Put agreements in writing. The field can feel informal, but your protection should never be.
– Work across price ranges: large pieces build your profile; smaller ones bring your practice into homes and make you accessible to a broader audience.

Not everything applies to everyone, but these are structures that consistently support a healthy artistic practice.

And you don’t have to navigate this alone.

I enjoy talking about the art market, not the auction-driven world of record prices, but the market where artworks enter homes, offices and everyday environments. In the Netherlands, the sector has changed significantly over the past decades. There is less structural support, more entrepreneurial pressure and greater vulnerability.

But something else is shifting too.
More young people are collecting.
Companies are buying without formal collections.
Galleries are increasingly transparent and accessible.
A new audience is slowly emerging.

Where this will lead is impossible to predict. But we are building something meaningful - artists, collectors and the public - step by step, and together.