From Czechoslovakia to MoMA: How Sculptor Alex Kveton Built a Real Art Business

Summary

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Podcast Summary: "From Czechoslovakia to MoMA: How Sculptor Alex Kveton Built a Real Art Business"

Podcast: How Much Can I Make? — Real Jobs. Real Stories. Career Insights
Host: Mirav Ozeri, Career Insights Journalist
Guest(s): Alex Kveton (Sculptor), Barbara (Business and Marketing partner/wife)
Date: May 11, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode explores the journey of acclaimed sculptor Alex Kveton and his wife Barbara, who together transformed Alex’s artistic talent into a sustainable business in America. Listeners learn about Alex’s beginnings in communist Czechoslovakia, the challenges of entering the US art scene, the realities of art business economics, and the hands-on, collaborative approach that sustains their success. The episode offers practical insight into how creativity and entrepreneurship intersect, with an honest perspective on risks, rewards, and what it truly takes to “make it” as a sculptor in the US.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growing Up and Training in Czechoslovakia

• Strict Pathways, Technical Foundation
  • Alex’s father insisted on a technical education before art, leading him to engineering and construction before art academy.

    "My father...said no, you don't going to go to the art school right away. You're going to go to technical school, you're going to learn craft, you're going to learn how to work ethics and everything." (Alex, 02:13)

• Elite Art Academy System
  • Only a handful of artists were trained at state art academies (3 for 15 million people).
  • Artists had guaranteed government commissions and were well-paid, but tightly controlled.

    "Yes, I was paid very well because the communist was the system… but I don't have a freedom.” (Alex, 04:06–04:34)

2. Defection and Immigration

• Escape for Freedom, Not Just Wealth
  • Alex left Czechoslovakia for personal and creative freedom rather than financial ambition.

    "I realize I make the money, but I don't have a freedom." (Alex, 04:34)

• From Refugee to Citizen
  • Sought asylum in Austria; after nearly a year, arrived in the US as a legal immigrant.

    "We went to Austria, to American Embassy and we said, we are refugees... 11 months... came here as legal immigrants." (Alex, 06:16)

3. First Years in America: Starting Over

• From Artist to Fabricator
  • Alex initially worked as a metal fabricator for famous sculptors (Jeff Koons, Robert Indiana, Larry Bell, etc.), leveraging his technical skills.

    “They came with sketches and somebody has to make 10, 20, 30ft sculptures… you have to calculate a lot of things in." (Alex, 07:47)

• Language and Market Hurdles
  • The US art market is highly competitive, with far more artists but less focus on formal training.

    “In New York City is maybe hundred thousand artists. From those, maybe 20% have a chance to show in the gallery. And... maybe 5% actually sell." (Alex, 09:15)

4. Becoming Independent & Building a Business

• Transition to Studio Ownership
  • After two decades fabricating for others and building economic stability, Alex committed to his own art full-time in the 1990s.

    “After 20 years, finally I say, okay, that's it, I'm going to go on my own." (Alex, 11:34)

• Barbara’s Entrance: Professionalizing the Business
  • Barbara, with an entrepreneurial and marketing background, helped create a business infrastructure: research, marketing, education, gallery relationships.

    “When we met, I said, oh my God, you're so fabulous, why don't you do more?... I'll support you, let's try.” (Barbara, 11:46)

5. Artistic Practice & Creative Process

• Preferred Material: Stainless Steel
  • Known for working in stainless steel, admired for its durability and demanding mirror finish.

    "With this kind of finish, you could hide a lot of imperfection... I'm doing that in mirror finish because not so many artists could do that." (Alex, 12:28–12:59)

• Collaborative Creation
  • Barbara is Alex’s first critic and collaborates on every piece, ensuring only standouts reach galleries.

    “Whatever comes out of his studio, I want to be a wow piece because... I know if I bring that wow piece to gallery, somebody will go wow. And buy it.” (Barbara, 13:08)

• From Concept to Metal
  • Sketch, then a scale model in cardboard (to mimic metal), then autocad drawings for laser cutting, then final fabrication.

    "Because the sculptures are three dimensional… I make a three dimensional style from the cardboard paper... then Barbara make autocad drawings. We send it to the Laser company..." (Alex & Barbara, 15:03–15:41)

6. Business Model: Commissions, Pricing, and Galleries

• Pricing and Costs

  • Prices reflect material, labor, complexity, and stable market rate—e.g., an 8' piece may sell for $40,000–$50,000, with rates built over time.

    “On the beginning...you may start at $50 an hour... But now Alex, worth a lot more an hour.” (Barbara, 17:58–18:00)

• Expenses and Commissions

  • The greatest expense is gallery commissions: 50% of sale price is typical.

    "Gallery commission." — “50%.” (Barbara & Mira, 19:25–19:33) “But good gallery for the artist could do more than the artist could do for himself...” (Alex, 19:33)

• Self-Sufficiency

  • They handle fabrication and business tasks in-house, reducing vendor costs and maximizing control/profits.

    “We do everything on our own. If you need a guy who is going to weld it...you are paying other vendors.” (Barbara, 19:06)

• Gallery Relationships: Trust and Longevity

  • Long-term gallery relationships are key. They refuse to sell directly to clients who first encounter them through a gallery, honoring agreements.

    “They are doing good job that you saw it there. So you have to go through there.” (Barbara, 21:36) “It's not worth it to go beyond the gallery.” (Alex, 21:57)

7. Income Realities: Volatility, Diversification, and Networks

• No Single ‘Big Break’

  • Success is cumulative—not one big sale or show, but many years of network-building and diversification.

    “There is never a break...Our business is like a stock market. One year can be great, another little bad, but next year is better.” (Barbara, 22:47)

• American vs. European Art Markets

  • American collectors are more numerous and adventurous; European market is more conservative and limited to a smaller elite.

    “Americans always are buying art… Here people want to be surrounded by beautiful pieces... In Europe, it's maybe the top one percent or not even.” (Barbara, 23:43)

• Biggest Challenge:

  “Sell your work.” (Alex, 25:15)
  “Because otherwise everything is here, material, no problem...But you have to support that financially.” (Alex, 25:19)

8. Rewards, Legacy, and Teamwork

• Collector Loyalty
  • The most meaningful reward is repeat collectors who develop a deep connection with the work in various formats (tabletop to outdoor).

    “When you meet a client collector and you learn they have five, six, seven pieces of yours...” (Barbara, 25:35)

• Dream Projects
  • Alex aspires to a legendary project (e.g., “a new Statue of Liberty”) or a monumental sculpture visible from afar.

    “If somebody want to build a new Statue of Liberty...that would be probably the dream sculpture.” (Alex, 26:48)

• Team Effort
  • The success is a product of their unique partnership: Alex focuses on creation, Barbara on business and logistics.

    "I do admire every artist who is capable of doing as a one person what we do together." (Barbara, 27:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the emotional cycle of art as business:

  “Art is the last thing people need and art is the first thing people stop buying. If economically there is some issues...Our business is like a stock market.” (Barbara, 00:03 & 22:47)

• On the inheritance and application of technical skills:

  “That helped me when I came over here and I find a job in that company in Brooklyn.” (Alex, 07:08)

• On the reality of art market competition:

  “In America...the competition here is completely different because it's not based on education, it's based on, oh, I decide to be an artist today.” (Barbara, 09:50)

• On gallery partnerships:

  “We have a gallery representations for 25 years. We are with the Narra Gallery for 15 years. You don't want to ruin...great business for another decade just because selling one piece.” (Barbara, 22:00)

• On the American dream:

  “We are very happy to live in this country.” (Alex, 28:23)
  “American dream.” (Barbara, 28:19)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:13] Alex describes his forced detour into technical school before art
• [04:34] The decision to leave for freedom
• [06:16] Journey from Austria to the US as refugees
• [07:47] Working for and fabricating for famous artists
• [09:15] The highly competitive US art market
• [11:34] Transition to working independently
• [13:08] Barbara as collaborator and critic; quality over quantity
• [15:03] Sculpture creation workflow: sketch > cardboard > AutoCAD > laser-cut metal
• [17:58] How pricing evolved, hourly rates to established price points
• [19:25] Discussion of gallery commissions and their value
• [21:36] The ethics and logic of honoring gallery partnerships
• [22:47] The business being "like a stock market": volatility and the need for diversification
• [23:43] Comparing American and European markets
• [25:15] The biggest challenge is selling art, not making it
• [26:48] Dream projects and creative ambition
• [27:32] On teamwork and the necessity of collaboration in a successful art business
• [28:19] Affirmation of the “American dream”

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Final Takeaways

• Building a career as a sculptor in America requires immense resilience, technical skill, adaptability, and partnership.
• Long-term success in the arts is driven not by talent alone, but by collaboration, operational savvy, professional networks, and relentless hustle.
• The journey is financially and emotionally volatile—more like a stock market than a salary.
• Respecting gallery relationships and industry norms matters for sustained success and reputation.
• In the words of Barbara:

  “If you spread your eggs between many baskets, there's a big chance you will make a profitable year because it comes from so many places.” (22:51)

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This summary preserves the core lessons and insights from Alex and Barbara’s journey, offering inspiration and practical tips for aspiring artists and entrepreneurs alike.

Transcript

[Barbara]

Art is the last thing people need and art is the first thing people stop buying. If economically there is some issues if you are in it for long term, it's like with the stock market. One year can be great, another little bad, but next year is better.

[Mira Vozeri]

Hi, welcome back to How Much Can I Make? The podcast about jobs and careers. I'm your host, Mira Vozeri. Before we start today's show, I want to tell you that next week's episode is with a death investigator. And trust me, you do not want to miss this one. Today I chat with sculptor Alex Kventon and his wife Barbara about turning creativity into a real business and running it as a team. Alex works with metal and his sculptures can be found at the MoMA, the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and museums and galleries around the country. We talk about the business of art, escaping communist Czechoslovakia, gallery commissions, and what it really takes to make it as a working artist in America. So let's hear it from them. Barbara and Alex, thank you so much for doing it. For one thing, I really appreciate it.

[Barbara]

Hi, Miro.

[Mira Vozeri]

Hi.

[Barbara]

Nice to have you here.

[Mira Vozeri]

Thank you. So you deal with the marketing and you help Alex in the design?

[Barbara]

Yes. Alex has an all art career before we met, but once we met, I already had several years experience of working as an entrepreneur. So we talked and decided that it would be interesting to enter art business together. I of course pursue more education which was required to do art business.

[Mira Vozeri]

Yes. Okay. Okay, Alex, so you the artist?

[Alex Kventon]

Yeah, I am the artist. And first of all I would like to thank you to make the interview and somehow to get closer to the the life of artists who came from far away and tried to make his American dream.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay, this is what I want to hear about. You actually started. You were born and raised in Czechoslovakia, both of you, correct? Yes. Were you an artist in Czechoslovakia?

[Alex Kventon]

Absolutely, yes.

[Mira Vozeri]

But what was your trajectory like? Where did you start?

[Alex Kventon]

I always want to be artist, but my father, he was in a construction business, engineer, doing that real world. And he said no, you don't going to go to the art school right away. You're going to go to technical school, you're going to learn craft, you're going to learn how to work ethics and everything. After the school you become like foreman in a shop.

[Mira Vozeri]

But what did you study in a

[Alex Kventon]

technical school that was engineering.

[Mira Vozeri]

Engineering?

[Alex Kventon]

Engineering, construction and engineering and working with the metal. That's why later everything start evolving from the previous education. Just was thank to my father. He pushed me to do the technical school after that I was lucky and I was admitted to Art Academy in Prague, where I studied for six years sculpture and industrial design.

[Mira Vozeri]

And after that you were an artist in Czechoslovakia?

[Alex Kventon]

I graduated from the Art Academy and become master of fine art. I was allowed to work as a freelance artist and have a government commission. Day time, Czechoslovakia was communist country and the government own everything. This mean only people from the highest education from the art academies, which was actually three art academies in Czechoslovakia for 15 million people. Only three art academy. And because the education in that time was for free. Okay. This mean after I graduate the school, all the artists which they finish the art academy in Czechoslovakia, they have guaranteed work because the government pay for their education. This mean you have to work back

[Mira Vozeri]

for the government, but you get paid for it.

[Alex Kventon]

I was paid very well because the communist was the system. Everybody know that time. I'm talking about 70s or 60s. 70s. This time east European, East Germans, Soviets. They were the greatest athletes. They were the scientists. They were artists because was some kind of propaganda and the government supported people.

[Mira Vozeri]

So what made you come to America?

[Alex Kventon]

What made me because I realize I make the money, but I don't have a freedom.

[Mira Vozeri]

What do you mean you had to do pieces that they told you what to do?

[Alex Kventon]

Absolutely. If you have a government commission, you have a Communist Party member who oversees and be sure it's not against their ideology. You cannot do whatever stuff you want.

[Mira Vozeri]

So what dream did you have? What kind of pieces you wanted to do that you couldn't do there?

[Alex Kventon]

First of all, when you are young, you want to travel. No traveling. They don't let the people travel.

[Mira Vozeri]

Right?

[Alex Kventon]

Was maybe to the other socialist communist country in Europe, but that's it. I want to travel.

[Mira Vozeri]

What made you decide and how did you do it? To move from Czechoslovakia to America?

[Alex Kventon]

Okay, I am big time skier and I was lucky to get the bus. The first time I go there, I. I returned back. Okay. Next year was not even next year. That was basically the same year because we were skiing in February, March and in summer. I have had other opportunity to go to Mallorca, Spain.

[Mira Vozeri]

To do what?

[Alex Kventon]

Just for vacation. Then I go for the permission and was like a police department, some kind of. He said, no, you are not. You cannot go twice a year out of the country. And they say no, okay. Next year again with the same group of skiers. I go to Austria and not come back. I said, that's it, I'm not.

[Mira Vozeri]

So from Austria you went to where that time?

[Alex Kventon]

That was with my first wife. We went to Austria, to American Embassy and we said, we are Refugees, we don't want to come back. We would like to go to United States. And they say, okay. 11 months we were there in Austria, waiting for the vetting process be complete. And we came here as legal immigrants. And basically we have a green card. And after five years I become American citizen.

[Mira Vozeri]

So you came to America. You are not known here. You were known in Czechoslovakia as an artist. How do you start working as an artist here?

[Alex Kventon]

I don't start working as an artist for myself.

[Barbara]

I started.

[Alex Kventon]

I start working as a fabricator for other sculptors.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay.

[Alex Kventon]

I start working in the metal. Steel, bronze, copper, whatever.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay.

[Alex Kventon]

The previous education in the middle school when I hard to weld how to blacksmithing, calculation of the strength for the material. That helped me when I came over here and I find a job in that company in Brooklyn.

[Barbara]

The company which he mentioned, I think the grandfather started that company. And when the son took it over, it was a metal fabricating company. And he wanted to expand into the finer fabrication. So he opened a art fabrication department, meaning fabricating sculptures for other artists.

[Alex Kventon]

Did my department grow. And we started working with very famous people. Robert Indiana, Jeff Koons, Larry Bell and others. This mean they came with some kind of sketches idea. And somebody has to make 10, 20, 30ft sculptures from it. This means it's. You cannot just enlarge it. You have to calculate a lot of things in. I know that.

[Mira Vozeri]

Yeah, you went to technical school.

[Alex Kventon]

Exactly. And I am able to provide that. That for the company and for the artist. And we have a very interesting client that time in a company. Her name was Edwina Sands and he was the granddaughter of Winston Churchill. With a lot of talents, but lot of connection very nicely. And we could become dear friends one day. She said, look, she looks not a sculpture. And she, huh. I don't know is it my sculpture or Ms. Alex's culture?

[Mira Vozeri]

So when did you go independent?

[Alex Kventon]

Now I still work for the company. I don't speak any English that time I try to going from the gallery to gallery, showing the pictures I make little small statue. You saw them up there, Nobody very interested.

[Mira Vozeri]

Because all of a sudden now you competing with 100,000 artists. In Czechoslovakia you had 150.

[Alex Kventon]

Exactly. I met the Kunz historic and she told me, Alex, listen, in New York City is maybe hundred thousand artists. From those hundred thousand artists, maybe 20% have a chance to show in the gallery. And from those 20%, maybe 5% actually sell.

[Mira Vozeri]

Right.

[Alex Kventon]

And that was something for myself. What I want to do now, I

[Barbara]

guess not just that, but America. Alex came to United States in 1983. And when did you come? I came in 94.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay.

[Barbara]

After the world revolution, America was a big dream. America, and I hope it still is, definitely was a country of impossible opportunities. And he didn't mention that when he was in Austria for 11 months waiting for his legal papers to come to United States. He was working as an artist and he completed several commissions. And for him it was encouraging. Like, oh my God, once I get to United States, I'm going to be busy. Crazy. Because he's talented and he has that education. But unfortunately the competition here is completely different because it's not based on education, it's based on, oh, I decide to be an artist today. So the competition is huge and it's not categorized. Oh, this is a master of fine art, that competition. I guess he was not expecting that everybody here is an artist.

[Mira Vozeri]

But when did you go on your own idea that time?

[Alex Kventon]

We are talking like 1990 or something. I live my American dream. I have a beautiful house with big in ground, swimming pool, driving, 12 cylinder Jaguar. That was something for the boy from the communist country. That was the dream. I traveled and I was there for 20 years. Wow. Wow. Exactly. Wow. And some of those sculptors which I make there, won't they say, Alex, what the hell you are doing over here? You are sculptor in your own eyes. After 20 years, finally I say, okay, that's it, I'm going to go on my own.

[Mira Vozeri]

So what did you do? You started to do work in your home or.

[Alex Kventon]

Yes, I have an already small studio in my home, building machine and stuff like that. And then I met the Barbara.

[Barbara]

When we met, I said, oh my God, you're so fabulous, why don't you do more? And he had some small show in New Jersey gallery and here or there. And I said, I'll support you, let's try. So we started.

[Mira Vozeri]

What was the first piece you sold?

[Barbara]

Oh, gosh, I don't remember. Because you need to first create really big inventory.

[Mira Vozeri]

And how long did that take?

[Barbara]

He really started working hard. He was working weekends long times. Once you have five, six pieces in sculptures. So we already got some contact with some galleries, with some showrooms. He started to do his stainless steel sculptures which got very popular.

[Mira Vozeri]

What's your favorite metal to work with?

[Alex Kventon]

Stainless steel. Mostly stainless steel.

[Mira Vozeri]

Why? Because it doesn't rust and it lasts long.

[Alex Kventon]

Not just because they rust, because the product is very fine. See a lot of sculptures from the stainless steel, they have the rough kind of grind marks. They looks like a certain kind of grind marks. With this Kind of finish. You could hide a lot of imperfection.

[Mira Vozeri]

Right. Of course.

[Alex Kventon]

Now if you have a mirror finish, every slight interfection shows frames out.

[Mira Vozeri]

Absolutely.

[Alex Kventon]

And I'm doing that in mirror finish because not so many artists could do that.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay, got you. So let's back up for a second. What is your process? You have an idea, you sketch on paper. Then Barbara comes into the picture.

[Barbara]

For now, as right now, I think we really work closely, collaborate with almost on every piece. Meaning I'm his very first critic and everything. We got to the point of our business and he's not 28 anymore, that whatever comes out of his studio. I want to be a wow piece because I know if I bring that wow piece to gallery, somebody will go wow. And buy it. I don't need him make pieces for inventory.

[Mira Vozeri]

Do you have to go to the galleries yourself or you have somebody representative that goes?

[Barbara]

No, we do directly.

[Mira Vozeri]

You do directly.

[Barbara]

Years ago when we studied that, it was really long research. Like we would go through all art magazines, online websites. We would pick up some city and we would go and walk through the galleries. Because you need to make a research if the gallery is suitable for his style of artwork.

[Mira Vozeri]

Remember the first gallery that showed you?

[Barbara]

No, I guess Florida. No, first gallery was in Jersey that time.

[Alex Kventon]

We were also going a lot of those art fairs. We talked about like early 2000s. We were in Javits center and the Trowbridge Gallery from like suburb of Washington. They bought whole collection. I think was like six sculptures.

[Mira Vozeri]

Yeah. Wow.

[Barbara]

They were starting new gallery probably celebrating.

[Alex Kventon]

We said, oh my God, that was something that was this don't happen so often, but they want a new work. We were very happy that time. We were working with them for several years. And slowly the galleries. Some gallery approach us because they saw the work somewhere. You know that then the business grow up.

[Mira Vozeri]

All right, tell me about the process. You come up with an idea and

[Alex Kventon]

then what I make first a drawing and then because the sculptures are three dimensional object, I make a three dimensional style from the cardboard paper. Because the cardboard paper behaved like a sheet of metal. You could cut it, you could bend it, you could twist it.

[Mira Vozeri]

So then what? You put it together as a three dimensional piece?

[Alex Kventon]

Usually when I make the sculpture in a cardboard and the first idea I make like in a double one part, I glue together an identical part. I'm leaving as a template.

[Mira Vozeri]

Oh.

[Alex Kventon]

If the sculpture come out nice, is appealing and have a chance to be made. Then from the templates, Barbara make autocad drawings. We send it to the Laser company, they cut it, the material, I pick it up and I have it now material cut. And I have a cardboard model in the real size and real sculpture. I go for the fine details, which are not in a cardboard model.

[Mira Vozeri]

It's not like somebody paid you in advance to do that, right?

[Alex Kventon]

No.

[Mira Vozeri]

So what is your we do?

[Barbara]

We do, of course, custom commissions. And those are very welcomed because first of all, like you said, you get paid in front. And it's really nice. Challenging. It's something different. Very refreshing.

[Mira Vozeri]

Usually people come to you with a sketch and they say, we don't know.

[Barbara]

I will have a gallery rep or we created over the years, really nice network of designers and architects. And they will say, hey, I have. I'm doing this client's house. Can I send you a picture of the living room? I envision something there. So I always require couple pictures from different angles. Show me what's around, what colors they use, what patterns they use. And then on computer, I just do renderings, couple of different proposals. It can be maybe sculpture, which was already done, but I just scale it properly. Maybe just a sketch, which he did. When I make it on a computer look like it's already sculptured, I may do two, three proposals, just maybe different color, different shapes, and they pick up.

[Mira Vozeri]

How do you price? You tell the clients what it will cost them. You don't know how long it will take to design.

[Barbara]

We do, we do just me and Alex. We've been doing this for 25 years. So you more or less know price of the metal. He knows like how much welding is involved, so he can calculate how long it's going to take him. And then, of course, over the years, we build up certain price range. Like on the beginning, when you start. What? They say that when artists ask how much I'm supposed to charge for a painting, they say you should charge per hour how you value your work. So you may start at $50 an hour, $100 an hour.

[Mira Vozeri]

But now Alex, worth a lot more an hour.

[Barbara]

Exactly, exactly. But our prices are stable. That means like when you have a one sculpture, eight foot, and it's $40,000, $50,000. It's very rarely that there will be another eight footer which will be 150. You know what I mean? We already have prices which are stable. Right now we are represented 7, 9 galleries. All prices everywhere are same. It's like almost now, I would say

[Mira Vozeri]

by size, but you love to work with stainless steel. I assume that's expensive, right?

[Barbara]

So the prices are of course, different. Aluminum Maybe cheaper. Stainless steel, more expensive, Bronze even more expensive. There are even different alloys of bronze. But the point is that in the last couple of years, especially now with all the tariffs, the prices of metal tripled. But because we've been in this business for so long and our prices got to a certain level, the prices of material are not as significant because we are self sufficient, which is very important.

[Mira Vozeri]

What do you mean by that?

[Barbara]

That we do everything on our own. If you need guy who is going to weld it, if you need a guy who is going to bend it, suddenly you are paying other vendors, other people, and the cost out of your pocket goes out.

[Mira Vozeri]

What is the biggest expense that you have that people don't know about and don't think about?

[Alex Kventon]

Biggest expense?

[Barbara]

Commission. Gallery commission.

[Mira Vozeri]

What do they take?

[Barbara]

50%.

[Mira Vozeri]

55, 050.

[Barbara]

Yes.

[Alex Kventon]

You see on expression. Wow, 5, 0, 50%. It's a lot. But good gallery for the artist could do more than the artist could do for himself. Yes, of course it's a good gallery. I said always deserve it. Because they make a home show. They make. They make all kind of advertising, they are outside, they work with designers. And if me or Barbara would do this kind of work, what they doing then it's not possible.

[Mira Vozeri]

So let me ask you something. The gallery has 10 of your pieces and they see the two are selling really well. Do they come to you and say make more like.

[Alex Kventon]

Absolutely.

[Mira Vozeri]

And you do. So what I want to know at what point your art changed from. If it did changed from passion to business.

[Barbara]

It did not. It did not. And I'll tell you for myself. It's because he's an artist, he works creatively and he's not bothered by the business part at all.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay, are you the one that is the.

[Barbara]

I'm the one. So I.

[Mira Vozeri]

So tell me about.

[Barbara]

Navigate him like we were talking about. Okay, so he designs the piece, he makes the cardboard model. And now we're going to decide what size we're going to do. I know what size we're going to do because I know what Gaudi is requesting, what sold, what we need to replace, what sizes we need to replace. You can be in many levels of art business. You can be in different fancy galleries having monthly shows. It's beautiful, but you may sell or not. And then on the end of the month you have to pack your pieces and take it back home. Right? We have a. Mostly I call it. I'm not even sure if it's a proper. But I call it commercial galleries. That means we are On a permanent exhibition.

[Mira Vozeri]

Okay, okay. And you said that people come for custom work and then you still have to pay 50% to the gallery.

[Barbara]

I would never. If somebody approaches me and say, oh, I saw your work, I'm looking for some piece. Where did you see our work? Oh, I saw it in Palm beach in a gallery. I'm sorry, they are doing good job that you saw it there. So you have to go through there.

[Mira Vozeri]

Oh, wow. Because you don't want to ruin it.

[Barbara]

What am I risking?

[Alex Kventon]

It's not worth it to go beyond the gallery.

[Barbara]

We have a gallery representations for 25 years. We are with the Narra Gallery for 15 years. You don't want to ruin your long term relationship and maybe potential great business for another decade just because going behind the back and selling one piece.

[Mira Vozeri]

If somebody saw some publication or video and they saw Alex work and they come to you and say, could you do something like this for me? Would you still have to pay?

[Barbara]

That sculpture is three dimensional, so usually people like to see it. We rarely sell online. Maybe our galleries do, but we rarely sell online because the piece needs to be seen.

[Mira Vozeri]

You mentioned before that you have something in the MoMA. You have major collectors, you have lots of galleries. What was the first, first big break that you got?

[Barbara]

There is never a break.

[Alex Kventon]

No, I think that was just there is never break.

[Barbara]

Art is the last thing people need and art is the first thing people stop buying. If economically there is a some issues. Our business is like a stock market. This is the podcast for people how much you can make. So I'm not going to say which is nothing. What is not going to be true if you are in it for long term. It's like with the stock market. One year can be great, another little bad, but next year is better. And we've created really nice network galleries, architects, designers. So if you spread your eggs between many baskets, there's a big chance you will make a profitable year because it comes from so many places.

[Mira Vozeri]

You showed and you sold art in Europe and in America. What is the difference between the clients in Europe and America? Do they look for different things? Do they pay less?

[Barbara]

The market is completely different for some reason America, I don't know how it was before, just in those three decades I've been here. Americans always are buying art. In Europe, it's maybe the top one person or not even. It's maybe you buy a small painting about the couch to the living room. Here people want to be surrounded by beautiful pieces and not just the home goods, but quality high art and we know some European artists. You would never make such a good business. Art business in Europe.

[Mira Vozeri]

I know you have some public art in some places. What's the process of getting a project like this together?

[Barbara]

Alex did a couple commissions. Jimmy Carter residential library and the Tarrytown Headless Horse menu. When I stepped in and I did a research what it takes. It's a very extensive process. Oh, it's a completely different level of business. Most of the time you even have to hire professional proposal writer. Because the criteria, how it's supposed to be written, it's very strict. You need to detail the cost, how much is material, how much is the labor, how much is packing, shipping, installation. Usually involves the union workers.

[Alex Kventon]

It's so complicated.

[Barbara]

It was so complicated.

[Mira Vozeri]

But it's still worth having, right?

[Barbara]

It is, yeah.

[Mira Vozeri]

What would you say is the biggest challenge about being a sculptor in America?

[Alex Kventon]

Sell your work.

[Mira Vozeri]

Sell the work is the biggest challenge.

[Alex Kventon]

Because otherwise everything is here, material, no problem. You could have a space, you could have everything. But you have to support that financially.

[Mira Vozeri]

What's the biggest reward in a public place or in a MoMA or the Carter House?

[Barbara]

Like returning clients. It's like when you meet a client collector and you learn they have five, six, seven pieces of yours. Alex's portfolio has so many variety styles and sizes. So clients come back because they can have a piece which is a tabletop piece, or they have a niche, or they have a shell, they have an empty corner.

[Mira Vozeri]

Outdoor.

[Barbara]

You do a lot of outdoors outdoor. So I guess the best reward is like when somebody comes and says, oh, my God, like, we have five, six of your pieces and we love this.

[Alex Kventon]

If you see the people are buying, not because it's a huge name, but because it's nice work and they love it.

[Barbara]

That's very important. And in a custom work, the reward is because, like I said, if I make a proposal on a computer and then we deliver the final product and they go, wow, it's a hundred times better. We don't expect expected that. And it's multiple layers and the colors are so completely different. So. Yeah, the vow effect, of course, that's fantastic.

[Mira Vozeri]

What is a dream project that you would like to do what that you didn't get a chance to do yet.

[Barbara]

Okay.

[Alex Kventon]

If somebody want to build a new Statue of Liberty and I have all thousands people work on it, that would be probably the dream sculpture.

[Mira Vozeri]

What would you like to see him do?

[Barbara]

Maybe really one time some commission for really big sculpture. We do have the Sleepy hollow, which is 1525ft.

[Mira Vozeri]

Wow.

[Barbara]

Whatever is around 20ft, but something really big when you drive on a highway and you see it from far away.

[Mira Vozeri]

All right, hopefully we'll drive one day on the highway.

[Barbara]

But for now I just knock on the wood and continue what we've been doing for 25 years together. I think it's, it has been a good life and good business and your

[Mira Vozeri]

work as a team.

[Barbara]

Yeah, I mean, you know, I from drawings, you know, from designs. I do website design, all the social media, you know, all the photography, all the publishing, all the bookkeeping, you know, all the proposals. I don't know how artists can go to the studio and create and on other side answer emails, requests, buy stuff. It's really tough two person job. I do admire every artist who is capable of doing as a one person what we do together.

[Mira Vozeri]

All right, thank you so much and I wish you lots of luck. You did a huge journey from communist Czechoslovakia to being very successful in America, in New York.

[Barbara]

American dream.

[Mira Vozeri]

Kudos to you.

[Alex Kventon]

It.

[Barbara]

Thank you.

[Alex Kventon]

We are very happy to live in this country.

[Mira Vozeri]

Of course, I'm sure that's it for today. And if this made you curious about creative careers, head to howmuchcanimake.info and check out the creative career category. You'll find more episodes where people break down what they actually do, how they got in, what the pay is like and you can make educated decision if you want to try it or not. So go to how much can I make that info? And until then, I'll see you next week.