Artists & Studios
Bookkeeping for working artists who need to track consignments, materials costs, and multiple income streams while managing irregular cash flow.
The Industry
A sculptor sells a $4,200 piece through a Canyon Road gallery. After the 50% commission, she receives $2,100. The piece took two months to complete, used $380 in bronze casting and materials, and her studio rent runs $550 a month. The math on that sale is tighter than it appeared when the check arrived. She prices the next similar piece at the same rate without knowing whether it actually covered her costs.
Artist income is unpredictable by nature. Indian Market brings $12,000 over a long weekend, then sales go quiet for six weeks. A commission deposit arrives in March, with final payment in August. Teaching a workshop generates $800 in a day. Each income source has different timing, different margins, and different tax implications. The pattern of money coming in rarely matches the pattern of expenses going out.
Who This Covers
Who This Covers
Painters, sculptors, jewelers, ceramicists, photographers, fiber artists, printmakers, and mixed media artists. Working artists with studio practices who sell through galleries, art markets, direct commissions, or online channels.
What Makes It Complex
What Makes It Complex
Irregular income with no pattern to predict. Multiple revenue sources with different structures and timing. Gallery consignments where work sits for months before selling. Materials that should be allocated to specific pieces. Home studio expenses that qualify for deductions. New Mexico Gross Receipts Tax obligations that differ based on how you sell.
What We Handle
Income tracking by source shows which channels actually generate profit after fees and time. Gallery sales, direct purchases at your studio, commissions, teaching, prints and reproductions. Each gets tracked separately so you can see what works and what just feels productive. Consignment accounting gets handled properly with work tracked as inventory until it sells, then revenue recognized with the gallery split calculated correctly.
QuickBooks configured for how artists actually operate. Materials tracked by project or series when you need to understand costs. GRT returns prepared correctly with clear separation between direct sales where you owe the tax and gallery sales where the gallery typically handles it. Tax planning that accounts for income that arrives in chunks with nothing withheld along the way.
Income and Consignment Tracking
Income and Consignment Tracking
Every sale tracked by source with gallery consignments handled separately from direct sales. Gallery statements reconciled against your records so nothing slips through. Commission splits calculated correctly. You see actual revenue per piece after fees instead of just the gross sale price. Multiple galleries with different arrangements all tracked accurately.
Materials and Tax Management
Materials and Tax Management
Costs tracked by project or series so you know what each piece actually requires in materials. Studio overhead factored into the picture. GRT returns prepared and filed on schedule. Tax planning throughout the year with estimated payments set up so strong months don’t create April surprises. Deductions for studio space captured properly.
Common Problems
Artists often have no idea which income sources are actually profitable. Teaching a weekend workshop feels like good money until you factor in prep time, materials for demonstrations, and the studio days lost. Direct sales at art fairs involve booth fees, travel, lodging, and time away from creating. That $5,000 weekend might net $2,800 after real costs, which changes how you evaluate whether to do it again next year.
Taxes catch artists off guard more than almost any other group. Income arrives in chunks with no withholding. A strong year means a strong tax bill, but nothing was set aside. Quarterly estimates never got started because the income felt too unpredictable. April arrives and you owe $7,500 you don’t have. Add GRT confusion on top of that. When you sell direct, you owe it. When a gallery sells your work, they usually handle it. But what about that private sale you made from your studio? The rules aren’t obvious.
No Visibility Into True Costs
No Visibility Into True Costs
Materials get expensed when purchased, not allocated to the pieces they went into. Studio rent and overhead never factor into pricing. That $2,400 painting might have $450 in materials, 60 hours of work, and a share of $550 monthly studio rent. Without tracking, the artist has no idea if the price covers what it actually cost to create.
Tax Bills and GRT Confusion
Tax Bills and GRT Confusion
Income arrives in large amounts with nothing withheld. Quarterly estimates never set up because income feels too irregular. GRT obligations unclear when selling through multiple channels. April brings a tax bill that wipes out cash from last year’s best sales. Penalties for missed GRT filings add insult to injury.
What Changes
Clear picture of which income channels are worth your time. Gallery consignments versus direct sales versus commissions versus teaching. You see real margins after accounting for fees, materials, and effort. The decision to participate in an art fair or take on teaching becomes data-driven instead of guesswork. Pricing gets grounded in actual costs rather than hoping you charged enough.
Taxes get managed throughout the year instead of hitting all at once. Good months mean setting aside the right amount. Quarterly estimates smooth out the liability. GRT filed correctly and on time without confusion about what you owe versus what galleries handle. You spend your time in the studio instead of puzzling over bank statements and gallery payment records.
Pricing Based on Real Numbers
Pricing Based on Real Numbers
Know what materials and overhead actually go into each piece or series. See which income sources generate real profit after all costs. Reference historical data when pricing similar work. Stop underpricing because you never tracked what it took to create. Raise prices with confidence when the numbers support it.
Taxes Handled Year-Round
Taxes Handled Year-Round
Quarterly estimates based on actual income patterns prevent April surprises. GRT returns filed correctly and on schedule. Clear separation between your obligations and what galleries handle. Savings stay in the bank for materials and studio costs instead of disappearing into unexpected tax payments and penalties.
Santa Fe's Small Business Bookkeeper
The Next Step:
A Quick Conversation
Tell us about your business and what you're dealing with. We'll listen, ask a few questions, and give you a straightforward quote.
