We recently connected with Adrienne Adler and have shared our conversation below.

Adrienne, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

When I began college I had decided to pursue my love for art as a hobby and educate myself to be a physical therapist as my mission was to be of service in a healing capacity to mankind. However, a boating accident during water skiing interrupted my college studies and changed my life course. I never returned to my medical classes. Instead, I studied accounting, economics and other business subjects and found myself working quietly behind a desk for six years in the economics department of a prestigious petroleum consulting firm in Dallas, Texas. Expressing my desires to get out from behind a desk led to a major change in my life. To this day, I feel indebted to my boss, Bates Grinnell, who advised me to pursue my love and passion for art and develop myself in sales so I could escape from my unhappiness being “stuck behind a desk”. He and his wife gifted me a going away present of a pink-period Modigliani print dated 1910 which was displayed prominently as my encouragement. First, I went to Chicago to study at a Xerox Selling Skills Program. Almost to the day upon my return to Dallas, the man I had been dating for over a year asked me a question: “Where Do You See Yourself In Five Years?” Without even knowing where the words came from I answered, “I want to be in San Diego, CA, with my own art gallery!” Well, he owned a business and replied, “I guess that doesn’t include me!” Wow! Then following that Major Life Changing Declaration the Universe just kept bringing me unexpected and almost Magical assistance! During the five years working for others as Director of several galleries, in Carmel, CA, Lahaina, Maui, HI, Orange County, CA then on Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, CA, I realized I was in a Healing Profession, Afterall, as I saw that Art Heals through color, light, humor, or simply the expression of beauty of nature as it speaks to the viewers uplifting and connecting to them in various ways. And my dreams came true gradually as I opened Galerie Adrienne in Union Square, San Francisco; Prospect Street, La Jolla; and the Gaslamp District, San Diego in addition to an art publishing business I had begun previously while living in Santa Barbara, CA, and serving on the Women’s Board of the Santa Barbara Art Museum. The publishing business was truly an education that led to exhibitions in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Palm Springs.
I came to realize that the time spent learning the basics of business was all part of the path that led to owning my own small businesses in the field of providing contemporary fine artworks to private and corporate collectors and eventually to a desire to place artworks in public places for more people to discover upon their journeys. My Experience Proved That Once a Desire and Decision Is Clear People and Situations Just Keep Appearing To Assist In Making Your Mission To Be Of Service Come True! Many Years Have Passed And The Journey Continued After Selling My Art Galleries As I Continue To Work With My Team As A Source for Contemporary Artworks And As A Curator Of Art Exhibitions And Trade Shows. Art Illuminates Lives And Heals Souls! Adrienne Adler; Galerie Adrienne International

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Shortly after my major decision and move from Dallas, TX, to Carmel, CA, my first position in an art gallery after a referral from a friend in Dallas was as an art consultant working with collectors of traditional representational paintings of landscapes, still lifes, village scenes and florals . And, yes, I met Clint Eastwood who was the then Mayor at a Town Council Meeting! I did well and after only a few months I was convinced to become the Associate Director of a New Contemporary Art Gallery (Dyansen) Harris Shapiro of New York was opening! I learned that word gets around quickly in small towns and referrals are very important! I discovered I had more of a personal connection to the creativity expressed in more contemporary artworks. Then one day I walked into a small gallery in the Barnyard Center in Carmel and was overcome with a feeling of never wanting to leave that space! As the Universe would have it, I soon met the owner of that gallery and the artist being exhibited who filled the walls of the gallery: Leszek Forczek Some years later, when I began working as an Art Publisher and Artist Representative my first project was exhibiting this master watercolorist in the field of Illuminism inspired by nature and spiritual themes, Leszek Forczek, in New York at ARTexpo. During the preceding seven years as the Director in contemporary fine art galleries, I educated myself by studying art history and visiting the major art museums in Dallas, Denver, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Paris, Laguna Beach, Palm Springs, San Diego, Venice, and Vienna. While in Venice, I also visited the island of Murano to learn more about my love of fine art glass then I visited the Dale Chihuly Pilchuck Art Glass Studio and School. Besides the years of working for others in galleries, I believe this immersion in art history in museums and learning that art is personal were the major influences that led me to deeply understand the importance of assisting collectors in acquisitions of artworks that truly speak to their hearts and souls and the success of my ventures in the art gallery and publishing businesses. While the Director of an Art Gallery on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills, I met my future husband who happened to be an executive with Hughes Aircraft Company and he had commissioned twelve original paintings by the outstanding contemporary artist, Andreas Nottebohm, who was represented by Galerie Michael on Rodeo Drive.
That connection and introduction led to friendships with Michael Schwartz and his wife, Jan. Michael suggested I name my first gallery at Union Square in San Francisco, Galerie Adrienne, and offered to be available for any questions I might have while opening the gallery. So, Galerie Michael in Beverly Hills was responsible for launching the name and my brand as Galerie Adrienne and an artist I published shortly thereafter suggested renaming my publishing business Adrienne Editions. Mentors have been so critical in my business as former gallery owners and many artists were so supportive and encouraging as I became the the sole proprietor of Galerie Adrienne, Inc. and Adrienne Editions, Inc.
And the art adventures and stories have continued as my exceptional team members and I became a Source for Local, National and International Renowned and Emerging Contemporary Artists.

Conversations about M&A are often focused on multibillion dollar transactions – but M&A can be an important part of a small or medium business owner’s journey. We’d love to hear about your experience with selling businesses.

All business owners have to make decisions based on so many factors and happenings beyond their personal control.

After an exciting event exhibiting artworks by Yuri Gorbachev and hosting a fundraising luncheon for 500 at the United Nations in New York for the World Federation for the United Nations, my husband and I were flying back to San Francisco and realizing I was almost in a burnout position state personally. And my husband told me he didn’t like living in San Francisco, missed southern California and started encouraging me to sell my art gallery in San Francisco. He started talking to people and the word got out to my employees. This was at a time when both the San Francisco and La Jolla Galleries were doing well over $5 Million/Year in art sales of mostly emerging artists. And, I had subleased the space built out for the newer gallery in the Gaslamp as the street had been closed off for the construction to double the size of the convention center. Yes, I voted for the project, too, as it was the right thing to do. And, I was fortunate to be offered to release the space to a long-established business not needing foot traffic. I was thinking Life Goes On and We’re Doing Fine in La Jolla! And, my husband will be happier. Well, he was and shortly thereafter he rented an apartment back in Los Angeles and starting seeing his friends from his days at Hughes Aircraft Company.
Well, instead of taking time for myself and recovering my energy, returning to better health and continuing on with more reliance on gallery directors, I sold the San Francisco art gallery and my home in San Francisco. We moved to La Jolla which is a beautiful, calming seacoast village where life was definitely slower paced. I must admit that I loved La Jolla and my life there. Then, a couple years later 9/11 happened, right at the time my daughter was shockingly diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic breast cancer and suddenly my business was almost in a stand still for 6 months. I had thought the business would surely pick up with street traffic, again, within three months. But, it didn’t.
I was overwhelmed and made several bad decisions in some areas including keeping my entire staffing on the payroll and neglecting the time I usually spent in the gallery. I was bleeding money and decided to close the remaining gallery and become an art consultant when there was the time available. Well, you know the saying: Hindsight is 20/20!
Later, I realized I could have managed to keep going with the La Jolla location of Galerie Adrienne and wished I had made that decision. But, it was a six-year struggle for my daughter and I became almost a full-time caregiver. Do I regret one minute of that time with my daughter? No, I don’t. So, remembering I had experienced successful Art Trade Fairs in Palm Springs, I decided to relocate there. One thing for sure is it is best to not make quick decisions when in unusually stressed situations. And, get professional advise before you sell your business as I learned that I had accepted a very low offer for my gallery located in Union Square, San Francisco when I thought I was not in a good position to make another decision. I am going to make a statement here that may not be agreed with by many but I would not recommend selling your business if it’s your passion at the urging of a spouse. Attempting to save a marriage at the loss of your successful small business is not a good decision. The good news: Freedom Is Intoxicating! And, we all had to learn to work from a home office much of the time during the Covid Pandemic! Being Resilient and Willing To Begin Again Is The Answer To Whatever Happens!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.galerieadrienne.com
• Instagram: @galerie_adrienne and @adrienneadlerart
• Facebook: Adrienne Adler Contemporary Art Consulting
• Linkedin: Adrienne Adler / Art Consultant / Galerie Adrienne International