We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Josh Moulton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Josh below.
Hi Josh, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.
The biggest risk I ever took with my career was opening my own gallery in Chicago. (2011) I had been represented by some galleries and decided to take the leap/risk and do it myself. My own brick and mortar store front gallery on a busy street in Chicago. Where the walls are filled with all of my paintings and I paint in the back.
I was represented by The Peter Bartlow Gallery in Chicago, The Zia Gallery in Winnetka, IL, and a gallery in Santa Fe and NYC.
I could never be quite sure how hard they were working on my behalf since they had a stable of artists they represented. Who’s work they were pushing harder? And my customers were going to them anyway… and they took a 50% commission.
I felt that I was my own best advocate and seller. I wanted to be in charge of my own destiny and not depend on others. My relationships with people and customers could benefit my work while talking to them in my own space/gallery. So, 12 yrs ago I took the risk and found a space. I am not going to say it’s super easy…. it’s not. Not even after 12 yrs. The annual sales are pretty consistent but the day to day, week to week, month to month is never predictable. You never know who is going to walk in and make a big purchase… or when the next commissioned sale is coming. But the bills are always there along with all of the other headaches.
This gallery is filled with my original paintings, baskets of small prints of paintings and photography, large framed prints… and a few original paintings by my late Father, Conrad Moulton, who was an amazing artist and illustrator back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am the son of celebrated illustrator Conrad Moulton, and I am a professional artist/painter in Chicago. My work is collected internationally and my paintings adorn many corporate office spaces around the country. I have been painting full-time as my career in Chicago for 20 years. Mywork was represented by galleries in Santa Fe, NM, Chicago and Winnetka before I decided to open my own gallery in 2011. The Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery in Lincoln Park serves as my space for creating new paintings and a gallery to display and sell my work. I choose not to limit himself when it comes to subjects for my paintings. I draw on life experiences and my travels when I choose what to paint. My work is very realistic while at the same time showcasing my brushwork and hand upon closer inspection. The gallery at all times has around 40 original paintings for sale, many framed giclee prints of the paintings and 10-15 original paintings in the works. I am always available for commissioned work and am extremely easy to work with.
My family, wife Ariana and two daughters, Jackson and Carter, are the loves of my life and encourage me every day.
Josh Moulton Fine Art Gallery
2218 N. Clark St
Chicago, IL 60614
773.592.3434
Have you ever had to pivot?
Covid!!!!
My gallery was not considered an essential business to be open when the pandemic first hit. Here in Chicago, I had to be closed to the public for 3 months. Even after that, walk in traffic at the gallery was very slow. Covid made me think of new ideas and subjects for paintings. I have a lot of friends in Chicago that own restaurants and bars. Their businesses were suffering greatly during this time so I came up with the idea of doing paintings of those establishments. Sometimes I would give them the painting to auction off (one restaurant in particular made $6,000 off my painting for their staff). Others I would give a cut of the sales from the paintings… to help them.
This ended up going viral here in Chicago and I received some good publicity, tv interviews, and article for it. So, it ended up benefiting everyone.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I am really active on social media…. but hopefully not in an obnoxious way. Ha. I just put the artwork out there when a piece is finished with details (size, medium, etc) but never include price. I don’t want people to feel like I am soliciting them. If they find a piece interesting and want it… they will reach out to me.
The idea is to just get it to the masses. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. 
Contact Info:
- Website: www.joshmoultonfineart.com
- Instagram: @joshmoultonfineart
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/josh.moulton.37/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-moulton-200166/
- Twitter: @JoshMoulton
- Other: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057489256421 Josh Moulton Fine Art page on facebook too