Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonathan Heit.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in Hollywood, CA. In true Hollywood form, I started acting at the age of four. I worked often and had a knack for it. By eight years old, my career had taken off. I worked on some big projects, met some inspiring people and had the opportunity to travel all around the world. While this part of my life is important to my story, it is not the focus of my current chapter. In the midst of my childhood stardom, I met an extraordinary character and next-door neighbor: Tyler Shields. The story goes that Tyler heard a knock on the door, he and his crew opened it to find me with a holiday basket the size of my upper body with the question of: “Can we be friends?” That innocent question turned into a lifelong friendship.
At that time, he was just beginning his career in the fine art world but had already solidified himself as the “It” photographer taking shocking images of faces all too familiar. When I was 14, I began working alongside him assisting on shoots and prepping for gallery openings. At some point, it clicked: I have a ton of connection from entertainment, ‘I wonder if anyone I know would want some of his prints. I kept seeing my friends who had made money young blow their fortunes on fancy cars and modern homes, but their cars were worth very little after a couple of years and their walls were bare. I had already seen how a small investment in a single image or painting could see huge returns. I had some success with my community because let’s face it, Tyler’s work was wildly impressive. He introduced me to the Helmut Newton Foundation and just like that, I had two of some of the most famous photographers of all time’s work ready to be framed and shipped anywhere in the world.
I advertised through social media and shopped their work to the people I know in the most nonchalant of ways. Over dinner or at a friend’s house, I would show them the work of these two giants of the art world and for a while this model proved effective. I, too was collecting these same artists and showing just how effortless art collecting can be.
When covid shut the world down in 2020, this wheeling and dealing model screeched to a halt. Sure, there were sales here and there, but I needed a home to display the archive I had curated to an audience at home. And so Heit Gallery was born. I added some insanely talented artists to my roster including Markus Klinko, Mike Gray, and Noemi Safir and built a website that felt luxurious but accessible. Partnering with Artsy gave me a stamp of approval that I needed to draw in buyers that I don’t know personally and the rest is history. An online fine art gallery with an emphasis in fine art photography tailored to make the user experience seamless.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While the road to success is still going, the road hasn’t been perfectly smooth. As with any small business, there are challenges that I have faced. In the world of luxury sales, no sale is easy. The cost of many of these prints are high and even if someone has the means, art is subjective. I am never the pushy salesperson who wants to make a sale for the profit and I think my collectors appreciate that about me. I want my buyers to be happy even if that means sending them in the direction of another gallery to find the right piece they are looking for. However, the biggest challenge has been doubt. People tend to be wary of young entrepreneurs. I don’t blame them. I am young and have been around for less time than many of the galleries people are familiar with. In my eyes, this is an advantage as it allows me to see the art world from a new perspective, but a wary glare or quick shutdown is something I am all too familiar with. It doesn’t bother me though and I actually take it as encouragement. My name will be on their radar soon enough.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
When it comes to Heit Gallery. My message is simple. I want to make the art buying process easy. For too long, buyers have been judged by the watch on their wrist or the purse on their arm. Now you can buy art from the comfort of home. The daunting walk into a gallery setting is just a simple click of your mouse. We see all of our artists as long-term investments both intrinsically and fiscally. Yes, the goal of any art buyer is that the price of their work increases, but the pieces our collectors buy could be in their homes or offices for generations. So, want to provide the work of art that you whisper to yourself wow every time you see it whether thats for a year or 50 years.
We ship all over the world and also help facilitate the framing process; a caveat many buyer forget about when buying.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Los Angeles is a special place. The entertainment capital of the world. The allure of stars and movie sets are what many flock to see, but there’s a lot more to this place. Very few of us were born here, but there’s a reason we stay. I currently live right on the walk of fame and while Hollywood boulevard itself has seen its brighter days, I still find its message shining bright: there is endless opportunity. So much history and culture was born here and countless stories literally etched into the ground continue to prove that your dream is feasible if you have the stamina to work through the obstacles.
However, for those few who were born here and those who stay long enough to really take a look around, LA isn’t like the movies. Our city’s blatant disregard for the ever-growing homeless population especially when it comes to mental health is something that needs to be addressed. Heit Gallery is working to involve local nonprofits to fight against the disparaging treatment of the mental health epidemic in the form in person events and fundraisers.
Pricing:
- Tyler Shields: 2,500 – 50,000
- Markus Klinko: 2,800-175,000
- Mike Gray: 500-2,500
- Noemi Safir: 8,500-15,000
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: heitgallery.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heitgallery/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heitgalleryinc
- Other: https://www.artsy.net/partner/heit-gallery/works?utm_medium=p-search&utm_source=adwords&utm_campaign=dsa-galleries&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpreJBhDvARIsAF1_BU1ZznuhEsLjvbcF-_udQ7jyg_jgFIOfor4lb9Be22nsh_j8-OCjV_YaAlSlEALw_wcB
