Meet Toni Tronu | Owner + Curator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Toni Tronu and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Toni, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
When you own an art gallery, you are a mystery. People have lots of questions and lots of advice. Often, they want to give you advice that treats the gallery the same as any other retail business; such as wholesale purchasing. I disagree with this advice. I try not to invest in wholesale for two main reasons- my relationships with my wholesale artists don’t seem to be as meaningful, and I feel forced to put artwork on sale if it doesn’t sell.

When I say that the relationships aren’t as meaningful, I mean that I don’t have as much interaction with the artist or maker. In my opinion a big part of why you buy handmade is because you know you’re supporting a real person, and I like to know that person. When purchasing wholesale you are providing immediate relief to a maker, but you don’t really get to know them or their story. The person and the story is a big part of why I do what I do. I value my makers, I value their talents and hard work. Consignment can take longer to pay off, but ultimately they will earn 10% more revenue. Some artists fear that their work won’t be properly taken care of, and honestly that can be a concern, but I just suggest to get to know the gallerist and ask the other artists they represent if they would recommend that gallery for representation.

As for feeling forced to put items on sale, it’s my job to educated and inspire people to support makers and their wares. When I purchase wholesale and the work sits for a while, it’s the natural retail progression to put items on sale. This is a huge mistake. People need to value the price that artists have set. Also, if I start doing sales, my clients will inevitably start asking when the next sale will be. When I carry items on consignment there is an open end of communication with my makers. We can adjust what I carrying and find the right fit for my market and clientele. There is a lot more freedom and no pressure to set sale pricing.

This is probably a deeper subject than you thought (haha). There are pros and cons to both wholesale and consignment, but in the end I think consignment is the best way to go when you’re selling handmade goods. This path allows you to build meaningful relationships with your artists and makers, as well as provide 10% more revenue to them. Lots of people are going to have advice that they “can’t help but share” but at the end of the day you have to be true to what you believe in. For me that’s my creative community.

What should our readers know about your business?
Founded in 2017 VISUAL INDEX is a woman-owned art gallery located in the downtown Arts District of Winston-Salem, North Carolina. I carry contemporary craft and fine art in a range of mediums. VISUAL INDEX is the only art gallery in the country to focus on representing makers from all 50 states.

At VISUAL INDEX I believe in supporting living makers! I don’t follow trends, I don’t encourage matching sets, and I relish mixing colors and textures. I believe in representing artists whose work is attainable, and I try my hardest to be approachable.

Some of my proudest moments involved engagement with my local community. I have various partnerships with other local businesses and organizations such as Camino Bakery, Chad’s Chai, ART CRUSH, and a/perture cinema, where Visual Index plays a role. I love the tight-knit creative community in Winston-Salem and I’m proud to contribute my time and efforts to it.

I want the world to know that VISUAL INDEX is an authentic brand and the definition of a small business. It’s run by a real person- me- and I represent real people- my makers- who are making a living creating beautiful pieces or artistry and fine craft.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is exciting. If my best friend were visiting Winston-Salem I would make sure they came on a third Friday of the month so that we could go to an ART CRUSH event. It’s a huge art party in the Arts District and it’s a blast! These are kid-friendly, too! The events are from April-December so plan accordingly. I have packed this full of great things to do, but of course- there is always more. Also, I’ve added in a little nap time for you just in case. : )

DAY 1 -Third Friday
-Check-in to West Salem Art Hotel
– Breakfast at Bobby Boys Bakeshop
– Walk around Reynolda Gardens
– Eat lunch at Mojitos (Cuban)
-Take a little nap
– Dinner at Finnegan’s Wake
– ART CRUSH in the evening 7-10 (Visit all of the art galleries and super cute small businesses in the Arts District (www.artsdistrictws.org)
-cocktails in the Arts District – Single Brothers, Silvermoon, Hel’s (great mocktail selection, too!) , and/or Bamboo Lounge

Day 2 Saturday
-Shop the Cobble Stone Farmer’s Market and grab a coffee at the Camino pop-up
-Walk around Salem Lake
-Lunch at Acadia Foods
-Check out the current exhibit at SECCA
-Pop over to Ember Audio
-Take a little nap
-Dinner at Mozelle’s
-Desert at Cafe Gelato
-Cocktails at Joyners

Day 3 Sunday
-Share a Pot of Tea at Chad’s Chai
-Pop over to Krankies for a Chicken Biscuit
-Check out the Quarry Park (great for kids, too)
-See a movie at our non-profit cinema a/perture
-Lunch at Taqueria Luciano
-Take a little nap
-Grab a beer at one of the many amazing breweries around town and hit up a food truck for dinner

Day 4 Monday
-Grab breakfast at Sayso
-Walk around the Greenway
-Lunch at Barcelona Burger
-A little something sweet from Louie and Honey
-go thrifting
-Take a little nap
-Dinner at Nawab

Day 5 Tuesday
-Grab a Coffee and breakfast at Powder Room
-Snob Shop
-Bookmarks (local non-profit bookstore)
-Design Archives
-Lunch at Yamas
-Peruse Underdog Records
-Take a little nap
-Dinner at Oh’ Calcutta
-half-priced wine at Footnotes

Day 6 Wednesday
-Breakfast at Young Cardinal
-Mural Project Tour of Winston-Salem
-Lunch at 6th and Vine
-Old Salem Museum
-Dinner at Sweet Potatoes
-cocktail at Fair Witness

Day 7 Thursday
-Check-out of West Salem Art Hotel
-Go to Bobby Boys one more time
-Take a walk around
-Wipe away that little tear and bid your friend adieu

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I tell this story a lot and I’m happy to tell it again because it’s so extraordinary and I’m incredibly thankful.

I owe a lot of my success to the serendipitous meeting of my now landlords. Before I opened Visual Index I was an art manger for another gallery. One day, I was doing a studio visit in a nearby city. This studio was at the Fiber Company that was located in the Arts District of Winston-Salem on Trade Street. While walking towards the studio I saw that another art gallery, The Other Half, was closing to the public. This was disappointing to me because I wanted to open my own gallery soon. I had already finished a business plan and was on the lookout for a space. Seeing that The Other Half was closing put a little doubt into my plan.

I had some time so I decided to go in and talk to the employees. Luckily, the owner was there. Tamara Propst and I really hit it off and she explained to me that her gallery was doing great, but she was ready to spend more time with her family. She offered to look over my business plan and give me advice. I was thrilled. A couple of days later, she and her husband called me up. To my surprise they actually owned the building where her gallery was located and they wanted me to open my gallery in their spot. This was a huge moment in my life. I opened Visual Index in August of 2017 and it is still going strong to this day.

A couple of month ago, the beloved Fiber Company that has been around for 36 years decided to close it’s doors. I never would have met Tamara and Ron Propst if it hadn’t been for my studio visit at the Fiber Company. At the end of this month I say goodbye to my current location and go full-circle by moving my businesses into the Fiber Company location just two-doors-down. There are so many people in my life that have helped me along the way to make this dream come true, but it is the kindness, encouragement, and cheerleading of Tamara and Ron Propst that I will always be grateful for.

Website: https://visualindex.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visual_index_handmade

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/toni-tronu-4b32b870/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visualindex

Other: https://www.instagram.com/artsdistrictwsnc/

Image Credits
Visual Index