The Artist Studio
Founded by Joseph Bembridge
Our Mission Statement
The Artist Studio bridges the gap between being a talented artist and building a successful and sustainable career. Through honest industry insight, strategic guidance, and personalized development, we help artists make informed decisions, recognize opportunities, and move confidently into their next chapter.
Meet the Founder
Joseph Bembridge
With over 15 years of experience in the Canadian art industry, I’ve built my career around helping artists develop their practices and careers, connect with galleries and collectors, and navigate the business of being a professional artist.
My career began at Canada House Gallery in Banff, where I worked as a sales associate under the mentorship of Barb Pehlam, one of Canada’s most celebrated commercial gallerists. Since then, I’ve worked across art sales, curation, gallery direction, and artist development, collaborating with hundreds of visual artists and championing artists at every stage of their careers. My work has included launching, reactivating, and sustaining the careers of emerging, mid-career, and established Canadian artists.
Today, I am the owner and director of Gallery Merrick in Victoria, BC, and co-owner of Ashdale Gallery in North Vancouver. Over the course of my career, I have sold millions of dollars’ worth of Canadian and international art while developing a deep understanding of the gallery and collector landscape—and of what makes an artist’s work stand out within an increasingly competitive art market.
In 2026, Gallery Merrick was inducted into the Art Dealers Association of Canada (ADAC), recognizing the gallery’s contribution to the Canadian art community and my work as a professional art dealer.
My approach is grounded in a belief that successful artist–gallery relationships are built on trust, thoughtful representation, and a clear understanding of both the creative and business sides of an artist’s career.
What We Work On
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Gain clarity on where your career is going and identify the opportunities that align with your short and long-term goals. We help you assess where you are now, where you want to go, and what may be standing between the two. Together, we develop a focused direction and practical next steps for your next chapter.
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Define what makes your practice distinctive and learn how to creatively express craft with confidence. We examine your artistic identity, story, audience and place within the broader art market to create a stronger, more intentional position.
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Create a professional presentation that allows your work to make the strongest possible impression. We assess your portfolio, website, artist statement, biography, photography and overall visual presence through the current Canadian commercial art lens.
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Develop a thoughtful strategy for identifying, approaching and building relationships with galleries. We draw on real-world gallery experience to help you understand how to present yourself, where your work may fit and how to approach opportunities professionally.
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Develop a pricing strategy that reflects your work, experience, market position, and long-term career goals. We examine pricing structures, consistency, sales strategy, collector relationships and the relationship between artist, gallery and buyer. The objective is to approach the commercial side of your practice with greater confidence, clarity and intention.
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Identify the skills, habits and strategic decisions that can move your practice forward professionally. We look beyond the artwork itself to examine the business, communication, relationship-building and organizational skills required to build a sustainable career.
