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Unlock Creative Clarity: Mentorship for Artists, Galleries & Arts Leaders
Serious Play, based in Santa Fe, NM, and founded by Ivan Barnett, is a creative consultancy guiding artists, galleries, and cultural leaders to grow with integrity and success. Rooted in play, clarity, and strategy, we blend artistic insight with practical guidance to help you move forward with purpose. Explore our site to discover who we serve, what we offer, and how you can connect with the Serious Play community.
“Play is the exultation of the possible.”
— Martin Buber
Meet Ivan Barnett
Ivan Barnett, a Pennsylvania-born artist and former gallery owner, is a Santa Fe–based consultant who blends creativity with strategy to help artists and galleries thrive. Shaped by a family of creatives, his five decades in the art world reflect a lifelong passion for the arts.
“Be yourself.”
— Ivan Barnett
Organizations that Ivan Barnett
Has Collaborated With
Serious Play Client Testimonials
I just read your highly informative KLIMT02 conversation and am highly impressed by your ability to compact a lot of disparate ideas into one absolutely clear and understandable dialogue. Well done!!!
William Harper, Artist, Jeweler, Master Goldsmith
Ivan became a friend because of the depths of conversation we could go to, based on beauty, art, design, and aesthetics. Seeing things in context is important. I became a trusted friend. Ivan would run certain things by me. He has an impeccable sense of the importance of beauty and design, a beautiful friendship when it comes to art and adornment, the things that we now call neuroaesthetics.
Ivy Ross, USA President of & Head of Design for Products at Google
Ivan, you are a gift to New Mexico: your style, elegance, unerring eye, kindness, tenacity, and love of what you do. We are proud to have been your colleagues and collaborators to support a healthy artistic community in New Mexico. We are your admirers and will always be deeply grateful for your support of our work and vision. Viva Ivan! Viva Patina!
Pamela and Don, Publishers of Collector’s Guide Santa Fe
I am writing to express my warmest thanks—on behalf of The Nature Conservancy and the Santa Fe Farmers’ Market Institute for your support of our Picnic for Earth exhibition. The funds raised at the live auction will go a long way in supporting the missions of both organizations, which translates into work that has a positive impact for the communities of Northern New Mexico.
The Nature Conservancy
Guiding Artists and Galleries to Thrive
Artists across time share the same truth: financial concerns cause great stress—you want to follow your curiosity and lose yourself in creating, not in business. As Ivan Barnett says, your most brilliant work comes when you’re not fully focused on sales only. Yet every artist—whether emerging or established—carries that burden. From Van Gogh to Warhol, money has always shaped the art world. Serious Play is here for artists like you to spark new passion and fresh curiosity in your studio life.
“People forget that play can be serious.”
— David Hockney
Business Consulting
Strategic Support for Sustainable Growth
Serious Play helps galleries, museums, and nonprofits navigate the art world with tailored strategies. We focus mostly on emerging and mid-career professionals (add link to new internal page on career levels here), guiding leadership to balance creativity with financial sustainability. Ivan Barnett works alongside you, offering insights and actionable solutions aligned with your mission and goals.
Coaching for Creatives
A Path to Personal and Professional Growth
Serious Play offers one-on-one mentoring for artists, blending creative and business growth. Early and mid-career artists work directly with Ivan Barnett to advance their careers. With tailored guidance, you’ll refine your vision, strengthen business skills, and build a sustainable practice while fostering personal growth.
Serious Play Case Studies
These case studies highlight Ivan Barnett’s collaborations with artists and organizations, outlining challenges, solutions, and results. They demonstrate his ability to motivate, transform, and achieve meaningful change.
Claire Kahn: A Carefully Curated Discovery
The incredible value of having a world exclusive of an artist’s works for a gallery shows how the artist’s pieces were leveraged for selling through multiple exhibitions. In this study, Ivan took an educated risk on Claire Kahn and promoted her as the second most profitable artist at Patina, driving people to come to the destination to only collect Kahn’s artworks from there.
The Tension of Opposites Where Barnett Connected the Dots
This case study demonstrates how all the strategic planning came together, the artists, the photography, the opera opening, the jewelry when the gallery had their ground breaking opening of their historic exhibition, The Tension of Opposites. The synergy was a real testament to Ivan being able to connect the dots for this blockbuster.
Patina … Opening a Gallery that Defied the Odds
Patina Gallery beat incredible financial odds over the course of 25 years. The gallery was able to pivot and leverage operations, vision, and astute planning to weather many life-altering storms during that time and achieve global success.
Serious Play Muse-Letter
Against the Quiet: Why Salon 1033
By Ivan Barnett “Isolation can be a double edged sword.” Amish Stable Detail. Image Ivan Barnett “A good artist should be isolated. If he isn’t isolated, something is wrong.” — Orson Welles goodreads.com I’ve spent five decades in that paradox.…
Beyond Taste: Managing a Sustainable Art Practice
By Ivan Barnett, Serious Play “If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail,” Ben Franklin. Santa Fe’s barrio. Image Ivan Barnett. “Vision without systems thinking ends up painting lovely pictures of the future with no deep understanding of…
Keeping the Artist in You
By Ivan Barnett Ivan age 3, “always observing and staying in the moment.” 1950. Image Isa Barnett. “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” — Pablo Picasso When I read…
