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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
Every so often in the life of an artist, you meet people that knock you off course and inspire you to new realms. It was an honor and pleasure to bring my Fearless Genius photographs of Steve Jobs to an extraordinary collaboration with Ivan Barnett of Patina Gallery. It was an experience I will always be grateful for.
Doug Menuez, Photographer, Portugal
Ivan, an artist himself, conveys sensitivity and respect for the gallery’s artists. When Ivan curates, he may juxtapose an idea that costs $100 with something that costs $10,000–but there is always a throughline between the two. He finds the throughline with people and with ideas, too.
Ivy Ross, USA President of & Head of Design for Products at Google
Ivan Barnett, former director of Patina Gallery, located in the competitive art scene of Santa Fe, New Mexico, found a way to stand out by creating unique experiences that go beyond traditional art openings. In collaboration with the Santa Fe Opera, he organized an event that blended art and opera, shifting the focus from selling art to engaging the community.
Pam Danziger, Speaker, Forbes Journalist, Market Researcher
We feel incredibly lucky to know extraordinary people like you. To celebrate our anniversary and show our gratitude, Peter and the Atelier Zobel team made a special pin just for you. Without your support, we couldn’t do what we love. Thank you Ivan for over 21 years of partnership, friendship, and inspiration. We are deeply grateful for the memories, special moments, and continued encouragement you’ve given us.
Peter Schmid, Goldsmith
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
Serious Play, Year One: Building the House We’ll Live In
By Ivan Barnett Homage to my friend Doug Menuez, who photographed “Steve” for Fearless Genius, 1986. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” — Steve Jobs I launched Serious…
Holiday Light, Northern Enchanted Night
By Ivan Barnett Chapel at Chimayo, New Mexico, by Roberto Cardinale (in the artist’s studio), 2021. Image by Ivan Barnett. The first time I visited Santa Fe for the holidays—back in the mid ’70s—I felt like I’d stumbled into a…
Rice/Beans and AI
By Ivan Barnett, Serious Play “An artist is not paid for their labor but their vision.” –Whistler, (Image Ivan Barnett and father) “Just two years ago I was afraid of even approaching AI tools. Now they are like any other.”—Ivan…
