As you step into an art gallery, you might be impressed at the collection that the gallery owner has gathered and put on display for your pleasure. But while the gallery owner is the host for a well-run art collection, half of what you see wouldn't be so well-displayed if not for the attention of a gallery assistant.

A gallery assistant is a low-level employee in the art world, but one who's no less important than a stagehand is in the world of theatre. When it comes to art exhibitions and receptions, the gallery assistant is there to unpack and mount each new work of art, greet visitors to the gallery, and field questions about the art and artists that are currently on exhibition. Assistants also handle the gallery's calls and correspondence, as well as creating brochures and records on non-exhibit days. And if the gallery is fortunate enough for a few artworks to be purchased, it's the assistant's job to pack those works for shipping to their new owners.

It's recommended that most gallery assistants start out with a background in art--or at least a strong passion for art. For example, an aspiring gallery assistant could have a degree in Fine Art or Art History. They are also expected to handle a good deal of physical labor, since they will have to set up or remove large art installations and to make sure that the gallery stays clean.

But a gallery assistant must also be courteous and a good communicator. Their face is the first one most visitors will see when they enter an art gallery and the first person they'll ask about a particular piece or artist.

If you happen to be interested in entering the professional art field, then you might consider starting your career as a gallery assistant. Several sites provide links to job listings posted by various galleries, both high-end and local. You might consider such pages as Indeed.com or the New York Foundation of the Arts. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also has several informative pages on the duties, pay, and outlook of a career in the art gallery trade.

Image by C-Monster on Flickr