Category: Selling Your Work

Posted on

2 Artists Successfully Selling Art Online

Seth Godin has written thirteen books (all best sellers) and is considered one of the top bloggers in the marketing sphere. In his book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? says you don’t need the system like you think you do. Abbey Ryan is artist showing how that is done.

Ryan paints a painting a day and then sells it online, usually on eBay. Recently she was one of the artists featured in the O! the Oprah Magazine in an article about women following their passion.

You’ll find Ryan on YouTube as well. Here’s a short video about her produced by VookTV:

Read more about Ryan’s success in an article in her undergraduate alma mater, Arcadia University’s bulletin.

Another artist I find inspiring is Natasha Wescoat. Among the many places her success as an artist is mentioned is in the New York Times bestselling book by Guy Vaynerchuk called Crush It! Wescoat’s work was recognized when she first sold her work online with “a series of successful eBay auctions in 2004 launched her commercial career” (from her bio). Since then Wescoat has sold over 1,000 original works to public and private collectors and collections around the world.

She’s definitely an artist to learn from. She shares helpful information on her blog, Fresh Gloss.

Since both Ryan and Wescoat show that art is selling online, why not follow their example?

Stay tuned. The next post has resources for getting your art online.

More about your art and selling:
–Three Things You Need to be a Successful Artist
–Hugh MacLeods Gaping Void
–Too Shy to Sell Your Work?

Posted on

5 Tips on Making a Living as An Artist (from an Artist without a Web Site)

The Garden
Monotype by Mary Gow
Is having a website one of those essential things an artist needs in order to make a living as an artist? Sculpture Thomas Hill doesn’t rank it as the top five most essential things. However, it doesn’t mean their work cannot be seen on the web.

Recently I heard Hill speak on a panel of five artists speaking on the topic of making a living as an artist. (In an earlier post I had mentioned my favorite top five tips I garnered from the 25 shared). How do you find Hill on the web? Google him. He says he’s doing fine without a site.

Unlike some members of the panel, Hill advocates not thinking of the commercial application of your work – rather more important is the pursuit of whatever you are passionate about. Don’t think about whether something will sell, think about what makes you happy to create.

There’s roughly four branches for an artist to sell through:

1) commercial gallery shows;

2) craft shows (Hill says it’s one of the best ways to get out there because you’re in direct contact with potential buyers);

3) public and corporate commissions; and

4) museum shows.

Hill reemphasizes that it’s more important to find your artist’s voice than to think about selling.

His five tips for making a living as an artist:

1) Make a LOT of work;

2) Make things you care about that mean a lot to you;

3) Don’t be afraid to ask advice (he was in a critique group and many members were 15 years ahead of him
and he got excellent advice from them);

4) Be friendly with colleagues, suppliers, etc.; and

5) Have good images. For example if a publication calls and asks you for images of your work, you already have a stable of them ready to be published.

Maybe an artist doesn’t need a website so much as she needs to be happy and producing work and lots of it. Then, the World just might find you. Of course it doesn’t hurt to have helpful members of your critique group give you a heads up.

Posted on

7 Ways to Make Your Presentations Sparkle

Hypnotic2
Image by Mary Gow
If you have nine minutes to spare watch these two videos. The first is produced by BNET Video, with Carmine Gallo explaining how to present like Steve Jobs. The shorter video below features tech evangelist and author Guy Kawasaki. Here’s a highlight of their tips:

1) Set the theme with a single headline;

2) Provide an outline and verbally open and close each section with a transition;

3) Be big on visuals and short on bullet points;

4) Make your numbers meaningful (for example “75,555 iPhones are sold every day”);

5) Use video clips, surprise guests, memorable props (like he unveiled the mac air by pulling it out of an interoffice envelope;

6) Use Guy Kawasaki’s 10-20-30 presentation rule: use 10 slides, talk no longer than 20 minutes, and use 30 point type (or a point size that’s the age of the oldest member of the audience); and

7) Rehearse rehearse rehearse. Know your material (so you can captivate your audience as you talk through your compelling images).

Do you have any tips to add?

Posted on

Three Tips for Emerging Artists

I was sitting about four feet from Oakland-based artist, Ines Kramer, as she spoke to group of artists preparing to become more visible in the art world. Her short dark hair and features reminded me of a younger Billie Jean King, the tennis pioneer.

Kramer had a calm confidence about her as she expressed her passion for art. She said wants to be like Henri Matisse (1869-1954) who painted to his last days and continued to create though he was bedridden in his final years.

It was more than a decade ago when Kramer had a job that ended and she then found herself able to produce enough income from her art to cover her monthly expenses. So she kept going. Gained more recognition. And kept going.

Among the wisdom she shared are some tips for an emerging artist:

1. If you’re looking for art galleries to sell your work, pick places you like and check them out first. Walk in and see how you are treated when you walk in. Are you treated with courtesy? And be up front with the gallery, don’t act like a customer if you are an artist. Don’t interrupt the art gallery personnel if they are in the middle of a sale.

2. Don’t jump at the first chance to show your work. First produce a few bodies of work to see who you are before you have the pressure to sell.

3. Find or form your own regular critiquing group. Ween yourself off of the automatic support system provided by school’s structure and classroom environment. Kramer has consistently been in critiquing groups since she left school.

Coincidentally, Kramer studied art at one of my favorite places, the Art Students League in New York. You can see her work at www.ineskramer.com. She definitely exudes the Art Spirit!