Samuel S. Hoskins was our latest guests on our BoldBrush Live! program. As a paid subscriber, we are happy to provide not only the video replay but the full transcript of the insightful session with Samuel below. Please keep in mind the transcripts are generated by AI so there may be some typos.
Creatively,
Clint Watson
BoldBrush Founder & Creativity Fanatic
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Olya Konell 00:00
Welcome to BoldBrush LIVE today. We have Samuel Hoskins as our guest artist. We will be bringing him on shortly, and Angela Agosto, who is our Artist Relations Director. This is a webinar where you get to ask your questions. So if you hadn't already submitted a question, or if you did, just drop it into the chat or drop it into the little Q and A box here in zoom, and if you think of something along the way again, this is your chance to ask your question. So think of it as like a call in line, except you're typing it versus speaking a little quick bit about who we are and what we do. BoldBrush, we are a company that offers tools and resources for artists. These tools are web, website building tools. So we have Faso, and we have artful Squarespace by Faso. We also have our free information on our website, through our newsletter, through these webinars, we have the BoldBrush Show podcast, and we have these webinars that occur once a month, so just a lot of ways for you to learn and grow as you are, you know, going along your journey as an artist, we're going to drop him, sorry, we're going to drop links into the chat where you can kind of learn more about some of the resources that we offer to See if it's something that you know you are looking for. The biggest thing that we like to cover for our members and through these webinars is art marketing information. So art marketing is different from everything else. In for members, we have the BoldBrush circle of marketing, which is like a private community where they have all their ebooks, videos, courses, you know, those types of things, marketing calendars, and then, you know, it's our hope is to empower artists to sell more of their art. And then finally, for our main feature today, we have Samuel. We're going to share his website as well, and I'm going to actually bring him on. Samuel, welcome. Thank you for joining us today. So you're also located in Oregon. So I'm in Oregon. He's in Oregon, Angeles, in San Antonio. All of you guys are all around the world. So we're excited to have you are I want you to just kind of give us a brief little intro about who you are and what you do, and we'll go from there. Awesome.
Samuel Hoskins 02:28
Yeah, thanks. Thanks for having me on. So, yeah, I'm as I'm in Oregon right now. Um, I, I went right out of high school, I went to an art academy in Florence, Italy, so a lot of my background training came from there. And then after I graduated, I kind of stayed on and did a little bit of teaching. And now I'm actually still in Florence for most of the year, and then I'm back in Oregon for the summer months. So it's very cyclical. I do a lot of art fairs, shows, gallery stuff like that during the summer, and then the rest of the year I'm in Florence just making a lot of painting. So it's been working out really well so far.
Olya Konell 03:00
Oh, wow, that's so you fell in love with Florence after you you went to the academy. Do you have friends or family that you stay with? Or just out of curiosity? Yeah.
Samuel Hoskins 03:12
I mean, when I first went to Florence, I knew nobody there, but now, you know, I have a bunch of friends, probably more friends there than I even have in Oregon, and there's a really nice community of painters that use. There's multiple academies in Florence that kind of went through the academy and decided to stay on. So there's definitely, like, a growing community there. So it's, yeah, really nice environment to be painting in,
Olya Konell 03:35
yeah, and the importance of having artist friends and like, throwing yourself into that. It's like, it's nice you artists need that support, support network. Sorry, I can't say that word today, but I think that's amazing. And we shared your site, so I have that up on my screen. I'm actually going to make it so folks can see so Sam Samuel hoskins.com and then we're going we're going to share your Instagram, where people can kind of see a little bit of what you do on the regular, and you also share your work and informational stuff on YouTube. So and I'm going to jump into the chat, and I'm going to jump into the Q and A box shortly, but before we kind of dive in something, I like to ask, you know, and I maybe I covered some of it, but you're offering, so I'd like to cover some of the ways that our audience can connect with you, and what's the best way for other artists to connect with you, whether it be through things you offer or just ask you a question. Yeah.
Samuel Hoskins 04:41
Yeah. I mean, I'm definitely most active on Instagram, so that's, like, the kind of most up to date stuff. But then, you know, my website kind of a, you know, the tenants into all the different things I'm doing, so links to different art fairs, you know, my YouTube channel, Instagram, all that stuff's there, and then YouTube. So I'm a bit more inactive. Active or not super active on that right now, but I'm hoping to get more active in it this next year. So I hope, yeah, I hope to be more active in that.
Olya Konell 05:07
Yeah, especially some of the stuff you kind of have in the pipeline, which I highly encourage you guys to give him a follow. He's working on something that in the near future is going to be pretty cool, and you're going to want to learn about it. That might help your business too. So give you ideas. So jumping right in, the first kind of question I want to ask is business insights and kind of career chefs. So reflecting on your career, was there a piece of business advice that you received early on that shifted how you approach to being an artist?
Samuel Hoskins 05:39
Yeah, well, definitely like something I kind of found out. So, like, during the summers, I do, like, a lot of art fairs. So I'm, like, bringing my work to different cities and having, like a booth set up, and so, you know, everyone's kind of coming, I'm kind of traveling to the people, and then they can see the work there. But I was able, I did a painting a couple of years ago that was, like, a very specific painting of, like, you know, this kind of obscure kind of story that I wanted to do a painting about that, like nobody knew about it at all. But then, like, this one couple, like, knew about it and that, you know, it was just like they had to have it, because it was resonated so much with them. So it kind of opened my eyes to, like the like, doing what you want to do, or like what you find, really fascinating. And then afterwards, you can find the audience for that more than like, trying to like curtail to a large audience. And for me, like, it makes it way more engaging to paint, because I'm painting what I really want to do. And then it's more engaging for the people as well, because then I can kind of try to connect and find, you know, the people where the painting really resonates
Olya Konell 06:38
with, exactly, yeah. And so with this couple that resonated with it, I'm guessing they had some kind of an internal story, you know, a reason did they share? What did they share? Why they resonated with it at all? Out of curiosity, yeah,
Samuel Hoskins 06:54
well, I actually see on the screen that painting was the one with the red mushrooms.
Olya Konell 06:58
Oh, yeah. I really like this, yeah,
Samuel Hoskins 07:02
it was for a group show I did, and it was, like, around Christmas time, and the theme was something red. And so I kind of based on, like, the Amadeus scary and like, kind of this, like alternate kind of history of Christmas that, you know, very kind of niche thing, but I it was a really interesting story. And so that couple was, like the, kind of the first one that was like, Oh yeah, I know, you know, all these symbolism, all this stuff like I they found it really interesting as well.
Olya Konell 07:25
Wow, that's awesome. No, and a lot of artists have echo echoed the advice. Sometimes it is probably intimidating to do something like you said, a little niche, or a little bit out there or different. But honestly, you know, just from hearing even your experience at the end of the day, it's worth it, because that's what's going to set you apart from every other artist out there that's doing maybe the same thing, or trying to, you know, something that I remember we talked about this a while back. I might throw it out there when it comes to marketing art. And I don't know what your thoughts are on this, I think a lot of artists look at it like marketing a mug or marketing a thing. So they're just focused on the thing. They're focused on the painting. But art marketing, or getting your work out there, you know, and selling your work, it's it has more in common with a musician and their music an actor and their movie that they're in. These are all forms of art. They're not necessities, but they are all things that people connect with on a deeper level, music, you know, movie, etc. And the thing that those two things have in common is it's not just about the art. So it's not just about the movie The actor played in. People are fascinated with the actor their life. It's not about the just the musician song. It's also the musicians themselves. Who are they? What do they like? What do they wear? So I feel like for artists, it's really similar. You know, like our who we are as people, is just as interesting to collectors as the artwork itself. Do you have any insights on that? Have you encountered situations where you're like, oh, yeah, you know who I am. Is interesting to these people? Yeah?
Samuel Hoskins 09:16
Yeah, yeah. I think that's definitely something that, like, I try to, like, get get across a little bit of like, you know, the things I find interesting, more of, like, my daily life type stuff. Because I think if you can just like, kind of, you know, get everything out there as, kind of, like, honestly, as possible, or just kind of show, like, the things you're doing. And it's like, some people love your work, or like your work, and other people like it just doesn't resonate with it. They don't like it at all. But it's like, if you're at least like, there's like, as close to like, a one to one of like, you know how you are, like, how you want to portray yourself, like, with your work, then like, if it's not for you, and then like, there's no, no harm in that, but I just try to be like, as like, open as possible. And then, you know, the people that it's drawn to. You know, I connect with them, or you. Yeah, but it just Yeah, I don't Yeah. It just feels Yeah, easier, just more, I don't know, more honest to do it that way.
Olya Konell 10:08
Yeah, I've heard somebody say to just some I'm butchering it, but something about just telling the truth. So yeah, yeah, it in, and that's going to be different for everybody. But that doesn't, you know, mean that everybody's gonna love it, and but if you aim for everybody loving it, you're just gonna turn yourself into a target or something.
Angela Agosto 10:26
Yeah, and he is genuine, because, like you said earlier about your paintings, instead of, kind of like, let me go see what everybody wants, then paint it instead, let me paint it. And then you find that collector, like he kind of finds you. And I feel like same thing with you know, you being genuine and putting yourself out there, but still where you're comfortable and honest about it. And I feel that that's when people really connect with you and your art.
Olya Konell 10:53
Yeah, for sure. And another, and I wanted to bring this up because so on this webinar, we try to feature artists of diverse backgrounds, diverse age groups, diverse niches, types of art, different ways of doing things. Because when it comes to getting your art out there, you know artists, the best way to learn is to find artists like yourself and see if what they're doing would work for you, and then try that, because, you know, marketing gurus are going to tell you things that are totally out there. It doesn't apply to artists. So we find sharing like real life experiences to be the most valuable, because artists have a long history of learning from the masters of learning, from those that became, you know, came before us, not just how to paint, but materials, you know, experiences, collectors, all of that. So we one thing that we get. So anytime we bring an artist on that's maybe been an artist for 30 years, you know, they are in get like they've been at this game for a long time. One of the comments or emails I'll get a lot is people are like, well, they started early. Well, they started through the gallery. It was easier at that time. Or blah, blah, blah. Like, their advice isn't relevant to me. Why I'm really excited to have you on is because, like, you're doing this right now, real time. And so if there's anybody in the audience that's like, how do I how do I do this like today, not 20 years ago, not 30 years ago, you know, based on your current experiences. What are some like, if somebody's starting right now, what are, you know, three to five things that you would suggest that they do? Like, what are, what are things that have worked for you based on your Yeah,
Samuel Hoskins 12:40
I think, like, what we were just talking about, about, like, like painting, it's, it's more than just the individual painting, but like, the whole story of the artist. It works so well to talk directly with people like, any way possible. And so, you know, since I kind of started marketing, my stuff is always been, you know, how, how can I talk directly with people in any way? So, like doing a lot of art fairs or shows like even, like local, you know, into some bigger things, but it just works really good to like yet be direct like and have you know that dialog, be able to talk about your work and stuff like that directly with people. And so like any event or anything I can do where I can stand by my work while people come in, that I feel like, is always the best because, you know, I build, you know, connections there and talk people, and then, like, just the more you do it, when people start seeing you for the second or the third time, and, you know, there, you can start like, you know, they ask, like, you know, how's this? How's your past year been, or stuff like that, when you start building a dialog with people, and I find it, it super, yeah, super helpful, and way more kind of personal to talk with people in that way. So yeah, as, like, most, as most much personal as possible, which is kind of why I'm hoping to, like, start doing some more YouTube videos, because they're just so much more personal than just, like a photo, because you can, you know, yeah, it's just much more closer to talking to someone, or, like, seeing how they go about their day, or, or, you know, be able to listen to them instead of just read something they're writing. And so I'm always thinking of, how can I be more personal?
Olya Konell 14:10
Yeah, that's, yeah, I love that you're doing that. And I, actually, I've, we've had artists that have echoed a similar sentiment that, well, first of all, if you're trying to sell, like a painting that's several $1,000 most people are going to want to see it before they drop that kind of cash. You know what I mean? So like something small, like a study, or a smaller piece or a print, those things are easier to sell through your site. Obviously, having your big paintings is good on your site, but you're right. So when you're in that experience like Aaron, sure, we had him on not long ago. He was talking about when he plein air paints, he actually acts out Shakespeare, something else, you know, he's very poetic, and so he has these moments of dialog with the people that come by and people remember him, and like you said, they build relationships. So I guess for everybody listening. So. Just, you know, don't underestimate the power of these small opportunities, like at a local fair, or, you know, at a local art fair or an event. Do you ever partner with, like businesses or things to do just kind of like small shows here and there? Have you had any luck with, with that at all, in in the
Samuel Hoskins 15:18
area? Yeah. I mean, with with businesses in particular, because, like, I'll be going back to italy soon, and I leave, you know, all the work that I have here. And so a lot of it, you know, it's either getting shown at galleys or something like that, but a lot of it is just kind of sitting idle. And so there was, like, a local business that reached out to me, like, kind of a boutique, boutique shop, and I'm still working with them exactly what they're going to show, but they're going to, they're going to have some of my work up there. So that's pretty cool, yeah, just like, in a local thing. But yeah, I find, like, the local venues can be extremely beneficial, because there's a lot of people that want to support local artists. And, yeah, so, I mean, I've been showing at, you know, small kind of, like, coffee shops and stuff like that, since I was, like, in high school. And so it's kind of cool, like the people that kind of see, like people like to see the progress. And so, you know, if you can build like people seeing it over across multiple years, and they can see, you know, the new stuff you're doing, or the new areas you're exploring, like people, I think, really like that.
Olya Konell 16:22
Yeah. Clint, our founder, writes a lot about the power of the stories. So we have a graphic, and I'll, I can pull it up later, but it's like the BoldBrush circles of marketing. And then, like, how this story, of the artists, the artwork, you know, what inspired it is, like, such an important piece, and so you're right. I think people do love to see the journey of the artist, like, if they could follow you from, you know, follow your story, like you'd getting started, and then your art changes, and then you take a different approach. I think people get invested in that. That's why we like series. That's why we like to watch a show or a series, or even, you know, you know, what is it? The reality TV is the word. I was thinking, why some people even connect with that? Because they get connected to the stories of each individual person. But, yeah, yeah. So I have, I'm going to look through our chat and grab your guys's questions. So a technical question. Oh, no, that's about So Christine says, I think that going through the gallery model is not as important as it used to be. What are your thoughts about that?
Samuel Hoskins 17:33
Yeah, I definitely like I still have eggs in lot of different baskets, and so I not opposed to trying anything and just seeing what works best. So I have, like, kind of, like, two guys I'm working with. It's definitely like, I think galleries, unless it's like, you get, like, a really good one that's going to, like art fairs and stuff like that. But it's like a lot of galleries, there's not a ton of traffic coming in relative to, like, an art fair. And so, like, I just find it, it's a bit slower. But like, during the off season, like outside of the summer, when I'm making new paintings, it's great because, you know, they're, you know, they're doing something, you can focus on painting, and they they have it up. And so it's definitely good to have, I think, some of those, but I don't like to rely on those as, like, my main source, because I feel like I'm not in control of that, versus, like, traveling and doing some art fairs and stuff like that, and being able to connect directly with people, I'm able to sell, like, a lot of paintings in a fairly short amount of time. It's like a full time thing, because, you know, you're doing everything you're I have to, like, you know, frame my work, like, bring it, like, set up the booth and stuff like that, and then, like, be there the whole time. So it's, it's definitely, like, full intensive, but then it also, like, pays off really well as as well. And so, yeah, I do, like, galleries that do shows, enter into a lot of competitions as well. Those are, you know, just enter into a bunch and see what happens. Every once in a while, you might be a finalist or something like that, and then that's kind of cool publicity as well. Yeah, but yeah, any different eggs I can put in different baskets? I'll try.
Angela Agosto 19:08
That's great. I just want to point out that by you going and doing all that yourself, you get to keep and make that connection with the collectors, like where, if you go through a gallery, not that it's bad, but some, you know, most of the time, they don't give you the collector's information, so you never, kind of get to form a connection. So I do love that about, you know, you going to fairs, and I've been to fairs, and I love it when the artists are there and set up with their booth, you know, like, I've been in New Mexico, even here in Texas, in a local, you know, like Fredericksburg and Helotes, a lot of artists set up. And I always recommend that, especially during the holidays, those markets get really big. And like, for you, you're doing sort of a, this is probably a little early for the fall, but I feel like an autumn festival is also a good time to do this. So yeah, love that you're doing that.
Samuel Hoskins 19:53
Yeah, it's definitely like a catalyst. Like, it just feels like you're just adding like fuel to the fire. You can get, like, a lot of email subscribers. There's, you know, a lot of people that buy, like, smaller stuff, like a print, or, like a smaller painting or something, but it just, you know, it just, like, gets a lot more eyes to your paintings, which I think is, like, crucial, especially in the beginning.
Olya Konell 20:13
Yeah, absolutely. And you, you said something that you enter a lot of contests. We oftentimes get artists asking, should I enter contests? Should I do this? And I wanted to pull up the graphic, because it's so much easier to it's hard to read. But when you're building awareness, contests, public communities, ads, social media. I mean, ads is a very niche thing, but various social media platforms, you know, all those kinds of things. And so it's like, yeah, if you enter a contest, you know, obviously, if there's a fee, you have to be selective on which one that you enter, I'm sure, yeah. But every single time you get something, you put that on your CV, on your artist, artistic resume. And it's like, the more things, the more, the wider net you cast, the more little things you experiment with, the higher probability you will have of a return. You're going to meet people here. You'll get some, like you said, publicity there. It kind of compounds. And for somebody that's this is why, like I said, I was really excited to have you on because you're doing all this right now. You're experimenting, you're building your career live. You're doing all these things now. It's not like you became, you know, a successful artist 30 years ago, and now you're you're like, Well, you know, the stuff I did isn't relevant anymore. But so if you guys have specific questions, do not hesitate to ask, but it's Scott Joan mentions, and I want to read this. I've had the pleasure of visiting with Samuel at a couple of different art fairs. These fairs were the catalyst for me watching and following what he does as an artist. That connection with an artist is key. Thank you, Scott for sharing that 100%
Samuel Hoskins 21:57
um, yeah, he's, he's great. I got to talk with him. And yeah, he's, he's a great guy.
Olya Konell 22:01
That's awesome. I love that. And then, yeah, you build relationships. Because in order to turn somebody into, you know, a patron of your work, you you know, having that conversation in person is so much more powerful. Chris writes and asks, recently learned from other artists about how to learn to respond and not to react. Do you have any samples or examples of how to respond to critiques or rejections? Ooh, good question.
Samuel Hoskins 22:34
Yeah, I definitely think, like when I was in the academy, you know, like, kind of like a more formal Academy. We're all kind of doing a similar thing with, like, cast drawings and figure drawings and paintings and stuff like that. And so it was very easy to kind of compare all the works together, because we're all working in the same way, you know, the same material. It was like, as much the same as as you could possibly be. Then I found it like after the academy, and like, you know, looking at other work and people from different backgrounds who don't have or a different academy training or not academy training. You know, people are coming from all different walks of life and experience and things like that. I think it's really, I think like when I was searching for critiques after the Academy, I feel like I had to be really, I had to curate the question very precisely as to what I was wanting, because it's, it's so it's so hard to give, so hard for me to give critiques to other people now even because, you know, there's something unique about what they're doing, and you don't, you know, who am I to say about that? And so I think like receiving critiques now I have to make sure that I'm, like, getting the question exactly to what I'm wanting the critique on. Because, yeah, that's, it's like, art is, you know, you don't want to, like, you know, it's hard to get you in the mindset of, like, what exactly this person is going for. And so just like, an overall critique of, like, you know, I like it or I don't like it or I don't like it. It's like, that's not very helpful. But maybe if you're wanting, you know, to see how this particular effect comes through. Or it's like, you know, what does this, you know, how does this read to you? Or, you know, trying to, like, curate the question a bit more precisely. I find that is really, really a much an easy way to get, like, a much more useful critique from things.
Olya Konell 24:20
Yeah, it's almost like, what made me think of was like going to different doctors, you know, you're good. If you go to somebody who practices Traditional Chinese Medicine versus Ayurveda versus, you know, a modern day doctor, you're gonna get different responses based on their own unique background. So like, if you are, if you are getting a critique or criticism or rejection back from somebody. Another thing too, is like being aware that this is based on their perception, their view, their own, like you said, background. They might have been taught differently. Maybe they're they. Practicing it in a completely different medium, or, you know, and they're giving you feedback for your work. That doesn't make it invalid, but it's just there, you know. Like, you probably have to be selective about what critic, what critiques you even accept if they, especially if they're unsolicited,
Samuel Hoskins 25:16
yeah, yeah. I think it's also like, yeah, where they're coming from as well. Like, I think a critique from an artist that you really, really admire should have more weight than just your random person who, you know, maybe just happens to see it on their way to the grocery store or something like that. And so I think it's important to like, you know, like, let it come like, let the critique come in. Like, process it, or, you know, think about it. But then like, you know, you can keep what you want to keep and leave the rest. You don't have to, like, Yeah, you don't have to take it. You don't have to take it seriously. If you don't feel like you need to, yeah,
Olya Konell 25:49
you don't have to put it into your basket of, you know, feedback you're going to apply to yourself. Like, keep, like, you I really like that. Keep what is relevant, discard what is useless, kind of a thing. Same thing.
Angela Agosto 26:01
You want to lose your you know what you're putting into the painting.
Olya Konell 26:05
Yeah, as a reminder, same thing with the advice that you hear in these webinars, guys. So you are all unique and different. We're all so unique and different. Like, for example, Samuel, you're great on camera. You enjoy video. There might be another person that's like a really good writer, but doesn't want anything to do with a video camera, maybe pictures and writing. So like, lean into your strengths and what you you know. And just because you can't do something doesn't mean it can't become a strength, but lean into the things that you are drawn towards, if that makes sense. So I'm going to jump to the comments. I have Valerie adding, I have no formal art training with painting other than a childhood art class, I really thought that the recent historical painting had done of architecture in my city would attract tourists to buy and my more recent art show, it was floral photography that sold any critiques on where, on where my strong point is. Well, it's hard for I'd say it would be hard to give a critique without, you know, seeing things, and that's something that it would be more of a personal, you know, reaching out to an artist you admire to get that. But what are your thoughts from her, about her experience? Do you have any advice for Valerie?
Samuel Hoskins 27:17
Yeah. I mean, that's something that, you know, like, because I've done art fairs in Oregon, Washington and Idaho at this point in both, like, bigger cities, and then like, more, like, vacation cities. And it's crazy that, like, like, what, what paintings people are drawn to, how they can be like, you know, like, collectively, like, at this city, everyone kind of likes this type of work. But then a different city, it's like a different subject matter. And it's weird that it can kind of change by cities like that or so like so some some places like portraits do really well, and then other places, like the landscapes do really well. And it's really interesting, because I usually it's not something I'm able to really predict beforehand. And so I think it would just be like, you know, show just, if your work doesn't, doesn't seem to be received well in one place, like, try a different place. Or, you know, because there's lots of places, and it's, it surprised me how, like varied people, like what people are drawn to, and how they can be kind of city dependent, I'm not sure. I'm still trying to figure that out and trying to graph off, yeah, but yeah. So I think just doing a lot of different places and seeing you might find that, like certain cities or certain areas receive your work better than others, and maybe that's just a place you could put more eggs in the basket,
Olya Konell 28:32
or put or feature those paintings in that particular location, so not to waste your time if you ever, for example, do the same type of show, you know, featuring those kinds of things. So she says, Good suggestions. Samuel, photographer, was accepted at a show in Washington, DC. So yeah, you know, just make notes about those things. You know. Write a little note to yourself about every place you go to and what the results are. So if you ever do it again, you know what to feature? And that's kind of I think so too. It's also probably geographically dependent. So people at the coast love the coast. People in the mountains probably like the mountain. You know, like people choose to go where they go to season, you know, what people desire to see more of, and then also depends on the on the audience at that location, I'm sure, yeah, the type of it's like, if you go to, you know, if you look at the audience listening to a symphony, and what they like, and you were to survey them versus, you know, regular, you know, audience at a comedy show, you're going to have more diversity and combination of things in one, you're going to have a more streamlined maybe, likes and dislikes in the other, and they could both be in the same exact city, you know, within a mile radius for. On each other. So it's just what people are drawn to.
Samuel Hoskins 30:02
Yeah.
Olya Konell 30:06
So Victoria as asking I submitted to beautiful Bazaar Magazine, and asking a collector who is part of the staff, said that my work was not suitable because they are pop art, surrealism, lowbrow. I know what lowbrow I know what lowbrow means. Now I'm not sure I understand the question. I'm so sorry, Victoria, if you can clarify, I don't, yeah, maybe I misread that, but I don't know what that means. So yeah, if you want to give a little more feedback, we can jump back to it. So Scott says, Yes, audience is key. I ran a gallery in Jackson Hole, but many of the collectors were from Texas and Oklahoma. You got to think, think of that in curating 100% and same thing I would say, goes for platforms. So if you're, you know, artists always asking, which social media platform should I use? You know, pick the one, pick one to focus on. But you I think when, when you pick one to focus on, also be aware of, like, what kind of things work better on it versus another platform, so and then. So, yeah, thank you for recommending different cities. More of my work, I enter into the regional gallery museums contest, though I've noticed that currently the acceptance is more based on the unique cultures or ethnic ethnic styles or political subjects, something which I've had success in the past in these galleries based on the quality of depth and image rendition. Yeah? So that's 100% Yeah. Really good advice. Now as far as artists always ask, and so we'll pull this question in before we get too far. Since Instagram is your preferred platform that you're using when it comes to social media, is there anything that you find currently that's working, any tips or advice, anything that you found useful? I know there's a lot of frustrations with it, but is there anything like that you just want to throw out there that might help others?
Samuel Hoskins 32:07
I'm not super advanced with Instagram. I need to do better at it so. But I mean, yeah, I don't, I don't think I do anything different than the average person would have, posting, posting stuff, trying to have, like, a variety of different content. But, but, yeah, I think, I think it's also, also nice to use it to show like, kind of the behind the scenes stuff. Yeah, so I like to try to show like, you know, the stories. Is really nice to be able to show like, you know, your day to day type stuff. But, but, yeah, I don't, I don't, I don't. I don't have any like tricks, really, for it, or anything like that. I just try to post, yeah, post some stuff there every once in a while, but, yeah, I think the big thing is just trying to like, like, I like, you know, I post on, you know, Instagram, YouTube, website, and they all kind of have their own like strengths. And so I think it's nice to kind of have a kind of a just an array of different types of content that people can engage with and like depending on subject matter. Like, maybe you would find that like, you know, like videos, people engage with videos way more for whatever your particular work is. Or maybe like more just like a standard, like kind of photo or, like website type setup, like works, like, draws in a lot of potential buyers that way. But I think just having, like, a big kind of net, like casting as big of a net as you can, without compromising any of like the quality or anything like that, and just seeing, you know, like taking it from, like, kind of a scientific method of just seeing, like, you know, what, what are people engaging with? And you know, is that something that I would like to like pursue a bit more, but it's kind of nice to get that
Olya Konell 33:44
feedback. Yeah, yeah, that's a really good approach. And you know, something that you're doing that I think a lot of artists miss out on, not all, but a lot is, I think people think that that they have to do one or the other, like, it's all in on social media, or it's all in for in person stuff. And I think to be truly successful, you, you do have to dabble in in both, because if you want to sell bigger, more expensive paintings, or paintings that cost more people will want to see those first. So you have to make those opportunities happen. And whether that be local shows, traveling to different places, you know, entering it in different things, like, you need to find those opportunities. And one of the things that we well, we have the setup for our artists. We have a marketing calendar, and there's like a page with a simple spreadsheet, 12 months of the year. Just write out, you know, all the opportunities that you guys want to participate in, pick a handful, and then schedule your year around those things like, Okay, you're going to enter here, you're going to go there, you're going to attend this art show that's going to give you a sense of direction. Because I'm guessing, a lot of the stuff that you do, you have to register for a certain amount. Time in advance, right? Yeah, yeah. So booth and stuff like that. How far out do you normally plan these things? Like, when do you pick what you're going to be attending in 2026 for example?
Samuel Hoskins 35:11
Yeah, I usually apply to everything like in January, because I'm usually back in Oregon for a few weeks during Christmas, and so it kind of works out good that I just know that I gotta, like, apply to everything before I go back back to Italy. But, but yeah, and then I usually, like, you know, apply to maybe 1215 things. And then, you know, maybe I'll get into half of them or a third of them. And then from that, I'll choose, like, you know, four or five. So I definitely like apply to a lot more, just because you never know what you're going to get into each year. And then you can kind of kind of choose from what you get into and kind of kind of build my schedule around there.
Olya Konell 35:53
Yeah, that's, that's very smart, yeah. And then we talked about the cyclical nature of art. I think a lot of artists feel like they have to be going full steam ahead, 100 miles an hour, you know, every always doing this or always doing that. But I think if you approach it more like, this is my year, I'll be doing this then, and then I'll be painting here. I'll, you know, and that's kind of what you do. So your summers are your busiest. That's when you're back here, you know, back in Oregon, and you're doing all these events, you're going to all these different places, and then you go back to Italy, and that's when you focus on painting, right? That's sort of
Samuel Hoskins 36:30
the, yeah, yeah. So it's, it's very, very cyclical. So like, in May, when I've been like, you know, in the in, in my cave painting for like, all year, I'm like, so ready to, like for the first show, or like to show my work, or just, you know, do something, do something different. That kind of breaks up the routine. And then now, when I'm like, getting toward the end of of kind of showing my work, I'm like, so eager to get into, like, making some new paintings, because I have been painting, you know, in the summer, doing like, kind of smaller pieces and stuff like that. But it's like, I really want to, like, have like, big chunks of time to work and, like, really explore ideas. So it's kind of a nice balance, because I'm always kind of eager for that next step.
Angela Agosto 37:07
Yeah, it's almost like it fuels the next one, you know, six months, or however, often, that's my Yeah,
Olya Konell 37:13
it's almost like with, it's almost like thinking about food, you have too much salty, then you crave sweet. You have too much sweet, then you need the salty, and you but you need both. And you're kind of going back and forth, or, like I'm a gardener. So in the wintertime, I'm so ready for winter time. I'm exhausted. I'm ready to crawl into my cave and do other things and just stay out of the outside. But come January, February, I'm just my fingers start getting, you know, I'm ready to do something. I'm ready to plant my first little plant, stick a seed in the ground.
Angela Agosto 37:43
And I'm sure it helps to keep you inspired, instead of being stuck. Like, okay, I'm I, I'm blocked. You know, some artists get that artist block, but I feel like doing it your way. You're ready for each phase, like, you're ready to go market, sell, you know, interact with people, because you've been kind of like you said, holed up in your cave painting. And then, like, Okay, I'm done talking to people. I want to go paint, yeah? Balance, yeah, yeah.
Samuel Hoskins 38:06
The environment is always like, a big, a big thing. Like, I feel like, if I'm ever like, kind of getting stuck in something, like an environment shift, even if it's just for like, a day or a weekend or something, can be like, extremely helpful. Yeah.
Olya Konell 38:20
Jane asked, Do you take time to explore other artist studios?
Samuel Hoskins 38:25
Yes, yeah, I love, I feel like I get so much inspiration from visiting artist studios. Yeah, it's, it's, it's very interesting to see, like, you know, the stuff they're working on, and Anne's like tricks for like, how they set up their studio space. Because it's pretty crazy how, you know, kind of genius people can be with setting up, you know, like a model stands, or, like, how to get lighting, or, like, just these kind of, like tricks, and that's like, oh, you know, I might be able to, like, jerry rig that in my own situation or something. But it's, it's, it's really cool, because I feel like when a studio is like, an art studio is like, you know, fully utilized. It's almost like an extension of, you know, their brain, or the artwork they're trying to produce. It's like the facility, the source it's made in. So it's actually, it's, you can learn a lot about and understand a lot about their process just by kind of exploring the studio. Yeah, so it's super, super useful to do. I think,
Olya Konell 39:18
yeah, it's always interesting to see inside this studio too. I think we as artists enjoy, like, what do you got there? How did you, like, you said, Jerry Rig that. What are you using for lighting? Oh, that's your still life. Like, how did you get this color, the background, this way? So, and Susanna kind of on that topic, asked, Would you say that people are very interested in following your journey, and you're traveling back and forth to Italy as part of the appeal that helps sell your work.
Samuel Hoskins 39:49
Yeah, I think, I think usually, like, when people first see my work, and they're, you know, they're looking at me, and they're looking at the work, and, you know, I can see these questions start forming in. Their head. It's always the first question is like, oh, like, you know, where did you study? Or are you from here, or something like that. So it's very easy to engage in in that kind of conversation. So I think, I think Italy, for me, I was able to utilize it, and this, like the schools there, and learn a lot. And so I think it shows through my work. And so that kind of opens up a dialog as well. And so I think it is, it is kind of a unique thing. Like, yeah, it's, it's kind of a, yeah. I mean, being an artist in general is, like, not the most, like, traditional job, and then to be, like, traveling back and forth, like it is, like, people have a lot of questions, are really curious about it. And so it's really cool to build to, like, share for them
Olya Konell 40:40
how I'm able to make it work. That's awesome. Yeah. I bet it, yeah, I bet it does. I can't talk today. Sorry if I stutter. Jane asks, How do you find the leads on the shows that you apply to?
Samuel Hoskins 40:55
It's there's a lot of shows. It's actually quite easy. It's through like, a website called, like, zap zap locations.
Olya Konell 41:02
Oh, zap locations, yeah.
Samuel Hoskins 41:05
And a lot of art fairs work through that. And so you can basically create your application, and then you just have to kind of tweak it for art fair, like individual art fairs. But most of, like, the big art fairs work through that for application. And so it's it, yeah, I just have to kind of tweak it. And then you can, like, pay all the application fees at once. And it makes it really easy. Like, you can apply, you know, I'll apply to, like, 12 or 15, and I can do it. And, you know, an hour, an hour and a half, just by, like, kind of tweaking things and stuff like that. So it's, it's super useful to apply to and to and to kind of see what's around the area, because you can search, like, art fairs by state or by region, or by dates and all that stuff.
Olya Konell 41:43
Yeah, I haven't pulled up on my screen. I shared it for all of you guys. Yeah, grab it, but it's events, and then you can, you know, like you said, you put your information in there, it probably repopulates it when you apply it gives you you can search filter. That's really cool. Thank you for sharing.
Samuel Hoskins 42:02
Yeah, and some, not all of them, but some of them, like, will list, like, you know, how many people kind of attend, or their acceptance rates for applying. And so like, the smaller the acceptance rate, usually, like, the better the Art Fair is, because there's, you know, more people want to do it. So you can kind of, and you can, like, so I do research on all the art fairs as well. And then, like, even just, like, going to any art fair, you can talk to other people that you know, there's always some people at the art fairs that would, you know, do like, 20 or 30 shows a year, or have been doing it for like, 4050, years. And so I'm always amazed by how generous they are to, like, tell me, like, okay, like your work, like, it's going to do well, in this fair, this fair, this fair, and you know, just the amount of knowledge they have. And so it's, yeah, it's super nice, and they're, like a lot of people that are super generous and willing to give you advice that they, you know, found out the hard way, or something like that. But I've learned a lot from there.
Olya Konell 42:54
But I think that goes along. That's the beauty of when the artist culture, because we are again, there's just, I think, long history of learning from the people that came before you. So artists kind of, they are continuing to do that, and I think, you know, they probably feel really excited to be able to pass something on to someone else. Like that probably brings them internal joy, because that's just the culture of being an artist. You know, people kind of rise together. You know, artist communities are, are, aren't just for the group, but they're for each individual artist. So I think that's beautiful. Yeah. Chris says, Do you think it's better as application or cafe call for artist or juried online services? Have you utilized Catholic
Samuel Hoskins 43:43
I know. I think it just depends. Because I think they're all kind of a similar thing, where they're like a platform for people to apply to other things. So I think it just kind of depends on what the, what the thing is like, what the, what the thing is you're applying to. I haven't, I haven't used them as much as I have the applications. It's just the fairs I do are all kind of listed on there, but I think it kind of depends on which fair
Olya Konell 44:05
and it to be correct. Is it call for entry.org cafe? Is that what you guys are referring to, or is it a different site cafe? Call? Yes. Okay. Chris answered it, yes. So but, and Scott added a link also. Thank you, Scott. And then I'm gonna share this next one. Yeah, so feel free to grab the links. These are all really useful, and I think depending too on, you know, it doesn't hurt to probably check them all and see which ones you end up using more, right, depending on the geographical location and which shows are utilizing which platforms. So that's really, really awesome. I have a question I like to ask this, is there anything, I guess, that you can look back on and say, darn, that was a mistake. Like, is there what's like your little mistake that you made? Need that you learn from that you just want to say, Hey, don't do this.
Samuel Hoskins 45:07
These are always fun. Let's see this. Yeah, filtering out and which one would be the best
Olya Konell 45:14
to talk about. We all, we all have those stories.
Samuel Hoskins 45:17
Yeah, I think, I think I think it's best to show like your best work than to like show like more like, to prioritize more work. That's maybe like of a lesser quality. But I think I think like, at least like, for the art fairs like I try to make sure like, or the shows like, any work I do is to the same, like, caliber, the same level. And so I think it was really easy for me, like, when I was first starting off, to be like, Okay, maybe this piece isn't, you know, as as good in whatever criteria I had at the time. And so maybe I'll, like, price it accordingly, or something like that. But I think it kind of goes into like, your like, integrity or identity as a as a brand as an artist. It's like, you know, everything that has my name on it should be to the, you know, the highest level that I can and so to make sure that, you know, even if it's a study or whatever, or, you know, a figure drawing or something like that, but at least all you know, I'm like, proud to, like, stand by and say, like, you know, this is, this is my work. And like any, like, a lot of, like, the art fairs, like I, I, you know, for all the work that I do show, I probably have 20 pieces that I feel like, you know, I learned something from. They're good, but it's like, I don't, I don't really want to like, it'd be better for me to just kind of hold, hold them back, I think, and kind of prioritize, like, maybe some of the stronger pieces. So I think it's better to, I mean, you do want to have enough work that I think it's better to like, be a bit selective, maybe, like, pull back some work in order to like, have a stronger body of work, because then it makes the good pieces look better as well. Like, it just makes it all
Olya Konell 46:52
feel more professional. So not to aim for not to let quantity overshadow the quality and to prioritize that. That makes sense, because you want it's like you. This is your chance to make your first impression. And yeah, maybe once people get to know you, if they become a Collector, and they ever get a chance to see your studio or see more of that the you know, I feel like reserving that for following your journey, following your story, you know, because that's a part of your story, those other pieces, but you're right, your first impression is like, you're going to want to put your best foot forward.
Samuel Hoskins 47:32
I also think like, if I could say one more, one more little thing, like to make sure that you have a studio space where you are free to make those paintings that maybe you won't, you know necessarily want to show or public, but to have the freedom to be able to, like, explore these different ideas. Because I've had situations like, I've had my own studio space, which I absolutely love, but then I've also had like, a shared space that was a bit more in, like a setting that was like expecting a bit more, like an academic background. It felt a bit kind of like, I never wanted to have any pieces left in, like, kind of an awkward stage. And so I think to have a studio space where you if you're sharing it with somebody, or if it's on your own, but you're feel comfortable enough to, you know, leave paintings in awkward stages and not feel like you have to, like you just have to be a safe space for exploring stuff like, whatever your studio, studio situation is, I think that's really
Olya Konell 48:23
important. Yeah, that's really, really good advice, because I think that's when you're more likely to take those risks and try something that you've been wanting to try, but you're less likely to take those risks in a setting where you feel that constant critique. It's kind of like to be an artist. You have to be that. You have to let your inner child out and let them just go crazy, but then step back and criticize afterwards. Yeah, exactly, yeah, not at the same time, yeah. And then, oh, I like this. Glinda says, a great piece of advice I received early on, leave your dogs at home. Yeah? Very direct way of like, yeah. So Christine asks, What's your view on offering prints, I've just started looking into that, yeah.
Samuel Hoskins 49:15
So what I do is I just keep the numbers super small. So, like, I just make like, 25 of additional, like, an additional 25 and then I like, you know, I'm always making new painting. So, you know, when they sell out, I'm always excited for new paintings. But I don't want to, like, you know, the like, analysis by paralysis or a process, yeah, paralysis of analysis, like, when you're, like, having to make too many decisions on things, and then it should things, and then it's just, like, overwhelming. So I want to keep, like, the amount of prints, like, not overwhelming. So I don't have prints of everything. I only do prints of like, work that I have, like, you know, you know, a real expensive, big painting, but a lot of people like it. And so, you know, maybe I'll offer like, a, you know, small print of it. But, like. Some people ask like, oh, you know, do you have a print of this? And it's like a, like, a little plein air painting, and it's like, there's just not enough gap between, like, the price and the size of a planar painting versus a print. And so I don't want it to, like, cannibalize the sale of the actual painting, because the print is more available. But having a smaller print of, like, a really big painting, you know, offers it to somebody who wouldn't otherwise, you know, by the painting. And so it just like, kind of opens up the amount of people that can, you know, who want to, you know, support me in some way. It gives them an option to do that. And so, yeah, I usually keep their the like additions kind of small, and then I don't, I, you know, I'll have some, but not, not a ton, not for every piece, just like, kind of the ones I really want to showcase, and then I'll add, you know, like, four new prints, or five new prints every year. I'll make some new ones with some of the new work that I did.
Olya Konell 50:49
Do you? Do you do anything to the print, like, hand sign it, add little, you know, personal,
Samuel Hoskins 50:56
yeah, they're hand signed, numbered, either all their most of them are matted, and then they're in, like, an archival sleeve as well. So they're all like, ready to go, Yeah,
Olya Konell 51:06
and I'm sure by do. And there's different ways of doing things. Guys like some people prefer print on demand, because your art might fit better for that. But like with cert, you know, every artist is going to do things differently based on their unique style and their artwork. And like in your case, you do a lot of these bigger pieces. And so that totally makes sense, and it probably adds more value to the print because it's limited edition. It is the print on its own. It has its has a rarity to it because it's limited in quantity, which is kind of cool. So yeah, and then Jane says form follows function and design term for space functions for us first. Thanks for sharing. Studio thoughts. Samuel, I love the lifestyle approach over the business, job, busy work of art. Sharing, yeah, but yeah, no, that's really good insight. Is there? What is something that you have going on in 2026 you know? Is there anything new going on? Anything new you're going to try that maybe you'd like to encourage artists to look into in and try, besides your usual shows. Or is it going to be a lot of the say, you know, you're going to be doing kind of the same cyclical nature of things, Italy, and then coming back for that's actually
Angela Agosto 52:23
That’s what Scott Jones is asking to Yeah,
Samuel Hoskins 52:25
yeah, yeah, yeah. I am, like, it would definitely be nice to have be able to show my work a bit more, like outside of the summer months. And so I'm looking at, you know, maybe like exploring more, like traditional galleries, or something a bit more, but just something where, you know, the work that I have sitting in Oregon is not just like sitting in my studio, but can be out elsewhere during the year, and can kind of be shown, like, where it's kind of more of a passive thing for me, because, like, the Yeah, the summers are great. They're super busy. Middle still have lots of paintings, but it'd be nice to have kind of something to show. Well, you know that I don't have to think about that somebody else. Somebody else you know is is able to kind of, you know, do, like, show the work or in a different space, like that, while I'm making new paintings.
Olya Konell 53:10
What I thought would be kind of cool for your work, just because I have friend friends in the winery business, you should maybe look at a winery like tasting rooms like those, because that's your style, and just like the decor, the space and a lot of these, I think it would your work, would just look cool, but maybe that could be a venue to reach out to.
Samuel Hoskins 53:32
Yeah, yeah, that's a that's a good idea. Yeah, I should, yeah. I'll have to look into that for sure,
Olya Konell 53:36
because Oregon, we're known for that. We have a lot of really good ones. There's one not far from you Korea. It's actually a friend's family of mine, so yeah. But anyway, I'm sure you'll find some. You can look online and see, like, which ones would this would look cool there? Yeah, yeah, at least for the winter months.
Angela Agosto 53:58
And I have a question, do you also take, like, big originals when you travel to these fairs, or is it more of the smaller studies and prints?
Samuel Hoskins 54:06
And yeah, I have, like the full range. So I have small stuff, and then I have like these, like giant to me, I know people can work even larger, but like, two feet by three feet, three feet by three and a half foot, like larger paintings. So yeah, it's a full range. It's quite the logistical thing to bring them around and keep them safe, but it works out great as well, because, like, I can, I can sell one really big painting, and it's a great show because I'm not paying any commission as well. So that's, that's a huge plus as well. Yeah, and so, yeah, just having lots of different price points, yeah,
Olya Konell 54:45
you have to worry about logistics of shipping too, which is, yeah, that's a
Samuel Hoskins 54:49
huge, huge thing. Like a lot of the paintings, a lot of the paintings, or almost all the paintings I do, are in Italy. And so for the really big ones, I have to, like, unstretch them from this. Retro bars, and then I roll them, and I take them with me back to Oregon. And then I, you know, I restretch them, varnish them, if they need any, touch up, anything like that, and then frame them. So it's a big logistical hurdle to to get them from overseas, but that seems to be the safest way.
Angela Agosto 55:13
That’s what I was wondering about that probably rolled them and bring them
Olya Konell 55:16
brought them and aren't, aren't, aren't there some, some sort of, like, some, yeah, I'm sure there's, I could be getting my facts wrong, but I know traveling from another country and bringing art back, or bringing something back, like, sometimes there's like, fees associated with things, so I'm sure it is a logistical,
Samuel Hoskins 55:34
yeah, yeah. Specifically with Italy, there's, like, the Bella art or, like, the, you're like, the, if you're sending artwork out of the country, they just have to, you have to get an approval that it's not of any like cultural significance, like they don't want you taking a painting that has historical value in Italy out of Italy. And so it's got to go through this process. And depending on the time of year, it can be a really long process, but you bypass that if you are traveling with your painting. And so I just always make sure I roll the paintings and carry them with me, and I don't have to worry about any sort of, you know, tell the extra bureaucracy that goes along with that. Yeah, that's
Olya Konell 56:09
exactly what I was thinking of. And I'm trying to remember who was telling me about that, but Carrie says, maybe an odd question, but are you ever concerned with weather exposure, with your art at art fairs? She's had some issues before.
Samuel Hoskins 56:22
Yes, yeah. And if you talk to the artists that have been, like, the veterans that have been doing it for like, 20, 3040, years, you know, you hear the most horrendous weather stories of, you know, like, yes, of these crazy storms and stuff, I have been really lucky. I haven't had more than like, a half a day of like, light sprinkle. I have had an art fair where it was like, in the like, in Fahrenheit was like, you know, like 104 so, like, probably closer to, like four degrees Celsius, maybe like 39 Celsius, yeah, just like these really hot days, and it just kills the people. Like, people never, don't come out. Like the the amount of people that come out is super low. But it's a risk, risk you got to take. But with, with the artwork, I haven't, you know, I'll show work like on the outside, but I have, like, a tent, and so if it does start to rain, I'll bring stuff inside. You know, the paintings are stretched on canvas so they can, they can fluctuate a bit of temperature, and they're designed to be able to handle some temperature fluctuation. But then during the summer as well, it's usually not as extreme as and in Oregon and other places, it's kind of a consistent temperature. If you can get in the shade, it's not as extreme as some other places. So it's definitely something I'm aware of. Like, if an outside wall gets a lot of sunlight, I'll make sure. Like, my planner paintings I mount on, like, cradled birch wood, like, so it's like, Belgian linear on, like, cradled birch wood, but it can, you know, can handle the heat more than I would trust, like a big painting that, you know, could kind of loosen and kind of buckle a little bit if it gets really hot. And so I am aware of that, but I make sure, like, you know, I'm not painting with beeswax or a bunch of, like, a bunch of, like, resins and stuff like that. So it's like, my paintings are not going to melt, and they're, I'm not using any fugitive pigment, so they're gonna they're, they're not like, Sun sensitive at all. But yeah, that is something I have to be a bit of aware of, just making sure that, yeah, the weather is, is, is like the biggest factor for the art version.
Olya Konell 58:19
Well, yes, considering you're doing these within a specific season, because of the cyclical nature of how you're operating, it makes sense that you're averting some of the worst of the worst of the downpours and all of that, because Oregon is known for that if we do get our precipitation, we have somebody asking, Do you buy insurance for the art fairs? It's so expensive.
Samuel Hoskins 58:41
I haven't, no, I haven't. I've I found that the, I mean, it's never perfect, and it only takes one bad chance or one bad experience to have a lot of work damage. But I've found, like the art fairs I do, like the security of 24 hour security, I haven't, I haven't seen any issues. Some of the more, like, kind of, you know, cities that are more crime prone, like, they even had like, two layers of security, of, like, you know, a fence and, like, the local security outside, and, like, a privately hired one. So like the art, because, I mean, that would ruin the reputation of an art fair if it, you know, people's artwork got damaged and stuff like that. So I think that's something that a lot of the art fairs are really sensitive to. So I haven't had any any experience with that, or really seen anyone around me do. But yeah, I don't know it is. It is a risk?
Olya Konell 59:32
Yeah, yeah. And, and sometimes you have to weigh risks. You have to everything in life is a risk. You just have to decide which risks are worth taking, I guess, and what level of risk you're going to take? Yeah, yeah, I'm just going to grab a well, there's a lot of really awesome comments that I will pass on to you about your work is amazing and awesome inspiring. Google shares your art beautiful. Wow, that's cool. And then Suzanne says, I see and appreciate all the work you're putting into your. Artwork at such a young age or participating in many ways. I find my problem in sales is that I never want to leave the studio. I feel you, Susanna, I feel you, but I'm, you know, maybe like, I kind of like I I like Samuel's cyclical nature of doing things. Like, I really like this. Like, even I'm making notes for myself. Like this makes sense, because then you don't get burnt out, right when you can't take it anymore. Your next kind of season steps in. So maybe Susanna, that might be something to look into, just telling yourself it's temporary to leave the studio, and then kind of Lastly, because I know where I don't want to take everybody away for too long. We will have the recording in case anybody has to jump off next week. But can you talk a little about your education in Florence, if you were, if you recommended it the length of study, and any tips for for doing, for anyone interested in doing the same?
Samuel Hoskins 1:00:56
Yeah, yeah. I so I stayed, I went to the Florence Academy of Art, and I went there, like right out of high school. I High School. And so I ended up doing, like I did a summer workshop there after my junior year of high school for a month, and, you know, kind of blew my mind away, and kind of opened my eyes to, like, this whole other world out there. And so it was, it was a great experience. I'm lucky I went into the academy knowing that I wanted to, you know, learn how to draw and paint from kind of a historical, representational, figurative backgrounds, but I wanted to use those as tools into my own work. So I was always like, you know, writing, reading, doing stuff like that in tandem with the art fair or with the school. And I was doing like, one or two, like, kind of more local art fairs during the summer to kind of sell some of the academic work, which helped fund it. And so it was a great experience. It was, you know, amazing school I've, you know, no, it was, yeah, the perfect experience. It's just like, you just have to know going into it that it's like, you know, I think, I think it's like 1/3 of what it takes to be an artist is, like, their what they what they focus on, and they do an amazing job at teaching that. But it's very much just like the technical aspect of it. But then there's still, like, you have to ask yourself, like, the why? Of like, you know why you're painting, because I found it a lot of people, I see them, it's they struggle with it so much like after, you know the after, like doing academic paintings, it's like struggling so much with justifying the existence of doing the painting, like, you know, what's the why of it? And so, like, that's something that I think you kind of have to explore on your own or throughout the training, but it's not something that you can really like, have someone tell you, it's something you got to kind of figure out yourself. And then the other third is, like, the marketing aspect of it. And so that's something that I learned myself, predominantly from doing, like, a smaller Art Fair and being able to talk with all these people that do it as a did it as, like, a full time career, and just gleaning a lot of knowledge from them. And so I think like going into the school from the perspective that they're going to like that particular school, like, but any kind of Italian, like, they're going to teach you really in depth of this one thing you're it's going to be great, and you learn so much from it, but it becomes a problem if you think that they're going to teach you the entirety of everything that it takes to be an artist, and you're just going to, like, walk out when you graduate and just have, like, a bunch of people lining up wanting commissions from you and stuff like that. Like, that's not realistic at all, but, but yeah, so I had a great experience with that.
Olya Konell 1:03:20
Yeah, that's that. No, that's a really good point. And that's true for artists that that only focus on the marketing, that do not put you know, an education can come in different forms. Like some artists start just because they just naturally love art. They start painting, creating, learning on their own. But all even those great artists, they at some point or another, they seek out mentorship from who they view as a master. So they'll take workshops. They'll take, you know, continued education. They'll go to these smaller types of, you know, educational types of opportunities. They'll seek them out. So whether you know, because you're right, it is broken up into these thirds, and how you accomplish each third is going to be a little bit variable, but you need all three things to do this full time, to be an artist and sell, or even part time, you know, you need to a little bit of the marketing. You need to get that mastery down, whether it be through an academy like, you know, in Florence, or through something, you know local or from somebody you admire, and then the other aspect of it is, like, the why? Absolutely, I have one question, and I know we're a little bit over, but I think Valerie's asking this for a second time, and she clarified so i She says she's been rejected at local art galleries, told that my art doesn't meet the esthetic other artists have similar work. How do I counteract this comment to be accepted?
Samuel Hoskins 1:04:49
I mean, if that was my situation, I would just be applying to I mean, like, so there's the first art gallery that I started working with. I got that. Connection, because I applied to like, 14 different galleries, I just went on, like, the art renewal center somewhere in the web. On the art renewal Center website, they had like, a list of like galleries that were somehow anyways, like that. I listed guys I felt like was kind of applicable to my work. And I just, like, went through anyone I could find, like an open call for and just, like, applied to them. And like, I think I yeah, I applied to, like, 1214, and maybe heard back from one, no, like, just didn't hear anything from the other ones. But then there was like, one gallery where I actually was able to start showing stuff with and so I think it's, it's like a, it's like a, like a numbers game. I think, like, you're gonna have people, like, making decisions on who they accept and who they don't. And, you know, you don't exactly know what their reasoning is for or stuff like that. But it's like, it's like, it's kind of out of your control. And so, you know, just keep applying to different ones and maybe reapply to that one in the future sometimes. But there's a lot of galleries out there, and you know, you never know what kind of new connections could come from reaching out to different galleries.
Olya Konell 1:05:55
That's really good that's really good tip, because the response that it could just be that person who looked at your work that day when you applied, and that was their feedback. You know, it doesn't necessarily mean that your work can't get accepted by a gallery. Just means try another one.
Samuel Hoskins 1:06:13
The same thing with competitions. Like you don't know who the like what you never know. You just apply to a lot, and maybe sometime a judge or a gallery or something like that will will be in your favor. So you just never know.
Angela Agosto 1:06:27
I like that. I think that she said that, um, it was they already had something similar. So maybe they, they thought, Okay, we don't need another similar, yeah, art genre or, you know, topic, or Yeah. So just like, yeah, Daniel said, Go, you know, try somewhere else, and then maybe check back with them later. Yeah.
Olya Konell 1:06:44
And I really appreciate and love your viewpoint on it. You're not taking it too personally, but you are accepting proper criticism when you're wanting when you need it, but you're not getting your feelings hurt, and you're almost going into it with the knowledge, which is, this is very factual, there's going to be rejection and but there will also be acceptance. I just have to get through the rejections, and then eventually I'll land on the acceptance. And then the more you do this in every single avenue. I heard this quote somewhere, and I've heard this in many different shapes and forms. It was something along the lines of the people that succeed are the people that didn't stop. They didn't give up. They continued to grow, get better, continue and apply multiple times or attend multiple times. And it really is what it boils down to. It is a numbers game. It's so easy to get discouraged in this particular space where something from your soul is getting criticized, you just have to kind of go on to the next one. Yeah, yeah. And then somebody said, The Art renewal site. The art renewal is it? Let me see somebody's asking about the
Samuel Hoskins 1:07:50
website, yes, the art renewal center. I believe that like a RC, but they do, like a international competition. They do scholarships for, like Atelier, like academies and stuff like that. And then I think, I don't know if it's still there, but I remember, this is probably two or three years ago. They had a section that was, like a galleries that they, I don't know there was, like a list of galleries on there that I don't, I don't exactly know how they were all grouped together, but I kind of was able to look through that. Yeah, before there.
Olya Konell 1:08:19
Yeah. Good, yeah. So I shared their website. You guys can go check it out. These are really good resources. Really good, you know, for anybody that's listening, grab those links. I'll include all these links when we send out the recording next week, and then kind of to as we land the plane. I'm going to end it with this. If there was one thing that someone could take away from this conversation, Samuel, what would that piece of wisdom be?
Samuel Hoskins 1:08:48
I think it's, it's much easier to to show your work, if you like, let it exist on its own. You don't like, take too much, like personal, like connection with it. You just say, like, you know, this is something that came out of me. I made it. Here it is. Like, let's look at it like, maybe like it maybe you don't, but like, don't, like, judge yourself as a person, because it's so easy to, because it's something that you spend your your whole like day, like, doing, working on, thinking about, and it comes from you. But like to think of it as its own, like entity, and to kind of be able to like, let it go and exist on its own when you're done with it, I think it makes it easier to kind of be able to kind of be able to show it and talk about it in a way that you know you don't take it so personally. If people really don't like it or something like that, it's like, yeah, you can just kind of see it like a bit more objectively. And I think that's like, I don't know. It helps me sleep better at night.
Olya Konell 1:09:37
I love that. Bravo. That is fantastic. Yeah, no. Thank you so much for your amazing insights, for sharing your experiences with us, because, again, this is why we do this. It's a chance for us to just have that chat learn from each other. Thank you, all of you for your questions, for engaging with us. If there's something you missed, feel free to email me if you want to share something with Sam. A thank you message. Pass it on, drop it in the comments. I will grab all these and I'll send them, send them over to him after this session and follow along, follow along on his journey. I, you know, a lot of times as artists, I think we say, Oh, the only people that are following the other artists. But honestly, it's like we need those. We need our friends. We need our artist friends. We need those connections. Because we help inspire each other. We cheer each other on. It's so much easier to run the long race when you have a lot of other artists going, you know, going that same direction with you. So, you know, I do hope that y'all find, you know, find ways to support each other after the show, and thank you again for joining us. We have an our next our next session will be with Scott Burdick and Susan Lyon in October. So if you're already registered, you'll get the invitations, and we'll send the recording out to all of you next week with all of Samuel's links as well. So thank you. Thank you everybody. And thank you so much. Samuel, good luck on your show this weekend. And, yeah, have a lot of fun. I know you're gonna do great and keep us Yeah, and safe travels to Italy. Keep us updated like I want to see. I want to see what goes on in Italy.
Samuel Hoskins 1:11:19
Yeah, thanks. Thanks for having me on this was great to a great experience.
Olya Konell 1:11:25
Awesome. It was a pleasure. Take care everyone and have a creative rest of your week. Thank you. Bye.
