Thank you Debra. I still need to get more than just my friends to notice my work. So far I'm not reaching people who actually buy art. I keep trying though.
You know, some of the best artists I know rarely have sales James. I wrote an article a few years ago about this - how skill and sales are not always proportional. I highly recommend you rent a space, a clubhouse, a library, a government building lobby, whatever - and hang your works when you have about 100 linear feet. I actually did that and I teamed up with 2 to 4 other artists and we had small group shows that we pitched to museums and art centers around the country. I have two of those happening in Montana museums this year. I've mentioned this all in previous articles, so you may know already. But if you don't focus on sales, at first, and focus on getting your art out there where people will see it, opportunities will come. Plus, it's a process we all go through that helps us learn which type of venues our art gets the most attention in. There are many, but Seaside Art Gallery, where I am represented, has their miniature art show prospectus out now at their site, SeasideArt dot com. It is not juried. As long as your art meets their criteria, it will hang in the show. And I will be there doing a demo May 9, so I will see it in person. If you can create 3 miniature artworks (look at other miniatures in their inventory so you get an idea of what type of quality art you will be hanging next to) - if you can do that, you will have a chance at 3 sales and hundreds of eyeballs will see your art in May!
Thank you so much! I was just emailing the Bold Brush editor, and saying how these articles write themselves pretty much. As I am painting, I'm composing. This month I am struggling with the dissonance of me trying to paint Trompe L'Oeil like my dead 17th century hero, Gerrit Dou, so the March article may not mention the level of mental anguish I put myself through this week, but it helps me to draft it and express/work through these challenges. So if they help others too, what a win/win!
I am planning to move and recently have gone through so many of my books about "selling your art." Most of them are now obsolete and the rules at Instagram and Facebook can change on a dime. There are also so many people marketing courses to do this that it is overwhelming.
I contacted two successful artists about how they handle the business parts of their profession and both of them said they hire someone else. I think there may be a possibility of doing that through a marketing student at a local university.
I certainly don't have all or any of the answers. But I have been supporting myself as an artist for many years and found that, when I let go of knowing, I had more people contact me directly than I had ever experienced. I do a monthly newsletter and make sure new work is shown. And I make a point to personally answer any messages I receive.
Sounds like you have found what works for you Donna. I have never done it, but several local artists I know have had moving sales. They cover their art in kraft paper and put a single price on them all, and invite people to an open house where they can buy them sight unseen. They have been really successful. Personally, I don't interact with enough local groups to where I feel like I could do this. But if you have students and artists and groups who love art that you interact with regularly where you live, this could be something to consider. I hate the idea of a bonfire like Carol Marine used to talk about, and I don't want to paint over old work like friends I have do. So, novel sales opportunities are probably where I would do more exploring if I were downsizing. Best wishes for a convenient move!
Great article!!! And so true. As a fine artist and humorist illustrator I have always had to force myself to do the self promotion/marketing! I’ve had an Etsy shop for several years that if I were smart I’d work on every couple of days or so to get views to up my chance of sales — but rarely do.
Thank you for a thoughtful article. At this time of re-learning my art journey, (after decades of blocking myself in perfectionist thinking and getting caught up in the fear of the logistics of any aspect of the craft - after having had some minor validation) I finally am giving myself time to just process, enjoy and learn. If anything comes of that, then it will be on to the next step, and your article clarified how that might look for me. Hopefully that will happen as well!
Hoo boy, hit this introvert right in the gut. Always seeking the “validation stickers” in order to not just give up, but also unable to just give up! The discomfort of seeking out new eyes on my work is real. And honestly, the percentage of time spent on it varies daily, depending on my self esteem level. What a struggle. It helps to know others also struggle with this (though I don’t wish it on anyone). Thanks for the article. 🩵
Oh, thank YOU for reading Tonya! Honestly, we live in such a good time right now for introverts... There are so many online entry points to show our art and even submit to galleries. But I know it can be disappointing when those don't pan out too. Wishing you a very successful year Tonya!
Thank you Denise! I am in recovery mode today, after my pain ratio got out of wack this week. One of the readers commented on it here - It's amazing how much more effective we are at what we do, when we get the ration correct. I should have put that in the article too!
Hello Debra...I enjoyed your article:) Doing the art thing is A LOT OF WORK, who knew:) 10 years in and thinking the 75/25 rule sounds like a holiday...LOL...
I hear ya!!! For me, I am trying to cut back on travel. I never knew that I would be traveling more in my art career than I did ever before in my life. I imagined a calm life, relaxing in my studio most days. Wrong! LOL. We do reap what we sow though. My husband is always reminding me that whatever stress I experience is of my own making. He's not wrong.
Great article. Love this: “like trying to make it rain by staring intensely at a cloud” and “We all know those artists who have been perfecting their color mixing charts for decades.”
I’m now embracing the 25% with the same focus and integrity as I’ve always focused on the 75%.
If it’s bigger than 25%, the sheer terror of it all drops that 25% quickly to zero.
Thank you! My husband's degree is in atmospheric and oceanic science. LOL. And don't get me started on the mixing charts - oy! That's such a good point. We perform so much better when we get the correct ratio, right? It's like finding a pair of sneakers that fit just right. Have a beautiful day Karen.
perhaps simply doing your best to work on things as comfortably as possible is always the best answer
after some 67 years of working on my art and then having a stroke in April 2023 and now barely having the ability to move my hands - I am simply creating my art as much as I can and promoting my art when I can
I have no idea if bold brush ever promotes my website or any of my images but I do enjoy everything about my FASO- site:
How wonderful Walter that you have such a treasure trove of history in the art world! Thank you so much for your comment, and yes! Everyone needs to figure out what works for them. If pain is to be avoided at all costs, by all means, do so. I started later in life and feel like I still have a lot of growth I need to do, and I will be 65 soon, so not far behind you. Wanting to get as far as I can, means I have to do lots more growing. All the best, and I hope you have a comfortable day.
the truth is that I still feel as young as I was when I first began creating which means that every day when I get to working it feels as if I have my entire life time ahead of me to go
also this is my philosophy when it comes to sharing my art with others:
I love the article... and as I got to the following sentence (partial) I had to copy just a bit because I talk about the "journey" all the time. My one-person shows have all been called "It's the Journey." "When I decided to love the journey, and stop stressing over the immediate Return on Investment (ROI) for every hour spent,..." well, I said I talk about it... and now I have written a book with the title "It's the Journey". This is what I believe... thank you for your words and the post. I will share it to my Facebook page.
I am so thrilled my words resonated with you Marsha! Thank you so much for your comment. It's true, and that sentence is likely the one that most artists I know just cannot, and will not let go of. I have an elderly friend currently whose wife has declared he can no longer spend money on art, entering shows, postage, etc. - unless there is a guaranteed sale, and he has literally fallen into a depression over it. She has no understanding of how getting his art out there could lift his spirits so much. To her, it is a messy annoyance with no return on investment. I have been encouraging him to just go sketch at the local pizza place he likes to hang out at, and things like that. But I wish the general public would just let go of the ROI. There is so much more to being an artist.
I really do appreciate what you wrote and the reply to my comment. I have artist friends that put the ROI at the top of their list. I don't... top is enjoyment and "doing!" Lifting spirits like you said to the elderly friend is worth it's weight in gold. Feel good, and the rest will follow! Hence... "It's the Journey!"
I’m trying to find that balance now after 8 years of following my dream of being recognized as a painter/ artist. Validation, sales and being noticed by peers has been accomplished. But at 71 years old the main goal for my art is the process. As a plein air painter, I paint what I see and feel. It’s very meditative and refreshing. The extrovert that I am has put me in a position to share my work. And that’s a lot of “admin” work especially social networking. Thanks for the push to proceed on my next project painting from photos from my 2024 Ireland trip. I started 2 days ago and I’m struggling.
It sounds like you live an amazing life! Thank you so much for your comment. If your goal is process, and sales are a want, not a need, and you love people because you are extroverted, have you ever considered setting up some artist swaps with your social media followers? I have not done this in years, but when I did, it was an excellent way to network, and through word of mouth and facebook shares, word spread so more people followed me. Plus, artists are more likely to engage in a swap than purchase art outright, I found. Just a thought. There is still the social media admin type work to do with it, but for me it somehow felt more fun when I was in the middle of the swap stuff.
Haha... This past 4 days has been mostly pain, but that is highly unusual. Usually, I get the painful stuff done before noon each day. Then, I paint and draw to my heart's content, listening to podcasts all day till 8 or 9pm. I am obsessed, so I do this 24/7 whenever I am not traveling or entertaining visitors. I don't expect anyone to sleep 5 hours/night, paint/work 12 hours/ day and say they would do nothing different if they won the lottery. But in my warped world, it's true for me. You have to figure out how to schedule your own pain Jay. I wish you much success in that, and I guarantee it will morph with time.
75/25? This article is right on the money! Showing work, selling work etc goes hand in hand with artist talks. While I enjoy listening to others, blathering on about myself is right up there with root canals and changing a tire. My happiness, as Debra so eloquently stated, is creating and teaching others.
Thank you Debra. I still need to get more than just my friends to notice my work. So far I'm not reaching people who actually buy art. I keep trying though.
You know, some of the best artists I know rarely have sales James. I wrote an article a few years ago about this - how skill and sales are not always proportional. I highly recommend you rent a space, a clubhouse, a library, a government building lobby, whatever - and hang your works when you have about 100 linear feet. I actually did that and I teamed up with 2 to 4 other artists and we had small group shows that we pitched to museums and art centers around the country. I have two of those happening in Montana museums this year. I've mentioned this all in previous articles, so you may know already. But if you don't focus on sales, at first, and focus on getting your art out there where people will see it, opportunities will come. Plus, it's a process we all go through that helps us learn which type of venues our art gets the most attention in. There are many, but Seaside Art Gallery, where I am represented, has their miniature art show prospectus out now at their site, SeasideArt dot com. It is not juried. As long as your art meets their criteria, it will hang in the show. And I will be there doing a demo May 9, so I will see it in person. If you can create 3 miniature artworks (look at other miniatures in their inventory so you get an idea of what type of quality art you will be hanging next to) - if you can do that, you will have a chance at 3 sales and hundreds of eyeballs will see your art in May!
Love your articles Debra. This rule works for me too. Thanks.
Works for me too. You can never get enough of this type of advice.
Thank you Sharon. That is so kind of you!
Thank you so much! I was just emailing the Bold Brush editor, and saying how these articles write themselves pretty much. As I am painting, I'm composing. This month I am struggling with the dissonance of me trying to paint Trompe L'Oeil like my dead 17th century hero, Gerrit Dou, so the March article may not mention the level of mental anguish I put myself through this week, but it helps me to draft it and express/work through these challenges. So if they help others too, what a win/win!
Yes, this had to be a personal choice.
I am planning to move and recently have gone through so many of my books about "selling your art." Most of them are now obsolete and the rules at Instagram and Facebook can change on a dime. There are also so many people marketing courses to do this that it is overwhelming.
I contacted two successful artists about how they handle the business parts of their profession and both of them said they hire someone else. I think there may be a possibility of doing that through a marketing student at a local university.
I certainly don't have all or any of the answers. But I have been supporting myself as an artist for many years and found that, when I let go of knowing, I had more people contact me directly than I had ever experienced. I do a monthly newsletter and make sure new work is shown. And I make a point to personally answer any messages I receive.
Sounds like you have found what works for you Donna. I have never done it, but several local artists I know have had moving sales. They cover their art in kraft paper and put a single price on them all, and invite people to an open house where they can buy them sight unseen. They have been really successful. Personally, I don't interact with enough local groups to where I feel like I could do this. But if you have students and artists and groups who love art that you interact with regularly where you live, this could be something to consider. I hate the idea of a bonfire like Carol Marine used to talk about, and I don't want to paint over old work like friends I have do. So, novel sales opportunities are probably where I would do more exploring if I were downsizing. Best wishes for a convenient move!
I am also against using AI to assist me in my creative works and journey. Thank you for your articles, especially this one 💓.
You are most welcome.
Great article!!! And so true. As a fine artist and humorist illustrator I have always had to force myself to do the self promotion/marketing! I’ve had an Etsy shop for several years that if I were smart I’d work on every couple of days or so to get views to up my chance of sales — but rarely do.
So much to do, so much to balance. It's never a dull moment! Thanks so much for reading and commenting.
Thank you for a thoughtful article. At this time of re-learning my art journey, (after decades of blocking myself in perfectionist thinking and getting caught up in the fear of the logistics of any aspect of the craft - after having had some minor validation) I finally am giving myself time to just process, enjoy and learn. If anything comes of that, then it will be on to the next step, and your article clarified how that might look for me. Hopefully that will happen as well!
What a wise place to be! Sometimes the most amazing ideas come to us when we are in calm contemplation. Can't see where it all takes you ZsaZsa!
Hoo boy, hit this introvert right in the gut. Always seeking the “validation stickers” in order to not just give up, but also unable to just give up! The discomfort of seeking out new eyes on my work is real. And honestly, the percentage of time spent on it varies daily, depending on my self esteem level. What a struggle. It helps to know others also struggle with this (though I don’t wish it on anyone). Thanks for the article. 🩵
Oh, thank YOU for reading Tonya! Honestly, we live in such a good time right now for introverts... There are so many online entry points to show our art and even submit to galleries. But I know it can be disappointing when those don't pan out too. Wishing you a very successful year Tonya!
Great article Deb. Stepping out of comfort zones for an artist is painful and I admire how you put this into words.
Thank you Denise! I am in recovery mode today, after my pain ratio got out of wack this week. One of the readers commented on it here - It's amazing how much more effective we are at what we do, when we get the ration correct. I should have put that in the article too!
Hello Debra...I enjoyed your article:) Doing the art thing is A LOT OF WORK, who knew:) 10 years in and thinking the 75/25 rule sounds like a holiday...LOL...
I hear ya!!! For me, I am trying to cut back on travel. I never knew that I would be traveling more in my art career than I did ever before in my life. I imagined a calm life, relaxing in my studio most days. Wrong! LOL. We do reap what we sow though. My husband is always reminding me that whatever stress I experience is of my own making. He's not wrong.
Great article. Love this: “like trying to make it rain by staring intensely at a cloud” and “We all know those artists who have been perfecting their color mixing charts for decades.”
I’m now embracing the 25% with the same focus and integrity as I’ve always focused on the 75%.
If it’s bigger than 25%, the sheer terror of it all drops that 25% quickly to zero.
Thank you! My husband's degree is in atmospheric and oceanic science. LOL. And don't get me started on the mixing charts - oy! That's such a good point. We perform so much better when we get the correct ratio, right? It's like finding a pair of sneakers that fit just right. Have a beautiful day Karen.
perhaps simply doing your best to work on things as comfortably as possible is always the best answer
after some 67 years of working on my art and then having a stroke in April 2023 and now barely having the ability to move my hands - I am simply creating my art as much as I can and promoting my art when I can
I have no idea if bold brush ever promotes my website or any of my images but I do enjoy everything about my FASO- site:
https://bebirian.faso.com
as well as my Fine Art America site which was create before FASO started printing work:
https://walterpaul-bebirian.pixels.com
that has almost 29 million visitors now from all over the world
How wonderful Walter that you have such a treasure trove of history in the art world! Thank you so much for your comment, and yes! Everyone needs to figure out what works for them. If pain is to be avoided at all costs, by all means, do so. I started later in life and feel like I still have a lot of growth I need to do, and I will be 65 soon, so not far behind you. Wanting to get as far as I can, means I have to do lots more growing. All the best, and I hope you have a comfortable day.
thank you for your response Debra
the truth is that I still feel as young as I was when I first began creating which means that every day when I get to working it feels as if I have my entire life time ahead of me to go
also this is my philosophy when it comes to sharing my art with others:
https://medium.com/@walterpaulbebirian/the-richest-man-in-the-world-ever-56dd1add4c46
Sounds like you are living your best life!!!!
I love the article... and as I got to the following sentence (partial) I had to copy just a bit because I talk about the "journey" all the time. My one-person shows have all been called "It's the Journey." "When I decided to love the journey, and stop stressing over the immediate Return on Investment (ROI) for every hour spent,..." well, I said I talk about it... and now I have written a book with the title "It's the Journey". This is what I believe... thank you for your words and the post. I will share it to my Facebook page.
ROI is great when it happens though! Had to add that - This is, after all a marketing and sales forum!
Yes... definitely. I thought this was funny that you commented ... we definitely don't need to forget it either.
I am so thrilled my words resonated with you Marsha! Thank you so much for your comment. It's true, and that sentence is likely the one that most artists I know just cannot, and will not let go of. I have an elderly friend currently whose wife has declared he can no longer spend money on art, entering shows, postage, etc. - unless there is a guaranteed sale, and he has literally fallen into a depression over it. She has no understanding of how getting his art out there could lift his spirits so much. To her, it is a messy annoyance with no return on investment. I have been encouraging him to just go sketch at the local pizza place he likes to hang out at, and things like that. But I wish the general public would just let go of the ROI. There is so much more to being an artist.
I really do appreciate what you wrote and the reply to my comment. I have artist friends that put the ROI at the top of their list. I don't... top is enjoyment and "doing!" Lifting spirits like you said to the elderly friend is worth it's weight in gold. Feel good, and the rest will follow! Hence... "It's the Journey!"
Another great article Debra. And so true.
Thank you so much Miss Mary!! I appreciate you reading and commenting!
I’m trying to find that balance now after 8 years of following my dream of being recognized as a painter/ artist. Validation, sales and being noticed by peers has been accomplished. But at 71 years old the main goal for my art is the process. As a plein air painter, I paint what I see and feel. It’s very meditative and refreshing. The extrovert that I am has put me in a position to share my work. And that’s a lot of “admin” work especially social networking. Thanks for the push to proceed on my next project painting from photos from my 2024 Ireland trip. I started 2 days ago and I’m struggling.
Lois Luber
It sounds like you live an amazing life! Thank you so much for your comment. If your goal is process, and sales are a want, not a need, and you love people because you are extroverted, have you ever considered setting up some artist swaps with your social media followers? I have not done this in years, but when I did, it was an excellent way to network, and through word of mouth and facebook shares, word spread so more people followed me. Plus, artists are more likely to engage in a swap than purchase art outright, I found. Just a thought. There is still the social media admin type work to do with it, but for me it somehow felt more fun when I was in the middle of the swap stuff.
Do u reserve a day (s) of the week for pain?
If u have a M-F working partner do you paint or pain on weekends?
Haha... This past 4 days has been mostly pain, but that is highly unusual. Usually, I get the painful stuff done before noon each day. Then, I paint and draw to my heart's content, listening to podcasts all day till 8 or 9pm. I am obsessed, so I do this 24/7 whenever I am not traveling or entertaining visitors. I don't expect anyone to sleep 5 hours/night, paint/work 12 hours/ day and say they would do nothing different if they won the lottery. But in my warped world, it's true for me. You have to figure out how to schedule your own pain Jay. I wish you much success in that, and I guarantee it will morph with time.
75/25? This article is right on the money! Showing work, selling work etc goes hand in hand with artist talks. While I enjoy listening to others, blathering on about myself is right up there with root canals and changing a tire. My happiness, as Debra so eloquently stated, is creating and teaching others.
I'm so thrilled you found your happiness Peach! For many, that is 90% of the work, right? Thanks for your comment and for reading.