Art is not something anyone physically needs. You can’t eat it, you can’t wear it, it’s not a financial investment. How do you find people who have the emotional drive to buy art. Furthermore, these people also need to have the surplus wealth to spend. In addition the buyer needs to like the type of art I make, and the particular ki…
Art is not something anyone physically needs. You can’t eat it, you can’t wear it, it’s not a financial investment. How do you find people who have the emotional drive to buy art. Furthermore, these people also need to have the surplus wealth to spend. In addition the buyer needs to like the type of art I make, and the particular kind I have created. They also have to be ready to buy when I’m ready to sell. Given this outlook, It’s seems almost impossible to find a regular stream of available buyers.
I’m following the suggestion given to follow people on Instagram that appear to have interest aligned with my art. But instead of potential collectors the responses is overwhelmingly from other artist liking what I do. They are also the followers. That’s all very nice,but I can’t see the connection to potential buyers from this perspective.
There was one sing up to my newsletter from a link in Instagram. I don’t have anyway to know if the person is a potential collector. But that was one person from dozens that have already visited without sing up.
The results so far from Instagram again only reinforced my suspension that selling art is a sporadic event mostly based on l luck .
Everything you say Ed is true. You have good writing and observation skills. I have been selling my work for a few decades and things have changed so quickly that I’m essentially starting over with building a new audience. As I said above, Calvin Goodman advised me that the art market is not the mass market. Your personal market will most likely be built over time, maybe even a a few years, but being in the art business isn’t all that expensive and most sales venues don’t require a huge investment from the artist.
This may seem obvious but it’s not just marketing that sells art - it’s the art first and foremost. If it’s not that good or doesn’t connect with an ample audience, then following all the sales advice may not result in sales.
It’s not really luck… maybe a little sometimes. I’ve been asking artists at all levels how they make sales. Some make a handsome living (most have been selling for decades who do this), and many sell regularly but not for astronomical prices and these artists don’t make enough to make a living but enjoy an extra stream of income. That’s my goal. I enjoy selling my work. It makes me want to paint more.
I have sold work to other artists and bought work from other artists. Many times, I know them in real life.
Your work with social media is like scatting seeds. You never know which ones will sprout.
If your work gets popular with other artists, they will be those who will buy small unframed works, sketches, reproductions, and even instruction if that’s your thing. None of this happens instantly for most of us, so please avoid worrying that you’re doing something wrong.
I too will be watching the webinars. Many of my previous collectors were old to being with and have died, so I’m looking to build a new following. My first goal (while I learn the latest algorithms) is to create a new cohesive and engaging body of work. Since I’m not working with galleries, I am able to experiment with a newish style. While many of my followers on Instagram are artists, I pay a lot of attention to which images get the most likes (and I never get a ton of them). If it goes over 100 or 150, I pay attention because I know that piece engaged with human beings. I have to ask myself what about it did that.
I recently read a blog that explained how to make a reel out of still photos and set it to music. I did that for a bunch of portraits and set it to “In my Life” by the Beatles. Got a ton of views on that one reel and my audience and likes grew - and folks other than artists. Even galleries are following my posts. I didn’t expect that. I’m just planting seeds and seeing what crops up. Marketing is experimentation too.
I appreciate that Clint has created this community. I’m learning a lot and we can share what is really working for us as well as ask the obvious questions that you have.
Thank you very much for the thoughtful and instructive advise. As I mentioned earlier when you comment I’ll listen. You are a person of many talents. I’m glad to know of you.
Next week boldbrush is doing a webinar about how to overcome what you’re talking about, we had it this Wednesday it was - the five steps to successful studio sale / happening next Wednesday at 6 PM eastern. Bring something to write with you will want to take notes! 
Thank you Olya. I’m looking forward to the webinar. I learn from each one. Even for those of us who’ve been professional artists for sometime are learning to navigate and keep up with new ways to show and sell our art. It’s actually exciting.
I love your mindset Lori! I am the same way. A beginners mindset - is something a few of my business friends preach all the time / because we should never stop growing or learning . The world is not constant - The only thing that is constant is change . Haha I believe there’s always ways that I can improve what I’m doing and how I’m doing it and if I ever get stagnant and act as if I think that I know everything - that is when I will stop growing and it will cap my success. 
Olya, I did watch your presentation yesterday. None of the posters shown on colored backgrounds were visible. Suggest you use white backgrounds. You had valuable info!
David thank you for that feedback! yes that was an issue that we did not for-see; when streaming a video from a hard drive to zoom it blurs out the text and color. Zoom uses a much lower resolution. I’ve forwarded this to Boldbrush marketing team and that is going to be changed!:) thank you again for following up and for attending! Boldbrush has a full schedule lined up with more resources to be released here for SOV Artist members!:) 
Art is not something anyone physically needs. You can’t eat it, you can’t wear it, it’s not a financial investment. How do you find people who have the emotional drive to buy art. Furthermore, these people also need to have the surplus wealth to spend. In addition the buyer needs to like the type of art I make, and the particular kind I have created. They also have to be ready to buy when I’m ready to sell. Given this outlook, It’s seems almost impossible to find a regular stream of available buyers.
I’m following the suggestion given to follow people on Instagram that appear to have interest aligned with my art. But instead of potential collectors the responses is overwhelmingly from other artist liking what I do. They are also the followers. That’s all very nice,but I can’t see the connection to potential buyers from this perspective.
There was one sing up to my newsletter from a link in Instagram. I don’t have anyway to know if the person is a potential collector. But that was one person from dozens that have already visited without sing up.
The results so far from Instagram again only reinforced my suspension that selling art is a sporadic event mostly based on l luck .
Everything you say Ed is true. You have good writing and observation skills. I have been selling my work for a few decades and things have changed so quickly that I’m essentially starting over with building a new audience. As I said above, Calvin Goodman advised me that the art market is not the mass market. Your personal market will most likely be built over time, maybe even a a few years, but being in the art business isn’t all that expensive and most sales venues don’t require a huge investment from the artist.
This may seem obvious but it’s not just marketing that sells art - it’s the art first and foremost. If it’s not that good or doesn’t connect with an ample audience, then following all the sales advice may not result in sales.
It’s not really luck… maybe a little sometimes. I’ve been asking artists at all levels how they make sales. Some make a handsome living (most have been selling for decades who do this), and many sell regularly but not for astronomical prices and these artists don’t make enough to make a living but enjoy an extra stream of income. That’s my goal. I enjoy selling my work. It makes me want to paint more.
I have sold work to other artists and bought work from other artists. Many times, I know them in real life.
Your work with social media is like scatting seeds. You never know which ones will sprout.
If your work gets popular with other artists, they will be those who will buy small unframed works, sketches, reproductions, and even instruction if that’s your thing. None of this happens instantly for most of us, so please avoid worrying that you’re doing something wrong.
I too will be watching the webinars. Many of my previous collectors were old to being with and have died, so I’m looking to build a new following. My first goal (while I learn the latest algorithms) is to create a new cohesive and engaging body of work. Since I’m not working with galleries, I am able to experiment with a newish style. While many of my followers on Instagram are artists, I pay a lot of attention to which images get the most likes (and I never get a ton of them). If it goes over 100 or 150, I pay attention because I know that piece engaged with human beings. I have to ask myself what about it did that.
I recently read a blog that explained how to make a reel out of still photos and set it to music. I did that for a bunch of portraits and set it to “In my Life” by the Beatles. Got a ton of views on that one reel and my audience and likes grew - and folks other than artists. Even galleries are following my posts. I didn’t expect that. I’m just planting seeds and seeing what crops up. Marketing is experimentation too.
I appreciate that Clint has created this community. I’m learning a lot and we can share what is really working for us as well as ask the obvious questions that you have.
Thank you very much for the thoughtful and instructive advise. As I mentioned earlier when you comment I’ll listen. You are a person of many talents. I’m glad to know of you.
Next week boldbrush is doing a webinar about how to overcome what you’re talking about, we had it this Wednesday it was - the five steps to successful studio sale / happening next Wednesday at 6 PM eastern. Bring something to write with you will want to take notes! 
Thank you Olya. I’m looking forward to the webinar. I learn from each one. Even for those of us who’ve been professional artists for sometime are learning to navigate and keep up with new ways to show and sell our art. It’s actually exciting.
I love your mindset Lori! I am the same way. A beginners mindset - is something a few of my business friends preach all the time / because we should never stop growing or learning . The world is not constant - The only thing that is constant is change . Haha I believe there’s always ways that I can improve what I’m doing and how I’m doing it and if I ever get stagnant and act as if I think that I know everything - that is when I will stop growing and it will cap my success. 
you’re so right. changes move quickly now.
Olya, I did watch your presentation yesterday. None of the posters shown on colored backgrounds were visible. Suggest you use white backgrounds. You had valuable info!
David thank you for that feedback! yes that was an issue that we did not for-see; when streaming a video from a hard drive to zoom it blurs out the text and color. Zoom uses a much lower resolution. I’ve forwarded this to Boldbrush marketing team and that is going to be changed!:) thank you again for following up and for attending! Boldbrush has a full schedule lined up with more resources to be released here for SOV Artist members!:)