Comments on: Selling Art - yet more thoughts

By: Lisa Call

Lisa Call — Wed, 11 Jul 2007 01:04:32 +0000

Thanks everyone for the comments again. There are a lot of good suggestions here and I’m going to discuss some of them (like teaching and “how do you know your work is good enough”) in an upcoming post.

By: Susie Monday

Susie Monday — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 02:50:39 +0000

Good luck Lisa. I think you have laid a good foundation for marketing with your blog — it is so well respected and read. I suspect you will find a gallery that will work for you as I truly think they stand up to being seen on the wall with good paintings. That may sound like a backhanded comment, but few galleries deal only with textile work, or even what some might call “fine craft’ - but I predict that an excellent gallery that carries contemporary work in different media will have success with your work.
Another option for income you might want to consider is teaching. I don’t know if your family situation would allow you to travel, but I know you do have wonderful skills, techniques and approaches to work that might be very marketable.

By: Kiandra

Kiandra — Wed, 04 Jul 2007 08:23:40 +0000

This is such a good conversation, and I am amazed at what I’m learning. I clearly see that I need to focus on developing myself and identity as an artist. I wish I could say that I’ve got ten years invested…but ten years ago I was a new college student confused and excited about life. At least that has changed. (not the excited part)

Anyway, I wish I could contribute more, but, I don’t have enough experience…but I will say that I have been showing in local galleries, been in group shows, and in some cases it has been stifling…there has been times when I had to confirm to a “theme,” especially in group shows. There is so much more to be gained creating what you want to create.

Locally I am apart of a struggling artist “community,” I am lucky that our city has recognized the underground art community and is starting to “invest” in the arts here locally…despite the modest opportunities we have locally…this is still the daily, weekly, monthly discussion…how do we stay true to ourselves but survive.

What seems to be something that is working here is incorporating “jobs” that piggyback off of our art. For example, my best friend started a framing shop that also does graphic arts. Another close friend teaches art classes part-time, another works for our local arts council.

I don’t know if that helps, as I find I have more to learn than to teach in this discussion. Either way, thanks for sharing your journey…opening up such a pertinent issue, and kudos to your wonderful readers with so much experience they are willing to share.

I am taking notes!

By: Meagan

Meagan — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 22:00:50 +0000

Something a little off topic, but still related: How do you know when your art work is “good enough” to start marketing it? (Obviously this isn’t a problem for you, Lisa, since your art is amazing!) Previous commenters (Ed) have mentioned that in the beginning of their career, they sold stuff that really wasn’t very good. How do you know when your art work has reached that particular level?

By: cynthia

cynthia — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 15:30:26 +0000

Wow, I can really see the evolution of your work since 2001!

I think marketing one’s own work is incredibly exhausting. If I had a gallery or 2 who consistently sold my work - a 50-50 split would be worth it to me. I would have 50-75% more time on my hands to make work which would be a more productive use of my time.

By: gregg

gregg — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 13:30:54 +0000

Hey, found your blog through google alert.
I have found selling is a form of public critique. It is hard on the ego and a good way to test the market. I sell the stuff that I don;t wand around on ebay and take what I can get. I enter juried shows to see what my peers think. If you don;t you’re kind of like the monk on the mt contemplating his navel. It;s fun to see what folks will go for. doubt is an excuse for failure.

By: Sheree Rensel

Sheree Rensel — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 12:34:36 +0000

Lisa, Lisa, Lisa,
Even though we are artists of different ilk, our mind set could be considered a mirror image. I have been going around in this LOOP of thought for the past year. I too have a day job. I too have been beating myself up because I haven’t marketed my work (recently). At one time in my art career, I did live the Bohemian life. I sold my work through galleries and to private collectors. It was fun, but a meager existence. I had a daughter and then I had to make money to buy her food! (Gee, who woulda thought?) So I jumped on the 40 hour per week bandwagon. I never gave up my art. I have always created and showed my work, just at a slower pace. Another interesting thing that happened was I started to make art for ME. Since I had that weekly paycheck, I didn’t give a flying flip if anybody liked or wanted to buy my work. Now, I have come full circle. I want to get back to the marketing grind. I want to sell my work. I have been going around and around with this whole concept for a year now. I have bought every art marketing book on amazon. I am making notes and lists like a psychiatric hospital inmate. I have run myself ragged trying to figure out how I am going to do it ALL. I laughed and laughed when I read the following line from one of your past posts because I too came to this conclusion just the other day. In fact, I think I said that exact same thing to myself!
“My first thought this morning was that I need to stop whining and just do the work and things will happen.”
I think that is great advice for BOTH of us!! Great good luck!!
Sheree Rensel
http://www.shereerensel.blogspot.com/

By: bridgette

bridgette — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 03:51:36 +0000

lisa, just wanted to echo what some of the previous commenters said in thanking you for sharing your journey here. I am also on a similar path with figuring out the business side of my art and selling my work. Someone recently asked me how i could sell my work since my paintings have very personal meaning. And I replied that if I sell a painting then it makes room for more work to come out of me.

I have a quote that I taped to my studio wall when I was taking the first steps of selling my paintings and facing new and intimidating situations. “That which hinders your task is your task”.

Your work is beautiful. You are creating your intentions and goals and they will happen. :)

By: jafabrit

jafabrit — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 22:24:57 +0000

I agree about honing your craft. I feel that it has taken me 10-12 years to get to a point where I have enough experience that all I have to concentrate on is the vision aspect rather than the methods to get there.

Still trying to figure out a different approach to the biz side of my art though.

By: Diane Clancy

Diane Clancy — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 17:55:36 +0000

Hi Lisa,

I appreciate your sharing your journey with us and allowing us to share our journeys here too. It is fun to see you move toward deciding to market more .. and to hear your hesitations. i think it is great that you have taken 10 years to focus your work and direction. I too have taken a long time - more for health related issues … but similar in a way. I try to follow my true rhythm for building the business - instead of making things happen in the ways and speed that others say I should. I think that is also important for my development as an artist … growing and changing, following the inner voice (and listening to the outer voices.)

Thank you, Ed, for sharing your experience - a good reminder. And Pat, I know for me that series have been helpful in developing my work - but I usually have different series going at once. And then series can tend to block me in … so for me, it keeps changing.

~ Diane Clancy
wwww.dianeclancy.com/blog