Art and money while pursuing your art career.
You might also consider other at-home business opportunities, such as writing a book. (This process is outlined in detail in my “Art Insights” seminar.) Ultimately, you can publish your own book e-book or online newsletter and have different products all related to your field of art. Many possibilities exist for a varied income stream.
Art help with responsible financial management
Artists need to organize their money and protect and save their wealth. I have met many artists who were simply overwhelmed by financial planning. Most often they are responsible for the problem by not taking sufficient interest in their finances, and it is often necessary to twist an arm in order to persuade an artist to audit their income and take control.
Art and business success through using ‘The Parthenon Principle’.
To create an effective varied income stream we can look to the Parthenon Principle. If you have visited or seen the ancient Parthenon temple in Athens, you will recall its many Doric columns. These columns are the parallel between this surviving structure and the wealth we aim to build.
Art marketing for emerging artists
If you are an emerging artist, set reasonable expectations. While no one gets very far without a certain amount of ambition, it’s important to realistically structure your approach to getting what you want.
Best ways to talk about your art in order to sell art.
The best way to talk about your art is to start with the elements that you are most clear on. It’s really important not to waffle when you talk about art in general and particularly when addressing your own work. It’s most effective to directly respond to the questions being asked.
Artist marketing is also an attitude.
Marketing is also an attitude. Your own perception of your work can usher in desired perceptions from others. Many artists start apologizing for their work. Here’s a secret: the viewing audience wants you to succeed, and they want you to be confident because they don’t want to feel sorry for you.
Artist tips to help with managing emotions and having persistence.
Never place a call or send out an email when you are emotional. Email is a volatile communication form.
Art product and maintaining integrity as an artist.
Your attitude guides how you work with your materials. I have been in exhibitions the world over where I have shown next to artists who have simply poured their piles of rubbish onto the floor. I have witnessed artists hoping to get away with dramatic statements about the environment and ecology by simply grossing out the viewing audience, making hard-hitting abrupt and blunt comments, and using lazy forms of expression to masquerade as art.
Be resourceful with your art businesses.
Artists should think both creatively and responsibly about supporting their income. I wish to instil the importance of flexibility in today’s economy and the benefits of a multi-tiered income stream to support artistic activities. A multi-tiered income stream is not a compromise – it is an intelligent means to continue to practice what you love.
Arts marketing today.
Websites are a cornerstone of arts marketing. Artists need to have Internet presence, and the best way to do this is by having a website, or at the very least a blog. When you approach a gallery director, you can lead them to your site for a snapshot of your work.
Art tips for artists planning and goal setting
I recommend planning your year at a high level, setting dates for various goals. On a micro level, I have been very successful by telling myself that am about to spend the next three hours making art, for example, and that I will feel rewarded for it.
Selling art effectively means managing your time and also means placing a value on it.
Managing your time also means placing a value on it. I set aside time for silence and space. Do not assume that packing as many shows into a year is the right use of time.
A successful artist is accountable.
You ALONE are responsible for your success. How you respond to the challenges you face is entirely your responsibility.
Having success as an artist is when they how to manage their time.
You need to become very aware of how you organize your workday. Make full use of the time that you have on this planet. When the hours of the day have passed, they are gone.
With art and business, know what you want and set goals.
Visualize what it is you are seeking and what you expect out of your creative business. Artists all to often enter this business environment without knowing what they want or what is possible. When you are sitting alone in your studio and you’re wondering why you’re not having any success, have you ever asked yourself how much you’re willing to sacrifice for that success? Success often requires hard work and sacrifice. The degree to which you’re willing to go will be entirely up to you. Think carefully about what you really want to accomplish and set some goals to help you get there. If, for example, you want to have four exhibitions a year, start planning for them. Make the necessary connections. Have a target and set your goals.
Successful artists focus on creation, not on romantic notions of having created, then sitting back with a few glasses – or a few bottles – of wine to revel in it. Though this sort of behavior may work for awhile, a truly successful artist lives for the work. And the work, in the end, is most intoxicating thing of all.
Too few artists think of themselves as businesspersons. But art and good business go hand-in-hand: by practicing the art of good business, we sustain a lifetime as a practicing – and prospering – artist.
A lot of artist help has to do with technique, but what about self worth, the sense that your art is worth making – not to mention selling – in the first place? Surprisingly, the best source of this most valuable form of artist help that I’ve found comes not from the art community but from a nuclear power plant repair specialist.
Success in art can mean 100 different things to 100 different people. But for me, a large part of what makes me feel success in art lies in turning environmental blight into a colourful message of future beauty and sustainability.
