|
|  |
|
|
|
| |
| Jun 17, 2008 4:02 pm |
|
Hot Tips for Emerging/ New Artists from other Artists: |
Mehul Patel
| |
Best Practices for Artists:
A cross-section of painters, sculptors, and other fine artists share business advice.
Send Out Postcards
What works: "No one is going to make your career for you. As an artist, you need to get your work out there to the public. I send out postcards for all my shows, and people seem to collect them. I update my own Web site, put together address lists, and do the postcard designing myself. I also show in non-traditional places. This month, my work will be featured in the luxury furnishings shop ABC Home in New York City, in celebration of Earth Day. I also enter juried shows constantly and participate in artist residencies, which afford me time to concentrate on my art."
-Callie Danae Hirsch, 43: Paintings
Web site: www.callieart.com
Studio: Brooklyn, N.Y.
Day Job: Telecommunications analyst at New York University
Hit the Art Fairs
What works: "Putting up a Web site is not only a promotional tool, but it acts as a catalog of my work for prospective buyers. Collectors can't buy directly from the site, but they can see what kind of work I have available. "Participating in art fairs has given my work a major boost in terms of visibility and sales. For the last two years, I've participated in the Aqua Art fair in Miami by way of Brooklyn's eyewash gallery. As a result, I was able to place a large-scale sculpture in a private collection in Texas. This sale helped finance many months of art-making, as well as an unpaid maternity leave from my day job."
-Linda Ganjian, 37: Sculpture and drawings
Web site: www.lindaganjian.net
Studio: Queens, N.Y.
Day Job: Part-time graphic production artist for Lucky magazine
Studio Space
What works: "Working and showing with different galleries and art consultants helped boost the sales of my work a lot because I was able to branch out my work to different geographic sites. Since 2000, I've had studio space at the Elizabeth Foundation for the Arts. This allows me to keep in touch with other artists. These connections are further strengthened by the open studio the foundation holds annually, an opportunity for new collectors and galleries to see my work."
-Jung Hyang Kim, 53: Paintings
Web site: www.junghyangkim.com
Studio: New York City
The Technical Stuff
What works: "The best thing I've done to boost my career has been learning to do technical stuff myself, like taking my own photos and figuring out the software to update my Web site. It's not just that it saves on paying somebody else, but it means I can take the time to get things looking exactly the way I want. Explaining to curators that my Web site isn't current is a waste of everyone's time. I've invested a lot of time in applying for grants, which can allow me a way to focus on my art full-time. I just received a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship for 2008."
-Nava Lubelski, 39: Sculpture and painting
Web site: www.navalubelski.com
Studio: Asheville, N.C.
Day Job: No current day job; previously worked on film sets, temped, and taught. Also wrote the book The Starving Artist's Way (Three Rivers Press, 2004).
Forget the Money
What works: "I have found success by forgetting that my work is for sale and just concentrating on making the best artwork I can make. I donate all the money that I make from my artwork to environmental charities, so I think this helps people know that I am serious about my message."
-Jenny Kendler, 27: Drawings, photographs, sculpture
Web site: www.jennykendler.com
Studio: Chicago
Day Job: Helps run OtherPeoplesPixels.com, an artists' Web site service
Brand Identity
What works: "Opening an online shop on Etsy.com has significantly boosted my sales. By offering lower ticket-items such as digital prints and small sketches, I am able to appeal to younger collectors. I believe maintaining a strong Web presence is an integral part of my art career. The key is to promote yourself in a unique way by providing interesting content (on a blog, portfolio Web site, or both) and creating an overall brand identity to keep visitors coming back for your unique Web site experience. No one buys art impulsively. Collectors like to look and learn as much as they can before they purchase."
-Molly Schafer, 30: Paintings, drawings, videographs
Web site: www.mollyschafer.com
Studio: Chicago
Day Job: Administrative assistant at an advertising agency. Teaches drawing and continuing education classes.
Regards,
Mehul Patel
http://www.KIPL.Net - New Media Solutions
http://IndyChai.com - India's first Web 2.0 Hyper Aggregated Private Reply to Mehul Patel (new win) |
|
| |
|
