With most countries reeling from the effects of the global economic malaise, we will all be personally affected in some way, especially if you are sacrificing time and money making art. And if it is your main profession, then you may have already started to feel the pinch of sales dropping off or requests for discounted work. So sales may not be as forthcoming or you are just feeling demotivated because the current body of work is just not going as hoped…
So what can you do? How do you maintain focus or position yourself for opportunity?
Here are a few things that should keep you focused and developing and supporting your art in a broader sense. Some will require a small financial investment, and all require time, but if you are wondering what might make you stand out from the other artists, well essentially it will come down to vision, planning, energy, commitment, your networks (and not a small amount of luck). Like most things in life there are no guarantees, but the highs are worth fighting for.
So here we go…
Seek out Professional Development
This could be anything from taking up drawing classes, painting, or sculpture sessions. Whatever your field, it is worthwhile engaging in some kind of refresher so as to get you in touch with other aspiring and practicing artists – meet and learn with them, engage them face to face, and take yourself out of your comfort zone.
If you think you have no room for learning in art practice, then you won\’t survive long as an artist. Sometimes the pressure of delivering in this kind of environment will be like viewing your work in a mirror, it can be a rude but refreshing perspective – if you we want to see any real developments we need to put our work out there and open it up to response. So track down those art sessions, tutored or untutored, schedule them in, and make it happen.
Increase your IT awareness
With the rapidity and penetration of web related communities and opportunities, I have concerns for any artist that totally shuns technology and all things internet based. It should be pretty obvious what the benefits are but I still encounter artists with little if any presence on the web. I would love to explore their work, study it, maybe even share it with others! but I can\’t really do this if they don\’t have any web presence. This could be its own post really but in a nutshell, you could try these:
- Get started with your own art blog or online journal - this can be done for next to nothing through sites like blogger or wordpress (both free)
- consider sharing your work onto an art community site that lets you upload more than one image without cost, but that you feel is right for your type of work and its audience – one with a strong social networking focus (eg. myartspace.com).
- consider building your own site – here are a couple of relatively inexpensive tools (when compared to the cost of using a web developer) that don\’t require you to be a programmer to use them – but it will take time and persistence. Tools such as rapidweaver or freeway may just offer you the flexibility you want at the right price. And whilst I use rapidweaver, I have heard good things about both so can\’t be accused of flogging one over the other. Whichever tool is used, best rule of thumb is to keep it simple and provide some decent sized images (at least 500 x 500 pixels) – there are some inbuilt templates you can use or purchase that will make getting that first site published much easier.
- Register a domain name and find a reliable web host (a home for your site)- also, there are so many providers these days and with the increase in competition, most will provide detailed instructions on how to get your site files published (ie copied from your computer onto their web host server out there!).
Once you site is up and running ensure you let the world know about it through community sites and linking it to other friend\’s or industry websites – collaboration is everything so get networking. Facebook and Twitter alone expand your reach by the thousands when you start posting links to them for friends to share.
Having a working site of your own means you identity as an artist can take a serious leap forward if you couple this with a good use of social networking sites. It means people can review your work undistracted by that of others, and this review might lead to curiosity, enquies and perhaps even future sales. And if all it does is grow your mailing list then your gallery or dealer (if you have one) will be happy about that too. Just keep them in the loop.
Refine Your Art Journal Process
Most artists keep some form of sketchbook, but how many artists document their working process through photographs. This process could be so useful it might literally change the direction of your work.
Get yourself a digital camera (on that takes at least 5 megapixel images) and get into the habit of taking shots at key stages or before you make a considerable change to the work. File this away and date them on your computer or better still print some out and file them in your journal for quick reference.
process img1
process img2
process img3
Those familiar with my work know this process can be a useful tool for understanding and documenting change (also see an earlier post on painting Ellen). Even reviewing one of these shots before the work is complete may cause you to rethink a later shift in direction to ensure not too much of the original feel, energy or idea will be sacrificed – I am sure you can relate to that knowledge of going passed that point of no return.
This process will lead into my next suggestion, which once I started working on it, I realised was worth an entirely separate post..so watch this space.
RE: Increase your IT awareness, etc.
Do you really think that people that buy art are spending their time surfing the web looking for artists?
Apply all those same ideas you wrote to any small business – do any bring more money in?
Would you tell a plumber or carpenter or auto mechanic to take time off work and pay to take a refresher course on their trade?
Or put up a blog about plumbing?
Or take photos of their carpentry to analyze it?
When does one say it does not work and move on to something new?
Sally
Thanks for your comment. Will tackle each in turn..
Do you really think that people that buy art are spending their time surfing the web looking for artists?
Yes, some people actually do spend time on the web looking for artists…. hence the existence of sites like artnet.com or arwhatson.com.au, to name but two of the many out there catering to them. It is a means of client relationship building. I know artists who sell work through, or because of, their web site (especially those that have an international following), so it is an important means of connecting with existing and potential clients, letting them keep abreast of current developments and providing a means for them to contact you, or redirecting them through to a gallery or agent (if you have one) with any sales or enquiries. Whilst some with both the time and means may prefer viewing work only at exhibitions, the reality is that sites are becoming an important means for artists to showcase and connect with buyers in ways that may not be possible in person (for geographical or practical reasons).
Apply all those same ideas you wrote to any small business – do any bring more money in?
Would you tell a plumber or carpenter or auto mechanic to take time off work and pay to take a refresher course on their trade?
Or put up a blog about plumbing?
As this is an art blog, my post was targetted at art professionals, not carpenters/plumbers. The suggestion for professional development is not intended to automatically bring money in, as important as that is. I am certainly not advocating an artist stop any paid work without good reasons. But professional development, whether a refresher course or up-skilling, could be an opportunity to network and build industry support in what can otherwise be a very solitary profession. Courses in basic desktop publishing or IT will definitely assist the artist in taking some more control over the way they present themselves professionally and creatively. I have been able to supplement my artist income through artist talks, freelance design/web development work – and it it would have been much harder to do this without IT/pc skills. So yes professional development can potentially supplement art income.
When does one say it does not work and move on to something new?
The answer to that is entirely personal. I guess you would ‘give up’ if you ever found that your work does not inspire or drive you in any fundamental way. While artist might have difficult days/projects at hand, passion is rarely in short supply but I guess it does happen. My point is that if you love making art then you will find a way to make it, even if it means taking odd jobs or assignments to make ends meet. It’s not a life for everyone, but this post was not directed at all industries. It is no surprise to most artists that the profession they have chosen will hardly result in fast money, but then that is rarely the reason for doing it (from what I know plumbing might be a great option in that respect). The point is for artists to seek out opportunities where they otherwise might not see any.
Dear Paul,
I agree with much of what you have to say. I do think it is rare that serious art buyers ever purchase from a jpeg alone, but I have had patrons from abroad make purchases from my gallery because they had seen a particular artist’s work at a public exhibition in their area, and then tracked me down via Googling the artist.
There are some issues which arise when an artist maintains a personal website and still wishes to have gallery representation…artist/gallery relationships can easily fray and unravel if the artist expects the gallerist to spend hours assisting a patron, who then elects to attempt to buy the work directly from the artist via the artist’s personal website. It is a new world, and the web changes everything. Much depends upon ethical behaviour, honesty and trust to make it all work! And that openness and freedom is frankly what I like about it.
You’re right A.K., it is clearly an ethical issues if a gallerist spends time building relations with a collector and then a sale happens behind their back (in the case of a patron who has been exposed to the work through the gallery and then wishes to cut the gallery out of the picture). From my experience however, collectors and supporters of the artist are usually very happy to deal with the gallery (assuming of course they are doing their job and helping to manage the artist’s profile well). I think most collectors/buyers will appreciate the terms of an artist/gallery arrangement, and that their dealing through a gallery is an important way of supporting the artist in their preferred arrangement (as opposed to artists that represent themselves and manages all sales).
A buyer’s intentions are sometimes unpredictable but I think artists must ensure they are open about any ‘what if’ situations that are concerning them, or which may affect the long term relationship with a gallery. Artists need to be clear about the primary purpose of their online presence – is it mainly for showcasing a sample of work? to maintain a professional development journal of a kind? or is it to facilitate online sales? On the surface it may seem that art websites could be all these things but I think it is better to have a focus. Represented artists should speak with their gallery about this and be clear about their intentions. It can be tricky at times because it is about communication; communication that is open, direct and well timed.
Hi Paul,
Thanks for making this post, absolutely agree ( and have to say I found the first reply comment quite tenuous!)
The internet is a great way to network, and promote your work, without needing to take too much time away from studio practice, we’re pretty lucky in this way. I have had sales of original work straight from the web as well as actual galleries, and found that having a web presence significantly helps with exposure and compliments the gallery well (if you have an honest and good relationship with them)
Anyway, times are certainly tough, but these are all good ways of keeping ontop of things, having the support of peers, either through classes, groups or internet sites is invaluable, and I think helps to keep us all sane!
Keep up the great work, Best wishes, Toni
Thanks Toni, great to hear about your sales both online and gallery.. You are spot on about an artist’s web presence being able to compliment a gallery’s marketing efforts. And with the help of other social networks too, an artist site can help redirect traffic back to their galleries site. It helps to provide some professional context for the work and potentially build the gallery’s clientele.
In terms of peers and networking, it’s a great way also of linking in and highlighting the work of other artists too who will appreciate the exposure. Artist’s can be so focussed on their own game at times, that we forget about the peers working through their own creative projects or struggles. Throwing the spot light on your peers or emerging artists is a worthwhile social investment.
I think all of the points in the article AND the responses are insightful, and true. I think that Galleries should heed the advice above – start promoting! Don’t depend on past or accidental foot traffic. If the gallery is not willing to “go global”, why should we punish ourselves by NOT going on-line just to preserve our gallery relationship?
That being said – we need galleries to help us establish a price range, know WHAT people will pay at the current time for our work (patrons who can see and experience our work in person) and of course, there is still the vital aspect of showing work to the (3D) public. Art cannot exist in a vaccuum.
Hi Kristina, thanks for your comments.
Yes, galleries certainly play a role in helping to assess and validate a price range commensurate with an artist’s experience and profile. And the slower they are in responding evolving demands of the art market, the tougher they might find it out there.
There will always be artists who prefer to go it alone, and they may or may not work well depending on their approach.
Art blogger Edward Winkleman provides interesting resources and advice for artists navigating their way through a career, and fleshes out some pointers for finding and dealing with galleries…
Here is a link to a collection of his related posts:
http://edwardwinkleman.blogspot.com/2009/02/advice-for-artists-seeking-gallery.html