Before you go too deeply into planning for the New Year, take time to review your most recent journey around the sun with The Artist’s Annual Review.
Reflect on your experiences.
Remember what you accomplished and encountered.
Record your reflections and memories.
Return to your record in the future when you want to …
Remind yourself of how full the year was for you.
This is the first episode of The Art Biz with a guest who admits to not being interested in the art business. But don’t leave!
My conversation with Rebecca Welz centers around how she sees her art as part of the continuum, and how she encourages her students to think holistically about their careers. We invite you to do the same.
Your art is created in the studio. Your brand is created in the minds of others. Your brand exists in the minds of viewers, buyers, collectors, and gallerists.
Above all, knowing your brand (how you want to be perceived in the eyes of others), helps you make decisions. If opportunities aren’t aligned with your brand, you say No.
Plenty of online galleries will happily take your money in exchange for “exposure.” UGallery has a different model. They are paid on commission, so they do whatever they can to see that art sells.
This isn’t a commercial for UGallery. Instead, I want you to be aware of people and companies who are working hard for artists and doing things the right way.
Will art sell when it’s focused on the artist’s personal narrative? Sara Lee Hughes is deep into a body of narrative paintings with that is steeped in her personal story.
We discuss the genesis of this body of work (It’s a great story!), how Sara Lee focuses on the long game, how she keeps her ideas, and how she balances motherhood with her studio practice.
Whether you’re chasing the Instagram algorithm for reels, streaming live on YouTube, or pulling together a video bio for your website, it’s more valuable than ever to make good videos.
It hurts to admit that even bad videos play better on social media than a static photo, but as long as you’re going to the trouble to make a video, why not make it better?
Artists crave validation by others. You want your work to be appreciated. This is perfectly normal. You wouldn’t be human if you didn’t.
All of that validation adds to your credibility and must begin in the studio. Ultimately, you need to understand that your work is valid by the mere fact it exists. Outside validation is more likely to come after you find self-validation.
The word “breakthrough” implies that something has to be destroyed so that something new can be created. Consider what you want to change: What needs to break?
Here are 6 ways to expedite your breakthrough, which all involve disrupting your routine or trying something different. Keep working and be open to possibilities throughout the process.
Detour doesn’t want to be limited by what he currently knows, so he’s learning how to use new technologies to help him land complex opportunities. He isn’t afraid to discover that the best way to approach an artistic problem is something he hasn’t done before.
Big on presenting himself in the most professional light, he says, “You never know who is watching.”
Maria Brito is an advocate for democratizing the art world for artists, and for collectors who might be interested in buying art but aren’t yet ready to spend tens of thousands of dollars.
We talk about how she works with artists, galleries, and collectors and why she thinks there has never been a better time to be an artist.
If you’d like to be the first to know about about new podcast episodes, blog post, and program offers, just drop in your email addy right here.
Get 31 People Who Can Help Sell Your Art
You will also receive my regular news for your art business.
Privacy + Terms
Happy to send it!
You’ll also receive my regular news for your art business.
