Just this week one of our members wrote: I realized I have a complicated relationship with social media.
Don’t we all!
We are so lucky to have it to connect with the world, but the pressure of constantly feeding the algorithm is immense.
My guest for this episode of The Art Biz is Iris Scott, a talented artist who has had tremendous success on social media. A large portion of our discussion was driven by questions from her dedicated followers.
Iris shares how the social media landscape has evolved since the early days of her art career and how she adapts to those changes today, including her approach to TikTok and paid advertising.
We also touch on:
- Iris’s time living in Taiwan, where the low cost of living was instrumental to her artistic development.
- The challenges of overcoming doubt and how she finds inspiration in her work.
- Her view of technology as a collaborator, with insights into how she incorporates AI into her creative process.
- A detailed breakdown of Iris’s income from original pieces versus reproductions.
- Balancing a successful art career with motherhood and maintaining a healthy work-life balance as a mom to a toddler.
It’s an insightful conversation that I think you’ll enjoy.
Listen
Mentioned
Mid Journey AI visual tool
Iris Scott Quotes
“It’s really key to launch your career by bringing your cost of living down so that you can afford to live off your art that’s priced very low. Because the key is pricing your work low. It’s not trying to price it high and convincing the market that they should buy it because art collectors are very savvy.”
“It’s so important to make something that’s better than everything else at that price point. And if that means making your art a hundred dollars, do it and then watch the prices grow.”
“Art schools don’t teach anything about money because they think it’s a bad word, but if you can’t sell your work, you probably won’t get to do it. You’ll have to get a job job.”
“The JPEG might be dead. Now, unfortunately, it’s going to be video.”
“Of the originals I’ve sold over the last 15 years—and I’m talking about almost a thousand originals—90+ percent were seeded on Facebook or Instagram.”
“Technology is a tool and everybody has access to these tools, so play with them and see if you like it.”
Iris working on Moonbloom in the studio.
Related Episodes
These episodes have a social media theme.
About My Guest
Iris Scott has made a career around a fundamental inquiry: Must a paintbrush be the only tool? She committed herself exclusively to finger painting between 2009 and 2019. Iris earned representation with Filo Sofi Arts, and her 2019 solo show in Chelsea was praised by Jerry Saltz and covered by esteemed media outlets, including New York Magazine, Smithsonian magazine, and Artnet.
Iris began manipulated paint with high-pressure air in 2020 and now seamlessly integrates finger painting, air-painting, palette knives, and paintbrushes into her oeuvre as the muse dictates.
Follow Iris on Instagram: @irisscottart
