Posted: July 21st, 2009 | Author: Sean | Filed under: Artists, Finished Works, Projects | Tags: art business, art marketing, drawing, new, robert genn, selling art | No Comments »
I learned this lesson the hard way, but Robert Genn says it all in his latest newsletter “aggressive marketing is not worth a prayer if the work is substandard.” Depending on where you’re displaying your work, or trying to get your work displayed, you generally want a solid body of between 15-20 works. Rushing art by not giving yourself enough time to develop a work (let alone a series) is foolish.
This is what happened a couple of summers ago for me. I did exactly the opposite of what would sell my work AND develop as an artist: “Putting work in front of the general public and appearing eager to sell it can be the kiss of death.” I’m glad, however to have learned this lesson early on and to have come out with a better understanding of both my artistic direction, but also a sense of the art market both online and physical. I have seriously enjoyed drawing daily this summer and to quote Genn again “The idea is to get good, rather than get commercial.” To conclude here is my most recent drawing:
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Posted: July 8th, 2009 | Author: Sean | Filed under: Artocalyptic News | Tags: art business, interviews, marketing, reviews, selling art, theory, updates | No Comments »
Basking in the warmth that is the ‘free-time’ of summer, I’ve decided to try and make this blog a little more serious, and a little less about personal updates. It will be more about personal art updates, other artists, local artists, art theory, works in progress, techniques, art reviews/critiques, and contemporary art marketing strategies.
I’m getting back to the streets and will be getting my work back into the public sphere after a year or so of relative quiet. While I’m young, ignorant, and naive, I have learned so much from my artistic, art institution, and art business endeavors. I feel like short articles/tutorials on topics such as approaching galleries, getting your work into local businesses, selling work, the importance of craftsmanship and skill, pricing work, etc are something I’m capable of.
Stay tuned and keep updated. You can expect a new baragge of posts within a week.
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Posted: December 28th, 2008 | Author: Sean | Filed under: Projects, Thoughts | Tags: art business, brady street, farmers market, madison, permit, selling art, summer | No Comments »
Astronomically speaking winter has only just begun. So, as an ode to summer and the longer days I thought I would post some pictures of a couple summer markets where I’ve sold my work. These shows were always stressful, not always lucrative, but I did have fun and am glad I made the effort. I should also mention thanks to my mother who let me use her car and who occasionally helped out with preparation and setup. For a full list of the places I’ve been go here.
The Brady Street Festival – 2007
The Madison Farmers Market (Capitol Square) – 2008
This was before I got a permit, just sold on the streetside (much more profitable)
After the permit, with a new display set up.
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Posted: December 21st, 2008 | Author: Sean | Filed under: Projects | Tags: 5% rule, art business | No Comments »
This blog is slowly taking over more and more of my soul. With every post artocalypse gains a little more sway over me, and again it won’t be denied:
Creativity is good. To graph my 5% art profit donations I went on an online hunt for a flash or jscript graph maker to post graphs on my website. Well most of the software is not free and just at my peak of frustration with the search I figured out a way to make some good looking graphs. I used this site (which is actually an educational site for kids) and took a screen shot of the graph (after some ctrl zoom inage), photoshoped it, and now I have some jpgs up on my website’s info page. I’ll post them here just to prove that asking money for software now adays is a losing cause.
I hope to see the day monetary currency dies and our markets are funded by usefulness and awesomeness.
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Posted: December 4th, 2008 | Author: Sean | Filed under: Projects, Thoughts | Tags: 5% rule, art business, drawings | No Comments »
I’m writing from one of the UWM computer labs after having sold two drawings to a friend’s sister. They were wedding portraits based off some photos she picked. The 5% rule is something I have enacted for ALL art-related sales. Since this summer I make a donation of 5% on ALL art profits to non-profit organizations. A mix between my meditation studies, business mentality, and obamainfluence has hardened my belief that a steady continuous focus of energy on a goal is the best way to achieve it. Part of what I want to do with my art is benefit other peoples lives in real-world ways. I have no idea how to express this in my work yet (aside from building the social network), but donating 5% of my profits to good organizations is a start (you can see where and when I’ve donated here. Change is best when gradual and consistent. Once you have a goal you should begin working on it immediately with what time you have. Even if its only 5% of your effort little by little a foundation will be built and after years and years of development great things can be accomplished.
Speaking of little by little, the Collegium Sorcerorium illustrations are nearly done and I am eager to start working on some new drawings. I really enjoy going on drawing streaks and putting images of them up online for all to see. Its rewarding for me to see my work bouncing around the interweb. The recently commissioned wedding drawings will be online at a later date as the new owner of the works wants me to wait until after she gives the works to her husband after Christmas.
One last thought for awhile on art business: All my recent sales have been works priced at $20 a piece or less. Often times I see student work for some pretty high prices (myself at one point). A piece of art is only worth what someone would pay for it and I’m quite pleased with the prices my works are selling at now, because people my age can actually afford it. Looking at what I’m making off my drawings from an hourly wage standpoint is probably around $10-15/hour. Not bad considering my other jobs. Low prices also helps me keep my mind off the money and on the art, which prevents stagnat artistic growth. Since most of the recently sold work has all been in class work I’m inspired to focus on my studies and not think of what I’m going to do with the drawing after.
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