F.Y.I. Topics Below _______________________
The MAC's ArtFest
June 1-3, 2012
The start of Spokane's summer!
This if our 27th year and we will again be In beautiful Coeur d'Alene Park in Spokane's Browne's Addition - two blocks from the MAC and approximately 1 mile west of downtown Spokane.
Something new this year! We are using Zapplication on-line for you to apply for ArtFest. The plan is to make it easier for all. If you are a new Zapp user, go to http://www.zapplication.org and create an account. 1. Click on the "New Users Register Here" button.
2. Click on the "Click Here" link.
3. Agree to the Zapp terms and conditions.
4. Fill out your profile information.
5. Then apply to ArtFest.
Fees:
- $30 Jury Fee due March 2nd
- Upon acceptance, $425 for a 10x10 space or $500 for a 10x15 space due by April 20th
- $30 Optional electrical service available (via generator) - very limited, first come, first served, due by April 20th
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"I Found a great website for paper"
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Art is a business
Let’s face it, if you want to sell your art and make money, you must realize this simple…
…Truth: Art is a business.
Sure, it isn’t romantic. And most artists have that romanticized idea of just creating all day and having freedom to do what you want, when you want. It’s all about “me”. Well, you could go that route. But here is another truth:
Art is a business.
And in business, there are tasks that you don’t like, but must be done to keep the business running. Until you embrace this fact, you will never succeed as an artist. Some of the things that need doing are:
·~ Create your work – yes, most of you do this one already. And most of you like this task.
- what your creative passion is – identify your voice, your muse, etc.
- Differentiate yourself from others. What is unique to you?
- who your collectors are. The more focused you can become, the better. Who are your ideal collectors? You can’t make everyone happy. Which collectors are the best match for who you are as an artist? Who can you reach with your work?
- . Huh? Yes, remember, you are a business. What is success to you? What will it take to get there? What art services/products/programs do you want to offer?
- Run the numbers. What will it take to make your business profitable? How much must you sell? Be realistic. But don’t just run the numbers once. You need to stay on top of the books. Run the numbers often. What are your expenses? What is your income? How can you generate more? Revisit the business plan if needed.
- to reach your ideal collectors. You need to let them know how your unique vision as an artist can fulfill their unique needs as a collector – they may not even know that they have needs, but you need to know.
- .
- Outline a plan to achieve those goals.
- – you need to actually implement the plan. You need to actually do the marketing. Without the doing, the planning means nothing.
- You need to be able to manage the business. You need to know what deadlines are coming up, where artwork needs to be shipped. You need to keep track of where your art is and follow up with galleries, shows, collectors, etc. You need to be able to manage your time to do the packing and shipping, the creating, the research, the ordering of supplies, etc. You need to manage contracts. The list goes on.
Art is much, much more than simply creating.
If you wish to just do art as a hobby or pastime, then you can ignore everything in the list above. But if you want to sell your work, you must remember that you are a business owner. But more than that, you should be an entrepreneur. Create business. And do it creatively.
And remember, art isn’t just a life of creating and having the freedom to do nothing but your own cares and desires at a whim. Your art isn’t just about you.
Here is another truth if you want to sell your work:
It’s about the collector!
If a collector cannot connect to your work, they will not buy it. If a collector can’t find your work, they cannot connect. Find your ideal collectors. Communicate with them. Tell them your stories. But most importantly, tell your story in a way that helps them connect. Why or how does your art fulfill their needs? How are you going to get your art in front of them?
Recognizing that your art is about the collector does not mean that you need to create for the market and sacrifice your unique voice or muse. If you do that, you are not fulfilling YOUR collectors’ needs. You are fulfilling SOMEONE ELSE’S collectors’ needs.
Create a business and marketing plan that uses your strengths as an artist to fulfill the needs of your ideal collector. Outline the goals and tasks to fulfill the plan. Then get to work. Many of you don’t know how to do all these things. You don’t know where to start. My recommendation:
Study. Learn.
Read marketing and business books, including art marketing. Take business workshops. Hire a coach or mentor. You spend time and money developing the first one or two items on the list above (your art). Why not invest time and money learning the rest of the business? You cannot succeed in a business if you don’t know how to run a business.
Oh, and don’t forget to continue creating your art.
Best wishes,
Keith Bond
Happiness and Art on Your Walls
by GingerWhellock
The other day, in a fit of energy, I moved furniture around the house kind of like a kid with a doll house. Unsatisfied, I moved it all back, then tried again with more subtle moves. Feeling better about my “space”, I looked up at the walls to get a full scope on the new “still life” I had created.
I move paintings around the house once a month or more as my home is also my personal gallery space. Usually there is a general flow of new pieces into the major living areas as older pieces move to more remote places in the house and others sell or are sent to shows and galleries. But, this time I concentrated on getting individual still life settings perfect …furniture arrangement and paintings on the wall together with corners of rooms, windows, halls, lamps, antique artifacts, distant view and comfort. That evening, after hanging a large painting over the fireplace, we toured the house to enjoy our newly designed rooms over a glass of wine, obviously.
The contentment and rapture we felt was overwhelming!
As collectors of art work, do you rearrange furniture, artwork and artifacts around to *
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renew your appreciation of what you have purchased? May I suggest that you do so today! Forget what the interior designer said, just do your own thing and make still life settings all over your house. Add all the things that are important to you into the settings, make your house your own HOME, not a designer’s dream. You will be amazed at how happy it will make you and how much your guests will enjoy and comment on it, too.
I understand that some, maybe many, of you have never purchased original art. Some who have made purchases find it difficult to know just where to hang them. Should I group them? Should I just hang one large one on that wall or a grouping? Should I mix mediums or technique or genre on a wall or even in a room? Should the frames match? Should the colors match colors in the room? Should the art hanging together or in a particular room be themed?
But first, let’s buy art. I suggest you begin by understanding what kind of art you prefer. Purchase a couple of magazines specifically for art collectors (not for artists); visit your local galleries and art fairs. Most of us have budget constraints, so begin your search for a purchase from local galleries, art students’ leagues, artist co-op galleries, art guilds etc. and stay within the limits you set. As your eye for artistic quality matures, you may not be overly pleased with some of your initial purchases. That is why I recommend you start with purchases from emerging artist, students and local art fairs. If you are a seasoned buyer, you understand the dynamics of falling in love with a painting and the rising excitement as you declare your desire to purchase. Always purchase a painting you love – never purchase it because someone told you to or because it goes with the sofa!
The fun begins when you bring the painting into your home. Remember all those questions I asked about where and how to hang? Well, there are no rules and the answer is, “Do what you like”. If you purchase large paintings they are harder to move around and group, but they are dynamic. Please don’t match frames or subject or color. Do hang them gallery style instead. You can stack them, hang them individually, rest them on furniture, hang them beside the toilet and over the kitchen sink; put them in every room. Then sit back and admire your skill at choosing such a perfect piece and placing it superbly where you can see it every day. Don’t forget to move your art collection around often. Oh I know, what about those holes in the wall? Well that’s easy; fill with ready-made spackle and then touch up the paint. Half the time a new painting will hang well on the old hanger (no hole) or the hanger needs only to be moved up or over a bit (no one will see the hole). Just remember to move them around to renew your love of each one.
Let me warn you, purchasing art becomes addictive as you crave the happiness and joy each new painting, brought into your home, brings to you and your visitors.
Ready? Let’s all go buy art today and feel good tomorrow!
"Legalities of Art Royalties"_____________
The royalties artists receive for licensing their work is often the lifeblood of their income.
There's no great mystery to royalties?you've created a piece art (writing,
painting, music, etc.) that someone else wants to sell, so you should naturally
get a share of the profits. But if you're not careful or you don't do your
homework, the rate you receive could be less than favorable or you could be giving up more
rights than you think.
The Bare Minimum
Most artists aren't fluent in the legal aspects of licensing artwork. That's to be expected. But you should have
a solid grasp of the basics, so that you don't give up too many rights and get
fleeced in a licensing deal. For those just getting started, here's a crash course in basic do's
and don'ts:
- Don't license your work unless you trust the licensing company (know as the "licensee"). Research their
- reputation,
- get information about their other clients (and contact those
people directly), and find out how their operation works. There's no point in getting a great
royalty rate from a company that is dishonest about numbers or has no experience marketing products.
- Never give up your copyright. A licensing deal is an arrangement where you keep the
copyright and simply give another company a license to use or sell your art. If a license has language that states
you're giving up your copyright, you should object strongly and seriously consider licensing with another company.
- Include a specific end date of the licensing contract.
- Be as specific as possible in terms of what products your art will appear on.
- Include the right to approve of any company that the licensee wants to sub license your
work to.
Auditing
In the event that you believe there's a discrepancy between your royalty checks and what
you believe you're actually due, your contract should include an
auditing clause.
Intellectual propert
DEFINITION
- Intellectual property describes a wide variety of property created by musicians, authors, artists and inventors.
- Intellectual property principles are designed to encourage the development of art, science
- and information by granting property rights to creative and inventive people. These rights
- allow artists and inventors to protect themselves from infringement, or the unauthorized use
- and misuse of their creations.
- The use of the Internet is a good way to document Time and Date stamping of your
- creation.
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Water Color work shops , and other great painting shortake videos from Daler Rowney
From Blick Art Materials
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Who's Buying Art?
“Buying Trends By Lori Woodward, Artist and Writer
I'm all for galleries that do a great job of representing their artists, have fair contracts, and actually sell the work that's consigned to them. I've worked with many galleries through the years, but I've also sold my work on my own. I do understand how awesome it is to say I work with "so and so - bigtime gallery", but in the end... I've sold more work on my own than any gallery has for me. I like keeping that extra 50% commission and I enjoy the relationships I have
with my collectors. It's really not all that difficult to sell art - even for shy artists; just takes a bit of know-how and practice. Recently, I wrote a post on how artists can sell each other's work -- why not? Other artists who don't want to work direcly with collectors might consider hiring a friend, or even a collector who has great administration skills. Hiring someone with writing skills would also be a plus. Either pay them by the hour or else give them a 20% commission on sales.
artists are selling better than ever at plein air festivals right now. When the economy drops, plein air paintings sell better. The collectors buy smaller, less expensive works and, as a plus, get to meet with and eat with the artists.
Another option I'm checking into right now is setting up my art booth at local farmers' markets in wealthy towns. Last week, I got in touch with an artist who has been selling her work this way. You know, if a group of farmers can get together and sell their goods on the village green once a week, what's to stop several artists from getting together every Wednesday afternoon throughout the summer months to hold a regular art show? Do we really need
gatekeepers to organize events?
With all this said, if you are working with a gallery successfully, there's no reason to leave. As my tennis teacher used to say, "If you're winning, don't change a thing; if you're loosing, try something different until the tides turn."So let me leave you with this question: if artists who are working with galleries are not selling much work, and those galleries are not taking on new artists,then why would an artist spend hours building a portfolio to submit to galleries (at this time)? Why not get started selling on your own for far less money and much more profit? Forget the ego thing... being in a top
gallery might make you feel good, but it won't necessarily bring you income right now.
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Mailing Your Art
As an artist, you go to great lengths to make sure your artwork looks just right before
selling it. You want your artwork to look good, so why not the packaging it comes in?
packaging will be the first thing your client or gallery will see before the artwork itself.
The impression you make with the packaging will, to an extent, influence how you are
perceived as an artist. If your packaging appears to be skimpy, what kind of impression
does that make on the client in regards to how you value your own work? Is your artwork
important enough to you to present it in the best light possible? I think so.
There are several options when it comes to shipping your work.
Outsource
You can take your work to a local shipping service store. Pay them to package it and
ship it out for you. While this could be a good option for some, be careful. There are
a lot of service companies now that will package anything you want and ship it for you.
But many of these places really don’t know how to properly package artwork for shipping.
Find one that specializes in it.
Ready to Use Packaging
You can purchase shipping materials that require very little effort on your part. They
have been designed so that all you need to do is put the art in it. These are made from a
variety of materials but come in limited sizes and shapes. It also costs more than doing
it yourself.
Do It Yourself
I prefer to package my own work. I have complete control, that way. I want it to be
protected, but also give off a good first impression.
Never, ever, EVER use foam peanuts. EVER!!! They are annoyingly messy and they cling to
your clothes. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to clean them up. That would certainly
prompt negative thoughts about you.
If you use bubble wrap, don’t patchwork the wrap by taping a bunch of random left-over
pieces together. Use a piece large enough to wrap it in. Egg carton foam sheets are a good
option, but more costly than bubble wrap. With a sharp blade you can cut them to any size.
Use durable, sturdy materials – whether cardboard, corrugated plastic board, or some other
. Wooden crates are a good option for some artwork. Some venues or clients might not
appreciate dealing with crates, though, so take that into consideration.
If you opt to do it yourself, do a better job than you can pay someone for. Make it look
professional. Make it durable. Protect your artwork.
Best Wishes,
Keith Bond
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. She also writes "The Artist's Life" blog on American Artists' Forum.Success is more than great ideas. It means experiencing failures without fear in order to arrive with something that works. Successful people try a lot of different things that often fail.
We, on the outside don't see the experiments and failures, we only see the fruition of what actually worked.What this means to me as an artist is that I must "do/try something" in order to grow. As I experiment, try new mediums, I will undoubtably make many disasters, some reasonably good works of art, and a few masterpieces. The truth is, I can't get to the masterpiece stage unless I'm willing to feel comfortable with the disasters.So, when you decide to take your work to the next level by working out of your own box, be prepared for what feels like backward movement. When you decide to make some serious progress or change for the better in your body of work, the masterpieces will most likely elude you for a time,
but they will come - and you'll be better off in the long run than if you work contentedly -
making the same old paintings you've made for the past decade. Collectors expect artists to move forward and continue to WOW them. I'm friends with a few serious collectors, and they are not interested in acquiring something that looks like it came off an artist's assembly line. We are artists - not factory workers. Why would we want to "crank 'em out" just to make a buck?I worked as a quality assurance software tester for eight years before getting back to my artwork, and that job took a lot of skill and creative thinking. I got paid very well and did an excellent job - but let me say here, that getting quality into my artwork has been more difficult than testing software, and has taken many more years to develop my knowledge base and style. No matter how much or little ability you're given genetically, "talent" must be continually cultivated throughout life . Don't be afraid to experiment.
Experimentation leads to new ideas and eventually to mature works of art. First, the artist learns about drawing, value, color and edges - in her brain. Then the artist begins to put these time-worn theories into his work, and guess what? As Edgar Payne states in his book on landscape composition, "Then the trouble begins". It's easy to see how other artists used these principles in their work; adding them to your own is another story.Even though you've sold your work for a number of years, taking a workshop or reading an advanced art instruction book often leads to initial confusion. Sometimes, artists abandon adding new insight to their compositions and return to the "same old thing" that has worked for them in the past. There's nothing wrong with painting the same old thing if it makes you and your collectors happy, but I believe you may be missing out on what your artwork could be.
Give yourself permission to fail for a while, especially when you add new principles to your work. Even masterful painters have failures - they usually burn them. I'm not kidding! We're all human. Only those who paint by formula seemingly obtain perfection every time. But again... we are artists, not factories. It's more fun if we don't program our art as though it were an assembly line product. Be brave enough to make a flop, or several until you arrive at something that's well beyond your usual work. Have faith that each experiment is contributing to your eventual masterpieces... something beyond the ordinary, in fact... extraordinary.I know it's hard. Hang in there, even if it takes a few years. Don't deny yourself the time for sketches, playing with ideas, and making something so incredible that viewers gasp at your work.Work Hard, Work Smart, and Be Patient With Yourself.---Lori---
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**********************************************************************YES, Artists Can Lower Their Prices
by Lori Woodward
Today's post is by Lori Woodward, regular contributing writer for FineArtViews. She has been a member of the Putney Painters since 2004, a small invitational group of painters who are mentored by Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik. You should submit an article and share your views as a guest author by clicking here.As many of you are aware, I have been doing ongoing research by interviewing gallery owners, collectors and artists about how they're dealing with the poor economy and trying new stuff in order to keep sales going. Some of the answers I'm getting are quite surprising.
Perhaps one of the most surprising is that collectors are telling me that they think it's perfectly fine for artists to lower their prices by 10% to 20% during an economic downturn. I asked these collectors if that made them angry because they paid more for the art in the past, and know what? I got an overwhelming response of " NO, I buy art because I love it, not as an investment, and if the price is lower for a time, it means that I can buy more of it." In fact, some went on to explain that their art budget is restricted right now, and that lower prices gives them incentive to buy before prices go back up again.
Well, what do ya know? I've heard for years that artists can't lower their prices, but now we have it from the horse's mouths. Collectors are looking for a deal. It's a FACT, that almost everyone who buys at galleries right now asks for a discount on the stated price. Gallerists are giving discounts in order to make the sale, and they split the discount with the artist, so both the gallery and artist take a hit.
Sales are beginning to pick up, but they probably won't reach the hot rate they were before 2008. Many collectors who have 2nd homes in resort areas are "underwater" on their mortgages, and they are not buying as much art as they were before the housing bubble burst. In fact, there was an art buying bubble along with the other "bubbles". They all burst, and collectors are still buying but they're very careful and picky. For the most part, they've given up on buying for investment purposes (except for those artists at the very top whose work is increasing in value right now)... we're talking over $100,000 per painting with years of value behind those prices.
So, what's an artist to do? Well, if you lower your prices by 10% during a severe downturn, don't feel ashamed. Even if that lowers your price by a few hundred dollars, it does seem to be an incentive for buying right now. Sure, those collectors are able to pay full price, but in this economy, they don't want to, and they've learned that they don't have to!
I've got examples of artists who have lowered their prices and sales began to pick up. It's far better to make a little less than to just have your work sit there. Another trend I see -- collectors are comparing quality for price. If they find a newbie artist who paints beautifully at half the price of another artist's work, guess who gets the sale?
Nothing in art sales are like they were pre-2009, the bubble for art buying actually burst in the summer of 2010. Many artists are getting second jobs at box stores; some are going back to school for a non-art degree. The fact remains that there are not enough folks collecting original art right now to sustain the number of professional artists. What this means is that artists who want to make a living will need to try new measures to get sales going again. They may need to participate in multiple streams of income, they may need to lower prices, or better yet, create a series of lower priced unframed works that they sell directly from their website.
Some will offer reproductions - especially those who cannot offer low priced originals. There does seem to be a viable market for unframed works under $500. If you're a prolific painter, you can make some decent income using this method, but still remember, if everyone starts doing this, you're still competing with a huge crowd.
Many artists will decide to give up on full time art and go back to illustration or other jobs. What that means for those who do hang in there - a larger collector to artist ratio. Those artists who have sold in galleries for years are having the most difficult times with sales. I've seen some at outdoor shows having their best year ever, but galleries are closing monthly - and those that are open are worried and trying their best to gain the attention of collectors.
The Internet has changed the way everything is bought and sold, and we're in the middle of a revolution. No one really knows how it will all turn out, but we artists who are adventure prone and not adverse to risk will pull through. Even some galleries that are trying some new ideas out are the ones who are selling. I've interviewed a couple of gallery owners who are outselling those who are just waiting for the tide to turn.
This year, I have a few speaking engagements where I'll share the results of my research. First is a seminar at Scottsdale Artist School: January 19 and 20th. Second is the SmARTist telesummit, where I will speak along with many other art marketing professionals, and third, I will speak at the OPA national Show in Evergreen Colorado - June 22nd. In the meantime, I'll share what trends I see that are working through this blog. So stay tuned! ****************************************************************************
A note from your Neighboring artist friend,
I’m not very competitive, and I've learned now when I look back, this has actually kept my art original, by not being trendy and competitive. However, the art world has become extremely competitive; with the economics being so bad everyone who has a little talent has turned to art as a way of making money. Because of this we now have a large amount of landscape artist. With landscape art being the easiest, I recommend you try painting anything other then landscapes to get noticed. Yet the competitive world of art is good because, that competition will make or break the artist. The under educated artist will fail and give up, and educated artist will move up and evolve with their art and fans.
That’s right; all artists have fans that follow their art. Using this co-op of artist website is a great way to be seen, and found. Public viewing of your art is important for sells; any educated artist knows all public venues are helpful, and if it is the internet then linking is the new public venue. Just keep creating, don’t want to let your fans down.
"Selling Prints"
I’m also hearing every where I go,” should I sell prints”? Follow the consumer, if that’s what it takes to sell your art. I recommend creating series of paintings just for prints, and also create a series of art available only as originals. Personally I believe prints are destroying the value of art. May I add there are so many prints, and nobody cares to mention that it's a PRINT.?
I’m old school, and was taught to show in series, buy original art, and only purchase prints in card size. Your prints should say print in both the price and the title bar. You may want to sign your prints, this gives them authenticity. Creating certain series paintings just for prints, and create a series of art available only as originals will give your art distinction between classes.
The best way to make a name for yourself, and make money in art today is getting your art in the Galleries. Let the professional art dealers sell your art, something so old fashion, it’s new. Remember the Panhandle Arts Guild has a regular Figure drawing and we also offer a direct link to workshop videos sponsor by Blick art supplies, through the website here on workshop page at PanhandleArts.org
Email us if you to want to post your thoughts on art panhandlearts@live.com
