Look at this great list that was delivered to my email today. Alyson B Stanfield aka "art biz coach" always has wonderful tips especially for artists trying to move from part-time to full time. I still have difficulty with several of these items (especially belittling my art... I'm part Japanese and it's actually a normal part of our behavior to belittle ourselves and complement others. Bah!) See what you can learn and practice from the list below!
"1. Make great art.
I mean really great art. The kind of art that makes the heavens sing. Don’t settle for mediocre or “good enough” where your work is concerned. It’s time to stand out!
2. Treat your art with care.
One of the first newsletters I wrote back in 2002 begged you to treat your art like it belongs in a museum. I repeat this mantra often. This means keeping a detailed inventory, using high-quality materials, handling (and shipping) your art with great care, and talking about it with respect. This brings me to . . .
3. Don’t ever belittle your art.
Don’t talk despairingly about what you have created. Don’t point out the flaws. Don’t reveal how easy it was to make.
4. Speak the words “I’m an artist” with confidence.
Learn to talk about yourself and your art like the pro you are. Spend lots of time writing your artist statement and honing the words you use to define your art. The rest of the world is waiting for you to embrace your role.
5. Keep a price list handy.
Don’t appear to be grasping for figures when someone asks you a price. Print out your price list so that you can refer quickly to the numbers. Making up prices on the spot (or not showing confidence in the number you give) doesn’t instill confidence.
6. Maintain a list of collectors and collections.
You won’t have a long list immediately, but you will steadily grow your connections. People will be impressed when you tell them you sold 24 pairs of earrings, 10 bracelets, and 14 necklaces at your recent show. But imagine if you had a list of all your buyers. That’s a visual!
Better yet: Snap photos of buyers in your booth wearing their new jewelry or showing off their new painting.
7. Mention your venues and galleries.
Potential buyers gain confidence knowing that your work has been given a stamp of approval by professionals who exhibit art.
Practice these ideas whenever you can in order to establish value for your art. It’s not just for your potential collectors. Each one of these suggestions will help you gain confidence in your work.
How do you relate to yourself and to others that your art has value?"
You can sign up for these great email lessons for free here.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment