Tips for Aspiring Artists

I have a lot of new paintings, but I’m waiting till they’re dry to photograph them all at once.  There will be a big “new sunflowers!” blog next week.

A sneak peek at the drying rack!

Sometimes artists come to me and ask if I can give them some general advice or ideas for getting their work out into the world and selling it.  It’s always hard to answer this question because there are so many approaches one might take.  It depends on your artwork, your audience, and your specific goals.  I only know what’s worked for me over the past few years.

I’ve settled into a track of gallery representation alongside self-representation through my website, and I carefully balance the two.  Some artists just choose one or the other.  Other ways to sell your art include art dealers, interior designers, arts & crafts trade shows, the eBay & Etsy route, wholesaling, roadside stands, alternative venues like retail stores, office buildings, restaurants, etc., and many other tacks.  There’s no reason why you have to stick to only one, although some approaches are more all-consuming.

I tried to narrow down my limited but valuable experience into a few things that have worked well for me.  These are the things I would tell any artist who asks me how I got here from where I started (which was nowhere):

Tip 1

Above all else, I’ve never stopped developing and improving my work.  My progress at times has been slower than I would have liked, but improving my technical skill and my finished work has been, and always will be, an ongoing goal.

One tip for aspiring painters that seems like common sense but is often overlooked is that your paintings must be completely finished, polished, and ready to hang in someone’s beautiful home.  Take care with the hanging wires and the frames.  If unframed, make sure the edges of your canvas are finished in an attractive way–no staples!  Use high-quality materials.  Sign your work in a consistent way.

Tip 2

I worked very hard to find galleries that were a good fit for my work, run by people who were a good fit for me.  Once involved with a new gallery, I’ve worked hard to cultivate relationships and I’ve tried to always give the gallery owners what they want and what they need.  Generosity, professionalism, good communication, and consistent follow-up are all very important.  You help them and they’ll help you!  This goes for any business relationship, not just ones with galleries.

Tip 3

I dove headfirst into the Internet.  Since the inception of my website in 2006 (it was quite pitiful at the time) I’ve been constantly working on improving it and becoming more and more connected.  I’ve learned about web directories and SEO, I’ve exchanged links, I’ve spent many many hours designing the look of my site, and I’ve periodically re-arranged things so my content is always fresh.  I try to blog regularly and on a loose schedule.

Once your website is together, you’ve got to make sure people know it’s there.  I’m diligent about spending time on online social networking sites every single day.  My email signature includes links to all the places I can be found online.  Over time, my website has become more connected, has gotten better Google rankings, and has brought me many sales.

You can never go wrong with social networking in person either.  I try to reach out to everyone I meet–I bring business cards everywhere, which direct people to aforementioned website, and give them to everyone.

Tip 4

And this tip is very hard to do but has always worked in my favor when I’ve done it successfully.  Never give up.  Be positive, and always project positivity.

For years, I have planted seeds in as many ways & places I could think of, and eventually things happened.  A lot of things I tried were dead ends.  But I think that any action, even if it doesn’t appear to lead to anything, is good.  Sometimes you’re planting seeds for the future and you don’t realize it.  Sometimes just the experience of putting yourself out there will benefit you in ways you never imagined.  Decisions without actions are just thoughts.

Sometimes these “baby steps” are teetering and unstable.  Sometimes they swerve off in odd directions and have to find their way back to the path.  Sometimes they trip and stumble.  But they are steps.

At times, I’ve been in a very dark and hopeless state.  But I’ve always dug out of these ruts and found my way towards the next step.  Try not to dwell in those dark places.  And don’t talk about it publicly!  You may be a blubbering heap on the floor, convinced that you will never amount to anything no matter how hard you work.  But if you spend time voicing your worries about your lack of talent, your lack of sales, or whatever, you will only project desperation.  You will inspire people’s pity instead of their interest and support.

The path of the creative professional can be very isolating.  You won’t survive if you can’t rally yourself.  You must be able to find hope and optimism within yourself, and to replenish those reserves when they run low.  You must be self-motivated and ruggedly self-sufficient.  Before I embarked on this path, it never occurred to me that I would have to be quite so tough.  But if you aren’t tough, you won’t get anywhere.  It sounds harsh, but there it is.

Projecting positivity out into the world, as abstract as that sounds, has been the single biggest factor in all the success I’ve ever had.  One of my favorite poems of all time is “Solitude” by Ella Wheeler Wilcox, who knew exactly what I’m talking about and phrased it beautifully:

Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone.
For the sad old earth must borrow it’s mirth,
But has trouble enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air.
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.

Rejoice, and men will seek you;
Grieve, and they turn and go.
They want full measure of all your pleasure,
But they do not need your woe.
Be glad, and your friends are many;
Be sad, and you lose them all.
There are none to decline your nectared wine,
But alone you must drink life’s gall.

Feast, and your halls are crowded;
Fast, and the world goes by.
Succeed and give, and it helps you live,
But no man can help you die.
There is room in the halls of pleasure
For a long and lordly train,
But one by one we must all file on
Through the narrow aisles of pain.