I’ve been completely redesigning my office/studio this week. The room is a normal bedroom size, about 12′ x 12′, and it serves two important purposes: I write in this room, and I create art here. Writing The writing requires lots & lots of reference books within easy reach. I write on a variety of topics…
Category: Business & Career
How to earn money – or even a living – from your artistic talents: Selling art, teaching art, and more.
Cheap Art Manifesto
Many years ago during the hippie era, we dreamed of a free society where everyone had access to what’s important in life… including art. The following flyer, distributed by the Bread & Puppet Theater, is a classic example of our dreams. The date on this flyer is (ironically?) 1984 — when the hippie movement was…
Crafts Fair Marketing – On-site ideas
Years ago, when I worked in fashion in Los Angeles, a co-worker at the May Company told a great story about a desperate ad campaign. He’d had just a few hours to write a newspaper ad for the ugliest argyle socks ever made. He wrote this headline: “You’ve never seen socks like these!” The socks…
Planning for your future
This morning, I read Seth Godin’s blog in which he posted a joke set of predictions for 2008. (He claimed to have written them in 2002. Obviously, he’d written them this week.) But, as he concluded his post, he stated his point very well: “…just think about how impossible it is for your to predict…
The importance of leverage
Today, I was reading a blog entry by Rick Sheffren, Leverage: Maximize your income in minimum time. It reminded me of the potential leverage of past accomplishments. As artists, we don’t always pause to update our resumes (CVs). We participate in swaps, group shows, and see our works published in zines and magazines… and all…
Art Consignment for Beginners
Every year, new art galleries and crafts shops open. Often, they’re launched on a shoestring. They need consigned items to sell. Every year, new artists and crafters decide that this is the year they’re going to launch their careers. They need places to show their artwork. It could be a perfect partnership for your artwork…
Recommended: Annual meetings
If you want to meet other artists and talk with them about local resources and outlets for your own art, here’s one great approach: Join art associations and clubs, and — here’s the important part — go to their annual meetings. Unlike some corporate annual meetings, art associations’ meetings can be very sociable and fun. …
Choosing an unjuried show
How do you choose a ‘good’ art show or crafts fair when you’re a beginner? A few simple cues can help you, plus one reliable source. The first cue is the quality of promotion. Does this fair have an online presence, and does their site look professional. (If not, tell them about my book, Sites…
Keys to successful art shows: Have fun
Art fairs and art shows can be great or totally boring. What makes the difference? You do. Many artists don’t like to hear that, but it’s true. When I was a Guest at Dragon*Con 2007, I visited the”Walk of Fame” to see a few friends and buy some autographed photos. One of the busiest booths…
The Quadrants, revisited, by Robin Retallick
Let’s begin by understanding a couple of things here: 1. If you’re reading this, then you may be among those looking for a “fix” to life. We see others that seem to have it all, and we can’t seem to get ourselves organized. If only we could find the secret to success. Well – read…