A Site for Emerging Artists
Interviews
How Passion for a Cause Led to Success/Interview with Melissa Cook
Jan 11th
By Carolyn Edlund
Artsy Shark connected with the owners of Scene East, a company partnering with nonprofit organizations to promote their photography while raising funds and awareness for worth causes. Here is their story . . .
Melissa Cook started card company Scene East over a Saturday breakfast brainstorming session with her husband Bob in their favorite local restaurant. Looking for a way to sell prints to promote Bob’s photo safari business, she wondered if they could make a profit while giving something back to their favorite causes in Africa. The manager of a local bookstore told them that “prints don’t sell here, but greeting cards do” – and a business idea was born.
While traveling to Rwanda with Women for Women International, Melissa approached the group to suggest that she would shoot photos in Rwanda to make cards for them, and sell the cards to raise money. This began what they hope will be a long and very productive relationship and a model for other partnerships.
Bob Demchuk, Melissa’s husband, has over 35 years experience running Scene East as a film production company and Melissa has worked in the finance field for 25 years. She focuses on marketing and developing new partnerships with nonprofits and potential distributors. LinkedIn, Facebook and personal networking are important tools in making those connections.
Melissa states, “In our travels of the past several years, we’ve grown even more passionate about our interest in supporting wildlife conservation, education, health and women’s causes—with an emphasis on developing countries. When you see what it looks like to live on less than $1 per day, it changes your perspective and makes you realize how far your dollar can go to transform lives. We’re committed to doing something much more than just writing checks.”
AS: How do you approach nonprofits with your line of cards to get their sponsorship and partner with them?
MC: We start with groups we already know and support, or organizations we’ve seen in action in our travels. We focus on groups whose mission resonates with us, and where the nonprofit’s goals are consistent with ours. From there, it’s simple:
- We highlight Scene East’s ability to create a beautiful, high-quality product that will represent the group to its best advantage. We outline our capabilities in manufacturing, marketing, distribution and fulfillment. We developed a highly professional proposal and operating process which allows us to identify the group’s needs and outlines how Scene East can help them meet their goals. This gives the development staff confidence that Scene East will deliver on its promises.
- We ask the nonprofit to do as much as possible in terms of marketing the cards to its supporters—through their normal communication channels.
- We outline a revenue sharing deal with the group—and the cards help in their grassroots marketing efforts.
AS: We all learn from mistakes, and every business person makes them. Can you share your thoughts on pitfalls to avoid?
MC: Don’t spend money on marketing and promotion until your product line is fully fleshed out and complete. You only get one chance to make a first impression with a retailer, so start with friendly local distributors who will give you an honest assessment of your line’s strengths and weaknesses. Don’t be in a rush to go national.
Think about your pricing strategy! We were careful to price our products competitively—after an exhaustive study of price lists for many card companies we saw at the National Stationery Show last spring. But in this economy, you have to have something extra-special to get through to retailers and consumers.
Melissa Cook
AS: Any tips for beginners who would like to start their own greeting card business?
MC: Be prepared to take the long view! You will have some early successes and will find support if you have a great product—but costs are always higher and revenues slower to come in than you expect. (Yes, they taught me this in my business school, now I believe it.)
Don’t be intimidated by the large number of strong competitors in this business—there’s always room for someone with a truly differentiated idea and product line.
Understand your own goals and the economics of your particular business. Are you doing this to pay the mortgage and so you can quit your day job? Or are you just looking to take advantage of your artistic talent and make a few bucks on the side? Yes, it really is worth sitting down with an Excel spreadsheet and running a proper business model to make sure you know what you are getting into.
Visit Melissa’s blog for more information on the charities Scene East supports.
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Essentials for Emerging Artists/Interview with John Luther
Jan 8th
By Carolyn Edlund
John Luther, who is the Career Development Coordinator at University of Michigan’s School of Art & Design (A&D), has a diverse background ranging from being a dancer/choreographer/director to psychotherapist. He agreed to speak about their program, and how young artists are prepared to begin careers.
John’s top four recommendations for emerging artists planning to run their own businesses:
- Network like crazy.
- Meet and speak with artists who are doing what they hope to do
- Learn about marketing and how to create and run a small business
- Create and maintain a personal web site
AS: Does your school teach business classes to students? If not, where are they getting this type of experience?
JL: No, A&D does not offer courses specifically in business. However, the University of Michigan does have the Center for Entrepreneurship and I encourage students to take advantage of the courses, events, speakers, etc. that are offered through this program. In addition, there are many opportunities for students to become involved with understanding business in courses like Integrated Product Development which is cooperatively offered through the U of M Ross School of Business, the College of Engineering and A&D. I also encourage students to look for inexpensive PRACTICAL courses through Community Colleges and continuing education classes since these are easy to find and realistically address starting and running a business.
AS: What networking opportunities does your school offer, and how do students make the most of them?
JL: I see each incoming student individually to establish the importance of career planning right from the beginning. I send daily email updates on opportunities, including networking. In addition, I maintain a database of A&D alums who are willing to be contacted by current students. I encourage students to attend all of the Fairs and Events through A&D, the U of M Career Center , to use resources like LinkedIn and the Arts Alliance.
Some students take advantage of networking early and often, but most do not really understand the importance of this until later no matter how much we as professionals emphasize this. For this reason, I also offer my services to them even after they have graduated and still help connect them to alums and others who may be helpful.
AS: What are the biggest mistakes you see students make while creating their web sites?
JL: I think the biggest mistake students make is that their sites are sometimes not set up for easily viewing their work. For example, a site may make you constantly return to a “home page” to view the next piece rather than set up in a slide show format. Students also sometimes confuse the personal with the professional and will include information and/or images that simply do not belong on a professional artist’s web site. I also find that sometimes students really need help editing and understanding that less really is more.
AS: John, you have an unusual program at the University of Michigan. Can you explain a little about the concept and what makes your Art & Design major so unique?
JL: A&D’s undergraduate BFA in Art & Design is predicated on the belief that all artists are designers and that all designers are artists. With this in mind, a curriculum was created that includes 24 core studio credits, 36 elective studio credits and 12 Integrative Project studio credits. In addition, 56 non studio credits encompass the Humanities, Social Science, Natural Science, Environmental Studies, Race and Ethnicity, Writing, and Analytical Reasoning.
This very comprehensive approach to Art & Design education ensures that students are exposed to a variety of tools, materials, processes and ways of thinking. We also heavily emphasize the importance of concept in creative work, thus ensuring that it is ideas that fuel creativity. In the 21st century we know that it is those who can learn and adapt who will be the most successful and therefore encourage students to think beyond the realm of the merely possible.
Since our students elect more than half of their course work (within certain bounds), each student’s BFA is unique to that student and to his or her goals. In addition to the BFA, the School of Art & Design also offers a BA and a wholly unique degree to the University of Michigan called “Interarts Performance”. Beginning in Fall 2010, A&D will also be the first U of M school to require an international experience.
The Wow Factor/Art in a Corporate Environment
Jan 6th
By Carolyn Edlund
If you had an insider’s tour of the offices of power brokers, government officials and influential businesspeople in our nation’s capitol, what would you see? Judith HeartSong, the Art Director for corporate consulting firm ArtMatters LLC in Washington, DC, agreed to answer a few question about this world and how artists can become involved in the corporate market.
AS: Your company ArtMatters does art consulting for business and government. Can you define exactly what that means?
JH: ArtMatters is a full-service art consulting firm. We oversee all stages of a project from the development phase (site visit, presentation of artwork, formal proposal) through the framing and installation. We work directly with the client or collaborate with the interior designer, architect or the project manager of a space. At our initial meeting we discuss the scope of the project and interior design, working with our clients to understand their needs, goals, vision, taste and budgetary parameters. We then make art selections that best fit the environment, working with the client’s budget.
AS: ArtMatters represents 500 artists and promotes them to corporate clients. Where do you find artists? How do you choose them?
JH: ArtMatters represents artists in all media. Some of our artists have been with us for many years, and we are always looking for new talent and new mediums. ArtMatters represents artists who live in the metro DC area (Washington, Maryland, and Virginia) as well as nationally and internationally recognized artists from all over the country and beyond. We attend art shows and gallery openings here and when we travel, and are basically always looking for art with a wow factor and staying power that can translate to corporate placement.
AS: Can you give your top three suggestions for artists who want to get involved in selling their work for corporate and residential interiors?
JH: First and foremost, hone your craft. Work to build your practical skills to a level of exemplary craftsmanship and expertise that will attract the clients you hope to target with your work. This is a competitive market and anything less than top-notch work will not catch designers’ and consultants’ well-trained eyes.
Second, research the market. Visit the websites of art consulting firms like ArtMatters to view the types of work being placed, as well as installation shots that show the scale of work being placed.
Third, learn as much as you can by reading trade publications, attending tradeshows, gallery openings and other events to immerse yourself in the world of art and design.
AS: Do you recommend that artists use current color trends and “popular” looks in their work to appeal to clients who want to purchase for interiors? Or do you encourage artists to use their own style and then find projects where their art would work well?
JH: Artists should be aware of current color trends and what is happening in the market, but it is much more important for artists to find and polish their own unique style and to build a strong portfolio of work that they are inspired by and believe in. When an artist finds something that works both for them and for corporate placement, by all means keep at it, but we also hope to see the depth of your work growing and evolving over time, i.e. not the same cookie-cutter work year after year. The best work gets better and better over time with growth and maturity.
AS: What is the biggest mistake artists make when trying to market their work?
JH: As the art director for ArtMatters, the biggest mistake that I see artists making over and over is to submit work that is totally inappropriate for any sort of corporate placement. It becomes immediately clear that they have not spent any time researching our website, which is full of examples of the sort of work that we place.
Artists should always learn as much as they can about consulting in general and the firm in particular that they wish to submit to. Do your homework and follow to the letter any guidelines offered for submission as it makes an instant impression on the people who will be looking at your work.
Judith HeartSong, a vibrant artist in her own right, will be the subject of an upcoming personal interview.
Art in Process/Interview with Gilbert West
Dec 27th
By Carolyn Edlund
Artsy Shark recently featured Start Looking, a fascinating site about the process of art. Gilbert West, the creator of the site, answers some questions about why he created it, and how you can submit a video of your art as well!
AS: Gilbert, what led you to produce the site Start Looking? Why the emphasis on the process?
GW: Whenever I go to exhibitions, there’s often a piece of art that leaves me trying to figure out how it was made, so that’s where the fascination with process comes from. Through Start Looking, I hope, in some small way, to widen the audience for contemporary art by showing people who might ordinarily be dismissive of contemporary art that there is a thought out process . . .
We’ve all heard people say “I could have done that” when they see new works of art, but they didn’t do it, so I suppose in some ways Start Looking is a response to that. The name Start Looking is a simple statement, a challenge if you like, to actually look and I mean really look at a piece of art. And then to look again! Sometimes that’s easy if we have an instantaneous emotional reaction to an art work. But sometimes we just need a little nudge and I find that by speaking to the artist about a painting or sculpture reveals an insight that helps me appreciate the work more. I can’t go and talk to every artist in the world, so I seek out short films of artists working or discussing their work.
AS: Your site is growing quickly with frequent additions of video. What are your plans and how would you like your audience to interact with you?
GW: Audience interaction is crucial. I only write a couple of lines about each video to stimulate a bit of interest and that is a deliberate policy on my part. Watching the video should be a starting point for people to leave their reactions.
At the moment, I’m committed to adding a new video every three days, but as it’s a new web site, I’ve been adding new material every other day.
AS: Are you looking for anything really unusual to feature on Start Looking?
GW: As I’m not an artist, it all unusual to me at the moment! I’m looking for videos that give me an insight into the day to day life of an artist in their studio. You cannot be comprehensive when it comes to artists, there just so many, and therefore you have to start making judgments about what is included in a site.
I just pick out the stuff that interests me. Anyone is welcome to suggest new videos that fit the criteria and I watch everything that is sent to me.
Interested in seeing a video of your own creative process featured on the site? Visit Start Looking, take a look around and submit your own video!
Are You an Artist? Students Answer the Question
Dec 19th
By Carolyn Edlund
Gilbert West, a British web designer based in Belgium, has launched a new website called Start Looking about art and the process at www.startlooking.co.uk . One video on his site features art students answering the question “Are You an Artist?”
Artsy Shark asked him to explain his viewpoint on the significance of this video, and how his website can benefit emerging artists.
Gilbert responds, “That was a very popular video and I think it was made by an art student. I was surprised that here were a group of young people who were about to embark on their careers who appeared to be really thrown by the question. Some of them would make choices about whether to pursue a career as an artist, go into a related creative industry or take another path and pursue their art as a pastime. I’m sure they were all accomplished as creative people, yet it appears that their college had never addressed the question of what it is to be an artist.”
- Visit Start Looking and see this video
Gilbert adds, “I think it’s a really good question for any artist to ask themselves. What struck me was that although they were all practicing some kind of art, half of them did not consider themselves artists, because I think the word artist conjures up the image of a great master. If was as if they’d been asked “So, do you think you’re as good as Van Gogh?”
One of the people being interviewed said that it wasn’t a title that he felt he could bestow on himself. Again this touches on the notion of the greatness and how we validate art, or at least how we validate art in the West; through its financial value. If that is the only measure of art then it inhibits the desire to try and to learn.
So I hope that emerging artists will watch the videos on my site and think about these questions and get inspiration for their work.”
Any students or emerging artists who have video of themselves creating art or explaining how they created a piece are welcome to submit it on his website. The intention is to have a wide range of people represented on Start Looking. Not everyone has to be an expert in their field or a recognized artist, so all are welcome. Visit and explore at www.startlooking.co.uk.
Featured Artist Julia Hacker
