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Starting Your Career as an Artist/Interview with the Authors
Sep 27th
By Carolyn Edlund
Angie Wojak and Stacy Miller, Courtesy School of Visual Arts
Angie Wojak and Stacy Miller have recently released a new book, Starting Your Career as an Artist, with lots of information for those looking to begin or enhance their art careers.
Wojak is the Career Services Director at Columbia University’s School of the Arts, and formerly was Director of Career Services at Parsons School of Design for over a decade. Miller currently teaches in the photography department at Parsons The New School for Design, and has been the director of research and professional development at the College Art Association.
Artsy Shark interviewed them recently about their expertise and how artists can benefit from their new publication.
AS: One networking strategy you recommend is using your alma mater in your efforts. What suggestions do you have for this?
W&M: Artists often don’t realize it, but universities may offer alumni access to the following:
- Alumni Networks: Many colleges offer graduates access to online databases of fellow alumni. This can be an essential networking tool both for reconnecting with fellow classmates, and also for reaching out to new contacts in a variety of industries.
- Alumni Mixers and free or discounted access to special events: These can be great opportunities for networking and building skills and knowledge about the field.
- Social media connections such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter: Most universities offer these. They are good ways to stay connected with a community -or find a new one related to your art work.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Consider offering to assist with planning, or serve on alumni committees to network while giving back to the community. Offer to be a guest speaker or participate in a panel discussion. It’s an effective way to build your public profile and expand your network.
AS: In your book, you interview over 30 artists and art professionals about their careers. What are some characteristics you notice successful artists have in common?
W&M: While interviewing artists, gallery owners, curators, arts administrators and educators, we noticed patterns emerge for success in the field. All agreed success is ultimately self-determined. The consensus is that to be a successful artist, you must figure out a way to make art, no matter what. Get in the studio everyday, and work on building your own unique community of fellow artists and advocates.
Mentors are critical for success. No one does it on their own. Be fearless about what you want your work to do. Appropriately, there are more different types of communities supporting the artists and more different ways to support your art work than ever before. The trick is to know what you want. The colorful art critic Jerry Saltz reminds all artists to keep it simple. Keep your life simple in order to maximize your output in the studio!
AS: Burnout is an issue that artists sometimes face. What are your ideas for rejuvenating the creative spirit?
W&M: One thing we’d like readers to take from our book is that building community to sustain your work and spirit is the most essential activity, and one that many artists undervalue or totally overlook. This is a sincere, life and art-affirming action that you must do or you run the risk of isolating yourself and burning out.
Surround yourself with a supportive network of mentors, friends, family, and colleagues. Schedule a studio visit, lunch, or coffee meeting at least once a week. Join the community where your goals are and network with that target community in mind. Continuously ask yourself if you are still learning and growing; review whether your life/work is balanced properly.
AS: You suggest that artists looking to sustain their studio practice might consider teaching to supplement their income. Could you address this?
W&M: Teaching can add another important dimension to your work. It can inspire and feed it. Watching students change and grow is a great satisfaction for a professional and it creates community. Here are some good basic questions to ask yourself in order to find out if you should consider a career in teaching:
- Are you someone who likes to work with people?
- Are you comfortable working in an institution that has numerous protocols and often well-defined systems?
- Do you like to lecture, critique and advise? Do you like public speaking?
- Can you take instruction from a superior? Can you take direction easily?
- Can you juggle two hats at once: teaching and your studio work?
- Do you enjoy interacting and exchanging ideas with adults, youth or children?
- Do you enjoy watching people grow and change?
In our book we outline the numerous venues to teach in, the requirements for these positions, and the plusses and minuses that go with them.
AS: What inspired you to write the book?
The impetus for writing the book was our shared experience in serving art and design students’ career development needs. Between us we’ve spent over 20 years teaching and mentoring students and alumni working in the arts. We saw many artists facing the same hurdles: emotional, financial, issues with relationship building, networking, long term planning, getting their mind/body out of the studio, having realistic expectations, and so on.
It is important to understand that making the work is less than half the battle. We found there was little knowledge of the basics of marketing their work themselves and how to build a community to sustain themselves in every way. Artists need to be entrepreneurial and proactive and business-minded rather than turning inward and rejecting the business and social side of their practice. How to balance all these aspects interested us, and we sought to ask professionals in the field what they thought of these issues.
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4 Things Artists Can Learn from Their Day Jobs
Sep 19th
By Carolyn Edlund
Courtesy Ruth Soller
Are you working all day and making art during your free time? Even if you don’t love your day job, you can take a few tips from how you work there and use them as you develop your own business as an artist:
- Structure. The daily grind at your office or place of business might seem constricting, but the schedule keeps you working consistently on what you need to achieve during the work day. It’s easy to get off track when you are self-employed and work in a home studio. Make a schedule for your art work too – use a calendar to set studio hours, plan goals and keep your deadlines. Unless you deliberately structure your time, you may find yourself losing track of it.
- Separate Environment. Most likely, your day job is at a location where you don’t live. That keeps you focused as well. You get work done at work, and your home is your sanctuary. When you work where you live, it can create havoc. Do you have a studio which is totally separate from your living quarters? Do you ask family members to respect your studio space as a work area? Do you avoid overlapping personal and studio activities in your work space so that you don’t get sidetracked?
- Co-workers. Working as a team with other employees at your day job means that you get input from others, and there is a momentum created around work projects. Who is working on your team in your art business? Don’t lose touch with your art community and become isolated. Stay involved and keep your own momentum going. A mentor for your art business can inspire and teach you, much like a co-worker who is training you at your day job.
- Scheduled Breaks. Lunch hours, coffee breaks and socialization break up the day at an office job. These help you relax and recharge for the rest of the work that needs to get done. Are you giving yourself breaks from your studio work? Deliberately schedule in some down time. Take a walk, stretch, get out of the studio. Marathon sessions can cause burnout and even physical problems from repetitive motion.
How have you structured your art business so that it works like a real business? Is it working for you?
Thanks to painter Ruth Soller for use of her image "Presbyterian Santa Fe" - see more of her work by visiting her website.
How One Artist Reached her Market through Extreme Networking
Sep 11th
By Carolyn Edlund
How many ways can you connect with your audience?
Vicki Boatwright
Vicki Boatright, a Canton, Ohio artist who paints delightful portraits of pets, has mastered the art of communicating and promoting her work through social networking and in person. She presents a wonderful case study of how an artist can get in front of the public, create a buzz and sell to collectors and new friends everywhere.
Her customer base is made up of pet lovers, who purchase prints and originals, or commission portraits of their own pets. In a recent email newsletter, Vicki, who goes under the pseudonym “BZTAT” (Bee-zee-tat), offers readers no less than four opportunities to buy art – custom pet portraits, giclee prints, existing originals of her
contemporary pop pet art, or custom murals – in the sidebar alone!
Her colorful images abound in the newsletter, but the main message to subscribers is a very serious one. Vicki is using her artwork to fund a worthy cause. Okey’s Promise is a public art project 
which brings awareness to the fact that in homes where pets are abused, children are often abused as well. Her Kickstarter campaign is raising funds to paint a mural in several parts which will become a traveling exhibit and produce six highly visible public artworks addressing this issue.
Some other ways Vicki is connecting with new purchasers, collectors, and commissions:
- Her image-laden website contains her story, inspirations, videos, paintings for sale, opportunities to buy customer murals, and products featuring images of her work from Zazzle, complete with “buy” button.
- She offers a “referral incentive program,” sending an ACEO to those who refer new customers
- Gift certificates are available on her site for easy gift-giving
- She is a motivational speaker and makes a point to attend events to get in front of a live audience, such as BlogPaws.
- Vicki started connecting with followers on Twitter by posting “in-progress” images of her work at #BZTATPTG and on Facebook
- She auctions her paintings on her blog and promotes them on Facebook and Twitter – bids are placed as comments.
- Her feline pets Okey and Brewskie Butt have been personified and have their own facebook pages and twitter accounts, which link back to the BZTAT website
- Brewskie Butt is featured on many of her blog posts, with a story of his world travels. Each post is accompanied by a small drawing of the cat character in a different setting, and is auctioned. Brewskie Butt even has his own blog!
- She has publicized her charity work, and garnered articles on pet sites, such as Catster and Bocci’s Beefs.
- BZTAT maintains a very active Google+ page, focusing on animal welfare and charitable causes.
- She has participated in paint-a-thons for charity as well, and created “interactive” murals with participants at events.
- BZTAT has a YouTube channel with an extensive collection of videos.
How are you making the connection with your fans, your collectors, and your prospective customers? Can you think of more ways to make yourself and your art memorable?
Consultation Case Study: Improving a Greeting Card Line to Increase Sales
Sep 7th
By Carolyn Edlund
Is This Greeting Card Line Ready for Retail?
In a recent consultation appointment, I worked with an artist who designed a line of greeting cards, and has a wholesale catalog in process. She was looking for help in evaluating her line as a whole, and wanted specific advice about making necessary changes, so that her products would be as saleable as possible.
We discussed sentiment categories, sizes, pricing, stock and envelope choices, cellophane, barcodes, terms, minimums, headers, display options, trade shows, related products, and marketing strategy.
Evaluating Categories
One of the most important factors in determining the success of a card line is balance. When a card artist schedules a consultation, we always start by evaluating the percentages of their line that fall into different categories, to be sure they are properly balanced for the marketplace.
We took a look at the percentage of her line greeted as Birthday, and decided to increase it by changing the greetings on some non-Birthday cards. If Birthday is not a full 50% of the line, it does not reflect market demand. Then we reviewed other categories, such as Friendship, Anniversary, Thank You, Sympathy, New Baby, etc. If these sentiment categories are not in the right percentages, sales suffer there as well.
Blank Cards
I found that this artist had too many blank cards in her line, and was unsure of which ones to keep. We discussed how to choose the cards in her line that would work best as blanks.
Many artists produce blank cards only, which is a pet peeve of mine. If you are willing to turn away 90% of American buyers (who are looking for cards greeted on the inside), then go ahead and produce your blank line. Store buyers have little interest in looking at “yet another line of blanks,” no matter how pretty or appealing.
Consumer demand determines what sells, and you need to supply what they want in order to be successful. I give a pass on the issue of blank cards to artists primarily creating paintings or drawings who just want to sell packaged boxes of blank notecards as a sideline. End of rant.
Fine Tuning the Line
Another crucial process in getting a line into stellar shape is to review each individual card. The image on the card grabs the customer’s attention, but the message will sell it. Is the message clear and complete? Does it work? Take a look at your own line, and evaluate each one. Ask yourself, “Who would buy this card and why? Who would they send it to?” If you don’t know, make some changes.
My client’s line needed some adjusting, particularly because she had some categories which aren’t popular enough to include in a small collection. Several of them were in the “Bon Voyage” category, which accounts for about .0001% of card sales in my estimation. We worked together to change the greetings and put them in more popular categories rather than let them languish as unsold inventory.
What to Toss
Other categories generally not worth including (unless you have a large line or specialty market) are New Home, Good Luck, Retirement, Bridal Shower, Baby Shower, I’m Sorry, and Pet Sympathy. Seasonal (holiday) cards of all types and cards for relatives should also not be included in small card lines. Some people may take exception to this, citing their Christmas card collection. Include that holiday if you must, but be aware that returns/exchanges and other issues may surface with your retailers.
Pricing
My client felt unsure about her pricepoint, and also whether she should be printing the retail price on her card. We adjusted the retail price for her, and I strongly suggested the price be printed on each card. I do not know of a single retailer who has the time or interest to stick prices on greeting cards.
Artists should become acquainted with average market prices for their type of product. Don’t try to reinvent the wheel on this with an unusual retail pricepoint. For example, $2.17 is not a card price. Prices typically end with .25, .49, .50, .75, .95 or .99, and the public is accustomed to this.
Goals
A card line consultation and review encompasses many topics. We address the line as a whole, and every aspect of the processed involved in selling it – making it ready for retail.
When evaluating your own card line, work towards accomplishing these two goals:
- Adjust the line to make it easier and more appealing for the customer to choose your cards over your competition
- Remove any barriers to the sales process, both at wholesale and retail
In this competitive industry, small details can make a huge difference. Does your card line measure up?
Finding and Targeting Your Market
Sep 3rd
By Carolyn Edlund
Courtesy Helene Kippert
The results are in . . .
Four days ago, I posted a poll on Artsy Shark asking my readers to describe their goals. Of the multiple choices listed, an overwhelming 79% responded that they want to work as full-time artists selling their work. Why did I ask? This information helps me stay on topic in future articles and interviews, gathering and sharing knowledge which matters to artists who are entrepreneurs, which are my audience.
What are your results?
Taking a poll is one method of identifying an audience and understanding their needs and wants. You can do similar “research” by speaking with your customers, observing shoppers who respond to your work, and engaging in conversation with gallery owners, consultants, retailers and other artists, who may have important input to help you determine your target market. This will enable you to hone your product line, focus your marketing, choose trade shows in vertical markets, and use your advertising budget wisely.
Niche markets
Constantly evaluate the marketplace and where you fit into it. This will enable you to take advantage of niches where your work can flourish.
An example of this is metal sculptor Tom Torrens, who has designed bells, fountains, gongs and outdoor sculptures for thirty-five years. Originally selling products to gardeners, birdwatchers and landscapers, he found that members of the clergy were purchasing his birdbaths for garden sanctuaries and use as baptismals. Thus was born a new market for his work, which has evolved into an entire liturgical collection ranging from offering plates to altars.
Go where your customers are
What do buyers in your niche care about? Do they love fine wine, anime, duck hunting, NASCAR racing? What is their lifestyle, their habits and their budget? Do they gather at conventions, retreats, resorts or even camping sites?
Once you have decided to target a market, get involved and educate yourself about the niche and all its nuances. Attend their events, and make it a point to meet people, especially leaders and influencers in the group. Network with other vendors to understand buying habits, and create strategic alliances with those who don’t compete with you but share the same customer base.
Be authentic. If your work is geared toward a niche that you truly care about, you will want to become more involved and educated. As sales follow, you can immerse yourself even further and become the “go-to” person for that niche when they are buying related art or handmade items.
What are the benefits?
When you become well-known in a niche, you will enjoy the reputation of being a desirable source for the needs and wants of your group. Customers seek you out rather than you having to chase them. You will also receive referrals from satisfied customers – the best source of quality business leads. Testimonials will also help you build your reputation.
Many businesspeople in different industries have built extremely successful careers through targeted marketing, and you can too. Do your research, target your market and increase your own business through selling to your niche.
See more of Helene Kippert's work at www.helenekippert.com
Featured Artist Leah Jay
