Approaching a gallery is like an old-fashioned courtship, where you get to know each other gradually before you commit. In this series I’ve described how to identify the galleries that are right for you, find ways to become visible to them, and then start a conversation. When all goes well you are ready to sign a contract. Here’s how to prepare for that moment: Know what matters most to you. The best way to negotiate a contract is to know what’s important to you. As an emerging artist you won’t get everything you want, so think about your priorities. You might care most about your selling prices, or how the gallery promotes your work, or even how soon you’ll get paid. You’ll feel more confident when you are prepared to talk about what you want and why. Take your time to read & understand the contract. Sometimes artists feel pressured to sign a contract they haven’t read or understood. When an artist friend of mine was faxed a gallery’s “standard contract” she thought she had to sign and fax it back immediately, even though the contract was full of phrases that made no sense. Take your time, ask questions, look up words you don’t understand. Ask for help from legal sources like Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. Trust your instincts and don’t be afraid to say no. In the gradual “getting to know you” process I’ve been describing, you already have a sense of how the gallery operates. How they treat you now is how they’ll treat you later. Do you feel respected? Are your questions answered promptly? Does the gallery staff seem professional? Since there are no credentials required to open a gallery or any regulatory agencies, a gallery stands on its own reputation. Ask other artists showing there if they are satisfied with their experience. If you begin to feel that the gallery is dishonest or unreliable, or their terms are unfavorable to you, don’t sign the contract. You can create your own letter of agreement. Sometimes a gallery says it doesn’t use contracts. Listen to their point of view but keep talking so that you reach verbal agreement about all the areas that are most important to you. Take notes. Then follow-up with a friendly email that summarizes what you’ve discussed. Ask if they have anything to add. You will have created a written letter of agreement. In my next blog post I’ll describe the qualities of a good gallery contract. In the meantime, let me know if you have questions. Mary Edwards, Ph.D. I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists. Visit www.coachingforartists.com to find out more or email me directly at coaching@coachingforartists.com to send a comment or ask a question. *Please note: I recently published a longer version of this article in the May 2019 Newsletter for www.callforentries.com. This is a well-curated site which lists open calls for artists and photographers. Take a look, you can join for free! In my last blog post I listed five questions for discussion with a gallery. The purpose of this conversation is for you and the gallery to decide whether you want to move forward to the next stage: signing a contract. As you ask and answer these questions, pay attention to your instincts. If the gallery owner seems evasive, or has policies that don’t fit your needs, take note. You are developing a relationship that needs to be based on trust and mutual respect. Here are the questions:
Everything you learn at this stage will prepare you to negotiate a good contract with a gallery. I’ll cover that topic in my next blog post. Mary Edwards, Ph.D. I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists throughout the United States. If you would like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, visit my website (www.coachingforartists.com) or write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. In Part I of this series I described how to find the galleries that might be right for you, and how to make yourself visible to them. So what comes next? Think of your relationship with a gallery as a gradual courtship. You both learn more at each stage and then decide whether you’ll make a commitment. Your first connection might be in person, or on the telephone, or in an email exchange. Since you can’t predict when or how this will happen, get ready now. Remember, you’re preparing to have a conversation, not give a speech. You’ll want to be brief, positive, and honest as you describe your background. Here are five areas to think about:
Your body of work Galleries are looking for what they call “a coherent body of work.” This usually means 12-20 pieces of completed work, ready to show, or enough to fill one of their gallery spaces. You’ll need fewer pieces if they start out by including you in a small group show. “Coherent” doesn’t mean that your work is all the same, only that it is unified by theme, materials, technique, or point of view. In a gallery setting, your art should look like it belongs together. Your intentions and process If you’ve spent the time to create a strong artist statement, you’ve got this covered. When talking with a gallery, you might describe what inspires you, or how your work connects with issues you care about, or how you use materials. Just tell them what your art is all about. Your exhibition history Most galleries expect you to have some experience showing your work. If you’re an emerging artist, you might have shown in juried group exhibitions, or in local cafes or bookstores, or at Open Studios. Don’t apologize for anything you haven’t done yet. After all, you’re looking for a gallery because you want to reach a wider audience. Pricing and sales history This is a tricky area, especially if you haven’t sold much work. A gallery will help you set fair prices for your work, so if you think your prices are too low, say so. They do want to know about previous sales, but it’s OK if you’ve mostly sold to friends and family. Your audience (includes social media presence) Galleries are interested in the audience you attract. Think about the kinds of people who respond to your art. If you have enough information, cite demographics such as age, income, geography, etc., to provide a profile of your potential audience. If you are active on social media, talk about not just the number of followers but how they respond to your work. Remember, you’re preparing for a conversation and will get to ask questions of your own. Here are five good ones:
Everything you learn in early conversations will help you be effective when it is time to negotiate a contract with a gallery. In the next part of this series I’ll explain how to do that, and show you what a good gallery contract looks like. Mary Edwards, Ph.D. I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists. Visit www.coachingforartists.com to find out more or email me directly at coaching@coachingforartists.com to send a comment or ask a question. *Please note: I recently published a longer version of this article in the April Newsletter for www.callforentries.com. This is a well-curated site which lists open calls for artists and photographers. Take a look, you can join for free! Every time I ask a gallery owner how they found the new artist they are so excited about, they describe a process of discovery:
Notice the language here. Galleries like to discover artists. They want to find you, instead of being bombarded by your emails. Even galleries reviewing portfolio submissions tend to respond to artists whose work they have already seen or heard about. Your job is to be visible, to get on the radar of galleries that interest you. First, do your research, both online and on foot. Identify a short list of galleries that could be right for you. Start local! Pay attention to galleries in your own city or region. This will make your process logistically easier, and you will build your confidence and skills as you go. As you review galleries, notice that most of them have a focus. They may show only abstract art, or documentary photography, or works on paper, or minimalist work. This is called their “program” or “aesthetic.” By looking quickly at each artist represented, you’ll see what they have in common. Would your own work fit into the overall look and feel of the gallery? Pay attention to how each gallery talks about their artists. They may say they represent “emerging artists” or “mid-career artists,” but you need to know what that means. Review each artist and check to see where they are in their careers. Sometimes a gallery’s “emerging” artists have long and impressive resumes. When you have identified 6-8 galleries that interest you, let everyone in your network know who is on your short list and why. Ask them for other suggestions. Ask them for introductions. Be open to new ideas. If well-known galleries are outside your reach right now, consider new galleries or artist-run spaces. Then begin the process of becoming visible to the galleries on your list.
During your visits to a gallery, always be prepared for the unexpected. Although you’re not there to promote yourself, sometimes you strike up a conversation with gallery staff. Make a connection if you can. If they seem receptive, ask about how they find new artists. After you have done your research, and visited your top galleries, see if you can find someone in your network who is willing to introduce you. The best person is an artist friend who is already showing there. Choose someone who is at a point in their career when they are willing to be generous to other artists. Finding a gallery is a slow, incremental process. It requires you to operate in two opposite ways simultaneously. You are planful and systematic, doing careful research, while also staying open to the random nature of the art universe. You reach out to others, asking for advice, referrals, introductions. Most important, make yourself visible. Put your name, and your face, and your art out there in the world. Mary Edwards, Ph.D. I am a Career & Life Coach for Artists. Visit www.coachingforartists.com to find out more or email me directly at coaching@coachingforartists.com to send a comment or ask a question. *Please note: I recently published a longer version of this article in the March Newsletter for www.callforentries.com. This is a well-curated site which lists open calls for artists and photographers. Take a look, you can join for free! When artists are asked to write about their work, they often resist, thinking that it isn’t important or that someone else could do it for them. The purpose of good art writing is to illuminate your work. After you’re famous the critics will take over the task, but right now it’s up to you. You can ask for help polishing the writing later, but the first words must come from you. A good statement is powerful and personal and takes real effort to do well. It is worth your time now because it forms the foundation of other documents you’ll need as your career progresses. Here’s a short list:
So start with your statement. Write in your own voice. Use “I” and “me” and “my.” Your statement should sound like you on a good day, when you are rested and clear. Artists sometimes think that a statement needs to be full of big words--that it has to sound fancy to be good. The opposite is true. Clear, simple language is always best. Here are 7 questions to help you think about what you want to say. You can use them to prepare a new statement or revise the one you have.
The first three questions overlap, as they suggest different ways for you to think about what your art is all about. This is often the hardest part to write, so if you get stuck just go on to other questions and come back later. Questions 4 & 5 ask you to get specific about your process and materials. The best statements are grounded in the details of your work. When you’re trying to write about your art, don’t stare out the window! Look at your work and at the materials you use to make it. Here are a few examples of artists being specific: "When I paint bits of light on leaves, the paint itself becomes those flickers of light moving through the field." (Janet Jacobs) "For example, I call this series “Escaping the Noise” because the city is seen from far away in my compositions..." (Patricia Oji) "My sculptures incorporate unusual materials, like assorted ribbons, pipe cleaners, and tinsel..." (Erika Roth) Question 6 is optional. It asks you to think about artists who have inspired you. Choose two or three and describe how their work influences your own. Be specific. You might mention their color palette, or subject matter, or technique. Question 7 lets you include anything else you want people to know. Just be sure to keep the focus on your art. Your statement will probably go through several rough drafts as you struggle to tell the truth about your art. The first draft might be full of repetition and awkward language. I call this "the ugly draft." Don’t worry, you will get there. The final version should be no more than a page, and ideally shorter than that. As your art develops, you’ll revise the statement. When you create a new series you might add a paragraph or two. Your statement is a living thing, and grows with you. Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists To receive Free Tips for Artists (twice a month), visit www.coachingforartists.com and click on “Mailing List Sign-Up.” If you would like to schedule a time to talk, write to Mary at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. How do you know you’re stuck? You diet for a week and the number on your bathroom scale doesn’t change. Or the same items appear each Monday on your to-do list. Sound familiar? When you feel stuck, you start to think that nothing you do matters, so you stop doing it, and then you really are stuck. My favorite advice on getting unstuck is from the author Jack Canfield, who offers a useful formula: “Do more of what is working, do less of what isn’t, and try on new behaviors to see if they produce better results.” Canfield’s advice assumes that the only thing you control is your own behavior—what you do, or don’t do, every day. For artists who are struggling to make their way in the confusing art world, it’s a strategy worth trying. Start by identifying what’s working in your art practice, and then do more of it. Maybe you love being in your studio, or taking art classes, or visiting other artists. So try doubling the amount of time you spend doing these activities. The best part of the exercise is that you have to think about what is working in your art practice, and that alone can make you feel less stuck. Then think about what’s NOT working. Most of the artists I know come up with this list easily! But instead of complaining, slowly begin to do less of the things that aren’t working for you. Maybe you’ve been volunteering as a docent at a museum, and you get little out of it. So you cut back on your hours. Making small changes, wherever you can, puts you in motion and gives you control over your life. The last part of Canfield’s advice is to try on new behaviors to see if you get better results. Even though artists are the most imaginative people I know, they sometimes have difficulty bringing an experimental spirit to their art career. New behaviors are often tiny, and work only gradually. If you have a to-do list that never gets done, try breaking down your first item into smaller and smaller bits. Eventually you reach an action that is so small it is laughable, and easily done, so you do it. And then you do the next one, because you have broken the logjam. For most of us, it is easier to keep going than to begin. Set yourself in motion. The best new behaviors get you out of your head and into the world, so that you are engaged with others. Make an appointment with someone, perhaps to ask for advice about museums you’re interested in. The best kind of appointment is one where you need to prepare ahead of time, so that you’re forced to complete a task you’ve been avoiding. In this example you’ll need to make a list of museums, and visit their websites, so you have your questions ready. Just making the appointment gets you started. The opposite of being stuck is to be in motion. Motion can be physical (making that phone call) or mental (thinking about what’s working in your art practice) or emotional (feeling that new behaviors could make a difference). So, ask yourself:
Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career and Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists across the United States and internationally. If you’d like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. Before you go on a trip there’s a lot you have to do. You buy tickets, book a place to stay, find someone to feed the cat, and pack a suitcase. You get ready. What does it mean for an artist to be ready? It’s not a passive state, where you sit around waiting to be discovered. Getting ready involves intense preparation for what hasn’t happened yet, and won’t, unless you are ready. This preparation is especially important because the art world seems to function in a random way. Your friend gets into a gallery even though you’re the better painter. A jeweler’s ordinary work is selling out on Etsy.com, while your one-of-a-kind pieces attract few buyers. That photographer’s fuzzy experiments get reviewed in Lensculture and suddenly he’s a phenomenon. If you are an emerging artist, you have to ignore all of this noise and concentrate on one thing: getting ready. Perhaps the best way to understand this idea is to remember the last time a moment of opportunity appeared, and then quickly disappeared, because you were not ready. Here are some examples:
Each of these questions assumes that you have an up-do-date website, a resume, and a price list. You want to respond right away, and you can’t. Instead of feeling bad about it, use your energy to get ready. Getting ready may take you a few weeks or a few months. You may need help with parts of it. Just remember that getting ready will save you time (and frustration) later on. You will also develop the confidence that comes from knowing you are ready. Getting ready includes knowing what you want from your art practice. Be honest with yourself about your intentions and circumstances. Think carefully about where you are right now, and what success would look and feel like for you. What’s important to you? Maybe recognition is your primary goal, or you want to increase sales, or just spend more time in the studio, making art. Take a moment, and try to visualize your own success. What do you imagine? You’ll also need to take into account the circumstances in your life. You might have a full-time job, or two small children at home, or elderly parents to care for. Part of getting ready is being clear about what you’re willing and able to do now in order to create the future you envision. A successful art career, no matter how you define it, takes time, energy, resources, and (above all) perseverance. You might have to learn new skills, ask other people for advice, put yourself out there and even risk rejection. But nothing will happen until you begin. Ask yourself, “what’s one thing I can do to get ready?” Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career and Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists across the United States and internationally. If you’d like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. Recently I’ve been describing three successful artists with unusual careers. We saw that they were guided by moments of insight and they found a creative community. What else do these artists share? Alisa Burke (alisaburke.com) Alisa Burke is a painter, printmaker, teacher and writer. She supports her family by running a multi-faceted art business. She offers online classes, sells books and DVDS, hosts workshops and retreats, sells her paintings and collages and adult coloring books, and even started a fashion accessory line. Alisa writes a daily blog and has 50,000 followers. Chris Motley (chrismotleyart.com) Chris Motley spent 30 years in a “left-brain” job, as a lawyer in the public sector. She has no formal art credentials. After retiring from her legal career, she began to knit 3-dimensional sculptures whose originality gradually brought her national recognition. She has shown her work in galleries and art centers across the United States, and recently had a solo museum show. Lia Cook (liacook.com) You can find Lia Cook’s ground-breaking work in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian, among many others. She works in a variety of media, combining weaving with painting, photography, video and digital technology. She is currently collaborating with neuroscientists to investigate our emotional response to images by mapping these responses in the brain. Alisa, Chris, and Lia share another quality common to artists who eventually become well known. Before they discovered universal themes or reached large audiences, their art was first personal. It grew out of their own lives. One of Chris Motley’s early sculptures was “Living Alone,” a female torso holding a backscratcher. “It was for me, the essence of my mother’s life after my father died, since she’d never lived alone in her life.” The work is both humorous and sad, conveying complex emotions. As Motley’s art developed, it became more abstract. Such works as “Confusion” and “Up, Really Down and Up Again” evoke different states of mind that punctuate our days. Other works, such as “Homeless” and “Brown is the New Green,” address issues we face as a society. Motley’s work now explores universal themes, but her Mother’s personal story started it all. Lia’s Cook’s work with neuroscientists grew out of her own curiosity. “I was always interested in how the brain works.” When she started to explore faces she based her work on her own family photographs. “My mother was a photographer, and so we had a huge collection of family photographs.” She tried using anonymous images, but found that her personal photographs were more evocative. These intimate faces from her early life made viewers recall their own family histories. Alisa Burke’s life and business grew out of her personal vision. She created her art business in order to live on her own terms. Alisa was raised in a family of artists, whose pottery studio was part of the family home. She assumed that running a creative business from home was a natural way of life. Alisa integrated her art practice and her life into a creative whole, based on her DNA. “I always saw the world though a lens of creativity.” Each of these artists reminds us that art grows out of the core of yourself. The famous artists you admire started with a personal vision. Remember this and honor your own beginnings. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career and Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists across the United States and internationally. If you’d like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. In my last blog post (“Moments of Insight”) I introduced three artists whose unusual careers reveal what successful artists have in common. Here they are again: Alisa Burke (alisaburke.com) Alisa Burke is a painter, printmaker, teacher and writer. She supports her family by running a multi-faceted art business. She offers online classes, sells books and DVDS, hosts workshops and retreats, sells her paintings and collages and adult coloring books, and even started a fashion accessory line. Alisa writes a daily blog and has 50,000 followers. Chris Motley (chrismotleyart.com) Chris Motley spent 30 years in a “left-brain” job, as a lawyer in the public sector. She has no formal art credentials. After retiring from her legal career, she began to knit 3-dimensional sculptures whose originality gradually brought her national recognition. She has shown her work in galleries and art centers across the United States, and recently had a solo museum show. Lia Cook (liacook.com) You can find Lia Cook’s ground-breaking work in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian, among many others. She works in a variety of media, combining weaving with painting, photography, video and digital technology. She is currently collaborating with neuroscientists to investigate our emotional response to images by mapping these responses in the brain. Each of these artists followed her own unique path to success. Yet when asked, “how did your art career happen?” all three artists mentioned the importance of finding a creative community. Their success didn’t happen alone. They found people who offered support, encouragement, information, validation, and a connection to a wider world. Lia Cook found her first community of artists when she exhibited her work at the International Biennial of Tapestry in Lausanne, Switzerland in 1973. The opportunity was unusual because established artists were exhibiting their work alongside unknowns. She applied, got in, and as a result got connected to an international group of textile artists, some of them already well known. Fifty years later this network is still part of her creative community. Chris Motley wouldn’t have become an artist without the support of her community. She met her first critique group at a workshop. When they invited her to join she realized that her fiber sculptures could be taken seriously as art. Another critique group continues to give her feedback on developing work, often encouraging her to explore new directions. Chris also finds community by showing her work at galleries, museums, and art centers across the United States. Whenever possible she shows up at receptions to connect with the other artists. Alisa Burke created the community that now supports her business. She was one of the earliest art bloggers (2005), sharing her do-it-yourself creative projects before she even had a website. The enthusiastic response to her early efforts established a loyal customer base for all of the products and services she offers today. While Alisa offers many online classes, artists still sign up for the retreats she holds in her home studio several times a year. The human connection is part of a creative community for both Alisa and her students. These three artists show us the importance of reaching out to other artists and art organizations. When you get a response from the larger world of art you know that your art matters and understand how it fits into a larger context. Being connected to other artists gives you objective feedback and support. A creativity community helps you grow. Think about it. What can you do to find or develop your own community? All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career and Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists across the United States. If you’d like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. What do successful artists have in common? Artists’ careers are as unique as their fingerprints. They unfold in unpredictable ways, often without conscious planning. We see artists showing in galleries, licensing their images on products, teaching art to the developmentally disabled, and having their first solo museum show at the age of 88. What can we learn from such variety? Here are three artists whose unusual careers reveal what successful artists have in common. Alisa Burke (alisaburke.com) Alisa Burke is a painter, printmaker, teacher and writer. She supports her family by running a multi-faceted art business. She offers online classes, sells books and DVDS, hosts workshops and retreats, sells her paintings and collages and adult coloring books, and even started a fashion accessory line. Alisa writes a daily blog and has 50,000 followers. Chris Motley (chrismotleyart.com) Chris Motley spent 30 years in a “left-brain” job, as a lawyer in the public sector. She has no formal art credentials. After retiring from her legal career, she began to knit 3-dimensional sculptures whose originality gradually brought her national recognition. She has shown her work in galleries and art centers across the United States, and recently had a solo museum show. Lia Cook (liacook.com) You can find Lia Cook’s ground-breaking work in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Smithsonian, among many others. She works in a variety of media, combining weaving with painting, photography, video and digital technology. She is currently collaborating with neuroscientists to investigate our emotional response to images by mapping these responses in the brain. Each of these unique artists experienced a moment of insight, where they saw their future and it became possible. Alisa Burke had found it hard to make a living selling her paintings and drawings and prints at galleries. When she volunteered to teach at a nonprofit art center, the openness of the environment allowed her to create her own teaching style and content. Suddenly she knew she didn’t have to choose one art form over another, to become just a painter, or a printmaker, or a crafter, but that she could do it all, and share what she knew with other artists. This insight became her brand: “Redefine Creativity.” Chris Motley never thought of herself as an artist. Her knitting was an enjoyable hobby that gave her something to do after she retired from a busy legal career. She had always had an identity as a lawyer, and when she retired she was relieved to be able to say: “I’m not doing nothing, I’m knitting.” Then she began to show her neck pieces at art festivals. Her moment of insight came when she saw a small placard placed on her table. It said: “Chris Motley, Artist.” Lia Cook had also tried out several different careers. Even though she had a job showing slides in an art history class, she didn’t think of art as a career. She studied political science and thought about going into the foreign service. Then she took a bus trip to Mexico, visiting Oaxaca and Chiapas, where she saw women weaving on looms. This was her first discovery of hand-made textiles, a medium that would inspire and inform her career for decades. She later realized that the trip provided her moment of insight, and became a turning point in her career. So think about your experience as an artist. You don’t have to call it a career, but do pay attention to your own moments of insight. They might contain the seeds of your future success. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career and Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area and working with artists across the United States. If you’d like to ask a question or set up a time to talk, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. Flexibility, Persistence, and Imagination: A Positive Mindset for Artists As we approach the end of the year and the beginning of a new one, I wanted to reach out to artists who are struggling. The art world can be slow in dispensing its rewards, and you might not get what you want when you need it. How do you keep going? In my blog posts this year I’ve talked about how to develop specific skills, like talking about your work, so that people understand what your art is all about. We’ve also explored how to become more visible at each stage of your career. And you know that you have to stay connected to a wide network of personal and professional supporters, the people who can help you succeed. But HOW do you find the mental and emotional energy to keep doing all of this? When we look at the careers of established artists, we find a force at work that is just as important as skills or connections. This force is like a constellation of guiding stars: certain ways of thinking, feeling, and acting that I call “A Positive Mindset.” A positive mindset is not magical thinking, where you close your eyes, make a wish, and wait for a miracle. It is an attitude about yourself, your art, and your potential that will sustain you throughout the ups and downs of an artist’s life. If you have any doubt that your thoughts and feelings shape your behavior, just take a look at your own habits. You feel fat so you go ahead and eat another brownie; you don’t think you’ll get into an exhibition, so you somehow miss the deadline. When you are discouraged, you stop trying, and over time you can get stuck. That’s when you need to activate your positive mindset. A positive mindset for artists is made up of three characteristics: flexibility, persistence, and imagination. You use all of these abilities, separately and together, when you create art, but you may not remember to bring this same spirit to your art career. As you look ahead to the new year, ask yourself: how can I be more flexible, persistent, or imaginative in developing my art career? All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career & Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I work with artists throughout the United States and all over the world. If you would like to send in a question or schedule a time to talk about your own goals, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. In the last few blog posts I’ve been answering artists’ questions about a range of issues, both personal and professional. Here’s the latest! I would love to learn more about art licensing. What is your perspective on hiring a licensing agent? Attending trade shows? Do you recommend a do-it-yourself approach to landing licensing deals? - Diana R. Dear Diana, Art licensing is a complicated business, so it makes sense to think about the whole process before you jump in. Ask yourself the following questions to see if art licensing is right for you. 1. Do you make the kind of art that looks good on products? First you’ll want to take an honest look at your art. Remember, manufacturers are looking for art that will help sell products, so it must appeal to the widest possible audience. These images tend to be colorful, attractive, and easy to understand. If you’re not sure about your own art, start with some basic research, both online and on foot. Ask Dr. Google to help you find artists who are licensing art similar to your own. Try “art licensing + calligraphy” or “art licensing + seascapes”—just fill in a simple description of the kinds of art you make. If you’re not crazy about internet research, it might be more fun to get out there in the marketplace and take a look. Go to your local gift store, stationery store, or home décor store, and notice the images used on the products they sell. These might include pillows or aprons, coffee mugs and trays, you get the idea. Can you imagine your art on such products? Would your images add something new to what’s already out there? You can also do your research at trade shows, but go as a visitor first. Do not pay high fees to rent a booth until you know more. At trade shows you can scope out the competition, talk to other artists, and meet licensing agents. 2. Do you want to take a D-I-Y approach or work with a licensing agent? Many artists are happy with a do-it-yourself approach, and others choose to be represented by a licensing agency. If you decide to do it yourself, be aware that you will invest a lot of time before you are successful. You’ll need to create a separate portfolio or even a separate website to showcase the work you want to license. Then you’ll need to research the manufacturers who are willing to receive submissions directly from artists. A do-it-yourself approach is fine for artists who already have good business skills and the patience needed to stay with the process. If you would rather find a good licensing agency, internet research is an essential first step. Look for good artists who are already licensing their work, and see who represents them. Try to find artists whose work is similar to your own. Artists working with a licensing agency will sometimes name it, and that will give you a list of agencies that represent artists like you. You can then check their submission guidelines to find out how to get your work considered. Each licensing agency has specific guidelines that they ask you to follow. 3. Is art licensing right for you? Finally, think about whether art licensing is consistent with your goals. When you license your art, its purpose becomes selling products. You might also be asked to make changes in the art itself to conform to a manufacturer’s needs. Your name as the artist often disappears. When you license your art you let go of it so that it reaches a wide and diverse audience, but you lose control. Don’t jump into art licensing unless you are comfortable with these conditions. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career & Life Coach for Artists, based in the San Francisco Bay Area. I work with artists throughout the United States and all over the world. If you would like to send in a question or schedule a time to talk about your own goals, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. I’m taking a break this week but wanted to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving. I will be back with a new blog post on December 3. In the meantime, if you have questions that you’d like for me to address in the blog, feel free to send them to: coaching@coachingforartists.com. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com Thanks for sending your questions. For today’s blog post, I’ve chosen two that suggest the range of personal and professional dilemmas artists face. The first question is about how to select juried shows to enter; the other asks what to do when your own creativity seems to have disappeared. Question #1 I’m an artist photographer who has returned to art after a career in online media. In the last year, I have gotten into three juried shows, so I’m encouraged. I’m following your advice and entering three or four competitions each month, but I’m starting to think about how to be selective in doing so. Having been in a business where awards programs are a pretext for ways to earn money, I’m aware that competitions can exist solely to collect fees. My question is, what filters should I use in deciding which competitions to enter? Alec Dear Alec, Congratulations on getting into those juried shows! It is never easy. As you know, there are too many contests and competitions for photographers, so I agree that you need to choose carefully. The best filters are tied to your own goals. For example, if you are trying to build a reputation as a fine art photographer, then you’ll want to consider the “call for entries” from the major photography nonprofit organizations, such as Black Box Gallery in Portland, Oregon, or the Center for Fine Art Photography in Fort Collins, Colorado. While these shows are hard to get into, they raise your visibility in the art world. I would also advise you to enter shows where the jurors are named. This makes it more likely that it is a genuine competition, rather than just a fund-raising effort. Be sure to check out the jurors’ credentials. For contests, look at images of past winners to see the kinds of work they are looking for. Do you admire these photographers? Could you see your work alongside them? Don’t rule out competitions where the winners appear only online. These days people find you online, and such visibility can direct visitors to your website. Question #2 I have lost my creativity because of pain issues and I really want to get back into the life that I enjoy. I know people say art can help with depression, but I need a push to start. I also need to stop being a perfectionist and worrying about what other people think of my art. Lost Dear Lost, I’m sorry to hear that you are in pain, but your creativity is still an essential part of you. Think of yourself as a perennial plant in a winter garden. Your deep roots of creativity are alive and ready to reawaken, even after a long dormant period. I know it is difficult to get started again, especially when pain is draining your energy. Slowly return to the life you enjoy. Work on a personal art project. Perhaps you could make a gift for a friend or family member, using their birthday or anniversary as your deadline. Slowly get back into your daily studio practice, even if it’s only 30 minutes a day. Try to silence, or at least ignore, the “other people” in your head who express negative thoughts and doubts about your work. These voices represent your inner critic, who keeps you stuck by saying that the work has to be perfect before you begin. Even when you’re in good health, making art can be a lonely business. Living with pain can turn you inward, so start reaching out to other people. You might volunteer to teach a young student, or give feedback to another struggling artist. Whenever you feel isolated or alone, share your talents with others. Let your art help you heal. If won’t happen immediately, or even quickly, but it is time to begin. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career & Life Coach for Artists. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area, but work with artists throughout the United States and all over the world. If you would like to send in a question or schedule a time to talk about your own goals, please write to me at: coaching@coachingforartists.com. What’s on your mind? Do you have a question about your art practice, but don’t know who to ask? Here’s your opportunity! In the next few blog posts I am answering artists’ questions. If you would like your own question to be considered, please send it to: coaching@coachingforartists.com. Here are three recent questions from artists. Question #1. How do you know when to suggest that an artist try a new medium, instead of staying with safe, familiar materials? - Needing Something New Dear NSN, The answer to your question is hiding in the words you choose to ask it. When you describe your materials as safe and familiar, it probably means that you are no longer growing or challenging yourself. Try to remember what it felt like when you first created the art that now seems so predictable. Were you experimenting and having fun? Did you have any idea how it would all turn out? Try to recapture that spirit. Play with new approaches to familiar themes. Find out what excites you now. You might want to make a number of subtle changes in your technique, or perspective, or color palette, instead of shifting to a whole new medium. When you let your work develop slowly and organically, your art will reveal what it wants to become. Question #2. Since I’m an introvert, it is difficult for me to talk with people at shows and other events. I know it’s important to connect with people, but it is just so hard for me! How can I get better at this? - Quiet Dear Quiet, Many artists need help learning how to talk about their art, but introverts and extroverts face opposite challenges. Extroverts enjoy interacting with people because it gives them energy. For introverts, solitude is your energy source, and too much social stimulation can be overwhelming. Before a social event, spend time alone planning what you hope to communicate. Make notes, and then practice with a friend or in front of a mirror. Repeat a few key phrases about your art. What is it about? Why do you make it? You might look at your artist statement for inspiration. When someone talks to you at a social event, don’t get serious right away. Introverts tend to think that “small talk” is a waste of time. But talking small about travel or children or hobbies helps you learn about the big stuff: people’s interests, tastes, and circumstances. You will discover how to connect your art with their lives. Remember, extroverts don’t always have an easy time of it. Their love of talk makes them so relaxed in social settings that they lose focus. I recently overheard an artist talking about her dog to a dog-loving gallery owner. She got so enthusiastic she forgot to mention her art. As an introvert, you should try to speak with people one or two at a time. If you get overwhelmed, take a break. Get a glass of water and breathe for a few minutes. Look at your notes, calm yourself, and go back into the fray. Practice will build your confidence. Question #3. How can I focus on doing one thing well? I tend to be very scattered and do a number of different things. Do I focus on spending time in the studio, or making art products, or taking online classes, or giving workshops, or . . . what? - All Over the Place Dear All Over, Artist never do only one thing, but it sounds like you are juggling a number of activities without knowing how they all fit together. The source of all this work, of course, is YOU. What do you want to be known for? What is your primary purpose? If you could spend a day doing only one thing, what would it be? Try this exercise. On a big piece of paper, create a small picture of every art activity that takes your time. Sketch them or use an image clipped from a magazine. Then draw lines and arrows to show how each effort connects with the others. Your messy diagram should start to reveal a pattern. How many of the arrows lead to the same activity? This is your core. It might be teaching, or selling, or the art-making itself. Notice the outliers, where the activity isn’t connected to anything else. This might be the effort that has outlived its usefulness. When you identify the core of your work, try spending twice as much time on it every day. Do this for a week, and see how you feel. You will be strengthening the heart of your art practice, and less important activities will fall away. What’s Your Question? Please send me a question that has been on your mind recently. Send it to coaching@coachingforartists.com. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com I’m a Career & Life Coach for Artists. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area, but work with artists throughout the United States and all over the world. I've been writing this blog post since January, covering topics from my workshops and coaching practice. The first ten posts were all about what successful artists do every day. The next five talked about four levels of opportunity for artists who are following a career path in the Big Art World. Now I'd like to shift gears, with your help. Please send me your questions. Just imagine that we are talking together, in your studio or at a coffee shop, or on the telephone. What do you really want to know? I will collect your questions and begin to answer them in my next blog post. Here are two questions artists asked me recently. Question #1 A friend of mine came to the opening reception of my new show. She said she loved my paintings, and then she said: "You know, I would buy one, but my walls are full!" She has a big house and lots of money. I didn't know what to say. - Puzzled Dear Puzzled, When someone says their walls are full, they make it sound like they are ending the conversation. You want to keep it going and help them think beyond their automatic reply. Your friend is thinking of art as heavy furniture, where changing the location is a big job. Most art actually weighs little. People just don't think about rearranging their art, and so they stop seeing what they used to love. Here are some responses you might try: "What do you do when your closet is full?" "Do you ever loan out items from your collection to people who can't afford to buy art?" "If you had someone to help you, how would you rearrange your art?" Remember, always ask questions. When you make suggestions, most people respond by telling you why that won't work. You want to help people come up with their own ideas. Somebody who loves your art, and knows their own space, is in the best position to find a place for it. Question #2 How do I stay motivated? I have plenty of inspiration and lots of work to do, but some days I just don't feel like going into my studio. - Don't Feel Like it Dear DFLI, Be thankful that you have plenty of inspiration, but remember that art-making isn't a linear process. Creativity happens in unpredictable rhythms and unlikely places. When you don't feel like going into the studio, go somewhere else to see if you can find fresh energy. Put yourself in motion. Meet a friend for a walk, and talk about your art in a positive way. Describe how you imagine your work living out in the world. Sometimes talking to a sympathetic listener reminds you of what your art is all about. You might also take a fresh look at that studio you don't want to visit and see what needs to be changed. Don't make yourself crazy with a complete renovation project, but maybe your creative space needs more light, or music, or a new way to organize materials. Remember that artists are visual thinkers, so the look and feel of your surroundings has a powerful impact on your motivation. And sometimes you just need to take a break. Your creative brain will still be working while you are playing, and soon you'll be ready to make art again. What's Your Question? Please send me a question that has been on your mind recently. Send it to coaching@coachingforartists.com. I will choose a few questions to answer in my next blog post. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. www.coachingforartists.com I'm a Career & Life Coach for Artists. I'm based in the San Francisco Bay Area, but work with artists throughout the United States and all over the world. In my last blog post we looked at different ways for established artists to get noticed. This process is known as "getting on the radar." Today we will take a look at the next level, which I call "making it." If you're just joining this discussion, you can catch up by downloading my free handout below. It shows four levels of exhibition opportunities available to artists, presented as a staircase. You can also find blog posts about each level. Stages of an Art Career (52 KB) Use the staircase to figure out where you are right now in your art career, and where you want to go. The opportunities listed at each level will help you become an artist whose name and work people start to recognize. As you put yourself out there, you gradually build your career. At the higher levels, the first thing to remember is that the kind of art you make matters. In the contemporary art world right now, artists receive attention for breaking new ground. Their art often explores social, political, or aesthetic ideas. They use their medium in new and experimental ways. Artists are recognized for combining and collapsing the boundaries of traditional media. This work is experimental and interdisciplinary in the broadest sense of the term. At the higher levels, gallery representation becomes important because of what a good gallery can do for you. They can give you a solo show of new work every few years, present your art to collectors, and take your work to the national and international art fairs. If your gallery is well connected, your work will be reviewed in art magazines and shown in museums. Another key factor in "making it" is your network. Artists get ahead through their contacts with curators, gallerists, museum directors, arts writers, and other leaders. These people often nominate artists for the major awards and fellowships. Since these opportunities are announced and some even solicit applications, you might think it is an open process, but often a short list exists where well-known artists are invited to apply. Before you spend valuable time applying for a Guggenheim, research the artists who were awarded the Fellowship in the last few years. You will find that they have very strong resumes and are well connected. If you're ready for a residency but don't yet have such credentials, apply for the many fine residencies that are open to applications. (See the Alliance of Artist Communities for a comprehensive list.) Many artists think that they need an MFA to succeed in the art world. Having the degree will help your career primarily because of the contacts you make. The faculty at art schools often know the people at galleries, museums, art publications, etc. Their contacts are not just local but reach across the country. They meet each other at conferences, travel to art fairs, read art magazines, and stay on top of trends. Sometimes they can introduce you to a gallery, recommend you for an award or residency, or promote your work to a curator or writer. If you are already an established artist, don't think you have to go back to school for an MFA. Concentrate on building your reputation by using your own network of relationships. So far I've been describing a traditional, even old-fashioned path towards "making it" in the art world. Today you have alternative ways to succeed, depending on your goals. Many excellent artists have established themselves entirely through their online presence, including active use of social media to promote themselves and their work. Other artists are successful by selling their work on Etsy, or on home décor sites, or through licensing agents and art consultants. Alternative art fairs have popped up in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami, so that individual artists without gallery representation have a chance to participate. Often these events run parallel to the major art fairs, and add fresh energy. So, think about it. What does "making it" mean to you? Then begin to take the first small steps on your own path. All the best, Mary Edwards I'm a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U.S. and all over the world. If you’d like to schedule a time to talk, please write to me at coaching@coachingforartists.com. How do you get on the radar of the Art World? We've been talking about four levels of exhibition opportunities available to artists, presented as a staircase. Stages of an Art Career (52 KB) Look at the various levels to figure out where you are right now in your art career, and where you want to go. By taking advantage of these opportunities you become an artist whose name and work people begin to recognize. As you become more visible you will move on to the next level, so that you gradually build your career as an artist. Today we're looking at Level Three, which I call "Getting on the Radar." When you read the announcements of artists chosen for major art awards, you'll see that a small number of well-known artists seem to get picked. Check out the artists selected for the Artadia Awards, for example, or the Whitney Biennial. Google their names to find their resumes, and you'll see how they got there. None is an unknown artist who came "out of the blue." They were already on the radar of the Art World. So what you do to get noticed? The first thing to remember is that galleries, critics, curators and magazine writers want to "discover" artists, rather than be bombarded by your marketing campaign. Most decision-makers in the art world ignore emails from artists they don't already know. The opportunities listed in Level Three are legitimate ways for you to get on the radar. Let's start with group shows at local or regional museums. Often these venues have member programs for local artists, where you can join for a fee and become eligible for "member shows." Make sure these are juried, so that the quality remains high. Also check to see if they sponsor national juried shows. While they are harder to get in, these exhibitions are often juried by a prominent curator or gallery owner, so your work becomes visible to them. Some museums also review artists' proposals for solo exhibitions. Another way to access museum shows is through your professional art organization, like Oil Painters of America, the National Sculpture Society, the National Watercolor Society, etc. These organizations partner with museums (and sometimes galleries) to sponsor juried shows for their members. While these exhibitions are highly competitive, they give you access to major museums who wouldn't otherwise know about you. Sometime these exhibitions travel to a number of different venues. College and University galleries are another great place for you to find Level Three opportunities. Start with those in your state or region, as these galleries often feature local artists. They attract a serious audience because of their affiliation with an educational institution, and curators and gallerists pay attention to what is shown there. Some commercial galleries offer exhibition opportunities for artists. These galleries do not take submissions from artists, but use an "open call" to survey a large group of artists whose work they might not otherwise see. Be highly selective in responding to these open calls. Only submit to galleries where you see a good fit with your own work. Take a look at the artists shown on the gallery's website. What do they have in common? Is there a particular look (often called their "aesthetic") or a conceptual focus? If your own work doesn't match their interests, do not apply to these calls. Your social media presence is another good way for you to get on the radar. Many artists are using Instagram to heighten their visibility. It is important to be regular and consistent in your posting, and to build your art story over time. Do follow the galleries and museums you admire. Feel free to "like" and comment on what they are doing, but do not post your own work on their wall. Your genuine interest will gradually make your name familiar to them. Finally, get out there in the real world of art, whenever and however you can. Go to openings, visit museum exhibitions, talk to other artists, visit your friends at open studios. You never know who you might meet and what you will learn. Next time we'll take a look at Level Four opportunities, which I call "Making It." All the best, Mary Edwards I'm a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S.and all over the world. How do you become visible in the art world? Early in your career this is your most important task. You want to find opportunities that will help your art become familiar to the people who might buy it or show it in their gallery or write about it in a magazine. Here’s a handout describing four levels of exhibition opportunities available to artists, shown as a staircase. Stages of an Art Career (52 KB) You can use it to figure out where you are right now in your art career, and where you want to go. Today we’re talking about Level Two, which I call “building a resume.” This is how you establish yourself as an artist whose name and work people begin to recognize. Your record of accomplishment helps you move on to the next level, as you gradually build a career as an artist. When you’re ready, start by entering juried shows at nonprofit art institutions. These are art centers, community centers, and small museums who offer group shows for artists. These venues have given a career boost to many artists who have gone on to gain national recognition. If you look at the resume of a well-known artist, you will often find that their first exhibitions were in nonprofit art venues. Start local! Consider the art opportunities in your own town or region first. The best ones are juried, often by a gallery owner or curator. Sometimes you’ll be asked to bring your art in person to be juried, but that is unusual. Most likely you’ll need to enter your work through an online portal, where you upload your images. If you are new to such a process, don’t wait until the last minute to enter. Allow time to learn. If you are “digitally challenged” ask for help from the sponsors of the show or from a friend or family member. Choose exhibitions specific to your medium, whenever you can. If you’re a photographer, look for photography shows. If you’re a sculptor, look for exhibitions featuring 3D work. You might also consider themed exhibitions, like a landscape show. By focusing in this way, you’ll improve your chances of getting in and you’ll be included in a group of your peers. Avoid entering exhibitions open to “all media, all artists 18 years old and over.” This language suggests that the sponsors of the show are primarily interested in collecting fees from a large number of artists. After you have gotten into a number of local shows, start to consider regional and national juried exhibitions. These will be competitive because they attract a large number of artists, but they add weight to your resume. Consult state-wide listings. West Coast artists can find opportunities listed on the California Arts Council website (www.cac.ca.gov). East Coast artists should visit the New York Foundation for the Arts (www.nyfa.org). Your own state may have a similar arts council that serves as a clearinghouse for art opportunities. For a listing of national and international exhibitions, visit www.CallForEntries.com. This is an excellent curated site, where the opportunities are divided into separate listings for artists and photographers. At the beginning of your career, enter as many of these juried shows as you can afford. If you are able to enter several a month, you increase your chances of being accepted. Some nonprofit venues also have membership programs for local artists, where you join for a small fee and become eligible for “member shows.” If you’re interested in finding your first solo show, consider libraries, hospitals, and bookstores with art programs. These spaces offer a quieter and more serious venue than the cafes and restaurants in Level One. If your local library or bookstore doesn’t yet offer shows for artists, talk to them about the possibility. You might also take a look at your county fair. Some of them include juried shows of local artists, and award prizes and ribbons just as they do for other categories. County fairs attract a large and diverse public for your art. If you are considering a county fair but are not sure about the quality of the art, go to the fair and check it out, and then apply next year. What about juried shows offered by galleries? Since they represent a higher level of opportunity and exposure, I’ve included them in Level Three, where your goal is “Getting on the Radar.” I’ll talk about those opportunities in my next blog post. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards is a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. Hello! Welcome to my blog, "Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People". I’m a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. I am now sharing a new handout describing four levels of exhibition opportunities that roughly correspond to stages in an art career. You can print it out below. Stages of an Art Career (52 KB) I’ve arranged the opportunities in the form of a staircase. Level One: Gaining Experience & Exposure Level Two: Building a Resume Level Three: Getting on the Radar Level Four: "Making It" In my last blog post we were talking about the opportunities in Level One. These include cafes, restaurants, and other commercial venues like hair salons and realtors. There are three other possibilities in this category: art festivals, open studios, and your own web presence. Art festivals used to be great places for artists to show and sell their work. In an art festival, often held outdoors in the summer, you pay a fee and set up a booth to display your art. These festivals usually include food and drink and music to attract the public and create that festive atmosphere. Unfortunately, in many parts of the country, visitors come to eat, drink, relax & listen to music, and occasionally buy jewelry. Artists have difficulty making enough sales to cover the cost of the booth and the many hours of their time. However, there are exceptions! The festivals that are still good for artists are juried, have a strong reputation, and attract a sophisticated audience of people who buy art. Make sure that the festival you’re considering is worth your time and money. Do some research before you sign up. Check out the jurors. Ask the festival promoters for sales figures from previous years. Talk to other artists about their experience. If you have been participating in the same festival year after year but barely make back your investment, or even lose money, it is time to move on. Open Studios is listed in Level One because it is non-juried yet provides a good opportunity to gain experience and exposure. Open Studios weekends can be vibrant events, where artists show and sell their work to the public. If you’re planning to participate in Open Studies, here are a few "best practices" to keep in mind. When you participate in Open Studios every year, the challenge is to keep it fresh, both for yourself and for visitors. One way to do this is to set new goals each year, so that you know what you want to accomplish. For example, if your intention is to sell work, then curate your studio with this in mind. Make at least one section of the studio look like a gallery, featuring a small selection of your best recent work. Don’t put prices on the wall or on pedestals. Prepare a written price list, as galleries do. Your price list should include thumbnail images of each work for sale, documented with title, size, materials, and price. Be sure to include your name and contact information on each page. Have several copies of the price list available in your studio, but also be sure to provide copies visitors can take away. In large Open Studios events, people may visit dozens of artists and it all begins to blur. Your handout will remind them of what they liked and make it easy for them to come back and find you or contact you later. Another goal might be to build visibility and develop relationships. Visibility is incremental: people first see your work in Open Studios and then recognize it later when you show in another venue. During Open Studios, spend time engaging with people. Don’t just talk to your friends! Tell visitors a little about your own "art story." Talk about your inspiration, your materials, your point of view, whatever information you can share to make your work accessible. The last item in Level One is "your own web presence." Yes, even as an emerging artist you need to be visible online. You can start by posting your work on Instagram or Facebook. Get comfortable with at least one social media platform, and use it to publicize your first exhibitions and events. Since your web presence is important at each level of your art career, don’t wait. If you aren’t online yet, see my blog post "Finding Your Work Online" for some ideas on how to get started. So that’s what Level One is all about. When you’ve gained enough experience and exposure, or feel that you’ve reached a plateau, think about moving on to Level Two, where your goal is to build a resume. I will talk about those opportunities in my next blog post. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists Hello! Welcome to my blog, “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”. I’m a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. This time I’m sharing a new handout describing four levels of exhibition opportunities that roughly correspond to stages in an art career. You can print it out below. Stages of an Art Career (52 KB) I’ve arranged the opportunities in the form of a staircase. Level One: Gaining Experience & Exposure Level Two: Building a Resume Level Three: Getting on the Radar Level Four: "Making It" The stages are shown as steps in a staircase because the art world is hierarchical even though things may seem to happen in a random way. For example, you’ll only be invited to participate in the Whitney Biennial after you’ve gotten on the radar of the Big Art World. You probably won’t interest a gallery until you’ve become visible and have had some experience exhibiting and selling your work. Keep in mind that these levels are not absolute. They describe a common progression, but it is OK to be exhibiting your work at different levels at the same time. You might be in a number of juried shows at nonprofit art venues and also participate in a group show at a college or university gallery. Notice too that your own web presence will increase your visibility at all stages of your career. The levels are also useful as a diagnostic tool. They might show you when you’ve reached a plateau and are ready to move on to the next level. Each level teaches you essential skills and attracts the attention of new audiences. Gaining Experience & Exposure (Level One) If you are just starting out, or restarting after a career in another field (or another life), take advantage of the opportunities listed in Level One. They will teach you the basic skills required to exhibit your work. You’ll learn how to frame, price, and hang your work. You’ll gain experience in choosing good titles, preparing an artist statement or biography, and writing a simple press release. You might not do it all perfectly, but you’ll find out what works and get better. Be thoughtful about choosing among commercial venues in Level One. If you don't like the atmosphere or the look of the hair salon or restaurant, don’t show your work there. For example, an artist who creates calm and muted abstract paintings might choose to have a show at a spa rather than in a noisy restaurant. Some commercial venues participate in local events, like a monthly art walk. This will generate activity and connect you with other art shows. Try to get publicity in a local newsletter, even if you have to write the press release yourself. Be realistic about your expectations. When you show your work in commercial venues like restaurants and hair salons, you might not sell very much, but you’ll get your name out there and you might make some good contacts. Rent-a-wall spaces are also an option. This is where a small group of artists come together to share the rent for an exhibition space. Each artist pays for a wall to show their work. It is important for “rent-a-wall” spaces to be located well. Ideally you want to be in the midst of a busy shopping area, where people naturally pass. You’ll also want to join your fellow artists in creating opening receptions and other events, just like a gallery. The advantage of rent-a-wall spaces is that you work together with other artists, sharing the costs and your mailing lists. Sometimes you receive invitations to show your work in nonjuried online venues. Research these opportunities carefully. Make sure they are legitimate and that the quality of the work is high. Check to make sure there isn’t a hidden agenda. Sometimes online galleries are really selling website hosting or marketing services that you don’t need. If they claim that artists are successfully selling work on the site, ask for sales figures, their commission structure, and the names of artists you can contact to verify this information. So, take a look at these Level One opportunities. Are there any that appeal to you? Next time I’ll talk about Open Studios, which I’ve put at this first level because it is nonjuried, or juried by YOU. All the best, Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists Hello! Welcome to my blog, “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”. I’m a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. This is the next installment of my blog, where we’re reviewing a checklist of 10 behaviors that are characteristic of successful artists. Use the checklist to see how you’re doing. Checklist for a Successful Art Career (26 KB) Don’t worry—nobody does everything every day. The goal is to build more of these behaviors into your own life, whenever you can. Let’s take a look at question #10: “It is easy to find my work online.” There are many reasons why it should be easy to find your work online, but the most important is to build an audience for your art. In 2018 people expect to find you online. Potential buyers who just met you or saw your work at Open Studios quickly check you out online. They read your biography on your website or follow your “art story” on Instagram, where you reveal details about your art-making process and activities. Your potential audience includes gallery owners, curators, art consultants, interior designers and other people looking for artists. They all expect to find you online. Even if you don’t yet have a website, google your name (+ artist) and see what comes up. You might be surprised at how little or how much you find. This first step tells you what’s already out there about you. It may also motivate you to strengthen and develop your “online presence.” Artists sometimes start out with a simple Facebook “fan page” or Instagram account. Right now Instagram seems to be the best way to begin, as it is a visual tool that allows you to connect with other artists and art organizations, including galleries and museums. Instagram is a visual journal, where you can build your “art story” over time. Remember, you use Instagram on your cell phone rather than a computer. No matter how you begin, you’ll soon need to have a simple website. Decide whether you want to do it yourself, ask a techie friend or family member to help you, or hire a professional website designer. Doing it yourself assumes you are comfortable and skilled using technology, which is a big assumption for many artists. If you have the skills, consider using tools like WordPress or Squarespace, or a platform designed for artists, such as Fine Art Studio Online. If you’re asking a friend or family member to design your site as a favor, get a clear commitment and timeline, and make sure they understand what you need. Show them examples of the sites you like. Make sure you have all the images and written documents ready before you begin. If you decide to hire a professional, choose someone who has experience designing websites for artists. They will be easier for you to work with, and more sensitive to visual aesthetics. Professionals can also help you with many other technical details, such as making your site more visible in search engines. Make sure your website is visually appealing and easy to navigate, and that you include links to any social media sites where you are active. That’s the last item on our Checklist for a Successful Art Career. You might want to go back now and identify two or three areas where you want to improve. Start with tiny steps so that you build momentum gradually. Let me know how you are doing! ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists Hello! Welcome to my blog, “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”. I’m a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. This is the next installment of my blog, where we’re reviewing a checklist of 10 behaviors that are characteristic of successful artists. Use the checklist to see how you’re doing. Checklist for a Successful Art Career (26 KB) Don’t worry—nobody does everything every day. The goal is to build more of these behaviors into your own life, whenever you can. Let’s take a look at question #9: “I am following an action plan.” There couldn’t be a more “left brain” activity than the idea of following an action plan. It is the kind of linear, sequential, step-by-step activity that most artists hate and yet desperately need. Why do you need an action plan? The art world operates in a strange way: it is both hierarchical and random. There are unwritten rules about how artists progress. For example, you won’t get a solo show at a museum if you don’t already have a pretty strong resume of exhibitions. And your work needs to be consistently visible at major art venues before critics can “discover” you. At the same time the world of art can be random and unpredictable. You might be making the best art of your life but the gallery that was interested in your work doesn’t return your emails. Since you cannot control other people’s behavior, you try to control your own. An action plan is an anchor that imposes a kind of order on the chaos of the world. The best action plans start with a tiny, easy step. Let’s say that your big goal is to license your images on products. Art licensing is a complicated business, so you need to find the first steps that will put you in motion. Perhaps you’ll want to start by looking online for artists who are already licensing their work. Or maybe you’ll decide to research licensing companies. Choose a specific goal and then break it down, smaller and smaller, until you find a step that you WANT to take. When you think of this step you smile, or feel relieved, or it gives you a little ping of energy: “I can do that!” A good first step might connect you with another person. Since many artists prefer to ask someone for advice rather than do internet research, your first step might be to brainstorm with a friend so you get your ideas out of your own head. Just make sure your first step is easy and appealing to you, so you don’t put it off. Be sure to attach a date so you can check it off when you’re done. The best action plans are focused on activity rather than results, and include simple measurements. For example, you might be trying to become more visible through juried exhibitions. These opportunities are highly competitive, with many shows receiving hundreds of entries. You might decide to follow an action plan of entering two juried shows a month, for a year. Sometimes you get in, sometimes you don’t, but you just keep going. You put yourself in motion. When you focus on your efforts, the results will eventually follow. Next time we’ll consider the last item on the checklist: “It is easy to find my work online.” ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists Hello! Welcome to my blog, “Left Brain Skills for Right Brained People”. I’m a Career & Life Coach for artists and other creative people. I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area but work with artists throughout the U. S. and all over the world. This is the next installment of my blog, where we’re reviewing a checklist of 10 behaviors that are characteristic of successful artists. Use the checklist (“Free Tips for Artists” link) to see how you’re doing. Checklist for a Successful Art Career (26 KB) Don’t worry—nobody does everything every day. The goal is to build more of these behaviors into your own life, whenever you can. Let’s take a look at question #8: “I’m clear about the goals for my art practice.” When I mention goals to artists, many think I’m talking about reducing their art practice to an excel spreadsheet, with timelines, income projections, and cost/benefit analyses. Artists rightly resist this form of goal-setting, but don’t realize there are alternatives. Goals are important, especially when you are stuck, or just wanting to make more progress in your art career. Start with your own vision of what success looks and feels like for you. Remember that artists are “right-brained” creatures. This means that you are a visual thinker. Your ideas and intentions only become real when you can see them. We all think visually to a certain extent, but for artists a picture isn’t just “worth a thousand words,” it’s the whole dictionary. Try to see yourself successful. Let your imagination run free, and discover what you really want. You might see your work in a gallery, or see yourself teaching or giving a talk, or spending all day in your studio, without interruption. Just let a picture arise from your imagination. Your goals are embedded in your vision of success. Now try to capture your vision: draw it, or paint it, or make it into a collage. Give tangible form to your vision of success so that you can look at it as you work in your studio or at your desk. If clarity about your goals does include a business plan, try to make it visual. Here’s an example of an “artist-friendly” plan in the form of a pie chart, where each slice of the pie represents a percentage of overall income: The artist whose income is pictured here never quite understood her business until she saw the different colors of her plan.
After you have a picture of your own goals, what happens next? You need to break down those goals into tiny action steps that you want to take. That will be the subject of my next blog! ~ Mary Mary Edwards, Ph.D. Career & Life Coach for Artists |
Mary's BlogAs an artist coach, I bring a unique combination of business knowledge, art world experience, and professional coaching skill to my practice. |