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:

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 seventh 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 #7, “My work has a signature style or content.”

I once met a painter who was having her first show at a local nonprofit art center. She had rented a small gallery space, and the walls were covered with paintings. I’m afraid my first question said it all: “Is this a group show?” It was not.
Later we laughed about my question, but it opened up an important issue for emerging artists. The paintings were all over the place—in subject matter, palette, style and composition. The paintings were so different that they could have been made by a dozen artists.

So why is this a problem? Think about the well-known artists you admire. You’re not likely to mistake a Cezanne for a Picasso, partly because their work is so completely and compellingly their own. These artists are now iconic because they spent years developing their “signature”. This is also true of established contemporary artists.

When you’re just starting out you do need to experiment in order to discover who you are as an artist. Your work may well be “all over the place” because you need to experiment in order to grow. But as you mature your work becomes more and more coherent. You may seem to be exploring the same ground, or the same ideas, because you are going deeper. If you allow yourself to keep going in this direction, your work becomes more consistent, more subtle and complex. It is also more recognizable as YOU, even before your name is well known.

In the next blog I’ll consider question #8 on the checklist: “I’m clear about the goals for my art practice.”

~ Mary

Mary Edwards, Ph.D. 
Career & Life Coach for Artists