The U.S. art market was valued at 30.2 billion dollars in 2022, outperforming pre-pandemic valuations. The increase in the market’s value shows that art is in demand. And with that demand comes more artists and products.
It also means you’re looking at a level of competition in the art market that wasn’t there before. Learning how to best navigate the competition and stand out with your brand and products is the only pathway to a successful art business.
Market research can provide you with the information you need to create unique art products your customers want and your competition isn’t making. It can also help you establish a personal brand that differentiates you from the many other artists out there.
Canvas prints, framed artwork, digital art, sculptures, coloring books, and original paintings are just the start of the range of art products available to consumers. Add in the hundreds of thousands of artists producing these products, and the catalog gets even more overwhelming.
You have to figure out a way to create products that aren’t like everything else in the industry to catch your customers’ attention and keep it long enough to develop relationships and inspire purchases.
For example, let’s say you create a line of original watercolor paintings with a specialty line of watercolor paints every year. After a review of customer feedback and sales data, you find that these paintings bring in half of your profit.
You could conclude that the way these paintings are created with that specialty line of watercolor paints makes them unique and that this contributes to the high sales volume. You can then tailor your marketing to emphasize these points.
Market research can help you determine how to make your product stand out. For example, the way you make use of your artist brand voice and where and how you display your product in person can all influence whether or not someone will buy your items. Market research can also play a part in helping you understand what customers want.
If you want your art products to sell consistently, you must know your customers inside and out. You need to know who they are first. Then, you need to understand their preferences and demands so that you can accommodate them.
A huge part of market research is compiling demographic, geographic, psychographic, and behavioral data on potential, current, and past customers. For example, knowing your customer preferences and collecting qualitative and quantitative data on how customers respond to different products can help you determine what types of products to offer. You can use what you learn about your customers to inform product and packaging designs and other creative brand elements that help you stand out.
As much as your art is for you, it must be more for your customers to be successful.
You’re obsessed with a certain art product you’ve been creating and want to introduce it to your customers for sale. But is there a space for that product in the art market? In other words, are people looking for this product and buying it?
You could go for it regardless of whether there’s a demand for the product or not. But it will likely be a long time before you see sales rolling in if you see them at all.
Market research helps ensure you’re creating products that are likely to thrive in the market. For example, sculptures, impressionist art, and contemporary art are some of the most popular among consumers.
Even if you don’t create these kinds of art, it’s good to know what’s capturing people’s attention and driving sales. You may be able to incorporate some elements of these styles into your art to position yourself better in the market.
Use market research to understand the demand for your products and what adjustments you should make over time to help your products sell more consistently.
Many artists get buried in the vast, ever-changing art industry. New artists and products are emerging every day, making it seem impossible to establish yourself. But with the help of market research, you can elevate your art products so that they stay in demand, capture your customer’s attention, and keep it.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in a variety of topics including marketing. You can find Katie on Twitter.
Defining the target audience for your art products is only half of the work with this core element of marketing. You must also use the information you gather about your target audience strategically to fuel connections and drive sales.
There’s a lot of data about your target audience that you can use to your advantage in your marketing content and campaigns. Generational and demographic-based information, in particular, can significantly influence what you create marketing-wise.
Let’s dive into marketing strategies that artists use to connect with individuals of varying demographics and generations.
You’ll likely have multiple generations in your target audience or one that makes up the majority.
Each generation has unique qualities that, if accounted for, can help you create marketing content that resonates with so many of the individuals in your target audience.
For instance, let’s say you’re marketing to a primarily Gen Z audience. Gen Zers are especially fond of social media and user-generated content (UGC). On average, they spent 3 hours a day on social media platforms in 2021.
With this in mind, social media and soliciting video and other reviews from customers to turn into UGC should be a core part of your marketing strategy.
Here are a few other things to consider when marketing to the following generations:
Demographics are characteristics and statistics within a given population. Gender, age, marital status, and occupation are among the most common demographic data points marketers consider for a target audience.
The way you market to your target audience is highly dependent on their demographic information. Or, at least, it should be. Here’s how to make certain demographic information work for you in your marketing:
Whether you want to speak to a specific generation or cater to a particular demographic in your target audience, effectively marketing to them depends largely on your ability to create community-focused content.
Brightspot defines community-focused content as “the practice of creating content focused on and for a specific community, whether that community is based on geography, background, interest areas or other demographics.”
In other words, you create content with your specific target audience’s needs, desires, and behaviors in mind at all times. You’ll attract a lot more people to your art business if you know who you’re targeting and the kind of content they like the most, and actually create it.
Of course, it’s important to leverage as much target audience information as possible when creating your overarching marketing strategy, individual campaigns, and pieces of marketing content. The generation they’re in and their demographic data give unique insights into people that make marketing success that much more attainable.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in in a variety of content. You can follow Katie on her on Twitter.
Your art is more than a way to make a living. Your art is your passion and your purpose. It’s why you are here and it’s what you were meant to do.
But, at the end of the day, you still have to keep food on the table and a roof over your head. And that means that your art is still a business and you are still a business owner as well as an artist. Ensuring that your artistic business grows, thrives, and survives takes time and effort.
It requires you to be not only a creator but also a business strategist, chief marketer, and expert customer service provider. That’s a lot of hats for one person to wear, but there is a way for you to fulfill all the roles your artistic enterprise requires while still taking care of both your customers and yourself.
No matter how gifted an artist you may be, no matter how dedicated you are to your craft, the reality is that your career would not survive without your clients. And that means customer satisfaction must be a top priority.
The good news is you don’t have to compromise your artistic vision to ensure that your clients have an exceptional experience with your business. You can offer your customers the white glove treatment through the provision of perks and benefits that the general public isn’t privy to.
The key to understanding what will engage and pleasure your best clients lies in the effort to build rapport with your customers, in taking the time to get to know them, what they expect, what they need, and what they want. Once you understand what drives your clients, you can tailor your service strategies accordingly.
For example, if you have a V.I.P. collector who enjoys networking with other collectors, then you might offer a private viewing of a new work exclusively for a handful of your best customers, affording them the opportunity to meet and engage with one another. On the other hand, if you have a patron who is a bit more introverted and eschews public gatherings, you might offer a private viewing of your latest work at the client’s own home.
Ensuring that you’re offering your best customers the white glove treatment helps you build those lucrative and long-lasting relationships on which your business depends. But that’s only half the battle. You also need to focus on continuously expanding your market reach in order to maintain a steady flow of new customers and prospects.
The good news, though, is that it’s easier than ever for an artist to raise their brand awareness and connect with prospective clients all around the world. Marketing your brand successfully takes time, effort, and strategy, however. It’s best, for example, to focus on a range of media, including blogs, podcasts, and social media platforms. This way, you can engage with an entire global community of art lovers and prospective buyers, showcasing your wares through online portfolios, social media posts, and podcast promotions.
Ideally, a strong digital presence will enable your prospective clients to connect with you more easily, and the more you are able to connect with them, the more you will care about and for them!
When you’re a creative professional running your own business, it can be easy to forget about taking care of yourself because you are so busy taking care of your customers and your art. However, if you aren’t able to maintain your health in body, mind, and spirit, not only will your art suffer but so will your business–and your relationships with your customers.
At the very least, taking the time each day for physical exercise, such as taking a daily walk through a local park or around the neighborhood, is a great way to boost your immune system, build muscle strength and agility, and support cardiovascular functioning. Best of all, when you get your blood flowing and your body moving, you’re going to reduce your stress, clear your mind, and spark your creativity.
Being both an artist and an entrepreneur isn’t easy. However, with a bit of effort and commitment, it is possible to grow your business and care for your customers while also taking care of yourself!
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn't writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.
Many artists create because it’s their passion, and they love their work. However, there comes a time when the reality of paying bills and sustaining a comfortable life sets in.
While many artists pick up full-time jobs to cover their expenses, others are intrigued by the idea of turning their art into a business. If you’re the latter, a shift in mindset and an intense focus on marketing is necessary to make a lucrative business out of your work.
These three strategies can help you think like an entrepreneur and market your art effectively.
Understand What It Takes To Succeed
Your mindset is critical if you want to market your art successfully. When you decide to go from creating art for pleasure to making it for profit, it’s no longer always about what you like, want, or need. Instead, it becomes primarily about what potential buyers want, like, and need.
Educate yourself on the following as well:
Understanding what it takes to succeed online, in particular, is incredibly important as well.
Traditional marketing strategies are helpful. However, the business world is becoming increasingly digital. Knowing how to market, connect with customers, and run your business online is the only way to ensure you don’t get left behind. Start by studying the ever-changing nature of the digital world, the behavior of digital natives, and the importance of flexibility while marketing your art.
Understanding what success takes will help you think more like a business owner. It’ll also help you approach marketing with intent and strategy.
Lean Into Digital Marketing
As mentioned above, the world is becoming more digitally focused. This means digital marketing is a must. Without it, you won’t have as broad a reach, nor will you have as many opportunities to boost brand recognition and awareness.
Educate yourself on the basics of digital marketing first. After that, create a detailed digital marketing strategy. Include the following details:
Ultimately, your digital marketing channels should work together to give potential customers and fans a cohesive experience with your brand. It’s also essential to network relentlessly on your digital marketing channels and pursue other networking opportunities.
Network Relentlessly
Digital marketing can get any artist’s foot in the door, but networking can take you a step further. Genuine relationships with successful people in the industry can help strengthen your reputation as an artist and get the right eyes on your work.
Social media marketing is a tried-and-true strategy for artists and small businesses with a tight marketing budget. You can consistently post original content and take advantage of user-generated content from those who’ve purchased your art.
More importantly, social media is beneficial for not only increased traffic to your art website but also for networking. You can connect with other artists and partner with them to promote your work. You can join groups on these platforms and share your online portfolio, advice, and thoughts. You can spark and contribute to meaningful conversations with thought leaders, experts, and entrepreneurs in the art world.
Networking can also happen through crowdsourcing. Crowdsourcing for any business involves getting feedback, work, or information from a large group. You can ask for feedback on works-in-progress and marketing content, opening up the opportunity to connect with fans and potential buyers.
Get into crowdfunding, as well, and it’s a win-win. You get your name and art out there while raising funds to put back into marketing or another aspect of your business.
Networking can get you and your business into doors that talent alone can’t. So, don’t neglect its importance.
Conclusion
To market your art as a company would, you must first shift your mindset to mirror an executive's. Then, lean into digital marketing and network relentlessly to turn your passion for art into a profitable business.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn't writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.
Reprinted with Permission by Artsy.net - Even the most incisive, prolific, gifted artist can feel unduly daunted by the dreaded “Talk.” That is, the request to speak on demand about their work—profoundly and eloquently, no less—be it for a large audience as part of an event or a one-on-one with a dealer or critic in their studio. Indeed, MFA programs require students to toss some word salad regularly, by structuring their evaluations around the excruciating practice of peer and faculty review as a way of professionalizing young artists, readying for them for the “real world.” But being able to distill the abstract idea behind a work—or even an entire practice—into pragmatic, concrete language can propel and even help define an artist’s career.
While wordsmiths such as Liam Gillick and Kara Walker may make it look easy, many an artist would prefer to keep mum on the subject of their own work lest their verbal skills accidentally undermine their creative vision. To gain some insight into what makes an artist a clear and effective speaker, Artsy spoke to conversational wizards from across the art world, including artists, professors, dealers, curators, and critics. Below, we’ve compiled their advice.
Know Your Target Audience
First and foremost, artists should assess what’s meaningful to them in their work before they try to tell anyone else why it’s important.
“Figure out the one thing that is most essential for people to know about your work, whether it’s a particular piece or your practice overall. The thing that if it was left out, or misinterpreted, you’d feel truly sad or angry,” said Chloë Bass, a New York-based Conceptual artist, writer, and professor of art at Queens College, CUNY.
Once you’ve articulated it for yourself, Bass suggests figuring out how to explain it to five different people: a non-artist friend, an artist friend, a curator, a neighbor, and your grandma. If you find yourself using the same language each time, you’re losing four-fifths of those potential audiences. “There’s a misconception that talking about our work is somehow different from or fancier than just talking to people. It isn’t, or at least I believe it shouldn’t be.”
Do Some Prep Work
Even if you have your elevator pitch honed sideways and backward, Jane Harmon of New York’s Fortnight Institute gallery said it’s helpful to have a fully fleshed out idea for a show before talking with a dealer or curator. “When I talk to an artist, I want to know what brings her work altogether,” she said. That doesn’t have to be limited to just one thing, but Harmon noted if an artist can identify a specific thread of interest that runs through their work, she knows they’ve been thinking about how it can all play in a space together—which can help her see it in theirs.
Don’t feel the need to rush to finish a bunch of work in advance of presenting an idea, though. Mark Scala, chief curator of Nashville’s Frist Center for the Visual Arts, said he’s curious to talk about the evolution of an artist’s work as it develops. “It helps spur useful conversation when one can see a few examples of source materials—drawings, photographs, digital files, piles of discards, ongoing works that might present intractable problems,” he said, noting that it’s also useful to see the progression from older to more recent work.
Be Honest
For many artists, it’s difficult to pinpoint a “why” for every decision they’ve made when creating a body of work, given that creative expression is an intuitive process.
Artist Nathaniel Mary Quinn said that early on in his career, he often worried he wouldn’t come across as intelligent if he didn’t have an answer for everything he was asked about his work. Now, with numerous shows at the likes of Rhona Hoffman Gallery and Pace under his belt, the artist noted that he’s realized it’s easier to sound informed when you talk about things you do know, rather than trying to bluff your way through the things you don’t, which in turn boosted his confidence. He strives to be honest and genuine. “Don’t make things up,” he advised. “If you don’t know why you make certain choices in your practice, then just say ‘I don’t know!’”
Steer Clear of Description
If ever you do find yourself at a loss of what to say, it’s tempting to retreat to the obvious, which is what’s already visually apparent in the work. But that doesn’t help the viewer understand the bigger picture. Self-taught artist and former industrial designer Hugo McCloud, who had his first major solo show at Sean Kelly Gallery last year, said he staves off the desire to describe by having a consistent point to return to when he’s talking about his work. “I know that I’m comfortable beginning a conversation by talking about my process,” he said. So if he feels like he’s veering off topic in a studio visit or gallery discussion, McCloud returns to his process as a touchstone to get him back on track.
Catherine Howe, a painter and director of the New York Academy of Art’s critical studies program, said the big challenge is “to further illuminate a visual work through language that brings new associations, familial links, and unexpected insight.” She advises her students to spend their time talking about the things that aren’t self-evident in the work, like how McCloud focuses on the behind-the-scenes making of the work. “I often ask if we are really adding something to the experience of looking,” said Howe. “Can we prolong and enrich this visual experience?”
Don’t Oversell
Howe is quick to note, however, that there’s a limit to how much you might want to say. “I caution students to avoid hyperbole and, to a certain degree, against front-loading with obviously placed, politically alluring jargon,” she said. Instead, she encourages artists to try to solidify their own speaking voice, even though it can be difficult to do so under pressure.
When speaking about her own work, Bass said “there’s a real sense of risk,” and overblown language is tempting to use when you’re feeling vulnerable. But she believes it’s more useful, both for her and her audience, to figure out how to present big ideas using small—“ by which I don’t mean brief, but rather comprehensible”— language.
Practice
Bass, who came to art from a theater background, sees creative practices as based both in conversation, whether scripted or improvised, and collaboration—which is why she said the best tip she can give is to rehearse. “Learn to say the same thing in different ways, using clear, concise language, and the rest will logically begin to follow,” she offered.
But communicating your thoughts and ideas isn’t the same as learning lines—and shouldn’t be. Rather, it should be a process of translation. “With any act of translation, there are always losses or slippages, whether it’s from Spanish to English, or from visual to verbal,” said Bass. “I think we have to be okay with that, and we shouldn’t expect that seeing a thing will somehow convey the exact same information as hearing that thing explained.”
About Artsy.net – Artsy features the world’s leading galleries, museum collections, foundations, artist estates, art fairs, and benefit auctions, all in one place. Our growing database of 800,000 images of art, architecture, and design by 80,000 artists spans historical, modern, and contemporary works, and includes the largest online database of contemporary art. Artsy is used by art lovers, museum-goers, patrons, collectors, students, and educators to discover, learn about, and collect art. Their website is Artsy.net.
Geneviève Chaussé wins the Visual Arts Prize of the 31st edition of the Grands Prix Desjardins de la culture de Lanaudière 2022
On September 30th, the 31st edition of the Grands Prix Desjardins de la culture de Lanaudière gala was held at the Alphonse-Desjardins Theater in Repentigny, Quebec. This evening made it possible to highlight the work of artists, organizations and municipalities in the region who contribute to the richness of the Lanaudière culture.
Geneviève Chaussé was declared the winner in the VISUAL ARTS category with her ongoing study “Bodies & Souls”. This body of work is created from surreal universes from an imaginary world where the mind and the heart find each other. Art that wants to be visionary and symbolic where dreams, reality and feelings combine harmoniously.
From her project “Bodies & Souls”, 4 creations are completed out of a total of 12: “Levitation”, “Connection”, “Perfect Balance” and “Bodies & Souls”, eponymous work.
“Perfect Balance” debuted at the BORDERS VENICE INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR 2021 “Future Landscapes” exhibition, subsequently travelling to other group exhibitions in Venice and Rome. Its presence on Italian soil will open the door to a succession of awards received by Effetto Arte Fondazione of Palermo in Italy.
Her 3 other creations will respectively receive the 2021 ART OLYMPIC PRIZE with “Connection”, the 2022 INTERNATIONAL LEONARDO DA VINCI PRIZE ~ The Universal Artist with “Bodies & Souls” (eponymous work) and to conclude, the 2022 INTERNATIONAL PRIZE PARIS with “Levitation”, where it will be presented at Art Shopping Paris ~ The International Contemporary Art Fair at the Carrousel du Louvre in Paris, France from October 21 to 23, 2022.
“Geneviève Chaussé offers moving creations that arouse contemplation, leading you into another reality. It invites us to live a patient, transformative and profound experience.”
To learn more about “Geneviève, please visit her Artwork Archive website.
To read more about our the achievements of our Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery artists, visit the Artist News page.
By Veronica Baxter, Guest Blogger - Visual artists must be prepared when negotiating a contract with an art gallery. This article will discuss how to prepare for the contract negotiation. Whether you are a new artist looking to get your work noticed, or an established artist trying to break into a new space, you will find valuable tips to secure a lucrative contract in an art gallery.
Have a List of Requirements and Questions Well Ahead of the Negotiation
Regardless of the industry, you should always know what you want during a negotiation. You need to confidently articulate what you want out of the business relationship to be taken seriously from a business perspective.
This means you’ll need to ask many questions.
Questions to Ask During a Contract Negotiation With an Art Gallery
The goal of asking questions is to get a concrete understanding of the business relationship from start to finish. Your questions should be designed so that the answers clearly define your responsibilities and those of the art gallery. Your questions should range across a wide variety of topics -- from marketing to logistics and beyond.
Marketing questions to consider:
Logistical Questions to consider:
Display Questions to Consider:
Arm Yourself With Knowledge of the Contract Negotiation Process
The artist with their head in the clouds is a frustrating yet persistent stereotype. Yet, there are plenty of successful artists who possess strong business acumen. The artist who can advocate on their own behalf during negotiations will be able to dodge this negative stereotype more easily and secure a better contract as a result.
Here are some must-know contractual tips:
Try To Get an Escape Clause
Escape clauses are essential in contracts with an art gallery. They allow either party to nullify the contract when a clearly defined term or condition is not met. Escape clauses are not to be confused with breach-of-contract clauses.
The difference is that both parties can agree to nullify a yearlong contract if, say, there are no sales after six months. In this example, neither party breached the contract; however, a specific condition was not met. Therefore, it is in the interest of both parties to nullify the agreement.
Push For an Arbitration/Mediation Clause
This clause stipulates that before either party resorts to a lawsuit, a mediator must be brought in to settle any contractual disputes. Both parties must hire a mediator. These clauses are important to bring up in negotiations because they are intended to prevent a costly lawsuit.
Make Sure the Indemnification Clause Works Both Ways
Indemnification clauses are designed so that if one party misrepresents themselves, their work, or if one party breaches part of the contract, then the offending party is responsible for the legal fees associated with any ensuing litigation. Sometimes these are one-sided and apply only when the artist breaches the contract. Negotiate so that the indemnification clause applies to both sides.
Come to the Negotiation Table Prepared
This article is far from exhaustive, but it is intended to get you thinking about the negotiation process in the way a lawyer would. You must ask questions to lay out the responsibilities of both parties clearly. The more detail, the better the deal. You also need to familiarize yourself with specific clauses and legalese that will lead to a fair and lucrative contract.
Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant operating out of the greater Philadelphia area. She writes for Yao Law, an entertainment and immigration lawyer in New Jersey.
Reprinted with Permission by Artwork Archive - Business of art expert Barney Davey maintains that there are four times as many interior designers as art galleries in the U.S. The interior design market is vast and the need for new art is endless. What’s more, when interior designers find the artwork they’re looking for, they don’t mind if you lack years of experience or training. They can also become repeat buyers if your style meshes well with their design aesthetic.
So how do you break into this market, sell your art to interior designers, and increase exposure? Get started with our six steps to add interior designers to your art buyer repertoire, and add to your overall art business income.
STEP 1: Keep Up with the Design Trends
Pay attention to the colors and patterns that are trending in the design world. For instance, the 2017 Pantone Color of the Year is Greenery, which means that everything from bedding and paint to carpets and sofas has followed suit. Designers often look for artwork that complements but does not match the interior design trends. Knowing this, you can create art that works well with the current styles. No word on what 2018’s color of the year will be. Stay tuned!
STEP 2: Build Up Your Body of Work
You never know exactly what an interior designer is looking for or how many pieces he or she may need to purchase. It’s always sensible to have a wide array of pieces for an interior designer to choose from. Also according to designer James Saavedra, reasonably-priced, large works (36″ x 48″ and up) are hard to find and often in the greatest demand.
If you have a technique or process that allows you to sell large works at lower prices and still make a good profit, use this to your advantage. If not, consider showing designers smaller pieces that create a statement when hung together.
STEP 3: Go Where the Interior Designers Go
You can find interior designers via the American Society of Interior Designers, by joining the ASID Industry Partners LinkedIn group, or simply by googling interior designers in your area. You can also sign up for Houzz.com– check out Marie Kazalia’s post to learn more. Interior designers often flock to studio tours, art shows, and gallery openings when they’re in the market for a new piece. These are great places to make connections.
STEP 4: Check if Your Work Is a Good Fit
Research interior designers and their style before reaching out. You want to make sure you find a designer whose work is in sync with your own. Look at their websites to see if they focus on modern minimalism, a monochromatic look, classic elegance, or bold colors. And, be sure to hone in specifically on the art they choose to showcase in their portfolios. Do they only use photographs of sweeping landscapes or bold abstract paintings? You want to make sure your art will complement their designs.
STEP 5: Use Social Media to Your Advantage
Social media is quickly becoming the new place to discover art online— especially Instagram —and you can be sure that interior designers are keeping up with this trend. Todd McPhetridge revealed—in his guest post on Lori McNee’s blog—that interior designer Patrick J. Hamilton discovered artist Nicolas Guerrero because Nicolas friended him on Facebook.
So, post-striking work on your channels and follow interior designers who you want to work with. The more interesting and unusual the work, the more attention it will draw. For instance, if you usually create square works, test out a circular work instead. If you’ve worked with an interior designer, ask if you can share a photo of your artwork within their design.
NOTE: Make sure you’re on Artwork Archive’s Discovery so you can increase your exposure and sell more artwork. Learn more here.
STEP 6: Reach Out to Interior Designers
Interior designers’ work is very much intertwined with that of fine artists’. Many can’t complete their projects without the perfect artwork, so don’t be afraid to reach out. If you’ve done your homework, your art might be just what they’re looking for.
Once you’ve honed in on which designers you want to work with, send them a few digital portfolio pages and direct them to your website or Artwork Archive Public Profile Page. Or, give them a call and ask if they’re in need of some artwork. You can offer to stop by their office and show them art you think they’d like.
Put These Steps into Action and Reap the Benefits
Interior designers are an excellent way to increase exposure and supplement your income as you sell art online and work to achieve—or achieve more—gallery representation. Word of your art will spread when people see your work in the homes of their friends and family, and when designers see their colleagues’ portfolios.
However, remember that while the interior design market is immense, clients' tastes and desires can be mercurial at best. It is important to use selling to interior designers as another way to increase your income and grow your audience, instead of making it your sole business strategy.
Need more tips on selling your artwork to interior designers? Check out Barney Davey and Dick Harrison’s book How to Sell Art to Interior Designers: Learn New Ways to Get Your Work into the Interior Design Market and Sell More Art. The Kindle version—which you can read on your internet browser—is currently only $9.99 on Amazon.
"Artwork Archive provides inventory management tools for artists, collectors, and organizations to organize their artwork. Dedicated to making powerful, intuitive, easy-to-use tools for artwork management."
Read more helpful art marketing and career articles in our Newsletter Archives.
Every month we receive many “untitled” artworks for our online art competitions. Because of this, we suggest that artists title all of their artworks. Titles provide a judge with a better understanding of what the artist wanted me to see and feel.
When artists titles their artwork, the title also helps the viewer distinguish that particular piece of art from all other pieces of artwork.
There are additional reasons for titling an artwork. Here are a few of them:
Here are a few helpful tips when titling your art:
Some artists title their art after the piece is completed and others title their art prior to creating it. In the end, it really does not matter. Have fun with this procedure on your own or try involving family, friends or other artists in the title making process.
For more art and marketing articles, please visit our Newsletter section.
The Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery is pleased to announce it has launched a new archive website to host our past exhibitions.
As many of you may know, over the last several weeks, the LST website has been experiencing intermittent slow loading and downtime. This “intermittent” has become more frequent after our hosting company migrated our site to a newer, supposedly faster, server. However, as a result of the continued issues with the website, we have changed hosting companies and created an archive site as a complement to the main Light Space & Time gallery website.
As one of the longest running online art gallery websites, the LST site has hundreds of exhibitions and, as such, is a very large, image heavy site. Websites with the sheer amount of content and number of images as we have can sometimes become unstable and experience issues.
After extensive consultation with our web development and technical support team, it was decided that moving older content to an archive website would help ensure we could preserve our older exhibitions and continue to provide artists with a place to showcase their talent long into the future.
Prior to Fusion Art purchasing LST from John Math in 2018, the oldest exhibitions were already being purged in an effort to make room for the newer exhibitions. We did not want to continue to do this, and have artists lose elements of their portfolios, so the solution was the creation of an archive website to host these past exhibitions for the long term.
Therefore, all monthly and special exhibitions, solo art exhibitions and artist showcases prior to January 2022 will now be hosted on our new archive website – LightSpaceTimeArchives.art.
In order to access any exhibitions prior to January 2022, just add the word “archives” to the current URL of your exhibition. It will then take you to the archives site and directly to the exhibition you are looking for.
Alternatively, you can visit the main LST website and click the LST Archives button in the menu bar at the top of every page. This will take you to the archives site and you can find your exhibitions in the applicable section.
All other content, including current art competitions and exhibitions (January 2022 and beyond), art marketing articles, artist news and testimonials remain on the main LST site.
by Guest Blogger, Katie Brenneman - An online portfolio is an artist’s bread and butter in this digital age. Maybe you’ve already put a lot of time and effort into building a beautiful portfolio or website showcasing your work.
However, it’s not exactly effective if no one is looking at it.
Unfortunately, you’re facing an uphill battle. Search engine algorithms will automatically skew toward more established artists. So, it’s time to step into the world of branding and marketing.
Thankfully, you don’t have to have a lot of experience in the advertising industry to make your portfolio stand out. Let’s cover a few quick tips on how you can boost your portfolio’s presence and get your work the attention it deserves.
If you already have an online portfolio, one of the easiest ways to get more visitors is to master the basics of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). You’ve likely heard of keyword searches and how important they are to getting noticed. However, there are also things you can do to optimize your site internally, including
By making your portfolio a priority, you’ll naturally boost SEO. But, if you’re still struggling to attract visitors, take the time to learn the basics when it comes to keywords and what people are searching for, and you’ll see an even bigger boost in your digital audience.
Even if you’re not a marketing pro, almost everyone is familiar with at least one social media platform. Use that to your advantage to market your portfolio.
For example, Instagram is an ideal platform for sharing photos and artwork. It’s a great place to share pieces of your work and inspire people to head to your website or portfolio for more. It’s easy to use, but make sure you’re always optimizing your photos and sharing the right sizes, or they could end up looking blurry and unprofessional.
You can also use Instagram and other social media platforms to connect with potential fans and followers. It’s a great way to spark conversation and boost word-of-mouth interest in your portfolio.
While it’s true that everything seems digital these days and you should absolutely have an online portfolio, there’s still something to be said for print media. People still like tangible things, and something as simple as a flyer with a QR code that leads back to your portfolio can be impactful and interesting. Consider leaving flyers or brochures in places like
You can also choose to work with an existing publication that caters to art lovers or even other artists. Doing so will help you hone in on your target audience and can bring your brand and portfolio to life in a way that digital can’t always capture.
Whether you’re a budding artist trying to get your name out there or you’ve enjoyed a long career but need a marketing boost, use these ideas to boost the presence of your online portfolio, and engage with those who want to support you and your work.
Katie Brenneman is a passionate writer specializing in lifestyle, mental health, education, and fitness-related content. When she isn't writing, you can find her with her nose buried in a book or hiking with her dog, Charlie. To connect with Katie, you can follow her on Twitter.
For over 12 years, the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery (LST) has been an advocate for artists by helping them to market and sell their art online and around the world.
As a subsidiary of Fusion Art, the gallery’s mission is to promote artists though online art exhibitions, our extensive social media and marketing networks and through our combined newsletter subscribers list of over 35,000+ subscribers. Our extensive mailing lists includes gallery owners, corporate art representatives, art collectors, art consultants and decision makers in the fine arts field.
Through both our online art galleries, Fusion Art and LST provide one of the most advanced and widespread art marketing packages offered by any other online gallery.
As we are constantly searching for new ways to promote and provide marketing and sales opportunities for our artists, LST is thrilled to announce we have new awards and marketing benefits that will launch this summer.
Cash Award to Overall Top Winner
The gallery is pleased to announce that is will start awarding a monetary cash prize to the Overall Top Winner of its monthly online art competitions. In order to be more competitive, we have decided to offer a cash award to the Overall 1st Place winner of each exhibition. The amount of the monetary prize will be determined by the number of entries that are received in each competition.
Newly Updated Art Marketing Success Manual
Our previous Art Marketing Success Manual was getting outdated so we are working on a new updated version to encompass our more recent and most up to date information and recommendations for artists to market, promote and sell their art. The updated Art Marketing Success Manual will be available starting with the awards presented in September.
Discount for .ART Domains
We have always encouraged artists who are serious about their art, want to advance their art careers and increase sales, on how important it is to have a have a modern, professional, up-to-date website to display their art. The introduction of the .ART domains in 2016 was an ingenious way for artists to differentiate their websites, from the average website domain, and to emphasize their artistry.
Through a new partnership with the .ART domain registration service, we are going to be able to offer a discount to our top award winning artists who want to take the next step in their art careers or even upgrade their current website and brand to include the .ART affiliation.
Discount for Artspan Art Marketplace
We have now partnered with Artspan Art Marketplace to offer our top winning artists discounted plans for their platform. Artspan was the first artist-specific website builder company, formed in 1999. Particularly for artists who may not be computer or tech savvy and may want an easily designed website to showcase and sell their art, Artspan is a leader in the market.
Artists who sign up will receive a personal branded website, which is also integrated into the Artspan marketplace, thus giving artists two venues to use in selling their art – their own individual sites and the Artspan Marketplace. Similar to our partnership with Artwork Archive, Light Space & Time's top winning artists will receive special discounts that are higher than is offered to the general public.
All of the above new awards will be offered starting with the August competition, the 6th Annual “Patterns, Textures & Forms” competition, which launches on July 10th. As a means to defray at least some of the costs for these new awards, the gallery will be increasing entry fees slightly, starting with the June competition. To see the current competitions that are accepting entries, visit the LST home page.
Many of the partnerships we are forming with companies offer affiliate referral programs. We have waived and/or drastically reduced affiliate commissions in exchange for offering higher discounts and more benefits to artists who are referred by Fusion Art and LST.
These new awards are our way of saying Thank You to all our artists for being part of the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery, for sharing your talent with us and allowing us to help you promote and market it to the world.
Every January here at the Light Space & Time Online Art Gallery we post an article with ideas and suggestions for artists to kick start their New Year’s art marketing goals. Our mission as a gallery is to help artists advance their career goals and market their art.
Many of these ideas have been presented in previous “kick start” posts but they are basic, however, consistently implementing them is not. They are essential for artists as a means to market themselves and their art successfully.
1. Evaluate & Update Your Website
For artists who are looking to advance their art careers and increase sales, it is important for them to have a modern, professional, up-to-date website to display their art.
For those of you who already have a website, if you haven’t reviewed it in a while, now is the time. When was the last time that you went page by page and link by link through it? We all need to do this to find broken links, pages that do not load quickly, graphics, images and other items that have moved or been deleted, along with pages with misspelled words and similar issues.
The presentation of your art is as important as creating it. Take some time to review your site and make any necessary changes and corrections. Make sure all of the images on your website are sized properly and have a low resolution (a resolution of 72 helps your site load more quickly and protects your art from being copied by unscrupulous people). The images should also be color corrected if necessary, as some cameras and lighting do no always capture an artwork’s true colors. There are many free programs on the internet for this.
Also, do you have better images or graphics to replace what now exists on your website? Do you have new artwork that you just have not had time to photograph and add to your website? Do it.
While checking your images, make sure that they are labeled and tagged properly with good image descriptions. Search engines will only index your images if they have descriptions. By doing this, your images will show up in the image search results and when the images are viewed, viewers will be directed to your art website.
For those artists that don’t have a website, now is the time to take the next step and get one. The annual cost to purchase or renew a website domain is typically less than $20. The cost of basic website hosting can be as low as $3-$4 per month. A website is an investment artists need to make a priority.
2. Rewrite/ Update your Artists Bio and Statement
A well-written biography and/or artist statement is also essential for artists and now is the time to review and update them. An artist does not have to be an accomplished writer to create a well-written biography and artist statement, but it is necessary for an artist to have at least one. It is also important to know the difference between a biography and artist statement as many artists mistake one for the other. Please read our article “Comparing an Artist’s Biography to an Artist’s Statement” for clarification.
Also, update your CV by adding any new exhibitions, new awards and/or new publications or other pertinent information that has taken place since the last time it was updated.
3. Use Social Media
Social media is a part of our everyday lives and is an important platform for all artists to employ in order to help market themselves and their art. Why is this? In our opinion, it is easy to identify and connect with the art community when using social media.
It is also an effective medium because it is a visual and simple way in which to present your art. Particularly now, Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, Instagram and even Twitter provide artists with opportunities (if targeted properly) to reach viewers who were previously unreachable.
Read our articles “Top 10 Reasons Why Artists Fail with Social Media”, “Using the 70-20-10 Rule to Succeed at Social Media Marketing” by guest blogger James Baxter, and “How to Write Social Media Posts That Sell Art” by guest blogger Frank Hamilton, along with various other social media articles on the LST website, for further advice and instruction on how best to use social media to grow your audience reach.
4. Press Release Marketing
Press release marketing is a low-cost way artists can market their artwork to a wider range of potential viewers, particularly when they have an award or exhibition to announce. There are many “Free” press release websites, which take, publish and market an artist’s press release copy. One such site is PRLog.org. PRLog’s free press release submission includes a PDF version to send to your mailing list, a search engine optimized page, hyperlinks in the content, and the option to select location/industry and tag listings. In addition, companies like Star One Public Relations offers press release distribution services for as low as $10.00 for distribution to 70+ press outlets. Read our article “Successful Press Release Marketing for Artists” and 6 Benefits for Press Releases for Artists to help guide you in these efforts. Also check out our article “5 Ways Artists Can Promote Their Art Online” for more ideas.
5. Start a Blog
Artists should seriously consider starting an art blog as a way to attract and direct additional interested viewers to their art websites. An art blog is a great way to expand an artist’s target audience. It is also an effective platform to help artists market their art.
Read our articles “Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Have an Art Blog” and “How Artists Can Attract Readers to an Art Blog” in order to fully understand the power of a well-executed art blog.
6. Have Your Art Portfolio Reviewed Professionally
A professional Portfolio Review provides an artist with an evaluation of their art and a critique of how their art is being presented to others. Usually, during a portfolio review, the reviewers provide artists with additional ideas on how they can effectively market their art.
Much like art competitions, a portfolio review is an additional way in which artists can have their artwork evaluated and measured against other artists. While some artists don’t see this as valuable and can sometimes find it discouraging, it is a way to help artists improve their presentations and their craft.
In 2022, we hope you will make at least some, if not all, of these suggestions part of your art marketing efforts. By implementing these recommendations, artists can experience increased traffic to their websites, find more people interested in their art and ultimately, sell more of their work.
However, as with any marketing program, it is important to focus your efforts. All artists should view the marketing of their art to be as important as the creation of it and an art-marketing plan needs to be well planned and performed consistently in order to be successful. Check out our article “5 Tips for Creating an Effective Art Marketing Strategy” by guest blogger Wendy Dessler, for more suggestions.
A new year can be a fresh start for artists with their planning and executing an effective art marketing strategy. Even if you haven’t previously implemented any of the above suggestions, it is never too late to start.
Good luck and have a creative, successful and prosperous 2022!
Rawdon artist Geneviève Chaussé will exhibit her creation “Perfect Balance” at BORDERS - Venice International Art Fair 2021 during the collective exhibition Future Landscapes. This first participation is a door wide open to the multidisciplinary of the artist and the broadness of her imaginary world.
Geneviève is currently creating her first major body of work entitled “Bodies and Souls”. This piece of art “Perfect Balance” is the first in a series of 12 works in progress. Three are completed. This project is created from surrealist universes from an imagination where the mind and the heart meet. Art that aims to be visionary and symbolic where dreams, reality and feelings come together harmoniously.
Her works are initially juxtaposed by digital collage as a first draft. The process is instinctive and prevails in her current artistic approach. This provides her with the almost immediate realization which is ideal for not losing the spark, as she calls it. She enjoys the speed and ease of execution to remain true to the messages of hope and love that she receives and that she interprets.
Beginning with a meticulous drawing as faithful as possible, she then painted with watercolour and acrylic paint this universe that awaits her. Her formats are currently very small (8 x 8 inches) but she aspires to paint them in large formats (36 x 36 inches) and have them travel all over the globe.
Geneviève first received an invitation from the project coordinator since she did not know this organization at all and subsequently, the curator Luca Curci agreed to include the work she had submitted. Luca Curci is the founder and director of ITSLIQUID Group, a web-based information platform, founded in 2001, dedicated to the worldwide distribution of information about calls for entries, exhibitions and events at some of the world’s leading art galleries, museums and foundations selected.
The exhibition will take place at THE ROOM Contemporary Art Space in Venice, Italy from August 30th to September 19th, 2021, located right next to St. Mark's Basilica, in the square of the same name. You can follow the event live on Facebook on Monday, August 30th, 2021 from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm EDT by clicking here: https://www.facebook.com/events/837143347173891
Geneviève's website is https://chaussegenevieveart.wixsite.com/portfolio
Her Instagram account is https://www.instagram.com/genevieve_chausse_art/
Her Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/genevievechausseart
To see other artist news, visit our Artist News section.
By Rodney Laws, Guest Blogger - Every industry was affected heavily by the outbreak of COVID-19, and art is certainly no exception. So much of the art world has typically revolved around in-person demonstrations and sales. Museums and galleries have always worked through bringing in foot traffic, with money made through selling entrance tickets, refreshments, and gift-shop items. Then there are street performers (caricaturists, for instance) who have always made money through tips.
At the moment, the continued need for social distancing (along with the lingering fears concerning travel) means that even those places that can afford to open are finding it hard to attract interest. The artists, though, do have options, and they have drawn upon them (no pun intended) to keep afloat during the past year. By operating online, they can still make money doing what they love.
Trying to succeed exclusively online as an artist presents a very different challenge, though. The tactics required for reaching the right people (and ultimately prospective clients) are largely distinct. In this post, we’re going to look at four solid strategies an artist can use to grow their brand and attract some interest online. Let’s get started.
Use a combination portfolio and store
Taking client work is often the typical way of making a living as an artist, since you have clear creative direction and set terms. It is simply a matter of receiving and fulfilling a brief: you don’t need to worry about the commercial viability of what you are producing. But that doesn’t mean that should be the only way in which you make money. The more routes you have to profit, the more stable your financial situation can become.
Due to this, it is a great idea to build an ecommerce store that’s also your portfolio. You don’t even need web-design skills to create such a store these days. If you already have an art blog in WordPress (the platform that dominates blogging), you can install a free plugin called WooCommerce (take a look at this WooCommerce review) and start selling products.
Whenever you make a sale, promote it through the blog side of the store: this will reinforce your value as an artist in the eyes of prospective clients. In addition, whenever you pick up a notable client, add their testimonial to your store homepage: this will reassure potential buyers that you’re truly as good as they think you are. It’s a win-win situation.
Get into the habit of asking for referrals
You can’t add testimonials to your store if you don’t have any testimonials, and they don’t tend to appear spontaneously. If you don’t ask for them, you won’t get them — so get into the habit of asking for them. Do this carefully, of course: don’t bug people, come across as desperate, or push them to shower you with more praise than they think you deserve. Just ask politely.
It is a good idea to fold the feedback-collection process into your general client-handling sequence. When you’re wrapping up a project and ensuring that all the details have been handled, you can have an automated email go out to provide a survey (HubSpot has some good tips on this process). You can even throw in some kind of basic incentive to prompt a reply: 10% off their next commission and/or purchase, for instance.
Share your process on social media
People who don’t understand what goes into art can easily end up undervaluing it. You are likely familiar with the common effort to “pay” artists in “exposure”. It is commonplace to joke about at times, but it is a sad indication of how little people understand the difficulty of producing high-quality art. They assume (for some reason) that most artists live frivolous lives of luxury — and those who don’t, well, they should just be grateful to get some attention, right?
To help people accept the complexities of what you do, and show just how good you are, you should combine your blogging efforts with social media comments concerning your process. You don’t need to engage with social media in general, just offer some commentary on how long certain pieces of art take you, sharing progress on art you are currently working on, the decisions you need to make along the way, the obstacles you need to overcome, etc.
In addition, when you have a piece you are particularly proud of, you should enter it into some online competitions, both through social media and other sites. It won’t cost much, and the risk is minimal: if you don’t win, it won’t matter, but it will give you something you can talk about it through social media and get even more attention.
Join a forum of like-minded artists
The best artists tend to support one another because they know that great art should be appreciated and supported and the internet is full of fantastic communities that can help you promote your services. This is something that can go unnoticed due to the assumption that artists will all be hyper-competitive, eager to undermine one another. Not so.
In truth, there is plenty of demand for art, and those who produce it often end up spending some of their money on commissioning it as well. Artists can collaborate on pieces through which they can all profit, and expand their audiences through building professional associations. You also need to remember that great artists never stop learning. However much you’ll learn from your new community, the existing members will learn just as much from you.
And when someone out there expresses interest for art in the exact style that you’ve mastered, you’ll find that other artists will often point them in the right direction, knowing that you’ll do the same for them in return. Put your trust in community spirit. You won’t regret it.
Rodney Laws is an ecommerce expert with over a decade of experience in building online businesses. Check out his reviews on EcommercePlatforms.io and you’ll find practical tips that you can use to build the best online store for your business. Connect with him on Twitter @EcomPlatformsio.
The New Year is a time for artists to look ahead to how they can grow and advance their art careers. Although 2020 is technically behind us, there are still some challenges to overcome as the world continues to work its way out of a terrible pandemic. This has been enormously difficult for everyone but artists and the arts community has been hit particularly hard. However, with the release of vaccines, there seems to be some light at the end of the tunnel and it is time for artists to look forward.
At the beginning of every New Year, we post an article with ideas and suggestions for how artists can to make plans for how to kick-start and best to tackle your art career goals in 2020.
Have you set up your art marketing goals for the New Year? If not, the following are 5 things you can do to kick start 2021 and improve your chances of success.
Many of these ideas have been offered up in previous “kick-start” posts but they are elementary and consistently implementing them is not. They are critical for artists if they are to market themselves and their art successfully.
Evaluate & Update Your Website
While the past year has given some artists the time and opportunity to either create or update their websites, for many it has been difficult to concentrate amid the worry of the ongoing pandemic. However, in today’s art world, particularly with all its changes, in order to be taken seriously, it is essential for artists to have a modern, professional, up-to-date website to display their art.
The annual cost to purchase or renew a website domain is typically less than $20. The cost of basic website hosting can be as low as $3-$4 per month. A website is an investment artists need to make a priority in order to be taken seriously.
For those of you who already have websites, if you haven’t reviewed it in a while, now is the time. When was the last time that you went page by page and link by link through it? We all need to do this to find broken links, pages that do not load quickly, graphics, images and other items that have moved, along with pages with misspelled words and similar issues.
The presentation of your art is as important as creating it. Take some time to review your site and make any necessary changes and corrections. Make sure all of the images on your website are sized properly and have a low resolution (a resolution of 72 helps your site load more quickly and protects your art from being copied by unscrupulous people). The images should also be color corrected if necessary, as some cameras and lighting do no always capture an artwork’s true colors. There are many free programs on the internet for this.
Also, do you have better images or graphics to replace what now exists on your website? Do you have new artwork that you just have not had time to photograph and add to your website? Do it.
While checking your images, make sure that they are labeled and tagged properly with good image descriptions. Search engines will only index your images if they have descriptions. By doing this, your images will show up in the image search results and when the images are viewed, viewers will be directed to your art website.
Rewrite/ Update your Artists Bio and Statement
A well-written biography and/or artist statement is also essential for artists and now is the time to review and update them. An artist does not have to be an accomplished writer to create a well-written biography and artist statement, but it is necessary for an artist to have at least one. It is also important to know the difference between a biography and artist statement as many artists mistake one for the other. Please read our article “Comparing an Artist’s Biography to an Artist’s Statement” for clarification.
Also, update your CV by adding any exhibitions, new publications or other pertinent information that has taken place since the last time it was updated.
Use Social Media
Social media has become a part of our everyday lives and is an important platform for all artists to employ in order to help market themselves and their art. Why is this? In our opinion, it is easy to identify and connect with the art community when using social media.
It is also an effective medium because it is a visual and simple way in which to present your art. Particularly now, Facebook, Pinterest, Linkedin, Instagram and even Twitter provide artists with opportunities (if targeted properly) to reach viewers who were previously unreachable.
Read our articles “Top 10 Reasons Why Artists Fail with Social Media”, “Using the 70-20-10 Rule to Succeed at Social Media Marketing” by guest blogger James Baxter, and “How to Write Social Media Posts That Sell Art” by guest blogger Frank Hamilton, along with various other social media articles on the LST website, for further advice and instruction on how best to use social media to grow your audience reach.
Press Release Marketing
Press release marketing is a low-cost way artists can market their artwork to a wider range of potential viewers. There are many “Free” press release websites, which take, publish and market an artist’s press release copy. One such site is PRLog.org. PRLog’s free press release submission includes a PDF version to send to your mailing list, a search engine optimized page, hyperlinks in the content, and the option to select location/industry and tag listings. In addition, companies like Star One Public Relations offers press release distribution services for as low as $10.00 for distribution to 70+ press outlets. Read our article “Successful Press Release Marketing for Artists” and 6 Benefits for Press Releases for Artists to help guide you in these efforts. Also check out our article “5 Ways Artists Can Promote Their Art Online” for more ideas.
Start a Blog
Artists should seriously consider starting an art blog as a way to attract and direct additional interested viewers to their art websites. An art blog is a great way to expand an artist’s target audience. It is also an effective platform to help artists market their art.
Read our articles “Top 3 Reasons Why You Should Have an Art Blog” and “How Artists Can Attract Readers to an Art Blog” in order to fully understand the power of a well-executed art blog.
In 2021, we hope you will make at least some, if not all, of these suggestions part of your art marketing efforts. By implementing these recommendations, artists can experience increased traffic to their websites, find more people interested in their art and ultimately, sell more of their work.
However, as with any marketing program, it is important to focus your efforts. All artists should view the marketing of their art to be as important as the creation of it and an art-marketing plan needs to be well planned and performed consistently in order to be successful. Check out our article “5 Tips for Creating an Effective Art Marketing Strategy” by guest blogger Wendy Dessler, for more suggestions.
Good luck and have a creative, successful and prosperous 2021!
