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The Results – The Enterprising Artists Survey
A little while back, myself and Dan from www.rightbrainrockstar.com asked artists to take part in an online survey to enable us all to get a better idea of the lie of the land when it comes to using the internet to sell or promote art.
Well, after some mammoth number crunching from Dan the results are now in. {Apologies for the length of time it has taken to compile the results. We were going to be happy with 50 replies and we actually got an amazing 954 artists completing the survey meaning that it took longer than anticipated to deal with the resulting fascinating data.}
First Things First
Firstly – a big thanks to everyone that took the time to fill in the survey. It is really appreciated. We hope you find the results interesting and helpful. You can find a list of people who took part and their websites at the end of this article {big thanks to Dan for compiling this list}
The Questions of Gender Balance
One of the most fascinating results of the survey is that the vast majority of people who replied are women. The respondents were 83% Female and 17% Male.
Women are obviously getting out there and taking control of their own art career by the use of the internet which is heartening news. However, this throws open other questions as to why men are so under represented. Do they not enjoy fulling out surveys? Is the internet a channel suited to women but not so much to men? Where do male artists sell their work? As with many things, answers lead to more questions.
The Internet – Don’t be distracted by the butterflies…
The internet is extremely important to artists participating in the survey. 82% of artists use it up to 20 hours per week for promoting/marketing, networking, research, promotion or selling. The majority of time online was spent using Social Media to sell or promote art {up to 80%}.
Whilst it was good to see that nearly as much time was spent on artists own websites, much less time {less than 50%} was spent on working with email or newsletters. This is somewhat worrying as social media is often the opening point to finding new fans/clients/collectors but a newsletter or email is often where you close the deal and make sales.
It is slightly worrying that by focusing on the distracting butterfly that is social media, artists are missing a trick in growing and maintaining their mailing list, the really important bit where the sales can be made.
In 2011, over half of the respondents generated less than 10% of personal income from art. More focus on other parts of the internet puzzle including mailing lists could help this to grow. 40% of artists websites were out of date or irrelevant, a part of the puzzle that is fairly easily fixed. Woman cannot live on Facebook alone 😉
If you are at all unsure about the importance of starting and growing a mailing list, read this post “What is your crucial secret weapon for selling art? : Lessons from “The Apprentice”
Your mailing list, in conjunction with your website, is probably the single most important piece of the jigsaw of your internet strategy for selling art.
Marketing is the biggest challenge for artists.
63.52% of respondents stated that promotion and marketing were the biggest challenge to earning income as an artist. It was heartening to see that only 20.44% were having a challenge with artistic skill and direction although insecurity, doubt and lack of direction were a big issue at 48.22%
We know what we are doing artistically but need a little help and confidence to market our work to the world.
Overview
All in all the survey results were extremely positive. It was great to see so many people get involved and be so enthusiastic about sharing their experiences. The fact that so many women are online, getting their work out into the world is wonderful.
The challenges faced by artists in marketing and selling their work are all solvable with the help of all the great blogs named in the survey. Artists marketing and selling their work online are at the forefront of a new way of selling and are rising to the challenge.
Download the full report
These are just a few of the highlights of the report. You can view and download the full report here from www.rightbrainrockstar.com
Dan has summarised the results over on www.rightbrainrockstar.com. Cory Huff of the Abundant Artist has written an interesting post on the survey results and offers some suggestions.
And big thanks goes to…
The following artists completed the survey. Here are links to their websites. Please take 5 minutes to check out what they are doing… {Big thanks to Dan for compiling this extensive list}
Alicia Adanna (Visit website) @ZuriART
Rosemarie Adcock (Visit website) @rosemarieadcock
Cigdem Aksoy
Robyn Alatorre (Visit website)
John Alden (Visit website) @japhotoguy
Jo Allebach (Visit website)
Alex Alvis (Visit website)
Tracy Anderson (Visit website)
Linda Anderson (Visit website)
Keith Andrews (Visit website)
Garland Arnaud
Noble Artist (Visit website)
April Ashby (Visit website) @stellatadesign
Lesley Atlansky (Visit website) @latlansky
Sarah Atlee (Visit website)
Anna Ayres (Visit website)
Alicia Bailey (Visit website) @abecedarianbook
patricia baldwin seggebruch (Visit website) @pbsartist
Nancy Barry (Visit website)
Sandy Bartholomew (Visit website) @SandyBee
stephanie bartz (Visit website) @HeyBartzie
Catherine Bath (Visit website) @cathyfatimah
Andy Bauer (Visit website) @ArtByAndy
Mickey Baxter-Spade (Visit website) @MickeysArt
Sarah Bays (Visit website) @Thumb_print_ink
Lisa Sonora Beam (Visit website) @LisaSonoraBeam
Robert Bean (Visit website) @rbfineart
Ann Bean
Elias Beniflah (Visit website)
Laurie Bennett (Visit website) @sewmanydiapers
Teresa Beyer (Visit website)
Penney Bidwell (Visit website)
Helen Billett (Visit website) @MeringueInc
Robert Alan Black (Visit website) @Cre8ngAlan
Brad Blackman (Visit website) @bradblackman
Anne Catharine Blake (Visit website) @ACatharineBlake
Chris blevins (Visit website)
Sam L Boehner (Visit website) @samboehnerart
Mic Boekelmann (Visit website) @micbstudio
Tina Bohlman (Visit website) @tinabohlman
laura bolle (Visit website) @lbolle_artist
Deniece Bonner (Visit website) @ClarityArt
Lori Boocks (Visit website) @LoriAnneBoocks
Chris Book
Jill Booth (Visit website) @Austropicalart
Jason Bordash (Visit website)
Jana Botkin (Visit website)
Clare Bowditch (Visit website) @clarebowditch
Sara Bowen (Visit website) @rhubarbella
Fi Bowman (Visit website) @fibowman
Mary Lea Bradley (Visit website) @mlbradleyartist
Dennis Brady (Visit website) @Dennisbrady
Christine Brallier (Visit website) @cbmosaics
Yvonne Branchflower (Visit website)
Erika Brandner (Visit website) @Ekabo
Allison Bratt (Visit website) @AllisonBrattArt
claire Brewster (Visit website) @clairebrewster
Travis Brimner (Visit website)
Val Britton (Visit website)
Siobhan Brocklehurst (Visit website) @GemstoneOrchid
Carla Brooks (Visit website) @DeltaMoonSoap
Zachary Brown (Visit website) @ZacharyBrown
kyle bryant (Visit website) @thekbco
Jacqueline Bryant Campbell (Visit website) @Jbryantcampbell
Brenna Busse (Visit website)
Libby Bussinah (Visit website) @Libbys09
Pattie Byron (Visit website) @pattiebyron
KC Cali (Visit website) @kccaliartist
Nana Campana (Visit website) @nanacampana
Elissa Campbell (Visit website) @blueroofdesigns
Jean Cannon (Visit website)
Patricia Capracotta (Visit website) @AGreenGoddess
Patricia Carberry (Visit website)
Gwen Card (Visit website) @FrontPorchArt
Ruth Cardin (Visit website)
Mii Careta
Carole Carlson (Visit website)
KB Carpenter (Visit website)
Kathleen Carrier (Visit website) @katcarrier
Mike Carvin (Visit website) @craftyguy
Joseph Cavalieri (Visit website)
Julie Chapman (Visit website)
Lindsay Cheesewright (Visit website) @FaerieMajikk
jamie chiarello (Visit website)
Elisa Choi (Visit website) @harmonythoughts
Roula Chreim (Visit website) @roulachreim
Carolyn Christensen (Visit website)
Joelle Circé (Visit website) @CirceArt
Lucy Clark (Visit website)
Corey Clark (Visit website) @clclark22
Violette Clark (Visit website) @violetteclark
MaryAnn Cleary (Visit website) @maryanncleary
Heather Clements (Visit website) @artheatherart
sam clift (Visit website) @sam_clift
raquel coelho
Annette Coleman (Visit website) @AnnetteColeman
Donyae Coles (Visit website) @okokno
Dean Collings (Visit website) @ProfsrD
dawn collins (Visit website) @ZetasAttic
Guy Combes (Visit website)
Ellyn Cooper
Sarah Cooper (Visit website) @keepsakescrafts
Amber Coppings (Visit website) @Xmittens
Kathy Cousart (Visit website) @kathycousart
Amy Cox (Visit website) @none
Rebecca Croft (Visit website)
Amy Crook (Visit website) @amysnotdeadyet
Terry Cullen (Visit website)
Michael Cullen (Visit website) @cullenpix
Heather Dakota (Visit website)
Liz Danforth (Visit website) @lizdanforth
Anne Davenport (Visit website) @AnneNilesDav
Lezley Davidson (Visit website) @lezleydavidson
Karen Davis (Visit website) @ChitlinCircuit
Ellene Breedlove Davis (Visit website) @ElleneBDavis
Kelley Dawkins (Visit website)
Jose De la Barra (Visit website)
Christine DeCamp (Visit website)
clara dees (Visit website)
Renee Delight-La Torre (Visit website) @rldelight
Miranda Delphia (Visit website) @panduhmonium
Nancy Denmark (Visit website) @NDenmarkArt
Judy DeRosa (Visit website)
Kathleen Dickson (Visit website)
Vonnie Diehl @tuomala
Mari Dieumegard (Visit website)
Melissa Dinwiddie (Visit website) @a_creative_life
Ann Domingue (Visit website) @atdomingue
louise Douglas (Visit website) @louisedouglas56
Crescent Dragonwagon (Visit website) @cdragonwagon
Jason Drake (Visit website) @jdrake55
Annie Draper (Visit website)
chris dreux (Visit website)
Donna Iona Drozda (Visit website) @ionadrozda
Nan Drye (Visit website)
Donna Duncan (Visit website) @metamorphisarts
Sam Dunford (Visit website) @samdunford_art
Paolo Durandetto (Visit website) @durandetto
Kieren Dutcher (Visit website)
Jo-Ann Dziubek-MacDonald (Visit website) @jdmstudios
Kit Eastman (Visit website)
Kristen Eaton (Visit website) @vaguelybohemian
Diane Edwards (Visit website)
Sidney Eileen (Visit website)
Susan Elliot (Visit website)
Heidi Emmett
Beverly Endsley (Visit website) @bevendsley
Nanci Erskine (Visit website) @erskinestudio
Amy Evans (Visit website) @amyevansart
Kristen Fagan (Visit website) @CreativeStash
Brittany Faulkner (Visit website) @with britt
Kathleen Faulkner (Visit website)
Michele Fawcett (Visit website) @MFischerWriter
Jennifer Fay (Visit website) @jlfay
michelle fellegy (Visit website)
Gina Femrite (Visit website) @no
Marilyn Fenn (Visit website) @MarilynFenn
Cindy Ferreira (Visit website)
Dora Ficher (Visit website) @doraficher
Karen Fields (Visit website) @kfieldsdesign
Patricia J Finley (Visit website) @PatriciaFinleyArtist
Laura Fisher (Visit website) @baisebeige
Tracey Fletcher King (Visit website)
Anna Foley (Visit website) @ABFoleyArtworks
Felicia Follum (Visit website) @FeliciaFollum
Julia Forsyth (Visit website) @JuliaForsythArt
Cindy Fort (Visit website) @cindyjfort
Marian Fortunati (Visit website)
Stuart Fowle (Visit website) @artonthehoof
Gwen Fox (Visit website)
Susan Fox (Visit website) @s_fox
Suzette Fram (Visit website)
Suzanne Frazier (Visit website) @ContempArt
Christine Fredendall (Visit website)
Karen Fridy (Visit website) @Threadchick
Dianna Fritzler (Visit website)
Anna Fuchs (Visit website) @AnnaFuchsBcn
KS Funderburg
Shannon Ganshorn (Visit website) @shannonganshorn
Jackie Garner (Visit website) @garnerart
Madelyn Garrett (Visit website)
marc garrison (Visit website)
Jo-Anne Gazo-McKim (Visit website) @jgazomckim
Bill Gehring (Visit website)
Ronald Gillis (Visit website) @rcg46
kellyann gilson lyman (Visit website) @kellyannart
Annie Glacken (Visit website)
Janet Glatz (Visit website) @janetglatz
Sonelle Goddard (Visit website) @SonelleG
Marie K Godwin (Visit website) @artistmkgodwin
Tahirih Goffic (Visit website) @paintingmommy37
Monica Gonzalez (Visit website)
Hilde Goossens (Visit website) @HildeGoossens78
connie gorsline
Olga Gouskova (Visit website)
Patrick Gracewood (Visit website)
Pat Grady (Visit website) @embellishbliss
Crista Grasso (Visit website) @ambertortoise
Sharon Graves (Visit website)
Victoria Gray (Visit website)
Deborah Grayson (Visit website) @GraysonStudio
Joann Greenbaum (Visit website)
norma greenwood (Visit website) @normadventures
Sean Griffin (Visit website) @lightscapesfoto
Lina Grigaitis (Visit website)
Elizabeth Groeschen (Visit website) @elizadele
Sari Grove (Visit website) @GroveCanada
Beth Grove (Visit website)
Julie Gubler (Visit website) @heroprnt
Adriana Guidi (Visit website)
Erin Gursslin (Visit website) @ssilverwear
Laura Habel (Visit website) @heartinhawaii
Charlotte Hagan, RN
Johanus Haidner (Visit website) @JohanusHaidner
J. Haley (Visit website) @jhaleyarts
terrie hall (Visit website)
Dee Hall (Visit website) @hatup
Mckenna Hallett (Visit website)
Elizabeth Halpern (Visit website)
Kariyappa Hanchinamani (Visit website)
alison hankinson
Amelia Hansen (Visit website)
kathryn hansen (Visit website)
Rosemarie Hanus (Visit website) @spawnofflame
Alice Harpel (Visit website) @aliceharpel
Martha Harrell (Visit website)
Tiffany Harris (Visit website)
Teresa Harrison (Visit website) @treeartlady
Sandi Harrold (Visit website)
Jill Hartley (Visit website)
Kathleen Harvey (Visit website) @doulakat
Linda Hatfield (Visit website)
Jacqui Hawk (Visit website) @jacquihawkart
David Haynes (Visit website)
Judith HeartSong (Visit website) @judithheartsong
Sarah Hempel Irani (Visit website) @SarahHIrani
K Henderson (Visit website)
Kate Henke (Visit website) @katenke
Jock and Carmen Hildebrand (Visit website)
Deborah Hill (Visit website)
Kaylee Hinrichs (Visit website) @kayleehinrichs
Libby Hintz (Visit website) @libbyhintzart
ken hobson (Visit website) @none
Brandon Hodgkin (Visit website)
Jackie Hoeksema (Visit website)
Vanessa Hofmann V2 (Visit website) @vvanbeusekom
Sarah Hollandsworth (Visit website) @yarngeekfibers
Terry Hope (Visit website)
Carol Houghton-Tenney (Visit website)
cory huff (Visit website) @agoodhusband
Aimee Hughes (Visit website) @BellaCraft
Pamela Hunt Lee (Visit website) @pamela hunt lee
Floyd IAm @Floyd IAm
Lazaro Iglesias (Visit website)
Beverly Ingle (Visit website) @beverlyingle
gary irish (Visit website)
Raj Iyer (Visit website) @IamRajIyer
Dolores Jablonski (Visit website) @atawhim
charlene jacka (Visit website) @505clayspace
JJ Jacobs (Visit website) @abstractsbyjj
Sethi Jacobson (Visit website)
James Jarvis (Visit website) @JJarvisartist
Tamara Leigh Jarvis
Leah Jay (Visit website) @leahjayart
dale jenssen (Visit website)
Barry Johansen (Visit website) @barryjohnsen
Marty Johnson (Visit website) @bzbwoman
Lonna Johnson (Visit website)
Sarita Li Johnson (Visit website) @SaritaLiJohnson
JoAnn Jordan (Visit website) @JordanEM
Becky Joy (Visit website) @beckyjoyartist
April Joy (Visit website)
Melanie K (Visit website) @MelanieK__
Jamie Kalvestran (Visit website) @JamieKalvestran
Kelly Kautz (Visit website) @KellyKauz
jonathan keeton (Visit website)
Leslie Kell (Visit website)
Toni Kelly (Visit website) @A_Spattering
Barbara Kemp Cowlin (Visit website)
Donalee Kennedy (Visit website) @DonaleeKennedy
Robin Kent (Visit website)
M Sanzi Kermes (Visit website) @sanzistudio
Rachel Kerwin (Visit website)
Christopher King (Visit website) @wingsart
Tim King (Visit website)
Carolyn King (Visit website)
Jen Kirby (Visit website) @jenkirby
Donna Kitchens (Visit website)
Duygu Kivanc (Visit website)
Colleayn Klaibourne (Visit website)
Helen Klebesadel (Visit website) @HelenKlebesadel
Laurie Klein (Visit website) @ljkphoto
Lloyd Knowles (Visit website)
Alexa Kocinski @alexakocinski
Shana Kohnstamm @shanakohnstamm
Joe Kopler (Visit website)
Christi Kraft (Visit website) @CKPFineArt
Ria Krishnan (Visit website) @RiaKrishnanArt
charlotte kruk (Visit website)
Candy Kuehn (Visit website) @candykuehn
Marina Kulik (Visit website) @aquarellista
Helena Kuttner-Giasson (Visit website)
Jane LaFazio (Visit website) @JaneLaFazio
Joshua Lance (Visit website) @joshualanceart
Jamie Lapeyrolerie (Visit website) @jamielynne82
Alice Larsen (Visit website) @art from alice
Marc Lawrence (Visit website) @MarcLawrenceArt
Larry Le Brane (Visit website)
Robert Lee (Visit website) @BruthaRob
Stacy Leeman (Visit website) @stacy leeman
Susan Jane Lees (Visit website)
Shelly Leit (Visit website) @shellinayaart
Teresa Levite (Visit website) @mrslevite
Fay Liberty (Visit website)
Terri LLoyd (Visit website) @clvngodess
Linda Loder
Vince LoGreco (Visit website) @CaptainV45
Jeanne Lorenz (Visit website)
Dorothy Lorenze (Visit website) @Dblorenzeartist
Beth Lowell (Visit website) @blowell
jen lowery (Visit website)
Amy Lund (Visit website) @aclhandweaver
Eoin Mac Lochlainn (Visit website) @EMacLochlainn
Carol MacConnell (Visit website)
Kate MacGillivary (Visit website)
kim mackey (Visit website)
Robert Maddison (Visit website)
Kathleen Mahoney (Visit website) @khmahoneyart
Robert Malcom (Visit website)
Tina Mammoser (Visit website) @tina_m
Lori Mani (Visit website)
Sandhya Manne (Visit website) @sandhyamanne
Megan Manske (Visit website) @dwnrabbithole80
Athena Mantle (Visit website) @AthenaMantle
Mandar Marathe (Visit website)
Angeline Marie (Visit website)
Jennifer Marlow (Visit website) @JMWoodcarver
Tina Marohn (Visit website)
Lorna Marrison (Visit website)
Christine Marsh (Visit website) @ChristineMarsh
Christine Martell (Visit website) @cmartell
Meridith Martens (Visit website) @Meridithm
Sue Martin (Visit website)
Emily Martin (Visit website)
Christine Marx (Visit website)
Tobi Mattingly (Visit website) @tobimattingly
Marcus McAllister (Visit website)
Susan McCormick (Visit website)
Robin McCoy (Visit website)
Donna McGee (Visit website) @donnamcgee
Cathy McIntire (Visit website)
Tim McKay
Dena McKitrick (Visit website) @ArtistJoyful
Bob McLean
debi mcmanus-plett
Garry McMichael (Visit website)
lori mcnee (Visit website) @lorimcneeartist
Todd McPhetridge (Visit website) @toddmcphetridge
Anna Measures (Visit website) @annameasures
Kelly Medford (Visit website) @KellyMedfordArt
Patricia Mendoza (Visit website) @epicofthe3stars
Rose Marie Mercado (Visit website)
Mary Merrill (Visit website) @vivyscloset
Gwyn Michael (Visit website) @gwynmichael
Cindy Michaud (Visit website)
Janet Miller (Visit website) @Kyoti13
Burt Miller
Gabriella Mirollo (Visit website)
Gary Mishko
shirley monestier (Visit website)
Debbie Moore @Whispoo
Cindy Morefield (Visit website) @CindyMorefield
Sara Morison (Visit website) @Saramorison
Naomi Morris Landers
Ahavani Mullen (Visit website)
RaeLyn Murphy (Visit website) @RaeLynMurphy
Leah Murray (Visit website) @Old_Crone
Jacky Murtaugh (Visit website) @jackymurtaugh
liza myers (Visit website) @lizamyers
Cittie Myers (Visit website)
Carrie Myers-Hendrix (Visit website)
nadia nadege (Visit website) @nadianadege
Jean Necheles (Visit website) @JNecheles
Jason Nelson (Visit website) @StoneSculptorJN
Nancy Ness (Visit website)
Dean Ng (Visit website) @DeanNg
Naomi Nicholls (Visit website)
Nioshii (Visit website) @Nartist
Diane Nunez (Visit website)
Anne Nye (Visit website) @glassartist1
Paula Ogier (Visit website) @PaulaOgierArt
Sharron Okines (Visit website)
Mejo Okon (Visit website)
Tom Oliver (Visit website) @Tomoliverart
Adam Oriti (Visit website)
Michael Owens (Visit website)
Terry Parker (Visit website) @lomapriepottery
Pat Payne @UnauthorizUsage
Robin Pedrero (Visit website) @robinpedrero
Sandrine pelissier (Visit website) @PelissierS
Victoria Pendragon (Visit website)
ricardo perez jr (Visit website) @infinitestand
JoAnne Perez Robinson (Visit website)
Cathryn Peters (Visit website) @wickerwoman
LeeAnn Petropoulos (Visit website) @lapetropoulos
Cyndi Pfeiffer (Visit website)
Mark Polege (Visit website)
Elissa Poma (Visit website) @elissapoma
Marianne Post (Visit website) @mariannepost
Jo Prinsloo (Visit website)
Diana Probst (Visit website) @dianaprobst
Jack Providenti (Visit website)
Tanner Pruess
candace pryor @artacrobat
Andrew Purchin (Visit website) @andrewpurchin
Fiona Purdy (Visit website)
Marika Purisima (Visit website) @meeks_p
Alison Quine (Visit website) @alisonquine
deb raguso (Visit website) @artistnurse
Heidi Rand (Visit website) @GardenDelight
Luna Raven (Visit website) @acuriousgirl13
Joanna Read Cotter (Visit website) @joyinmystudio
Phili Rees (Visit website) @digitalcloudart
Mark Reeves (Visit website) @sqinchesoflove
Amy Reges (Visit website) @LabradorArt
Luis Remesar (Visit website)
Kerry Remp (Visit website) @Folding4U
Jenn Ressmann (Visit website) @jennressmann
Stephanie Revennaugh (Visit website)
Katarinaa Rheeder (Visit website)
Noella Richard @NoellaArt
Deborah Richardson (Visit website)
Craig Robb (Visit website)
Susan Roberts
Jane Robinson (Visit website) @artepicurean
Michele Rollen-Hanson (Visit website)
Jennie Rosenbaum (Visit website) @Minxdragon
Val Rosile (Visit website) @aspireandgrow
Mechelle roskiewicz (Visit website) @loveddogsart
Lucia Rothgeb (Visit website)
Lelija Roy (Visit website) @lelija
Liz Ruse (Visit website)
David Russell (Visit website) @vtphoto53
Stuart Russell (Visit website) @StuieArtwork
Imke Rust (Visit website) @imkerust
Julie Rustad (Visit website) @julieoriginals
Conn Ryder (Visit website)
Hillel Rzepka (Visit website) @handmadehearts
Rosalind San Felipe (Visit website)
Jo-Ann Sanborn (Visit website) @jsanborn
Isabel Sanchez (Visit website) @bethychiara
Kimberly Santini (Visit website) @ksantini
Jane Santorumn
Marsha Savage (Visit website)
Megan Sax (Visit website) @MSaxxy
Judy Schafers (Visit website)
Gayle Schmidt (Visit website)
Kaere Schmidt (Visit website) @whispersandwishes
Melissa Schooley (Visit website) @ragingbowl
Kristine Schroeder (Visit website) @Wiresculptress
Mark Schutter (Visit website) @MalekoArts
Julie Schwartz (Visit website)
Dorian Scotti (Visit website)
sylvia scriver
darlene seale (Visit website)
Gwenn Seemel (Visit website) @gwennpaints
Bettina Sego (Visit website)
Matthew Sewell (Visit website)
brenda shackleford (Visit website)
Tiara Shafiq (Visit website) @creatrixtiara
Ken Shanika (Visit website)
Nayna Shriyan (Visit website) @artistnayna
Anne Shutan (Visit website)
Sofie Siegmann (Visit website)
Kari Siler
Stefanie Silverman (Visit website)
Don Sinish (Visit website)
Lucinda Sisniega Abra (Visit website)
Ryan Skidmore (Visit website)
Pam Slaton (Visit website)
Jean Smith (Visit website) @JeanSmithArtist
Sandra Smith (Visit website) @iloveartalot
Oliver Smith
Judith Smith (Visit website) @judithrayeart
Christine Smith (Visit website) @onehappyartist
Meg Smither (Visit website)
Sherri Snyder (Visit website)
Ruth Soller (Visit website) @RuthSoller
Frank Stapleton (Visit website) @flinvent
Rebecca Stees (Visit website) @artyowza
Karen Steffano (Visit website)
Cindy Steiler
Carol Steinberg (Visit website) @CarolSteinberg
Patience Steltzer @yoginipatience
Margaret Stermer-Cox (Visit website)
Andrea Stern (Visit website) @annaline_39
Kristilyn Stevenson (Visit website) @zombieromance
Dawn Stewart (Visit website) @svvyshopper1
Heather Stoltz (Visit website) @heatherstoltz
John Stoughtenger (Visit website)
Deb Strong Napple (Visit website)
Jen Sturgill (Visit website) @JensArts
Ralph E. Swenson (Visit website)
Brian Sylvester (Visit website) @BSylvesterart
Nicole Tamarin (Visit website) @nicoletamarin
Kelly Tankersley (Visit website)
Janice Tanton (Visit website) @JanTanton
Kendra Taylor (Visit website) @seventhandpeach
Mary Theibet (Visit website)
Kelly Thiel (Visit website) @kellyTpottery
suzanne thomas (Visit website) @none
Holliday Thompson (Visit website) @hollidayht
Robert Thompson (Visit website) @TheARtofAlaska
Marsha Thornton (Visit website) @PaintPhotoLady
Lisa Thorpe (Visit website)
melinda tidwell (Visit website)
Linda Tieu (Visit website) @tortagialla
Carmen Torbus (Visit website) @carmentorbus
Gay Tracy (Visit website)
Dawn Trautman (Visit website) @UrbanNomadUSA
Melissa B Tubbs (Visit website) @melissabtubbs
Lisa Tuchek (Visit website)
Li Tyler (Visit website) @LiTyler1
suzanne urban (Visit website)
Petra van Berkum (Visit website) @berkumpje
Janet Vanderhoof (Visit website) @JanetVanderhoof
Mary Vaneecke (Visit website) @vaneecke
Victoria Veedell (Visit website)
Patricia C Vener (Visit website) @AgDrgn
Marleen Vente (Visit website) @monxies
Luke Verhelst (Visit website) @lverhelst
Frances Vettergreen (Visit website) @vettergreenart
Teresa Villegas (Visit website)
Paula Visnoski (Visit website) @pmvart
Rebecca Vose (Visit website) @rebeccavose
Gunilla Wachtel (Visit website) @kanweienea
Erna Wade (Visit website)
David Wagenfeld (Visit website)
Cathleen Waldrop
Anna Walker (Visit website)
Daggi Wallace (Visit website)
Judy Fischer Walton (Visit website) @Judypainter
Ellen Walton (Visit website) @chaucee
Debby Wang (Visit website) @misswang
Ann Wardley (Visit website)
Edward Webber
Robin Weiss (Visit website) @robinpweiss
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Gina (Visit website)
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anjali (Visit website)Victoria Gray (Visit website)
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Linda Loder
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Jeanne Lorenz (Visit website)
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jen lowery (Visit website)
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Tim McKay
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Bob McLean
debi mcmanus-plett
Garry McMichael (Visit website)
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Todd McPhetridge (Visit website) @toddmcphetridge
Anna Measures (Visit website) @annameasures
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Patricia Mendoza (Visit website) @epicofthe3stars
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Cindy Michaud (Visit website)
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Burt Miller
Gabriella Mirollo (Visit website)
Gary Mishko
shirley monestier (Visit website)
Debbie Moore @Whispoo
Cindy Morefield (Visit website) @CindyMorefield
Sara Morison (Visit website) @Saramorison
Naomi Morris Landers
Ahavani Mullen (Visit website)
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Diane Nunez (Visit website)
Anne Nye (Visit website) @glassartist1
Paula Ogier (Visit website) @PaulaOgierArt
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Tom Oliver (Visit website) @Tomoliverart
Adam Oriti (Visit website)
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Terry Parker (Visit website) @lomapriepottery
Pat Payne @UnauthorizUsage
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Mark Reeves (Visit website) @sqinchesoflove
Amy Reges (Visit website) @LabradorArt
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Susan Roberts
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Val Rosile (Visit website) @aspireandgrow
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Kaere Schmidt (Visit website) @whispersandwishes
Melissa Schooley (Visit website) @ragingbowl
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Julie Schwartz (Visit website)
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Ken Shanika (Visit website)
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Anne Shutan (Visit website)
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Oliver Smith
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Karen Steffano (Visit website)
Cindy Steiler
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Patience Steltzer @yoginipatience
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Yamile Yemoonyah (Visit website) @Yemoonyah
Linda Young (Visit website) @lyoungart
Laura Zerebeski (Visit website)
Claudia True (Visit website)
Antonio Basso (Visit website) @antoniobasso
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TeeJay (Visit website) @justteejay
kottavei (Visit website) @sagebelly
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JanettMarie (Visit website) @janettmarie
Jolie (Visit website) @joliekg
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Wren (Visit website)
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We Need Your Opinion – Enterprising Artist’s Survey
Opportunities for artists have changed radically over the last 10 years or so.
Widespread use of the internet has begun a process of democratisation of the artworld as never before. New opportunities have been tempered by new challenges. It is a huge sea-change which has altered the art landscape forever. More and more artists are finding that it IS possible to make a living from their creativity. You no LONGER have to starve for your art…
What is less clear is that how do we fit into this new landscape as artists?
HOW are people doing? WHAT are they doing? WHERE are they going? Just HOW is it all panning out for YOU?
Introducing The Enterprising Artists Survey.
To get a little more of an idea, Artonomy has partnered with www.rightbrainrockstar.com to create The Enterprising Artists Survey.
Your opinion and experience counts…
We need YOUR EXPERIENCE to understand what is going on.
In return for 10 minutes of your time filling out the survey, you will be emailed the summarized results and get a more detailed picture of today’s entrepreneurial art landscape.
So please help us by completing the survey here
Thank You
Artonomy & Right Brain Rockstar
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Best of the web | January 2011 | Don’t miss these
Creative Entrepreneurs month
Hugh Macleod’s Ignore Everybody
I love Hugh MacLeod’s take on creativity. {see image above}
Check out Hugh’s tips for creativity in Art and Business
Make sure you scroll down. These are so true.
Freedom, money, time and the key to creative success
Mark McGuiness of Lateral Action has created a FREE E-book detailing his struggles to find a balance between freedom, money, time and his creativity. Its an interesting and inspiring read and you don’t have to register to download. Read it here
I thoroughly recommend having a look round LateralAction.com too. It’s packed full of great info on creative entrepreneurship
John T Ungers Art Heroes Radio
John T Unger is a great example of an artist doing well on his own terms by using the power of the internet to reach a global audience. He creates stunningly beautiful firebowls out of metal and sells them all over the world. Art Heroes radio is his project whereby we can all learn from his great interviews with artists who are living and working successfully in the arts.
Check out his own site too for a good example of a great artists website in action
And finally… Should I work for free?
In short… NO
In long… well, see what ShouldIWorkForFree.com has to say. 😉
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Illustrator Lisa Stubbs shares her online world
Lisa Stubbs is a freelance illustrator, artist and printmaker from Yorkshire England.
Her work is inspired by a wide variety of lovelyness ranging though Japanese graphics, vintage packaging and the creativity of her children and includes screenprinting, stitch and textiles. She writes an eclectic & inspirational blog at ‘LilSonnySky and her work can be found on both Etsy.com & Folksy.com
In this interview, Lisa shares her experiences about marketing her work, the business of art, and success selling art online. She also shares her inspirations and processes.
Your work
Lisa. How would you describe your art
I’d describe my work as narrative, characterful, honest and with a sence of humour, I want people to connect and relate to my artwork I want it to make the onlooker smile.
Please explain a little about your creative process.
For my own personal work I carry a sketch book and camera around with me, if anything inspires me I jot it down or snap it! Then later I will work further on the sketch and decide what medium to create the final artwork in, which at the moment is mainly as a screen print or a fabric collage. I have three children who are a constant inspiration to me with their energy and fresh imaginative way of looking at the things, and along with their picture book collection and their own art, this fuels ideas for my sketch book too.
What is your workspace like?
Do you have a dedicated space to create? I have a studio next to my kitchen which is open plan ( you can see an image it of it here) Where I do most of my work, my screen printing is done at the West Yorkshire Print workshop where I learnt how to screen print.
Your Online World
Your blog www.LilSonnySky.Blogspot.com is packed full of fascinating and exciting work, inspiration and fun. It’s created on the Blogger platform. Would you recommend Blogger to artists starting to set up a blog or would you do anything differently if you were setting it up now?
The Blogger platform is perfect for me as it’s easy to use. I’m no whiz when it comes to computers and blogging along with opening Etsy & Folksy shops has been a huge learning curve, which I’ve really enjoyed! Because I don’t have a massive range of computer skills, Blogger has been simple and easy to use and perfect for my needs.
What did you find the most difficult or challenging part of setting up your blog?
The courage to do it!! I knew the technical side would be a challenge but I could learn that side of things and overcome any difficulties by ‘help’ links and trial and error. But the actual ‘ does anyone want to read about my work and inspiration?’ bit and finding an online voice that represented me was the hardest bit! I’m so glad I did, it’s been a massively positive learning experience and have met some wonderful ‘blogging’ friends along the way!
How useful do you find your blog in terms of promoting and selling your work?
Very useful, it’s been an online shop window for me and an open studio for people to see how my work is created and what inspires me, which I think gives my work a visual history of hows it’s been created before going onto my shops.
How much do you find your online presence crosses over into the real world?
Do you find contacts and promotions that you make online help your work offline too? Yes, I think the links and contacts I’ve made through people seeing my work on my blog and Etsy shop have been wonderful, and I have received many commercial briefs because of this. My Etsy shop and my Flickr account have been almost like an online portfolio and a way to show case my work.
Out of all the things you do online to promote your work, which has been the most useful or worthwhile?
That’s difficult to say as they’re all linked, I’d say my blog as a platform leading to other links, but my Etsy shop has been wonderful at attracting interest abroad, people come to look at the blog who have bought items from the shop first. So I’d say my blog and Etsy shop.
Approximately how long do you spend each day or week, working to promote your work on the web?
I’d say an hour to maybe 2 hours a day, it depends on how much work I have to do.
You have shops on both etsy and folksy. Do these work well for you?
They don’t do too bad really, considering this is all my own personal work and not my commercial work so I don’t put my full time and energy into it. I work as a freelance illustrator so my Etsy, Folksy, Flickr and blog are all side lines if you like, but they have helped and supported my commercial work enormously. Not just as a brief free zone to experiment and try out my own ideas but also as a shop window for potential clients.
Roughly what percentage of your total sales comes through Folksy and Etsy?
For me it’s not a massive amount but it’s growing. That’s due to time and my work priority’s. I think to be really successful on these sites you need to spend a considerable amount of time networking, joining chat rooms, subscribing to news letters, getting involved in Etsy promotions, Etsy Treasury’s and online communities, generally being involved with every aspect of it to get the word around about your work. This takes time which I haven’t got as my commercial work takes priority, but I’m very proud of ‘Lil Sonny Sky’ and if I can do this just with a small amount of time, just think of what you could achieve if you gave it your full attention!
How do you get people to visit your shops on these sites? What promotion do you do to let people know about them?
I have links on my blog and links in posts. I also leave comments on other blogs and I’ve got involved with online competitions and projects, ( here and here) Offline I have exhibited at local Art fairs which have info of my shops and blog,
Your Arty Business
Which marketing strategies have been most helpful in advancing your career and selling your work?
Investing time to learn new ways of working and experiment, this has been the best way I’ve advanced my career – not really a marketing strategy I know but by doing this everything else has just naturally followed on. The contacts I’ve made and the work I’ve sold has all been through constantly pushing myself work wise to better myself as an artist and reinvent ways of creating my ideas. My Etsy shop has been an out let for this and it’s this work that has got me noticed more than ever and got me more work. So I’d say experimenting, being open minded and inventive has been my best marketing strategy!
In a normal day, how much time do you spend on creating and how much on business related stuff?
I’ll spend the first hour of the day online, then stop and do design work making use of the day light and then on an evening spend time at my mac doing the online stuff or keeping up with the books! this is tricky with a young family so the creative time has to take priority as I can’t do this with the children around. This balance seems to be working ….. at the mo!
Can you offer any advice to someone who is just starting out down the road of self employment as an artist?
Just work really hard! invest the time you need to get organised and target who you want to notice your work. Have a clear idea or goal and then list what you need to do to achieve that goal, personally and commercially. Buy the Artists and Writers year book which should be your bible as it’s packed with loads of advice, case studies and contacts. Believe in yourself and your work otherwise nobody else will and don’t be afraid to seek advice and help, there are tonnes of resources out there, local free courses on book keeping, marketing, time management etc. Get involved with organisations like The Association of illustrators or local Art organisations, we have the Art house in Wakefield, or WYPW who have monthly news letters with lots of opportunity’s for artists! and be positive, don’t see problems as mistakes, they’re just lessons on your journey to achieving your goal!!
Do you make a living exclusively from your art and creativity or do you combine it with other work too?
I earn my living as a commercial freelance illustrator and I have just got an agent purely through my personal work online which is wonderful as it makes me nearer to my goal of becoming a children’s book illustrator.
Working for yourself
What has been the biggest obstacle or difficulty you have faced whilst getting established as a self employed artist?
How did you overcome this difficulty? I started as a freelance illustrator 14 years ago which seems like a life time ago! I think for me I found juggling time difficult and being jack of all trades, understanding accounting, time management and computers and solving technical problems were all new skills I had to learn. The only way to over come this was to go on ‘new business’ courses. I went on lots which were free at the time and great as I met people in the same boat and learnt from their mistakes as well as my own. I could pick the brains of professionals in their field for free. Today I think local art associations will run similar workshops which will be better as they will be tailored to artists needs.
What is the best thing about working for yourself as a self employed artist?
Now I have a young family it’s been wonderful to be flexible time wise, I can work around my family, school runs and swimming lessons! Also just being able to get paid for something I absolutely love doing and being my own boss! I feel very lucky!
And the worst?
It’s a very solitary profession! The radio and the blogging community are my studio mates! but I get around this by going out to screen print, I also help out now and then at the school my children go to doing art classes which helps to brake up blocks of time spent on my own.
Do you have any advice for creative people who want to work for themselves or set up a business selling the products of their creativity?
The same as before really, work hard, seek advice and help, believe in your work and research your market and competition, write down your goal then list what you need to do to achieve it. And be positive! The person who doesn’t make mistakes is unlikely to make anything!
Your Inspiration
Finally, please share something that inspires you.
My children, picture books, song lyrics, Japanese graphics, fabric, tumblr, vintage packaging. I find inspiration in so many things the list is endless! it’s ever changing, but my children mainly and their art the confidence they have when drawing and their imagination is just magic!
Thank you Lisa for sharing your work and practise with us. Don’t forget to visit Lisa’s blog at ‘LilSonnySky
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Rock your Online Art Business – Lessons From Gnarly Rock Gods
Now anyone who knows me can vouch for the fact that I’m pretty much OBSESSED with a certain rock band. Far more than is probably right or seemly for a middle aged woman with kids.
The band in question is New Model Army who are based in Bradford, 10 miles from where I live, and to be honest chances are you probably won’t have heard of them. Go and Google them right now {ok, well, maybe when you have finished reading this post}. You’ll be glad you did.
NMA have been a successful band in various incarnations, lead by the majestic Justin Sullivan for nearly 30 years {!}. They don’t have Lady Gaga sized commercial recognition {thankfully} but My God do they have a passionate following of dedicated fans! They sell out gigs all over the globe and have created a world which allows them to follow their artistic vision, get paid for it and continue doing it without compromise.
This constitutes pretty much the ideal artistic & creative business success in my book…
So I started to think that I should look into these CREATIVE BUSINESS HEROES in a bit more detail to bring all this condensed rock knowledge to those who haven’t heard of them as I think they are a pretty perfect example of a great creative business in action. What the hell have they been doing right all these years to make it so far? Which of their ideas and methods can we pinch and apply to our own artistic businesses because these guys must KNOW STUFF right?
So without further ado I present…
The Rock God guide to running an extraordinary creative business.
It turns out NMA {and original manager Joolz Denby} have known the most important thing all along… the key element that any artist needs to concentrate on with their business, both online and offline.
New Model Army understood the power of TRIBES right from the start.
Long before even the BIRTH of the internet. Long long before the wonderful Seth Godin articulated the concept in his must-read book Tribes – We Need You To Lead Us
You can become successful through genuinely connecting with an interested and passionate group of people who share your ideas and values.
New Model Army and bands like them have always understood the power of the Tribe. With music, art and any kind of creativity it’s all about finding YOUR TRIBE, YOUR PEOPLE, the folks who LOVE what you do and can’t get enough of it. The guys who will queue round the block late into the dark rainy night to buy tickets for your latest gig. Who will trek half way across the world to see you play. The ones who will wait poised to buy your latest painting when you release it. These are the people who strongly identify with your work and artistic vision and resonate with it down through their very soul and into their boots. If you talk to someones soul they will walk to the ends of the earth for you.
These are the people you need to ATTRACT to YOUR creative business.
So, how do you do it? Before the invention of the internet, bands created mailing lists of fans and kept them up to date, with photocopied mailshots through the post, all with the aim of growing and keeping their Tribe together. Now email makes all that so much easier and cheaper and within the reach of any artist. You can keep finding your people, keep growing your email list, keep increasing the size of your Tribe.
- Takeaway
Reach out and start connecting with YOUR Tribe – If you don’t currently have a mailing list you need to start one right now. You don’t even need to have a website yet to do this. You are missing all these great people you meet both online and offline and will probably never see them again. Think where it could get you and your art in just 2 or 3 years time if you start collecting their details now and keeping in touch, let alone 30 years.
And there are other pearls of creative business wisdom to be gleaned from these guys.
Steer Your Own Ship. You might end up as a mangled corpse on the rocky shore of fate but at least you are in charge of the route…
NMA saw the way the internet was changing creative business, escaped from the clutches of the corporate record companies and set up their own, ensuring that they owned the copyright on all their material, allowing them to control their work and the way it was sold, packaged and distributed. No more being controlled by large scale corporate businesses who can only ever have their own interests at heart.
- Takeaway
Keeping control over your own work and creativity is essential for any artist and the only way to creative freedom. Make sure you maintain copyright on all your work and always work for yourself {or aim to get there}.
Wear bloody clogs if you want to. Sod the Jimmy Choos.
Never ones to follow fashion NMA were pilloried by the music press for their anti-fashion stance and love of bluff northern working class clog footwear but they ignored it and just kept on doing their own thing and creating work that they believed in. Those bands who were the hip flavour of the month fell by the wayside many years ago as their star fell out of fashion and NMA just kept on trucking for all these years.
- Takeaway
Always create work that you believe in, no matter what is “hip” and “cool” now. {Yeah – by using those words I’m demonstrating just how deeply uncool I am}. Trying to chase whats hot now turns you into an also ran along with zillions of identical others. Be yourself, stand out and forget what is flavour of the month. Original is far far better than “cool”.
Don’t stop moving forward or you become a dead shark
New Model Army don’t rely on their music back catalogue unlike most bands who have been around a while. They are constantly writing and releasing great new music which attracts new fans and keeps their creativity fresh.
- Takeaway
This is of prime importance for artists. Don’t stagnate, keep moving forward, keep trying new things and creating new work. Only by doing so can you keep your work fresh and keep your enjoyment of your creative process alive.
And the moral of the story is…
To achieve all this, COMMUNICATION is the key factor and of course THE INTERNET rides to the rescue. NMA may have started out with paper & post mailing lists in those dim and distant pre-internet days but now the web allows them to do all these things and communicate with their Tribe much more easily & cheaply.
Their website is the hub of the Tribe where a strong forum based community go to chat and keep in touch. The site keeps their people in touch with their tour dates, collects more names on their mailing list, sells their music & DVD’s [all of which they own copyright on of course] and their online shop sells a vast range of merchandise to a global audience.
Their website holds all these elements together and is THE HUB of COMMUNICATION.
- Takeaway
Any artist wanting to sell their art online needs their own HUB website as a focal point of their endeavors through which they can publicize their artwork and share their artistic vision with their own Tribe.
YOUR TRIBE is out there waiting for you to share your artistic vision… How are you going to communicate with them?
If you liked this post please get updates via my feed or check out the related posts below.
10 Crucial Reasons Why Every Artist Needs Their Own Hub Website
Simple tips to increase your mailing list signup at gallery exhibitions & craft fairs
And make sure you visit newmodelarmy.org to see all these ideas in action.
