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 The Past Two Months |
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Past newsletters have been dedicated primarily to tech initiatives and content development. There were no major initiatives completed last month, so we held the October newsletter. The big project for the past 5 months has been automating our billing systems. This was finally completed this weekend. The work took longer than expected as our first choice for provider of this service turned out to have inadequate technology to fully accommodate our future needs.
Happily, we can now go forward with a long list of projects, starting with the shopping carts (primarily of use to our artisan members) and the prints option. This latter will allow visitors, if Artspan members choose to enable the option, to select any image (painting, photo, etc) and make a giclee print. The visitor will choose the size of the print, and then mat and frame it online. Our printer will ship and Artspan will bill the customer and credit you. We believe we have the right printer partner for this service and expect to proceed to introduce this in the next three months.
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Future newsletters |
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We have tried to make our past newsletters both relevant and important to members. But we have felt we could produce a document of greater practical use to our members. Therefore, future newsletters, while continuing to cover tech and content developments, will also feature articles on art marketing. These will be written by Eric and Nina here at Artspan, and also by contributing outside consultants. Here is one article on a topic of real interest at this time:
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Selling Your Art in a Bad Economy |
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It’s undeniable: the worldwide economy is in bad shape. Disposable income is diminishing and artists are feeling the pinch. In these challenging times, what can you do to maintain your art sales?
One answer is to use the resources you already have. That is, the people who have supported your work in the past: family, friends, and collectors. Keep them informed with a newsletter in the form of a blog or monthly newsletter email. The content should be information about your work and the work of other local artists. Also include listings of art events such as openings in your community. That is one way to make this a regular must-read for your audience - everyone wants to know about parties. Include a photo or two of recent work with some commentary on how and why you created the work.
Also have a show in your home or studio. Encourage friends to bring other guests. Serve some wine and talk art. It should be a fun event for all and may bring present and/or future sales. Or you might organize a group show, pulling together other artists to maximize resources and increase buyer interest.
You might also try some creative pricing. Try taking 20% off all your art pieces until the holidays. Also let people know that you are happy to sell on the installment plan. Even better might be a lease/purchase plan where your ‘buyers’ are offered the chance to rent the artwork for a couple of months or more and then, if they decide to buy it, to apply the rental to the purchase price. It’s a lot simpler to sell someone on a lease than it is on a purchase. As to pricing in general, be flexible. It’s more important to get the work out the door than it is to get “your” price. If your studio is full of old paintings, you will find you will not produce new ones.
Bottom line: there are a lot of other creative things you can do to promote and sell your work in difficult times. Do you have any ideas? Let us know. Any ideas that are sent to us and published in the newsletter will be recognized with two free months membership for the member sending them. Send to newsletter@artspan.com.
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Marketing Help for Professional Artists |
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I was in Pasadena, California, last week for the Learning and Product Expo, a most interesting event. One of the workshop presenters was an artist and art business consultant, Jodi Walsh, who has created a complete marketing and business program for artists which she calls the “12 STEP Program: The Art of Doing Business.” I sat in on a seminar she gave and found it both useful and practical.
We hope to have her contribute some marketing tips to this newsletter in the future. For an overview of the complete seminar and information on her CD please visit http://www.houseofartistry.com/CD.asp. For a $10 discount and free shipping mention Artspan in the comment section.
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Another Dubious Offer |
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Several of our members who have listed their telephone numbers tell me that they have been contacted by art-exchange.com. This company, located in Hot Springs, Arkansas, left us alone for several years but is now back. They appear to make a business out of selling ‘memberships’ to artists. The artists are able to upload images to art-excange.com where, purportedly, that company will try to sell the work. This service is not cheap. Here are the membership levels:
Silver Membership 15 listings $500.00
Gold Membership 30 listings $750.00
Platinum Membership 50 listings $1,000.00
I have never personally heard of anyone selling a painting through this website, though no doubt that has occurred.
Incidentally, don’t forget our section in the Forum devoted to all suspicious offers. That’s where we all compare notes. Anytime you get an email from a “buyer” who does not appear to be real, check that section. If you don’t see anything, start a new thread and ask others.
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Featured Members |
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| Lisa Dombek |
Abstract Painting, Photography
and Mixed Media |
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A Maine painter , Lisa also points to photography as important in her development. She has also explored the performing arts as dancer, musician and performance artist. Her work was selected for the 2002, 2004 and 2007 editions of Words & Images, a national compendium of literary and visual art. She has shown extensively in the Portland galleries and across the United States and is currently exhibitin in the new world class Thomas Moser Gallery Showroom in Los Angeles, CA.
On her work: “I tend to work from the inside out. Working in Series appeals to me since it allows development of an idea, whether visual or spiritual. In earlier years I found much inspiration in nature and relationships, while in the recent past I have been profoundly influenced by global events.” |
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Klaus Lange
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| Abstract Expressionism in Maritime Photography |
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Klaus exhibits "Sea-Worn Stories," a collection of color photographs depicting the weathered and worn hulls of ships in close-up photography. His imagery directly depicts a record of time and energy. Through the lens, Lange captures distressed painted steel, presenting an intimate look at what most people will never see. Lange reveals to the viewer intense and dramatic abstract imagery, and the grand power of an ever-moving force - the sea.
On the open ocean, Klaus photographs from a San Francisco pilot boat, and occasionally a Panama Canal tugboat. His time spent working alongside the mammoth ships that traverse these waters led him to photograph the passing sides. He states, "To me, a ship's hull is like an abstract expressionist canvas with portrayals of physical struggle and natural beauty in which I find stories told by the ship's own paint."
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Legal and Other |
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Copyright 2008. Artspan LLC. All rights reserved.
All /images are the property of their respective owners. The opinions expressed in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of artspan.com members.
Thoughts or ideas for future newsletters? ask@artspan.com
Technical questions or problems? www.artspan.com/help
Visit www.artspan.com today! |
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