Giving your artwork the exposure it deserves
Being a successful artist today means engaging with social media. Just ask Scott Hynd, who regularly posts updates about his work on Facebook.
There’s a lot of information floating around on the web about how to sell your art. And as Jen Adrion and Omar Noory from These Are Things say, first you must sell yourself. We posted on this topic last year with How to sell more art online, an interview with Cory Huff from the Abundant Artist.
Self-promotion can be a frightening prospect for those of us who would prefer to hide away in our little creative caves. “But I’m an artist!” you splutter. “I create, and someone else sells it for me.” That may have been true once, but even back in the good ol’ days it was only the rare, lucky, super talented artist who got discovered without using a bit of personal charm to schmooze the galleries and wealthy patrons.
Now we have a little thing called the internet, and you know that to be successful you must figure out how to sell art online, but the prospect of competing against thousands upon thousands of artists with their own websites and marketing strategies seems difficult. All the while, it’s harder than ever to get your work in a physical gallery.
Years of hard work – not just painting, but also promotional activities – have paid off for Alexandra Palombi, who features in this month’s Art Edit magazine.
But – and it’s a big but – for the very same reason there’s also never been a greater opportunity for you to use your own steam to get ahead, get noticed and sell your art. There are so many ways to connect with potential buyers and tell them your story as an artist. Not to mention, you can now sell art online 24/7, to anyone in Australia – and then the rest of the world. You don’t have to rely on a tiny gallery in a nondescript alley that’s only open Tuesday-Saturday from 10-4. (Side note: why are so many galleries closed on Sundays? Isn’t Sunday the perfect I-feel-like-browsing-for-some-art day?)
So on that note, over the coming weeks we’re going to be posting some tips on how to use social media, blogs and email marketing to build a bigger audience for your artwork. Because if you’re going to give yourself a real shot at making a living as an artist, you need all the tools you can get your hands on. And we believe in you. Your art deserves some exposure!
Take a tip from Loui Jover – with over 16,000 Facebook followers, he’s built a loyal crowd to market his artwork.
Look out for our first post on this topic next week – how to use Twitter to build a following for your art.
