Marketing for Artists

There is a new class starting in March 2021 at the Art Students League of Denver (ASLD). I was offered the opportunity to take it along with the other artists in the Cherry Creek Art Gallery. We all signed up! It is called Practical Marketing for Artists. It is not yet listed on ASLD website (as of 2-15-21) but Rose Frederick says it will start March 3, 6-8 pm. We took it via Zoom so I imagine that is how it will be presented again. Here is the phone number to call ASLD for information: 303-778-6990.

The course we took was loosely based on her e-book which is available on her website for download when you subscribe to her newsletter. Our class ran 1.5 hrs over 6 weeks. Through our feedback she has extended the time per class as well as the length of the class. We had homework every week and some of that homework required way more time and energy than we had expected. That being said, it was well worth it for those of us who really did want to make the most of her expertise. Our websites were looked at and critiqued by another student in the class, and then talked about in front of the class. This was hard on some, but it was a valuable look at what worked and why, and what doesn't. Some of us thought her suggestions not apropos for artists, but others ran with her suggestions. As with any class, take what works for you and don't worry if you don't feel her suggestions fit your personal style.

I am not sure how this next class is laid out, but I do hope the class that stumped most of us and made us work! will be a bigger part of the new format. It was to examine our values: who we are, why we do what we do, what is important to us, not just as artists but as individuals. This lays the foundation from which we then base not only our website (mission statement, about page, artist statement), but also our social media (SM) ’campaign.’ I am not sure ‘campaign’ is the correct word, as we are all left to do what we want with the information provided. But this initial hard work gives direction to all we put out there. We all do SM to different levels.

The majority of us had a very generic artist statement. By that I mean it could be anyone’s. It really didn’t say much about who we are except in a very general way. Made to focus on our values, the new, improved statements actually differentiated us in very distinct ways.

I did not save my original artist’s statement to be able to show you the difference. Lack of foresight in writing this article or embarrassment, who is to know? Suffice it to say, I can’t give you the ‘before and after’ as I so like to do with my paintings. I do highly recommend the class if you are interested in taking your promo pieces and marketing to a new level.

Commission Completed

Hunt and Peck, 24x24, oil on linen

I finished up this commissioned painting this week. It is a larger version of a painting I did a few years ago after a trip to the Gulf Coast of Florida. That painting can be seen here and is still available. (a side note: pulling in the link it was posted almost exactly 2 years ago to the date!)  The client had seen the original painting posted on The Cherry Creek Art Gallery website and loved everything about it but its size. She really wanted a bigger painting for the space she had in mind. It has been fun to enlarge and revise it. This is the first time I have ever done a larger version of a studio painting by request. Much easier on me than a commission when you are doing a specific request for a client.

For a commissioned work I ask half the fee up front and then the rest upon completion. This client has approved the painting so it is now awaiting varnish. White paint can take a few weeks to dry even in the dry winter conditions we are having.  

You can't really see it in this image but I did lots of layering of color in the water that should add depth and interest once it is varnished.