| Subject: |
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GROCERIES AND ART |
| Name: |
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Dick Harrison |
| Date Posted: |
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Nov 15, 07 - 7:25 PM |
| Email: |
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brightwater03@comcast.net |
| Website: |
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http://www.salestipsforartists.com.com |
| Message: |
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Today in my hometown paper, “The Venice Gondolier Sun” there is an item and picture captioned “Groceries and Art.” Beneath the photo it reads: “If you are shopping in the Sweetbay Supermarket . . . 1-4 p.m. Thursday, you may come face to face with an artist. Michael Handley is taking his watercolor class to the store that day, and each member of the class will choose a subject to paint.” The caption goes on to give information about Handley’s next six-week series of classes.
What a grand, original idea! For most of his class I’ll bet it’s a step outside their comfort zone – “all those strangers looking over my shoulder as I try to paint the avocados!” What an opportunity for the teacher to tell people about his painting classes! What an opportunity for each student to get some public exposure for his or her talent.
Sometimes I think the term “comfort zone” should be changed to “comfort cage” because it keeps so many confined to small ideas, small risks and small accomplishments. Stepping outside into uncharted territory is often hard for artists, but once the initial trepidation is put aside there are many ways to expand marketing possibilities and make more sales.
People love to watch artists draw or paint and I’ll bet there will be many shoppers gathered ‘round looking at the art as it is created.
I recall vividly many years ago while I was still teaching art in the Baltimore Public Schools when a fellow teacher and skilled caricature sketch artist, Irv Finifter, and I were hired to do caricatures of guests at a very swank party for the city’s elite, moneyed friends of the couple who contacted Irv and hired us. It was an evening garden party with tents to house the orchestra and dancers and another for a sumptuous array of food and still another for the open bar.
Irv and I, dressed in smocks and berets, sporting Salvador Dali moustaches, set up on the fringe of the garden and in short order were busy doing caricatures. The fascinated crowd around us grew and grew until the hostess approached and asked us to stop because the expensive musical group they had hired was playing to an empty dance floor and food on the buffet table was going begging.
Near here there is a fishing pier with a popular restaurant. Come on most any nice day and you’ll find a craftsman at one of the public picnic tables bending gold wire into earrings, pendants, bracelets and necklaces incorporating local shark’s teeth and beads. Spread before him is an array of his work and there are always onlookers watching - and buying!
Visual artists and craftsmen – why not become “performing artists” as you hone your artistic skills? Creep outside the cage and look for interesting venues where you can paint and sketch. Is there a local zoo, a beach, a farmers’ market, a city park; public garden or local landmark people flock to?
Artists – find a spot, ask permission if there is someone to ask, and set to work. Have plenty of business cards, brochures and perhaps a few other pieces of art you’ve done, or a scrapbook of photos of your work. Then be ready with a smile and a pad to take down information from people you chat with: Name, address, email, etc. Ask if you can send an email about your up-coming shows, digital images of your work or a link to your website.
Do it until you begin to feel comfortable in “the public eye.” Then go back, padlock the “comfort cage” and throw away the key so you can never creep back inside.
There are many more suggestions on how to sell your art based on my 20+ years as an art rep and artist on www.salestipsforartists.com. All podcasts are free and if, after you’ve listened, click the email link and send me a question about your work and a link to your website. I may even add it to my “recommended link” list where folks from around the world will be able to visit your website.
Dick Harrison
www.salestipsforartists.com |
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