Considerations of Selling Your Art
So…. You want to sell your artwork. I’ve been at that for a while now and I have some insight about how to make it work for you rather than the other way around. Here are some (I hope) helpful things to consider if you want to start selling your art or make changes about how you sell your work.
What do you want to sell? Hand made greeting cards, small matted originals, framed originals, sculpture, large originals, custom murals. The possibilities are endless. If you are working on the unused side of the dining room table it will affect what you make and what you are capable of making. If, however, you have your own dedicated space that is reasonably large in size, this will also affect what you are capable of making. So, think about what you love to create and where you make it. This is a good place to start when considering how you could sell your work.
Where are you being seen? Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, the local eatery or coffee shop, local group shows, high end galleries? Where you show your work matters. If you are making 4’ X4’ paintings and you are showing them at the local coffee shop, prepare to have them in your collection for a while. Most people who are ordering a cup of coffee (perhaps pre-ordering on their phone) might really appreciate your work but, aren’t planning to drop a couple thousand dollars when they were coming in for a morning caffeine fix. The contrast is that if you are making works on paper, unmatted, unframed and requiring the purchaser to factor in the framing costs, there is no need for you to start looking at galleries. Not only does what you make matter, but where you show it should be the appropriate fit. Coffee shop= Handmade greeting cards and small items. Galleries=Large paintings, sculptures, well framed and professional presentation of art. There’s a lot of stuff in between. I was in a co-op gallery. It cost money for rent of the space. I gave up commission on each sale and I had to gallery sit a considerable amount of hours. I left because I refocused my personal time and energy budget and decided that I wanted to invest my time and energy elsewhere. I started doing shows and got a lot of time back. But, I still pay booth fees and had to buy my own display system.
Who is your ideal client? Friends, family (this is a limited well to dip into), people with average homes and a small amount of disposable cash, art collectors, art lovers? If you love to photograph horses, then people who own and ride them are your ideal client. If you paint southwestern landscapes, then find shows, galleries, locations, group shows that focus on the region. The people who love the southwest are there - visiting or living there. Put your art in front of them and you have a better chance of selling it. Figure out who wants your work and then figure out where they are and then go there. It’s a simple formula - although not always easy.
What is your capacity for creating your art? Do you have a full-time job and create a little in the evenings or on the weekends? Part-time and more time to be in the creative flow? Full-time artist. Retired. Hobbyist. Professional. I have done a lot of these things. I started while I worked full time. Utilized free time whenever it came along. Took it on as a hobby. Started selling at a small local show. Joined two different co-op galleries, I’ve shared about these in my newsletter and on this blog. Now, I have my own website - self-created and managed, a YouTube channel, do two shows a year and submit to a few group shows a year. It’s plenty for me. I am at my current capacity. Because remember, the important thing is that I have time in my studio to explore, experiment, create and complete artwork. If I am not doing those things, the rest is irrelevant. Take a moment to consider what your time, energy and financial budgets are for your art right now. These factors can change but I recommend you take time to direct your energy instead of thinking you have to do it all.
How does selling art make you feel? Happy, stressed, overwhelmed, frustrated, energized? Some people love to get out there and engage with people and talk about their work and share their stories. Others would rather have a gallery owner do it. If you plant on selling your work, I recommend you get very comfortable knowing what your work is about. And get clear on your inspirational story about why you make each piece. What do they represent or express? Getting clear on how your art makes you feel while you make it and when you look at it will help you convey this energy when you talk about it. Conveying this energy to the potential buyer can be the difference between not only a sale and good conversation. It can turn a buyer into a collector.
Whoa! That’s a lot of stuff to think about. It’s only a start though. Once you have a think about your personal reasons for selling or not selling your artwork the answers about what to pursue and what to leave alone will become much more obvious.
I hope this was helpful. If you ever want help with getting clear on your art process, selling your work or changing your creative goals, I do offer extremely reasonable personal coaching sessions. You can read about them by clicking the button below. If the answers to the queries above have helped you clarify it for yourself - that’s awesome and I am glad I could be of service. Have a deeply insightful day!
Snowy Range Acrylic on Canvas
