Susan Fox mentions in a reply to the prior blog post that she’s joined Facebook and it’s creating some connections for her that might be worthwhile. Getting into Facebook has been on my list of things to do for a while.
But I haven’t done it yet. Why not?
Well … I’m a little gunshy, I guess. I joined RedBubble earlier this year to market my images in small, inexpensive formats (cards, prints) and one of the things RB encourages is networking among its artists. So I have a bunch of comments (and probably emails, tho RB doesn’t notify me of this until I go to the website) that have piled up without my having the courtesy to reply. In other words, I’m behaving like a complete social slob.
The issue is TIME. I’m trying to figure out where to get the extra time to hang out and do all this social networking when my days AND evenings are already taken up with painting prep, painting, marketing, website management, accounting, shipping, planning, talking to galleries, talking to clients, keeping up with art magazines and art books, email, workshop prep … plus, to keep my creative energy up, I need to do non-art stuff like read agility magazines and train the dogs. Oh, and I’m the marcom/web person for anything my husband’s business needs as well.
So how the heck do any of you do it? - keep up with social/art networking sites? (…shifts into ‘awaiting enlightenment’ mode…)
Entries (RSS)
November 20th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Re Red Bubble- I know exactly what you mean and was going to drop you an email about it, but I might as well “share”. I had an on-site email from a group leader informing me that since the group had so much great art, he was going to do a calendar and since there were so many artists and that it would be, you know, such a HASSLE, to contact them all individually, he was going assume that it was ok to use my work unless I said he couldn’t. WHAT”S up with THAT?
So I replied, saying essentially that he’s got to be kidding and that what he was doing was totally inappropriate. He replied back saying that I didn’t need to be so “hostile” and that a simple “no thanks” would have sufficed. My next move was to cancel my account because I do not have time to worry about s— like that (’scuse my French).
So, that’s it for Red Bubble. I will now concentrate my time for this kind of product marketing on Cafepress, where I don’t have to worry about the “social” aspects of participating.
In other news apropo my comment on your previous blog post, I just announced on my Facebook page that I’m going to be offering small, affordable works on Ebay (plan to start next week). These will be paintings either over a year old that are no more than 11″x14″ or what I am calling “Studio Studies”, which are 6″x8″ up to 8″x10″. So, I am creating two “product categories” separate from my mainline new work to get around the pricing issue. We’ll see if any of my Facebook friends become buyers.
As to your final comment, the answer for me is browser “tabs”. I’m working from my monitor all day anyway when I’m painting and I check my Facebook page, along with the news, for a quick break (what some of you might call procrastination), or otherwise I do it in the evening. Ditto Brushspace and my blog stats. I consider Facebook, etc. to be part of the marketing aspect of my business, as much as I enjoy the interactions. I do my actual socializing with actual people.
November 21st, 2008 at 5:36 am
Marketing and socializing makes my head explode!
But I like the idea of doing small paintings to sell for less. I have gotten good ideas from you guys.
November 24th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I’ve decided to give up sleeping.
No really — I am not sure about the whole social networking thing either. I’m trying some of it but intermittenly. I’ve decided Facebook is just for fun because if I spend yet another moment of my life doing marketing, my eyeballs will start to bleed.
I find myself daydreaming about an intern a lot lately. one with incredibly good organizational skills and the ability to disappear when I need them to.
Next year I may do a blog. Whew. But I REFUSE to Twitter.
November 24th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Oh yeah — and I want the intern to give really good neck and shoulder massages.
December 1st, 2008 at 1:56 pm
An INTERN!! whatta brilliant idea! I’m sold! OK, where do I get one?
And massage skills are REQUIRED. Along with ability to wipe off dog paws, and perhaps cook dinner.
Maybe what I really want is a wife…
December 8th, 2008 at 6:58 am
With a full time job and a major art habit (my dream is that it becomes self-sustaining!), I have to time for the on-line social networking junk. I barely have time to do the “face-to-face” social networking which involves going to artist friends’ shows, etc.!!!
I may open a Facebook or a MySpace and just put a link to my website with nothing else on those pages. The idea of even bothering irks me, like the annoying “e-vites” I used to get. Perhaps I’m old fashioned - but people need to be OUT more and on the computer less.
I am aware that eventually I’ll have to succumb, but CafePress is my next endeavor. Thanks for the warning about Red Bubble (whatever).
January 5th, 2009 at 3:46 am
Julie, perhaps you don’t need the social networking. You seem to be doing just fine without it. There are only so many hours in the day (or night). Giving up sleep and meals to get everything accomplished can be done only once in awhile or there are undesirable consequences.
Susan, so sorry to hear about the jerk who was planning to use your intellectual property without your permission. It’s good you set him straight. Telling him his plan was inappropriate was nice, not hostile. You saved him a lot of grief (and you too) not to mention court costs. I’m repeatedly amazed at the lack of understanding or respect for copyright law by the public and especially by people who should know better.
Dear Angeline, I totally agree with you in principle. Practically, though, I can connect with people much more easily on this machine than traipse out in 3 feet of snow here at the edge of the earth, and then drive on icy roads to events marginally attended.
Love the intern idea, esp. someone with massage skills. Now if I can only convince some young artist to drive up here through snow and ice to sign on, I’ll be set.
January 8th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
We-e-e-ll…I’m not so sure about “doing just fine” without it. But I frankly can’t see how to fit it in, unless I give up my two hours of evening reading/crafting time (and the reading is often art-related). This blog’ll have to suffice - but I really enjoy it and the participation of everyone on here!
I’m also gonna agree with Diane about the virtual thing - real contact is better, absolutely, but I live in Outer Timbuktu here in western Montana, and right now we have rain pouring down onto 2 feet of snow and our road is a solid sheet of ice requiring 4WD and chains (experience speaking). That said, tho, I *really* love getting together with other artists and collectors at the few times each year I can!
January 20th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I cheat- I go on Facebook several times a day at work ( I work at a library). I also go on my BlackBerry on days off and evenings. At times i take my laptop to a coffee house and do it there (no internet at home). Besides keeping up with family and friends and coworkers, I have ‘met’ some great artists who are making me really think seriosuly about my art, more than I have in a while. If you have internet, maybe you can go online while you eat your lunch-multi-taking is one thing us anal-retentive types love to do!
PS I really need to put some time into my website and blog…TG I have soem time at work to do this, especially as I work weekends and it is slower here then.
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