Julie T. Chapman - ArtBlog

It’s a different world this year (in oh so many ways), and our current economy can present challenges for artists. Art is, after all, a discretionary purchase; my dealers have told me that people will come in, admire a painting, then say “oh, but think of our investment account”… and leave.

So what’s an artist to do?? When the going gets tough, the tough get creative! It’s time to share stories here about ideas we have, what we’ve tried, what works - and help us all stay afloat to rise with the tide when the economy recovers!

Herewith, let me throw some things out to get the conversation going:

• Studio sales: In December, I held a “Studio Archives” sale; I’ve done this about every 5 years or so - invite a lot of people, have a party, have small/old/experimental things available at very low pricepoints. This was the first time in Montana. It’s great fun, too (though prep can be exhausting!)
• Local publications: …can offer possibilities for placing your images. There’s a small newspaper called “Rocky Mountain Rider” that is printed monthly and shows up in tack shops and feed stores around here. A while ago I contacted them about using my art; they did so happily, one of my rodeo pieces was on the Nov 08 cover, and a woman called me about a commission as a result.
• eBay: Susan Fox (as mentioned in a prior comment) has tried selling some small originals on eBay. She has positioned these as ’studies’, to differentiate them from finished gallery pieces.
• Social networking: Susan and others have also mentioned online social networking as a means of creating awareness of your work.
• PoD: I’ve tried the PoD (print on demand) route with RedBubble, and am frankly underwhelmed with that; it’s a cheap and poorly compensated form of self-licensing. However, I’m not putting the time into the social networking that RB encourages, either.
• Go where the money is: economies in other countries are slumping, but not all, and not all as much as the U.S. I’m working on creating a presence in Canada (lots of oil money there). One of my galleries just made a multi-piece sale (including one of mine) to collectors in Indonesia.

OK, this should get us started - let’s hear the ideas! Roll ‘em!

Thank you to Sandra (see comments for prior post) for asking about this! So, just how does one have one’s cake and eat it too when it comes to art?

Many of us might aspire to be full-time artists, but aren’t there yet. Or perhaps we just want to find more time to devote to the creativity that makes us happy. Herewith, a “how I did it” to spark discussion.

I’ve always been rather anal-retentive (probably to the point of rigidity) about my schedule and time. When I was working at HP full-time, and trying to build up my art career, my week looked like:

• Work 4×9 plus Friday mornings (later on, I worked 4×9 with a 10% pay reduction).
• Use Friday afternoons to do errands, groceries, and housecleaning
• Spend evenings on art business: emailing, photographing paintings, packing, website maintenance, sketches for next paintings, etc.
• Spend Saturday and Sunday painting

Several things to note: no kids, little TV, and not much social life either. Also, I was and am diligent about exercise (weightlifting, running) which keeps my energy level up for working in the evenings. This was my schedule for about 5 years before I became a full-time artist.

NOW - this is what worked for me, and these tradeoffs might be too onerous, or this schedule unworkable, for someone else. BUT: what ideas does it spark for you? What choices have you made to fit art into your life?

Happy 2009, everyone! Personally, I’m fine with seeing the hind-end of 2008. Although 2009 ain’t getting on my good side yet, with a thaw and pouring rain on top of 2 feet of snow producing roof leaks and a thick, metallic sheet of unwalkable ice where our driveway and road should be…

So. It’s time for New Year’s Resolutions! Actually, I set specific goals each year for various areas of my life (physical fitness, art, agility, etc.).

Still, I think there’s a place for resolutions which may not have goals associated with them. Sometimes having a goal takes some of the joy-juice out of the activity. F’rinstance, in 2009 I’d like to:

• Continue giving myself permission to experiment in my work - to create without expectation of sales
• Refresh my approach to marketing my work
• Work more on developing meaning in my art

These are kinda vague, but that’s intriguing for me.

OK, everyone: time to step up with your 2009 resolutions!