Praise with the Harp Speed Painting Video

May 1, 2014

Praise with the Harp Speed Painting Video

So far 2014 has been an extremely busy year! Meeting licensing deadlines, painting a mural at our church, increasing our pattern business dramatically and launching Create Healthy You. I don’t know if I’m coming or going some days! With all of the before-mentioned tasks, it’s left little time for writing articles. I hope to get back to writing articles and making videos for teresakogut.tv soon.

Until then, I have a fun speed painting video for you to watch. I hope you enjoy it. (please ignore my hair in this video…I swear I combed it that morning!)

Thanks for stopping by!

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Accepting Change In Your Business

January 13, 2014

Accepting Change In Your Business

If there’s one thing for certain in business, change is going to come. My best advice is to never become complacent. Always expect change and plan for it. The following is my story of change and how we didn’t let it defeat us, we adapted and grew.

In 1993, our son Kyle was born. I was a stay at home Mom while my husband worked as a sheet metal journeyman in the Flint area. At that time there wasn’t a lot of growth in our area so he would work a job and when it was complete he would get laid off until another job came around. Because of this we struggled financially to make ends meet.

I would create small original watercolor paintings and attend craft shows on the weekends which led me to selling to small gift shops around mid-Michigan. I got to know the shop owners and one day while delivering paintings to a shop in Owosso, Michigan, a sweet lady told me about Market Square and gave me the necessary information to apply for the show. It was a wholesale market where retailers from all over the country would come to order products to sell in their shops.

Our company Primitive Folk found much success in selling my framed watercolor originals at Market Square…so much so that I went from selling originals to selling reproduction prints as I couldn’t keep up with the demand. My husband joined me in the venture because the business grew so quickly. We hired 5 people and built a nice little business in our 900 sq ft home (with only one bathroom mind you, yikes!). To be honest, I never looked further than selling my art wholesale at Market Square (and other wholesale shows)…never planned for anything to change. Well, it did. Most of our competition went to China to have their reproduction prints created and framed, in turn, cutting their costs dramatically, therefore, their prices dropped significantly as well. We just couldn’t compete with their low prices so, sadly, we were forced to close that part of our business in 2000.

Luckily, in 1996 I had begun to license my art, which grew like wildfire so after the closing of Primitive Folk, I was able to focus more on painting and fulfilling the requests from my licensees. It was our sole income for many years. We bought a new car, a new truck and a new home all within a couple years! I couldn’t believe one could find that much financial success as an artist.

Licensing had been an amazing ride and here again, thought it would last forever. When the recession hit in 2008, it affected the licensing industry greatly. Let’s face it, licensed products are not a necessity; people can live without figurines, greeting cards, mugs, t-shirts, etc. When the consumers tightened their pocketbooks, the retailers tightened their spending, in turn, the licensees didn’t manufacture large quantities as they did pre-2008. Ultimately it trickled down to the artist’s income.

So what did I do? First, I had to come to the realization the the hay day of pre-2008 wasn’t coming back. I am still licensing my art, hopefully that will never end, however, I needed to diversify. The royalties from licensing just wasn’t enough to sustain us anymore. My husband became a realtor at Remax and I went to work on new ideas for growing my business.

In 2004, I had started a pattern business selling punchneedle and rug patterns, so that was an obvious start. I have added cross stitch patterns to my line and I’m making plans to attend more market shows to get my patterns in needlework shops across the nation and I am devising a marketing plan to keep my shop owners in the loop when new products are available.
I “went to school” on social media in 2013, taking online courses to learn the ins and outs of this powerful tool. Social media can help an artist build a following and a brand. I built two new blogs for writing articles and showing videos in order to help artists in their journey. I also started a business Facebook page and have gained over 4,000 followers. I have written a couple of Ebooks and plan to do more of that in 2014.
I launched Gather, Dream, Create Inner Circle which is a members-only site designed to help artists with licensing through interviews with other artists, I share how-to-tutorials for the creative spirit, and hope to inspire people to create a lifestyle full of imagination, fun & creativity etc.
Just recently, I started a health & wellness blog, Create Healthy You, where I hope to inspire people to take charge of their health so they can enjoy the fullness of life.

It’s imperative that when change occurs, you don’t let it defeat you, instead you adapt. I find the changes I’m making in my business exhilarating and refreshing! Yes, it may seem a bit much for one individual, but I love all aspects of these new endeavors and I’m excited to watch them grow. Through focus, faith and well-planned days everything will get done.

Businesses change, grow, evolve, this much I know. I have lived the ups and downs of running a business and you can survive them, too. As I said before, don’t get complacent…..it happened to us twice and we found ourselves struggling to make ends meet. Just knowing things will change and evolve is half the battle….you won’t get caught off guard if you keep this in mind as you grow your business. Always be thinking of where you want to take your business next. Be aware of market trends and watch for warning signs.

When the economy crashed in 2008, we didn’t “tighten our belts” right away thinking the recession was temporary….wrong. We should have went to work straight away looking at where we could save money and trim the fat.

Also, by having multiple income streams, you have more options. When one area of your business is in a decline, another area may be on an incline. I’m not saying one can’t make a living solely on art licensing but it’s much more challenging than it was in the past. There’s not only an influx of new artists in the licensing industry, but we all (artists, retailers and licensees included) received a rather large wake up call when the market crashed and consumers just aren’t spending like they use to. It’s better than it was 4-5 years ago but it has a long way to go before making a full recovery. Even if the economy made a full-recovery, consumer spending has changed, therefore, the licensing industry has changed……which means, we have to change as well.

Share with us your experience with change in your business. We’d love to learn from you.

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new beginnings

January 6, 2014

New Beginnings

I don’t know about you, but I love beginning a new year. Every year, I take time over the Holidays to evaluate and plan.

Did I obtain the goals I set the previous year? (notice I say goals and not resolutions)
If not, why?
What goals do I want to set for myself in the new year?

I recommend keeping a spiral notebook. Lay out your plans and goals for the new year, review them every month as you go through the year. Ask yourself:

Am I on track to obtaining my goals?
Do I need to set new goals and reach even further?
What changes do I need to make in my business to get me focused and on the right path?
Am I “wandering” through each day or do I go into work with a plan and a to-do list with laser focus?
What’s keeping me from obtaining my goals?

What is your ultimate goal? Don’t be afraid of setting a HUGE goal, why? You are capable of reaching amazing heights. Set the highest goal you want to obtain, but also set smaller goals leading up to the ultimate one. Also, be specific. “I want to earn 30% more in 2014 by increasing online sales” is much more effective than to say “I want to be rich”.

By tracking your plans and goals every year in a notebook, you can watch your dreams unfold before you. It will become a very valuable tool as your business grows and also kind of fun once you’ve reached your ultimate goal to go back and see how you did it……maybe one day you can use your notes and strategies to write a book to help others.

When setting goals, this quote always comes to mind: How do you eat an elephant, one bite at a time. The same goes for goals: obtain them one at a time.

You may find you need more than one notebook. Maybe one for business and one for personal goals. This year I am doing something a little different. I started a spiral for each area of my business:

Licensing
Patterns
Gather, Dream, Create Inner Circle (GDCIC)
Create Healthy You (my new addition for 2014)

The first page, I wrote what goals I hope to obtain for 2014. Below, I wrote my ideas and plans to obtain that goal. As I go through the week, month, year, I will write down any and all important information. For instance, when I do a Facebook advertising campaign, I will log the progress and outcome of that ad campaign. When I have a new idea for a GDCIC tutorial, I will write notes in that notebook. Conversations with artists that I would like to interview, I will take notes. Almost like having a diary. Great ideas can sometimes get lost in the shuffle, so write them down…and more importantly write them down in an orderly fashion.

Wishing you much health, happiness and prosperity in 2014!

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Patience: An Important Trait to Have in Art Licensing

November 26, 2013

Patience: An Important Trait to Have in Art Licensing

Patience

Mix Media Acrylic Prints Available

Everything is moving faster and faster in today’s society, in turn, creating a generation of impatient people with an I-want-it-now attitude. Microwaves, the internet and cell phones are just a few culprits contributing to this fast-paced world we live in but the one thing no amount of high tech can speed up is art licensing. I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “hurry up and wait”….well I believe they were referring to art licensing.

If you are considering art licensing for your career, I encourage you to read, read, read and then read some more about the industry. I also recommend you have a fair amount of patience in your arsenal. After developing your own style, building your portfolio (these two things alone can take a year or two unless you already have your style developed), joining a licensing agent or learning how to go it alone and finally landing your first licensing deal, it can still take up to 18 months before receiving any royalties. I am not saying this to discourage you but you need to be aware.

Below is an example of how the process can work (this is actually referring to a deal I have right now and how the timeline is playing out)

Jan 2013 – First thing is negotiating and signing a licensing agreement
The licensee may need you to expand on the line with more artwork or request changes to the existing artwork
You fulfill their requests and send in the artwork
The licensee takes your art (in digital format) and creates mock ups or layouts to their product specifications
They send to you for approval (often times this step doesn’t happen, but it’s nice when it does)
Changes, if any, have to be made and final touches put on the layouts
Final files are sent to the manufacturer for creating the product(s)….this can either be full production or just a prototype
If it’s a prototype (sample), it will be sent to the licensee for approval
The prototype will be sent to you for approval (either photos via email or mailing you the actual prototype)
Changes, if any, have to be made and new prototype sent for approval
Jan 2014 – The next step can go one of two ways….the prototype is shown to the marketplace and based on pre-orders from the retailers the licensee decides whether or not to move forward with manufacturing OR the licensee moves into production of the product(s) and shows the product(s) to the marketplace and takes orders
Product(s) ship from manufacturer (usually from Asia) to the licensee (this will vary greatly depending on the product, but for this example, let’s say it’s a Christmas line so it won’t ship until July/August, which is 3rd quarter)
Products ship from the licensee to the retailers and your product(s) are finally in the stores!
Depending on when the product(s) ships and what quarter it falls in, will depend on when you get paid. For this example, if the product(s) ships in July/August, you will receive your royalty Oct/Nov 2014

So as you can see by this example, patience is a necessity. Not all licensing deals will stretch out this long, but the majority will take up to 18 months.

I remember when I was young and bought a Christmas gift for my Mom. It was a figurine of a character on his knees praying and the inscription read. “God, grant me patience, but please hurry”. My Mom and I have had to learn and practice this patience trait over the years….we definitely weren’t born with it and still haven’t quite mastered it 😉

So work diligently and keep your nose to the grindstone, so to speak, and eventually you will see the benefits of this most interesting and rewarding industry called art licensing.

Wishing you much patience in your art endeavors, my friends.

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An Inspiring Life Reminds Us To Never Give Up

November 7, 2013

An Inspiring Life Reminds Us To Never Give Up

“Life of Abraham“

Abraham Lincoln’s life story is one of tenacity, faith, persistence, focus, ambition, courage and drive. He is regarded as one of America’s greatest heroes due to both his incredible impact on the nation and his unique appeal. His is a remarkable story of the rise from humble beginnings to achieve the highest office in the land. Read this outline of Lincoln’s road to the White House….

1816: His family was forced out of their home. He had to work to support them.
1818: His mother died.
1831: Failed in business.
1832: Ran for state legislature – lost.
1832: Also lost his job – wanted to go to law school but couldn’t get in.
1833: Borrowed some money from a friend to begin a business and by the end of the year he was bankrupt. He spent the next 17 years of his life paying off this debt.
1834: Ran for state legislature again – won.
1835: Was engaged to be married, sweetheart died and his heart was broken.
1836: Had a total nervous breakdown and was in bed for six months.
1838: Sought to become speaker of the state legislature – defeated.
1840: Sought to become elector – defeated.
1843: Ran for Congress – lost.
1846: Ran for Congress again – this time he won – went to Washington and did a good job.
1848: Ran for re-election to Congress – lost.
1849 Sought the job of land officer in his home state – rejected.
1854: Ran for Senate of the United States – lost.
1856: Sought the Vice-Presidential nomination at his party’s national convention – got less than 100 votes.
1858: Ran for U.S. Senate again – again he lost.
1860: Elected president of the United States.

Look at how many times Lincoln was defeated and yet every time he got up, dusted himself off and continued moving forward. Imagine what the world would be like if people such as Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison or Henry Ford gave up on their dreams, ideas and goals because of fear or failure. We can use their stories as inspiration for our lives. “Never give up” is easier said than done, but press on…work day after day moving towards your goals. One by one you will achieve them and over time you will find yourself living the life of your dreams.

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes of your goal. – Henry Ford
The boy who’s going to become a great man must not make up this mind merely to overcome a thousand obstacles, but to win despite of a thousand repulses and defeats. – Theodore Roosevelt
That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well. – Abraham Lincoln
Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas A. Edison

Never give up….repeat it every time you have a set-back, obstacle, or failure. Never give up…..look in the mirror and say it to yourself every morning and before bed at night. Never give up….repeat it so often that it becomes engrained in your mind and nothing seems impossible to you. When problems or obstacles do arise (and they will) you won’t even stop to remind yourself to “never give up”, you’ll just plow through.

Who’s your favorite motivator? Who’s life inspires you? Let me know in the comments below.

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Have a Dream? Start Today Making It Come True.

October 31, 2013

Have a Dream? Start Today Making It Come True.

At one time or another every person has thought about following their passion. Leaving the corporate world behind and following their dreams. Maybe you’re dreaming of it now with excitement in your heart and making plans to take that leap of faith, maybe you have already left your job and are working towards your dream, maybe you have been working for a period of time on your dream and are reaping the rewards of your labor OR maybe you shutter at the thought of the unknown, maybe you’ve been told by nay sayers that you are just a dreamer, maybe you’re the income earner and you don’t want to put your family into financial hardship by starting a new business. Where are you in all of these scenarios? Does it excite you or scare you to death?

If you answered yes to both, that’s OK. Being scared isn’t necessarily a negative thing. If you’re so scared you can move forward, then you have a problem, but fear can be a good motivator as long as it doesn’t cripple you. When fear creeps in, replace it with thoughts of success. Visualize yourself having already reached your dream…what does it look like? (seriously….stop right now, close your eyes and visualize yourself having already achieved your dream, this is a powerful exercise you should do daily)

If you ask anyone who’s started their own business, you will find that there were times they were scared and unsure, too. Like life itself, there will be ups and downs, but as long as you don’t lose sight of your goal, your dream, you will overcome any mistakes or problems. Here are a few of my favorite quotes by some very wise people to help put you at ease:

If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes. -John Wooden
Mistakes are the portals of discovery. -James Joyce
The successful man will profit from his mistakes and try again in a different way. -Dale Carnegie
Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. -Winston Churchill
Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm. -Winston Churchill
It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed. -Theodore Roosevelt
Never confuse a single defeat with a final defeat. -F. Scott Fitzgerald

The key is to start. Start today. Start now. You don’t have to have every detail planned out before you start. If that were the case, you’d never start. Even if you did plan everything out, you would quickly find holes in your plan. Again, like life, you will be thrown a curve ball or two which may take you off course but keep your eyes focused on the goal and get back on track. Businesses evolve, they grow slowly…which reminds me of one of my favorite quotes from Abraham Lincoln…

If you don’t have the luxury of having a lot of time and/or money, don’t let that stop you. Don’t make that your excuse. Start anyway. Start slowly. Devote an hour a day or two hours a day to your business. Once it grows and evolves enough to cover the bills (and then some), quit your “day job” so you can devote more time growing your business. Don’t expect success to happen overnight. It takes time, but work diligently with enthusiasm and faith and you will be on your way.

Back in 1994, when we started our wholesale business, Primitive Folk, we were nose deep in bills. I had quit my job to start our family and approximately 8 months after Kyle was born, Kevin was laid off. He was off work for 6 months when we headed to the first trade show in hopes of starting a new chapter in our lives……and guess what, it worked! The business grew and evolved and morphed into my licensing career that I enjoy now. The business is still evolving and changing. Looking back from where we started, I would have never guessed it would have evolved the way that it did, so don’t get hung up on planning too much……just get started.

What’s holding you back from your dreams? Take some time to really think about it. Life is short, don’t wait too long. Start today!

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Want To Get Your Art Into a Gallery? Find Out How.

October 22, 2013

Allen David Fine Art Gallery

As I have written in previous articles, there are many ways an artist can earn income with their art; art shows, gallery exhibitions, licensing, Etsy Shop and so on. We’d be hard-pressed to find two artists that arrived at success in the exact same way. Our path is as unique as we are and sharing our stories can help and inspire others.

Last week’s article about Jane Filer inspired me to do some research in order to find out how an artist gets an exhibition or showing at an art gallery. I have never had a gallery showing myself so I did some digging and found two articles with great advice and tips for artists that are looking to sell their art in this fashion.

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The first article is from Fine Art Views.

12 Steps to Get Your Artwork Noticed by Galleries

by Clint Watson on 12/14/2007 12:56:04 PM

This Post is by Clint Watson, former art gallery owner/salesperson/director and founder of FineArtViews.

Here at FineArtViews, one of the most common questions artists ask is “How do I go about getting gallery representation?” Today we’re going to tell you how to go about it in a way that will get a gallery’s attention…and get your artwork noticed.

About Art Galleries
First some background: having formerly owned an art gallery, let us give you a bit of insight regarding running a gallery.

Our gallery advertised quite a bit and had a good reputation for treating artists fairly and for paying promptly, so, naturally we received quite a lot of portfolio submissions. While we have no hard numbers for you, there were times that it could have been as many as 20 per week. That may not sound like much, but trust me, running a gallery is a LOT of work. There are paintings to unpack, shows to hang, paperwork to do, artist biography information to organize (and usually to write for the artist), phone calls to make, frames to order, advertisements to design, employee problems to deal with….and when you’re not doing all of those tasks – you’re either with customers or on the phone trying to get more customers. So at 20 a week, they pile up pretty fast…that would be over 100 after just one month!

Why Portfolios Get Ignored
So what happens? New artist portfolios are thrown aside into stacks – while they are important, they’re not URGENT. And if something is not urgent, then other tasks tend to take priority.

By the way, a lot of commentators will tell you the answer to getting noticed is sending in very professionally prepared portfolios. It’s not. Being professional is always a good thing, but, frankly, we didn’t care what the portfolio looked like. An envelope full of snapshots was fine (slides were even better) because the determining factor for acceptance was the artwork itself….not the presentation of the portfolio. The nicely prepared portfolios got ignored just as much as the sloppy ones.

And here’s what makes the situation even worse – if you call ahead about your portfolio, you’re just interrupting someone with all those other tasks to do – so that’s not really a good idea. If you just “walk in” with your paintings…..well you are taking a real risk if you don’t have an appointment. Most gallery owners are not just sitting around waiting for you to walk in with your art. Think about it. Let’s say you had a deadline to finish several paintings for a show by the end of this week. So you’re painting, painting, perhaps dealing with a few other issues, but, for the most part, you have your entire week’s agenda already set. Now let’s say right when you were finishing the most important work….you’ve just gotten into the “zone”, when into your studio, unannounced, walks your framer. He has a stack of 20 new frame designs and wants to spend the next 3 hours showing them to you, discussing them with you, he even offers to take you to lunch.

You’re likely to be a bit miffed – why didn’t he call ahead and make an appointment? You’re busy! That’s exactly what it was like when we saw an unannounced artist coming into the gallery loaded down with artwork to show us. We’re certainly not advocating rudeness, there’s no call ever to be rude . . . but perhaps you can see why it sometimes happens…..and why you shouldn’t just walk in unannounced.

Summarizing the Problem
So, let’s sum up:

If you simply send in a portfolio, it may get ignored, at least for a long time.
If you call ahead, you likely will be seen as a time waster…after all you’re not buying art and the gallery has never seen your work.
If you just walk in – you’re risking interrupting or upsetting someone….at the very least, you’ll put the person in the wrong frame of mind to look at your work!
Email is unlikely to upset anyone, but it’s really super easy to ignore and hit “delete.”

Hmmm. The situation looks pretty dire…so what should you do?

Referrals are King
Looking back, however, there were a few times when a new artist got our full attention right off the bat. In fact, we were even looking forward to seeing the artist’s work.

Here’s what happened. First, we would receive a call from one of the artists we already worked with. Often, this would be just your standard business type call, updates on new artwork, reviewing sales figures, discussing clients etc. But sometime during that call the artist would say, “You know, Clint, I’m not sure why I haven’t thought of it before, but there’s another artist I know who I really think you should look at. She’s extremely talented and I think you would sell her work well.”

Now that gets a gallery owners attention. Talented and sells well…what more could we ask for? So, of course, we would ask for more details and usually end up expecting a portfolio in the mail. You can bet when that portfolio arrived that it was opened and reviewed immediately. Not only were we excited about it and expecting it, but we had made a commitment to our existing artist that we would review it and, no doubt word would get back to him if we didn’t act upon the portfolio promptly.

We certainly didn’t accept every artist who was referred in this way….but we did accept a very high percentage of them….much, much higher than “general” portfolio submissions.

It seems that the answer to “marketing” to galleries is just like marketing to customers – word-of-mouth and referrals are king.

12 Steps To Get Your Artwork Noticed by Galleries

1. Identify your target galleries. Do NOT just send your portfolio to every gallery you see advertised. Look in magazines, look online and identify several galleries that might be possibilities. Each gallery you decide to target should meet the following criteria

a) sell the medium(s) that you work in (photographers should not approach galleries that sell only paintings)

b) represent artworks styles that will draw buyers who would also be interested in your style (abstract artists should not approach realism galleries)

c) Must be reputable – you may have to ask artist friends and do some digging to determine this.

d) Should promote themselves and have obvious strategies for generating leads. This may be magazine advertising but could also be having a high-traffic location, a targeted direct mail campaign, or even email campaigns. This may be difficult to determine in advance, but you will see advertisements and other artists may know how a given gallery generates leads.

After you’ve identified your target galleries, you…..

2. Honestly assess the level and quality of your artwork and the artwork carried by your target galleries. Is you goal realistic? Are you targeting a gallery who represents master painters and you’ve been painting for a total of six months? This is a difficult step, but you definitely need to target galleries who are at the same “level” as you. We’re not saying not to be ambitious, but at our gallery we represented very fine and respected artists and regularly turned away artists who hadn’t yet mastered drawing, perspective, color mixing, etc.

Once you’re comfortable that you’re ready to show in your target galleries….

3. Go through each gallery’s roster of artists looking for artists whom you personally know. If you really are at the same “level” as the artists in your target galleries, chances are you will have at least met some of them.

4. If you don’t know anyone represented by any of the galleries, you probably need to do some networking and meet more people. You could also try sending a letter to some of the artists you respect and ask them if they would critique your work – (you should probably offer to pay for the critique). You might be able to take workshops with some of them (that’s a great way to meet master artists and get your work noticed). You might know someone who knows them. You’ll do better by giving something first, perhaps a collector of your work would like one of the other artists works. Call the artist and tell him you have a collector who might be intersted in his work and make a referral…..an artist will remember someone who sends him a possible sale!

5. Ask your artist friend about the target gallery. Once you’ve identified some artists whom you know and/or have developed relationships with you’re ready to continue your quest. Ask your friend what it is like to work with such and such gallery. Do they pay promptly? If you start hearing positive things then . . . .

6. Ask your artist friend if the gallery would like your work. Just ask. This is someone who knows you and the gallery….they’ll give you an honest answer. It will be easier to accept hear the truth from your friend than it will be to get a rejection letter from the gallery. (You can still approach the gallery even if your friend doesn’t think you should, you just won’t have the advantage of the referral).

7. Ask your friend if they would tell the gallery about your work. (Only if they were positive in step 6). If your friend agrees . . .

8. Check the gallery’s exhibition calendar. Identify a time when they are not overwhelmed with some huge show. Your friend will probably know what timing is best. When the time arrives. . .

9. Have the friend call the gallery and casually mention you and your work. This will peak the gallery owner’s interest about you. The goal of this call should be for your friend to let the gallery owner know that you’ll be sending a portfolio and following up with a phone call.

10. If possible, have your friend send the portfolio. Simply give the portfolio to your friend, ask him to write on a post-it note “this is the artist I told you about” and send it. (Make sure you pay for postage). This way the portfolio will have your friend’s name on the outside, and will get opened more promptly….this step is optional because the gallery should be expecting your portfolio at this point, so just send it yourself if it will be an imposition to ask your friend.

11. After the portfolio arrives at the gallery you will probably get a phone call. You’ve “primed the pump” and the gallery will likely feel obligated to at least give you call. If you don’t get a call after about a week, then you need to call them and make sure they actually received the portfolio, let them know that you are the artist that “so-and-so told you about….”

12. At this point a dialog should open with the gallery. They may still turn down your work, but your discussions will be relaxed, casual and friendly. If they do turn you down, ask them if they know of any other galleries where your work might be a better fit. (We often provided other gallery names because it is difficult to “reject” someone and we did truly want to be helpful. We’ve had many artists thank us for pointing them to other galleries who accepted their work….and that is gratifying).

Is this too much work? No. Every career is a lot of work and being an artist is no different. If your career is worth it, then the work is worth it.

PS – Here are two alternative methods that also work for getting a gallery’s attention:

1. Enter a juried show that will be hosted by one of your target galleries. You will get your work seen by the gallery owners and get to meet them at the reception. (Of course, this only works if you get into the show).

2. If the gallery has a frame shop, then go get one of your paintings framed. This is a “sneaky” way to get them to see your artwork….it would be very natural at that point to casaully say something like, “This is my work….do you guys think it might fit in with your gallery? If so, I would be happy to send you a portfolio.” (Of course, you’ll have to be willing to pay for a frame for this tactic).

PPS – If you absolutely don’t know any of the artists in your target galleries, there are no juried shows in your galleries, and framing is not an option….by all means feel free to send unsolicited portfolios….at least now you know what the downside is….but artists do sometimes get discovered this way!

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This next article is from The Abundant Artist.

Approaching a Gallery

If you’re looking for a gallery to show your artwork, check out those you are interested in before making an approach.

Does the gallery exhibit artwork like yours? The chances are pretty good that if a gallery shows work in a particular style or format, that’s its mandate. Check it out. Look at the gallery’s website. Make an appointment to talk to the owner or salesperson and find out what she’s interested in. Or call her or send her an email. If you make miniature portraits in oil and all the artwork on exhibition is large-format abstract acrylics, this gallery may not be the right one for you. I’ve had artists listen apparently carefully to me saying that the art in my gallery in some way must express the Grasslands experience because that is what my customers are looking for, then send me graduation photo portraits or abstractions of florist bouquets. The gallery staff know their market. They are giving you good information. Pay attention to it!
Does the gallery exhibit artwork by artists at your stage of development? If you are new at your craft and still working out what form you are most interested in, and the gallery you have your heart set on shows senior artists with a pre-existing following, save that gallery for later in your career and look for one that wants to develop new artists.
Is the gallery actually accepting submissions? Galleries go through different stages just like artists. Sometimes they can take on new people and sometimes they can’t. Find out.
Do you like this gallery and its staff? If you are lukewarm or unsure, try somewhere else. You have lots of choices. Begin as you mean to go on!
Does the gallery have a good reputation with other artists? Ask the other artists! Remember though, that personality affects relationship. It’s a good idea to filter what you hear through your knowledge of your own personality and expectations.

Submitting Artwork to a Gallery

Once you’ve established that a gallery is interested in seeing your work, there are a number of ways this can happen. Ask what the gallery prefers. Do the staff want to see your work in person, do they prefer emailed images, do they want you to drop off a disc? Whatever the gallery’s chosen format is, make sure the work you submit shows you off brilliantly.

Submit your best work. No pieces that didn’t quite turn out or that you’re actually a bit embarrassed about. Sometimes the gallery will see something in an awkward piece that you didn’t, but you can save these for later when the relationship has become one of understanding and trust.
Show you can develop a theme until it sings. If you demonstrate that you have a real understanding of the way you have chosen to work, you will gain much more respect and attention than if you express more superficial knowledge of several themes and forms.
How many pieces? Brand new work or some older pieces too? It will vary with the gallery. Do you need to include anything other than artwork, such as a CV or invitations from previous shows? It depends on the gallery. Once again, the best way to find out is to ask. But if you’re showing artwork to a gallery whose primary purpose is selling, you should show them only pieces for sale now. There isn’t any point in getting the gallery excited about work they can’t have because it belongs to someone else. As far as previous exhibitions go, not every gallery will want to show art that wasn’t saleable somewhere else. Ask them!
If the gallery prefers you to submit reproductions, make sure these are the best possible. Be fair to your art. No shaky shots taken in bad lighting that you need to explain about. No inaccurate color. No editing to make the art look better than it does in real life. If you aren’t a photographer, hire or find someone who is.

The Business Relationship

The relationship you have with a gallery is like any other relationship. It takes some work to make it grow. If you are going to show with a gallery, there are a few easy steps you can take to make the relationship successful so you can get as much reward from it as possible.

Discuss everything. Assume nothing. Clarify. Ask questions. This doesn’t need to be done in an aggressive way; it’s just like finding out if your new friend prefers to go Dutch or wants to take turns picking up the tab – maybe a bit nervous-making, but definitely easier to get right in the first place than fix later.
If you don’t know what to ask, here are some ideas. Not all of them will fit your particular circumstances. Just pick those that do.

When will the work be shown? Who chooses the work to be shown? Who decides how and where it is to be hung?
Who determines selling price? What is the gallery’s commission on sales? Does the gallery offer discounts, and under what circumstances? How often will you be paid?
Who is responsible for costs associated with framing, shipping, or photography?
How will the gallery promote you and your art? Who is responsible for costs or promotion? Are you expected/allowed to promote yourself also?
Does the gallery want exclusive rights to your sales? In how big an area? For how long a term? How does any exclusivity agreement apply to artwork for sale by you on your own website?
Will the gallery provide a contract outlining the answers to these questions? If not, can you write them down and discuss what you’ve written with the gallery, either in person or by email? If not, why not?
The gallery has responsibilities to you. After all, you produce and provide the artwork that the gallery sells and that allows it to remain in business. The gallery is responsible to make the art available for sale; to promote sales according to its own policies and in your mutual interests; to pay you, in a timely fashion, the portion of selling price the two of you have agreed on; and to follow through on keeping its promises on any other terms you have established together.

You have responsibilities too. The gallery can help your art reach a larger audience and you a higher income level. If you meet your artistic responsibility in making the business partnership successful it can go on for a long time, benefiting both artist and exhibiting venue. What are your responsibilities? Some ideas:

Honor your commitments.
Deliver artwork and meet deadlines as promised.
If the gallery asks for information or promotional material, such as images for the website, your bio or a story about your artwork or process, provide it, as professionally as you can.
If your concept changes or develops as your career progresses, keep the gallery informed.

If you have new questions or concerns over time, state them. The gallery can’t provide what it doesn’t know you need. Assuming the worst and getting angry, or bad-mouthing the gallery to others, is unprofessional.

At any juncture you may find out the answers you get aren’t those you were hoping for. This is where you can make discoveries about how much either you or the gallery is able to or wants to compromise. The decision-making process is called negotiation. Negotiation doesn’t need to be adversarial, and you don’t need to accept or reject every answer you are given. You might be surprised to find out that the gallery is willing to give a little in order to take a little. You might be surprised that you are also.
However, if you discover that compromise isn’t possible, that the gallery can’t or won’t meet terms very important to you, you can make another decision. You can decide to try another gallery. You don’t need to accept any gallery’s terms if they just don’t work for you. Putting your art in a situation that isn’t appropriate for it or you doesn’t support either the art or your career. You might feel awkward ending the discussion and walking away, or frustrated that your hopes were encouraged and are now dashed. It’s still much better to do it now than when you are in a complicated and unproductive relationship you knew from the beginning wasn’t going to work. (Isn’t it funny that relationship advice is the same no matter what the relationship is?)

Persistence and Rejection

All artists experience rejection. Competition for galleries and exhibition spaces is strong, and your first try may not be your first successful one. High-quality artwork may not find its right place immediately, and this may have more to do with circumstance than with the art. If your artwork is rejected, send it out again to a different venue.
However, if you find that your exhibition submissions are rejected repeatedly, it may be time for some reassessment. The following questions may help.

Are you realistic about what you are looking for?
Are you approaching galleries that are right for your work?
Are any images you are submitting to a gallery the best quality possible?
Is any written work you’re providing clear, concise and understandable?
Can the galleries or another artistic professional give you some feedback?

Remember that rejection can be very hard to accept, but it is hardly ever meant personally. Some amazing artwork has met with repeated rejection and still become successful – in the artist’s lifetime!

Life Brings Change

There are times when good relationships change, when both parties want something different. It’s no different between galleries and artists. Some changes can be adapted to and some can’t. If the change results from a misunderstanding, then a good first step is to try clearing up the misunderstanding. Ask more questions and try to hear the answers, then decide what you want to do.

But if the change is more permanent – either you or the gallery is going in a direction that means you no longer have the mutual interests you once did, maybe it’s time to move on. When that happens, honor the relationship you’ve had, make your intentions clear, and go where you need to go.

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If a gallery showing is a dream of yours, this information will help get you off to a great start! I wish you much success. Keep in mind, there are hundreds of galleries in every state so my best advice is NEVER give up! It may be simply finding the right fit for your art.

Tell me, is a gallery showing one of your dreams?

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Jane Filer : Painting The Universe That’s Inside Her Head

October 14, 2013

Jane Filer

Painting The Universe That’s Inside Her Head

Bay of Mobal 36″ x 39″ acrylic on canvas

I am thrilled to introduce to you, Jane Filer.

Jane Filer grew up in San Jose, California and began to paint with intense dedication in kindergarten. At age eleven, the family moved to Western Australia where Jane first became acquainted with the ethereal artwork of the aboriginal people. The mystical nature of this culture made for a lasting impression.

After high school, encouraged by her godmother, Jane moved to Chicago and began her formal art education. Later Jane attended Southern Illinois University where she received a Bachelors of Fine Art degree with honors and the Rickert-Ziebold Trust Award, the highest award in the country given to graduating seniors.

Jane married John Filer and moved to North Carolina where she received her MFA at UNC, Chapel Hill. Presently Jane Filer lives and works in her hand built home. This environment maintains the creative fire for her inspiration.

Jane has a devout following of art collectors and friends who attend her solo exhibitions. Many of her shows include “Happenings”, a modern primal-drum dance of characters from her paintings coming to life and roaming the gallery.

In 2006, after teaching painting and drawing for 21 years at The ArtsCenter in Carrboro, NC the classroom was officially named, “The Jane Filer Painting Studio” in her honor.

Jane’s work has been included in numerous prestigious collections in international, corporate and private sectors. Included among these are the American Embassies in Talin, Estonia and Kampala, Uganda, IBM, Momentum Research, The University of North Carolina, Duke Hospital, UNC Memorial Hospital, and Southern Illinois University Museum. Prominent collectors are Kevin Klose, President Emeritus, National Public Radio, and Eileen Naughton, Google New York – Media Sales Director.

In 2010 Jane painted a 45 foot mural for RDU International Airport. The Triangle Area Sister Cities sponsored the commission, and the theme is ‘World Peace: One Friendship and One Community at a time’.

Raleigh Durham International Airport acrylic on panel, Seven feet by 45 feet Commissioned by the Triangle Area Sister Cities 2010 / 2011

Jane’s method of creating art is refreshing, intriguing and exciting. I love how she immerses herself in the creative process and let’s the painting “come alive” before her. There’s no plan, no sketching first, no agenda and no end result in mind. She simply let’s the painting evolve.

Never Winter 24″x28″ Acrylic on canvas

When I asked for permission to write this post about her and her art, I told her I want to be like her when I grow up! She has found great success selling her art to collectors through gallery exhibitions. In fact, she supports her family with her exquisite creations….every artist’s dream.

Watch this video and step into the creative mind of this wonderfully talented artist.

To learn more about Jane, visit her website. Thank you, Jane Filer, for sharing your gift with the world.

If you enjoyed learning about Jane and her art, join the Gather, Dream, Create Inner Circle to learn about more artists. Check it out here.

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The One Step That Matters For All Artists – Draw

October 1, 2013

One Step That Matters For ALL Artists – Draw

A Quiet Look – How to become a children’s book illustrator in one (not so easy) step from mike kerr on Vimeo.

I am in total agreement with the advice in this video. There are many tasks artists have to do in order to be successful. Some are definitely more fun than others but the one step that matters most is to draw, draw, draw & then draw some more. The beautiful thing about drawing is you can do it anywhere. Take your sketchbook with you everywhere you go and pass the time by honing your skill. Draw while waiting at the doctor’s office, draw while traveling, draw first thing in the morning while drinking your coffee or tea, draw while waiting to pick up your child….you get it, just draw.

Take a look at children’s book illustrator, Renata Liwska‘s amazing sketchbooks in this sweet and informative video. One of my very favorite things to do is to take a glimpse inside an artist’s world. Whether it’s reading their success story, watching an interview, seeing their studio in a magazine article, watching a video of them at work or looking at their creative process. It inspires me, intrigues me and makes me oh so happy. This video could have lasted three hours and I wouldn’t have gotten bored. I wish he would’ve went page by page through every last sketchbook! What an incredible talent Renata has been blessed with and what an amazing gift this video is…..giving us a glimpse into her creative process and inspiring us all to start drawing daily. Thank you Mike Kerr for sharing this video.

I am inspired to draw more frequently now, how about you?

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Make Sure All Roads Lead To Your Blog

September 26, 2013

All Roads Lead To Your Blog

While it is vital to your business to be engaging with people through social media, it is even more important that all roads lead back to your blog. Why? Social media is content that’s being dispersed on another person’s platform….you don’t own it.

Just a side note….You also don’t own your content if your blog is built at WordPress.com or Google’s Blogger. I know….seems crazy, right? You may be thinking, “I own my domain name and the content is written and published by me, so I MUST own it!” Think again. The only way to own your content and protect your hard work is to move your blog over to a self-hosted WordPress site. It isn’t expensive, trust me. I show you how to do it step by step in my Ebook, “Build Your Own Blog“.

Think of your blog as “home base”. This is where you want traffic to go. This is where you sell your products.

When you write a new post, upload a new tv episode, have a new opt-in offer or have new products for sale, announce it on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+ and Instagram with a link back to your blog . I know, I say it over and over, but please don’t use social media only to sell your products, unless, of course, you want to lose people. Mention your products sparingly or when you are offering something new. Remember, social media is about you connecting with people. You getting to know your clients and them getting to know you.

Another simple tip is to connect ALL your social media platforms with a link to your blog within your profile. It’s quick, easy and once it’s done, you won’t have to think about it again.

Here are examples of how I have done just that:

FACEBOOK BUSINESS PAGE

TWITTER

INSTAGRAM

LINKEDIN

GOOGLE+

Also make sure you have a link to your blog in your email signature. You will increase traffic by implementing these simple steps. Take a few minutes to make these changes today!

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