Where do artists stumble most?

In the very beginning of the 8-part sequential and iterative methodology that I define in my The MAKING Art Making MONEY Course.

Why? Because they want to skip the first, and THE most important, step of defining a mission.

Why? So that they can get to the second step, defining a unique value proposition.

Why are they over eager to skip this step?

A. Defining your mission is often painful and raw and it exposes how well you know yourself or how well you don’t.

B. Because we just don’t want to wait to define the value of our art because we want sales, damn it!  Who doesn’t?

But a business only makes money if it offers value in service to a target market. 

“’Business.’ I thought we where talking about ‘artists’?” Yes. Business.

If you are selling your art you are indeed operating a business. If you disagree with me ask the IRS. They’ll confirm this fact in a hurry.

Offering value for payment is a universal economic law so I am stating the obvious.

The not so obvious rub for most artists is that do not know how to define, and therefore how to articulate, their unique value proposition.

“I create unique beauty” does not make a unique value proposition.

AND artists often get the value they create mixed up with their self worth. Ugh!

Artists also do not realize that in order to compete in an over saturated art market they MUST create unique value above and beyond their art.

However, most artists have no idea where to start in the process of defining a unique value proposition because they have not yet defined their mission.

Let me share a few examples of hope.

These are artists who have worked with to help define their mission and the resulting unique value proposition.

1.) Colleen Attara’s mission is to artistically transform discarded materials, lessoning the impact on our natural environment while simultaneously transforming our emotional environments.

Her unique value proposition is through strategic partnerships she reclaims what others no longer see value in, “garbage,” and she reshapes it into inspiring hand-scripted words of hope and joy. 

2.) During her MAKING Art Making MONEY course Jenny McGee found her inspiring personal mission and shortly after we defined her unique value proposition.

Jenny’s mission is to help people express their love for one another through her art.

Her unique value proposition is that she sits down with her patrons to help them create a “love list,” the specific reasons that they love someone.

3.)  Memphis based artist Kate Bradley has a mission to help families celebrate their relationships by honoring their children.

Her unique value proposition is that she specializes in painting portraits of children and capturing their essence in the context of their interests and personality by actually getting to know her subjects.

If you think that that the examples above are just about a bunch of snappy copy or simple poetic language, think again.

Each is an authentic and deeply meaningful example of which each artist has devoted their life to.

So sarcastic skeptics. Step aside.

Isn’t what they describe so much more compelling than the rambling and self-involved artist’s statements that are often too painful to read?

See. It’s possible.

But you do have to follow a certain logical sequence.

You can’t skip a step. Particularly the first one. First define your mission.

Know who you are and what you stand for.

Artists are thought leaders. What thoughts are you willing to lead with? What could you devote your life to?

You can’t put the cherry on top of the cake without mixing the batter, or before that, preheating the oven.

I’ve heard from so many exhausted and frustrated artists from all over the globe who have been doing just that for years and years.

The sad thing is, it’s not necessary!

 

Yes. You read that right. There is no such thing as a successful (full-time) artist.
 
“Ann. What do you mean? Aren’t you a successful full-time artist?”
 
No. Sorry to burst your bubble but I’m not. I’m both an artist and an entrepreneur and that is why I am successful, in the conventional sense of the word.
 
If you’re not too concerned with selling your art then this is not really the place for you.
 
But let’s face it. Is there anything that ignites creative inspiration like a sale? I know that it infuses me with energy and enthusiasm.
 
Anyway. My point is this. Successful artists are also entrepreneurs. So are physicians or attorneys who run their own practices or professional athletes.
 
A physician practices medicine but they must also keep up with the latest developments in medicine, generate new business, manage their practice, deal with insurance, keep an eye on cash flow, hire and fire staff, etc. You get the point. They have many realms to manage and to balance with the realm of practicing medicine.
 
It’s the same for a plumber, a real estate agent, or a hip-hop music mogul.
 
If you want someone else to take care of all that business mumbo jumbo, good luck finding that someone else.
 
Again. If you’re not too concerned with selling your art then this blog is not really the place for you.
 
But if you would like to sell your art, or more of it, I’ve identified eight sequential foundational realms of building a creative enterprise that must be balanced with your creative practice.
 
I’m giving you my blue print. It is the same blue print, or road map, that I use to build my art business and the one that I have coached other artists through.
 
The good news is that, assuming you actually have artistic talent, each of the eight realms can be mastered by most people who are intelligent and diligent. And this describes most artists who I know.
 
The hardest part for artists to get their head wrapped around is marketing, or as I call it, the “Visioning” realm.
 
I absolutely LOVE marketing. Why? Because the very best marketing is extraordinarily creative and it is engaging. Just like art.
 
I look at creating marketing strategies much like creating a painting.
 
When I paint I have a blank canvas, some paint, and an idea. Then I weave those together and I create a painting.
 
When I develop marketing strategies for Ann Rea, Inc., or for other artists, we define the artist’s mission, unique value proposition, pain alleviated or problem solved, and their objective. Then I weave these together and create a marketing strategy that will help the artist reach a target market.
 
Does every marketing strategy work? No.
 
Does every painting work? No.
 
Sometimes the first attempt, or the first draft, works beautifully but usually the last attempt informs the next. It is an iterative process.
 
Why is the marketing of your art so important? That’s obvious if you want to sell it but what artists often don’t appreciate is that the mission and the marketing behind your art creates more value for your collectors and inspires your creativity.
 
The bottom line is this. Every artist is an entrepreneur and every entrepreneur is an artist. Consequently, there is no such thing as a successful (full-time) artist.

Or as Andy Warhol said, “Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.”

 

First things first. If you have reliable and productive art representation. Congratulations!

If art galleries and or art representatives are generating enough income for you, you should treasure and nurture that relationship and appreciate that you are in the rare minority.

That said. Artists should be aware of the hazards of representation.

I tried the conventional approach of art representation to sell my paintings but I soon discovered the hazards.

• Sometimes I could find representation or not
• Sometimes I got paid or not
• Sometimes I was able to show new work or not
• Sometimes I had a showing or not
• Sometimes my work was sold at the retail price I defined and not discounted or not
• Sometimes other artists were not jealous of my successes or not
• Sometimes my representative absorbed the discount or not
• Sometimes I was treated with professional respect or not
• Sometimes I got my paintings back or not
• Sometimes I got my paintings back undamaged or not
• Sometimes representatives encouraged my seeking additional representation or not
• Sometimes representatives encouraged my selling directly to collectors or not
• Sometimes representatives encouraged me to sell my paintings on my website or not
• Sometimes I would know who bought my paintings, as California law provides or not
• Sometimes my new artistic directions would be embraced or not
• Sometime gallery owners were frustrated artists themselves or not

I hear artists complain that a gallery takes 50% of the sale. This is a standard retail percentage and I have absolutely no qualms with representatives getting paid their due, as long as they pay artists in a timely manner.

The harsh reality is clear. The art market is over saturated with talent and it is a product for the luxury market that is difficult to reach.

Art schools do not prepare students for the business of art. In fact, they confuse them by leading them into thinking that they have a career.

There’s a big difference in the skills and knowledge required to be an entrepreneur versus building a career.

How do I know the difference? If you have a career you are an employee who receives a regular paycheck.

What’s an artist to do? Embrace business and celebrate innovative strategic marketing because that’s what selling art is. It’s a business, a big business.

If you don’t know where to start, start here by reading Artists Who THRIVE or apply to enroll in Making Art/Making Money.

 

 

 

Who are you and what do you stand for? 

Are you clear on what you value?

What does this have to do with the business of art? Everything.

And that’s why the first week of my new Making Art/Making Money Course is dedicated to “Valuing.”

What is art? Is it beauty? I think not. That’s in the eye of the beholder.

On a deeper level art is a celebration, an examination, of values designed to stir our emotions. 

Artists really sell feelings. If we didn’t then we would just be selling musical notes hanging in the air, paint stuck on canvas, or strands of text.

What do you, not as an artist but as a person, really care about? 

If what you value is not reflected in your art then your art making is simply a technical exercise.

By knowing what you value  you can connect with your tribe and their values.

Why? Because sharing our values brings us together and satisfies our deep longing for belonging.

Andy Warhol valued and marveled at the consumer consumption of celebrity.

Thomas Kinkade valued American conservative Christian values.

I value painting as an active meditation by focusing on light as a reflection of colors.

One artist I’ve coached values celebrating family relationships, as a children’s portrait painter.

Another artist I’ve coached values playful transformation of recycled materials, as an eco artist.

Yet another young artist I’ve coached values self-reflection as it relates to his emotional maturing as a man. He’s a fine art illustrator whose images are inspired by narratives from his journals.

What you value is a reflection of your unique human experience.

This the very basis for your unique value proposition that will be the foundation for value above and beyond the art itself. 

This is the only way to differentiate your art.

 “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde

Or as Russell Simmons tells us, “Do You.”

Last but not least.

“If you have something to say to the world, you must make art.

If you want to be heard, you must sell art.” Ann Rea

 

 

If you are serious about building a creative enterprise, you must pay the minimum price of admission.

The minimum price will tap some financial resources because you’ll actually have to spend money to make money.

Besides investing in your businessa and yourself, you’ll spend much more with your internal resources. 

1. Cohesive and unique body of talented work

First things first. If you want to sell art, you’ll need some to sell. 

I’m amazed at the number of “artists” who consult me to help them sell their work.

When I ask, “How much art work do you have?”  I sometimes get, “Oh, only a few pieces right now.” If that’s the case, time to get you butt back into the studio.

There is an old adage in retail, “Stack ‘em high and watch ‘em buy.” 

I’m not suggesting that you can sell art only because you have an overwhelming quantity of inventory. 

I am emphasizing that you will need a credible amount of cohesive quality  inventory to take advantage of sales opportunities and to demonstrate your confident creative direction.

2. Productivity

You had better be productive. Once that inventory is sold you’ll need more to satisfy demand.

If you suffer from creative blocks you’ll need to up your EI, (Emotional Intelligence) before you embark on a business venture.

Note, there is nothing more motivating or inspiring to me than selling my art. I can’t wait to go make more.

3. Left-brain & right brain shifting ability

In Daniel Pink’s book a “Whole New Mind”, he breaks down our current economy, the “conceptual economy”, and he profiles the current rise of the creative class.

When you delve deeper into the book he explains that the economy actually belongs to those who can shift back and forth and integrate creativity and logic. You’ll need both. 

A very left-brain colleague from my National Speaker’s Association chapter once said, “I’m not creative.”

My response, “That’s ridiculous, of course you are.  That’s like saying I’m not logical.”  It’s not an either or proposition, we each possess two hemispheres in our brains.

Next week, we’ll examine the other three elements.

Answer honestly. 

• Do you have a cohesive body of work?
• Are you productive?
• Do you give away your power around basic left-brain focus and tasks like book keeping, time management, goal setting?

 

 

The Ancient Greek aphorism “Know Thyself” was inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

“Know thyself” is a warning to pay no attention to the opinion of the multitude.

When someone asks you, “What do you do?”  They are asking who are you. How do you answer them? 

“I’m a painter.” “A house painter?”  “No, an artist.”  “Oh.” 

This kind of introduction fails to land and so no connection is made.

When you introduce yourself by describing the primary tool that you use in your artistic craft, you say nothing about what you really do or what value you bring to the world.

That’s really what people want to know. 

For example, if you introduce yourself by saying, “I’m an abstract oil painter,” I guarantee that you will lose most of your audience.

Why? Because people who buy art are mostly not artists. You need to help them connect. 

“What do you do?” How do you answer this question?  It’s vital to your art sales. 

Why? Because your number one source of business is going to come from face to face networking and referrals.

That means you will need to verbally convey, clearly and succinctly, the value you bring. 

An artist’s statement will not help you.

I have yet to read an artist’s statement that doesn’t make me cringe.  But I’m open to reading a really good one.  So if you have one, please post it below. 

Who was John Singer Sargent?

He was an uber networked and cultured member of the British aristocracy.

What value did John Singer Sargent Sargent bring to his target market?

He elevated his patron’s status in society.

Who was Andy Warhol?

He was a devote of celebrity and a celebrant of mainstream American consumerism. 

What value did Andy Warhol bring his target market?

He reflected our values back to us including celebrity worship.

Who was Thomas Kinkade?

He was a conservative born again Christian.

What value did Thomas Kinkade bring his target market?

He affirmed his collectors’ “family values” and delivered his message in accessible mainstream distribution channels.

Who are you?  What unique value do you bring?

If you want art collectors to know your unique value, you had better know.

The notion of starting a business seems way too big and daunting for most people, never mind mosts artists.

I often hear, “I don’t even know where to start or where to focus.”

So I have broken down my business methodology into eight sequential realms based on my practical experience of building a profitable fine art enterprise.

 “The 8 Realms of an Artistic Enterprise” is born of  the lessons I have learned from my successes and failures over the past six years and from the lessons learned from artists that I have consulted with, coached, and taught in seminars, including:

• film makers
• healing practitioners
• jewelers
• mixed media artists
• musicians
• painters
• photographers
• writers

 A clockwise moving sphere graphically represents my business methodology reminding you that each realm must be continually balanced and each phase builds upon the previous one, over time.

It takes time to build a business and it does not start by printing your business cards, making a sign, or launching a website.  That is “Targeting”, the fifth realm. Starting here is putting the cart before the horse. 

Starting in the middle of a logical sequence is like rushing to put the cherry on top of the cake before you have preheated the oven, decided how many people the cake will serve, or what flavor cake you are making.  That’s a cake you are going to have to make again.

As a former project management consultant, I am fond of correct sequencing.

Why did I choose 8 REALMS of an Artistic Enterprise?  Here in San Francisco, our Chinese brothers and sisters celebrate eight as lucky.

Eight is a symbol of continuous abundance and prosperity because it is a perfect symmetrical shape. Perfect symmetry lends itself to perfect balance, considered the ideal. Turned on its side, the number eight becomes the symbol of infinity.

Is that why I chose eight?  Well, it is the artistic reason. The practical reason is that these eight realms actually represent how I developed my fine art business.

The big take away is that if you don’t know where to start you are not alone. 

But know this.  There is a natural sequence to constructing anything functional like a business and it all starts with your specific vision your artistic enterprise.

Last Wednesday this artist had an appointment at the Imperial Tea Court in the Ferry Building in San Francisco with a scientist, a new business colleague who I didn’t know.

As I walked up the Embarcadero along the San Francisco Bay to my appointment, I thought, “What are we going to talk about? She’s a scientist and I’m an artist.  Could our expertise and world view be any more opposite?”

Dr. Karin Hollerbach is an extremely well educated and accomplished scientist and entrepreneur.  Her expertise is engineering and science and helping get discoveries to market.

As a nationally recognized artist, my expertise is creating original oil paintings and extraordinary experiences of art for individual collectors and educating and advising artists on business and marketing.

I discovered that we where both accomplished in our disciplines and we where also experts in the entrepreneurial aspects of our markets.

As we chatted I learned that she once had substitute taught a business course to group of artists.  “Really? Do tell.”

Karin observed, “Artists are very much like scientists, experts immersed in their discovery.” They are too are often a drift without in anchor in business.

As the founder of Artists Who THRIVE, this unnecessary disconnect between art and business is a cultural and economic norm that I am all too familiar with.

I have made it my mission to teach artists how to combine their creative freedom with business savvy.

So the scientist and this artist actually had plenty to discuss. Not only did we discuss business, we explored the intersection between art and science.

What we both know is that if you want to get paid, if you want others to benefit from your creative or scientific contribution, your expertise and talent alone is just not enough.

The bad news. There must be a market for your talent if you want to fully enjoy the fruits of your labor.

The good news. When you take on the mantel of entrepreneurship and find a market for your talent, you will receive the ultimate reward for all of the hours and energy devoted to your discipline and passion.