A New Paradigm – Artist and Entrepreneur

By 6 Comments

AWT2

I founded Artists Who THRIVE with a new paradigm, that of the artist as an entrepreneur.  “Artist and entrepreneur?”  Yes, that’s right.  Define your market, own your platform, and keep all of your profits.

I did this very intentionally.  I had ample access to traditional art representation but there was a problem.  I needed to make a living, a good living, quickly.  I just moved to the beach in San Francisco and it’s very expensive here.

So I had a different view.  I wasn’t interested in showing my work.  I was interested in selling it.

The fact is that there are many talented painters, and the art market is oversaturated, so I defined a target market, a passionate “tribe,” and created unique value. I “celebrated” the tribe, the food and wine enthusiasts of a particular ilk.

This is a blue ocean strategy; eliminating the competition by not competing.  Why aren’t you competing?  You’re offering unique value to a targeted market.  And this is a lot more rewarding, profitable, and less exhausting than waiting in line for an art gallery to care more than you do about selling your work.  They can’t and they just won’t.

Let’s take a look at one of my clients, Melissa McDaniel, another dog photographer.  No, that’s not all.  She is a dog photographer who aligns her work with a passionate cause, animal rescue, a distinct market. She leverages the internet and strategic alliances. Melissa has made it much more than just about Melissa.  I advise my artist clients all the time.  It’s not about you, it’s about your collectors.  Make it bigger than you.

Now if you’re thinking, “I like dogs.  I like animal rescue. I’m going to do that.”  My advice?  Did you hear what I just said? The challenge is to create “unique value.”

How do you that?  Who is more unique than you?  Start with your individual passions, values, and your particular creative inclinations.  That is what artists must do.  Then think who you can serve and how.

This is really not new.  Michelangelo, Andy Warhol, and Jackson Pollock all had unique value and a target market.  The art historians just don’t talk about it much because they are historians not market analysts.

So you art Puritans might want to fire roast me at the stake but I say, “Make art for the love of it and for the money.”

Start where you Are Now

By 3 Comments

Experienced and not so experienced artists alike often ask: where do I start to build success as an artist?  I hear it all the time, “I’m not sure where to start. I need a plan to help me focus.”

You have to start with yourself and where you are today.  And be clear about what you want to create.

First of all let’s define success.  Are we talking about making art that you are proud of, that inspires, and earning money from it?  Yes?  Then you are not just an artist, you’re an entrepreneur.  That’s right!

Own it, even if feels audacious. “I’m an artist and an entrepreneur.” Yes. These two words do belong in the same sentence.

Now understand that you, and you alone, are responsible for your success and your failures. Really. I mean take complete responsibility. When you do that, you’re empowered.  It’s not simply a matter of being discovered or getting the right exposure.  Why wait and hope for that?

And with this premise the next step is to just be honest and evaluate yourself and your present circumstances.

What are you strengths?

Do you have talent?  Do you really have talent?  Do you need more training?

Do you possess the business and marketing skills, the qualities, and the drive of an entrepreneur?

Have you taken the time to define your goals?

Do you have a written plan that you are confident about?

Do you manage your time and your energy effectively?  Why not?   Time is a limited resource, obviously more limited than money.  Managing priorities provides the keys to the kingdom of productivity.

Be honest.  This is tough stuff.  But the truth will set you free.

If you’re an artist.  Proclaim it.  Own it.  I’m a successful artist!

So get real, start with yourself, where you are right now, today.  Can you do this with a balanced perspective?  Do you need some help with this?  Successful people don’t do it alone.  Note all of the people thanked when an artist wins an Emmy or a Grammy.

Ask yourself.  Where am I right now?  Then be bold and ask.  Where do I really want to go?