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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

To Market To Market

There are days on end, it seems, where I don't even get down to the studio...[ or out into our gardens].. Why you might ask? Because more and more it seems that an artist has to self-market. This is sad. I feel that the most important part of being an artist is actually producing works. I have worked with galleries for years and they market my work, and I have been very happy with them...always had a good work relationship.But the buzz today in the art world, is you HAVE to market yourself. The Internet is the be-all and end-all of art marketing. I hope this is not true. I would so much rather be painting than "selling". My heart song is creating....not "pedalling".
And that brings up another topic concerning marketing....I guess you would say that my work is slanted to a certain market....The equine art market. That is my target market....and I have always considered that a plus..having a target clientele and not just creating "willy nilly". I feel that this has helped me over the years....but it has not limited me to be creating only work depicting the horse. I do beak the mold every so often and pump out a painting of a dog or a landscape!
I don't know what prompted this blog post.....but I supposed it does have something to do with hearing about yet another gallery closing [ not one that I am with! ] .......but I will continue to paint. I have to.  

"The Small Farm"      casein on board        12 x 12"

I am working on some new paintings for a show opening in late September at Skyline Farm in North Yarmouth, Maine. This is their 5th annual Invitational show and I am pleased to be included with their great lineup of Maine artists. This year's show title is "Homegrown",.......and that leads me to feel that I need to get out off the office,out of the studio....and get working on my veggie garden! Homegrown for sure! To market To market!!

5 comments:

Linda Shantz said...

I hear you, Kathi! Marketing oneself is so counter-intuitive, at least I think so!! The gallery up here that had some of my work just closed...so it becomes kind of do or die. :-(

I love the painting! My favourite kind of landscape, one with horses in it!! :-D

Terrill Welch said...

Your post I think is an important one. Yes I believe artist will need to self market with an online profile but I also believe their will always be room for galleries and studio outlets... though they too will need to develop an online presence. I think it is going to be a both/and. My work sells easier when I can get it directly in front of the buyer but the first thing they do is Google me before the deal is even closed for the piece they want.

I hope as artist we can find a balance between the time we spend creating and the time we spend promoting our work. One thing I have learned is to have only one retail price. That way if I do the marketing of the piece I get the marketing share. This helps me to feel better about the time put selling my work. Great post! Terrill

Alli Farkas said...

Yes Terrill, you are so absolutely right about the pricing. Clients have to know that pricing is fair and consistent, no matter who is selling the painting. Otherwise you get that embarrassing type of situation where two people are sitting next to each other on an airplane and one paid only half as much to be there as the other one did. Plus, as you mention, you get to keep the commission.

Kpeters said...

Terril and Alli, Thanks for your input. Pricing is not a problem..it's the time lost from actual painting [creating] time that I bemoan.All the paperwork and business,,,,that is why I LOVE my galleries and all they do! Let me paint! [and clean stalls and walk dogs, etc!! etc!!!]
kp

Kpeters said...

Linda, I think we are on the same page here!! Thanks!
kp