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Hi Emma,

This is a very tricky subject. But:

Here are a few suggesstions,that the artists can attempt. In fact they are based on what I am attempting.They are by no means an easy way but can really propel the career of an artist. They are:

1. Selling to the Corporate Houses / Institutional buyers:
Art has now become an investment. The corporate houses are buying art. The artists could get in touch with them and be on record with them. Very often, it is at the end of the financial year that these corporates realise that they have unutilised funds available, which earlier were allocated for other purposes. They have to exhaust their budgets otherwise the budgets for the new financial year stand reduced by the earlier amount, left over. So they go on a shopping spree.
Art can be projected as an asset in their balance sheet besides adorning their walls. With periodical re-valuation of the art, the asset value goes up. The balance sheet remains healthy.

2.Interior design houses:
The artists could get in touch with the Interior design houses and introduce themslves and their art. With
e-communication in todays times,how we are discussing this subject, across the continents, doing this can be very easy. Mostly, it is the, interior designers, whether for a project for an individual residence/ corporate office or a hotel project, who decide what kind of artwork is required where. This also results in commissioning of artworks.

3. Shipping Industry:
This I speak from experience. The companies that are involved, not only in ship building activities but also doing the interiors are a large consumer base.
For every ship, especially a cruise liner, paintings are required for all areas of the ship, whether they are the restaurants or the rooms. Cruise lines are growing worldwide ( with airfares sky rocketing everywhere!!!!). It would be a good idea to get in touch with such agencies. They commission works depending on the kind of liner that they are building.

4. Leasing of artworks:
An idea which is in it's nascent stage here in India and cathching on fast is the artists/ their agents could get in touch with the corporate houses and lease out some of their artworks on a monthly charge basis.
This results in the boardroom & other areas of the corporate house having a new look every few months / year, without having to invest in new furniture/interiors. For the artist it is a win win situation.

To who I make sense, well & good, to who I don't, my sincere apologies.

A forum is meant to speak from the heart & so have I.

I wish all of you the very best always.

Warm regards,
Sanjiv

Hi Emma and All,

IME (in my experience) way too little attention is given, by artists and those who teach or claim to teach them how to market, on the product itself. That's where sales begin. If you don't ahve a product, you probably don't have sales. Now, for sure this can have exceptions, but does one want to be the exception?

I create all sorts of art, but the art that I sell regularly and for a lot of money is a a large, human-sized copper frog. I have been making copper frogs for over twenty years, and selling them. I have not done fairs. I started out selling on consignment, and still some sales come that way. But now a lot comes through the net. My art is out there in many public places and in homes, gardens... My art is out there, and much is a question of can someone find me, which is where the net comes in so handy.

My suggestion is consignment to begin with. An artist gets a relationship with shops and galleries and alternative places and develops, in this petri dish, art that will sell exceptionally well. The net is another petri dish, and offers other possibilities, for sure.

I have found that, besides having a product, the artist must have a need and be organized about that need. I keep a notebook. I write down all the potential sales, leads, commissions, everything. I also have a need to make money. and since the way I make money is through my art, I push myself to create sales. I produce a lot of work and I make sure it gets out there. I have agents and dealers, galleries and shops... for a while I tried to have something going every month, some "gig" where my art would be. A fair could be like this. I am sure a fair would work well, given it's the right fair. But I also think the artist should concentrate efforts in the studio and in production. As far as marketing, I see the web as the way to go.

The first thing to do is get the work "out there". Does it sell? Why? Why not? Keep at it. The problem with selling the work yourself as in fairs is that you end up not putting in the hours in the studio. I also reccomend trying as best as you can to keep the percentage of commission - the take - that a seller takes down, as much as you can. In the begining, that's hard to do. But it is amazing what deals you can find in places that don't actually call themselves galleries.

Thanks, Beau