What would it like to stand in the shoes of someone who buys art without the knowledge you have of the art world?  Suzuki Roshi in Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind talks about entering each situation as if for the first time.  That kind of knowledge is helpful because it will show you where the gaps are in your plan for a successful and sustainable art business.  The typical buyer of art, not big time collectors, don't have your expertise.  They buy art because it speaks to them but they often need to be educated.

I recently had two experiences that spoke to the same issue, "making the buyer work too hard".  The first was at the Art Students League's annual Art Walk.  I found an artist whose work I loved.  I took a card thinking that if I wanted to I could see more work online.  When I got home and pulled out the card I found a phone number and an e-mail address but no website.  I Googled the artist and all that came up were some notations about some work that had been in a gallery show.  The problem here is that the artist didn't have a way of keeping me engaged.  She didn't as they say, "keep me on the hook".  There's no way for me to get info on future shows because she doesn't have any way of notifying the public.  I don't want to work that hard.

The other artist I met at the East End Aurora Arts District quarterly Art Walk.  I saw a piece of work and it just so happens that the artist was standing right there.  I had a wonderful discussion about art marketing and then came strike number one...she didn't have a business card.  She thought it was amusing in a sheepish manner, but that was not a good thing.  I asked her if she had a website and she said, NO...strike number two.  She told me she has a MySpace page and gave me the address.  When I got home what I found on the paper was an e-mail address and when I went to MySpace, to see the work I would have to join, strike number three.  If I wanted to see more of her work I would have to get a MySpace account, I liked her work but not enough to go through that process.  It's disappointing because I believe her work is unique and I'd be inclined to buy a piece of work, but I don't want to work that hard.

Are you making potential buyers work too hard?  How can you ease the process so the hardest thing they have to do is write you a check?

        

As I move along the journey of my artistic life I'm encourage and compelled to continuously explore art forms that in the past were foreign to me.  I came to realize that when I was in school last fall and took a class with an amazing woman, facilitator, and most of all poet.  Her name is Kim Rosen, www.kimrosen.net, and she opened my eyes to the power of poetry.  Upon my return I began to delve more deeply into the world of the poet, not writing but memorizing the works of great poets like Mary Oliver.  That's why when driving one day, listening to NPR, I was so taken by the story of Craig Arnold.

If you're not a poet officianado you may not know Craig Arnold.  He was a poet and taught in the MFA program at the University of Wyoming in Laramie.  The story took on NPR began three days after Arnold's disappearance.  He had gone to Japan to go on a pilgrimage of the volcanic regions and didn't return one evening.  The Japanese set out search parties for three days and then the search effort was extended and still no sign of him.  It was a fleeting story on NPR but it stuck with me because of Arnold's dedication to his art.

Craig Arnold had been wared a Fulbright to Colombia and a US-Japan Creative Artists Exchange Fellowship.  The Japanese pilgrimage would have resulted in some very powerful work based on Arnold's previous poetry.  The reports I read in May report they found signs of where they believe Arnold probably fell down a ravine or off a cliff.  He died in search of his muse, can you imagine something as dramatic and tragic as dying at the hands of your muse?

If you read his work you'll see an enormous sense of depth and conviction.  I'm reading Made Flesh published in 2008 and it is proving to be an immensely provocative read.  To read that much passion is what I hope I see in the work of every artist, hear in the work of every musician and feel in the work of every dancer.  How will you translate that intensity into your own work?  Do you believe you're at that point in your artistic career?  What would you sacrifice in your life to stay true to your art and create the most powerful work ever imagined?

        

These times they are a changin'.  I've received numerous e-mails from artists over the past two months about relocating their studio space.  Overwhelmingly, the artists are moving their studios to their homes.  The economy has made it cost prohibitive for some artists to have a separate studio outside the home.  If it comes to paying the rent/mortgage or the studio I guess a roof over your head where you can eat/shower/sleep wins.

My studio has always been in my home, but my business (non-art) is also run out of my home so I've got working at home down to a science.  If you support yourself with your art and you're moving your studio to your home here are some things to consider to make the transition as painless as possible.

1.  Set regular studio time.  Having a structure will help you get in the studio on a regular basis.  It's very different than having to drive to the studio giving yourself the time and space to make a mental shift from the outside world to art.  Instead of the drive to the studio create a ritual that would symbolize going to the studio just like your drive was a ritual.  It was marking the home space from the studio space and giving you the room to make that internal shift...don't give up the transition time simply reinvent it.

2.  If you live with someone else and you weren't responsible for all the home tasks don't become responsible for them exclusively because you're the one who is home.  I found in the beginning that because I was home during the day that the grocery shopping, picking up the laundry, vet visits, and picking up library books were not my assignments.  Create good boundaries with your loved one and have them pretend that you are leaving the home.  Of course there will be exceptions and since you may have a bit more flexibility don't be a hard ass about what errands you will and won't do.   Your loved one needs to understand that you didn't become the maid/butler because you moved the studio to the house.

3.  Pretend the studio is still out of the house.  I say this because once you are living and working in the same space all boundaries of time get altered.  It's easy to walk in the studio at any time day or night much to the dismay of your loved one.  Ask yourself this question before abandoning your Significant Other for the studio..."If the studio were still outside the home would I be getting in the car and driving to the studio to do what I'm about to do".  The answer to that question will help keep peace and harmony in the home.

4.  If you are going to be showing art out of your home studio than make sure everyone in the home is aware so they can prepare themselves for the invasion/intrusion.  If you live alone then you're free to show at all hours of the day and night.  Remember, that you have to keep the place presentable...factor that in to your daily routine before you invite people to your home studio.

These are just some of the things to consider when transitioning your studio to your home.  If you have any other suggestions please pass them along.  Let's shorten the learning curve for everyone!

        

Last night I attended the monthly meeting of Front Range Contemporary Quilters (FRCQ), one of the leading textile art organizations in the country.  The speaker, Carol Krueger, was discussing critique groups and went through some specifics about forming a critique group, it's function, and proper critique group etiquette. 

At one point in Carol's presentation she was mentioned that some people use this group as a therapy group.  She also brought up that some groups have an enormous emotional undertone to their group.  I got to thinking about why do some quilt artists manifest these re-enactments of the old quilting bees.  During the presentation the woman sitting next to me asked if men have these difficulties in their critique groups.  My answer without hesitation was NOOOO!!!!  This brings up the next part of the analysis and that is we have to remember that women are relational accounting for how some of these critique groups are run.

I believe the critique group question is one of those things that someone could do an entire doctoral dissertation and probably still not come up with any clear conclusions.  Aside from the gender issue implied above I get lots of e-mails about the fact that certain mediums seem to be prone to "not playing nice in the sandbox".  Fear of competition leads some to think their knowledge is proprietary and the idea of sharing with another person in the same medium leads them to the conclusion that they are defeating their own hope for success.

This is what I believe.  I am a strong proponent of critique groups.  I believe that groups that have artists of different mediums are not only educational but very productive.  The idea of competition is removed from the meeting and that's always productive.  The key question is do you want to become a better artist and if the answer is yes then get the emotion out of the critique.  Remember that with any critique, jurying process or other judgment based decision it's subjective.  Your art won't WOW everyone all the time so know what you need and then go after it.  Scoping out a critique group is part of your professional development quest. 

There is a tendency for quilters or quilt artists or textile artists (your choice of nomenclature) to stay within the safe confines of their own fiber world.  Break out and see the art world beyond your barriers.  There really is an entire art world waiting for your to discover.  You'll be a better artist if you can accept the fact that fiber is not the only medium in the world.  I think it's this issue that keeps many quilt artists from becoming successful artists; they stay stuck in the old gender based, quilting bee mentality when the art world and textile art overall has far surpassed that model.

        

The last time I spoke about curating a show it was referring to indoor spaces.  This installment will focus on outdoor art venues because believe it or not you still have to curate your exhibit.  I'm very conscious of my surroundings whenever I attend an art event.  There are different things to consider when the art show is indoors vs. when it's outdoors, but one thing is constant...it has to look good.  I was in the food industry for years and the first thing you are taught is that "you taste with your eyes first", so the chefs made sure the plates looked great.  It's no different when people go to an art show, first impressions of the booth are a reflection of how you, the artist, wants to be seen and the reverence you have or don't have for your work.

The truth is that outdoor art shows are tiring and may not be very glamorous, but for some who do the circuit it's a majority of their income.  At the Art Mart sponsored by the Art Student's League of Denver, the artists are mostly those who teach or take classes at the league.  They range from newly emerging artist (still some remnants of caterpillar still sticking to them) to the highly accomplished artist who's local and is looking to utilize their regional fame to sell their work (very smart).  It's how the booth looks that is my focus for this installment. 

Some of the booths looked like the artist was at a garage sale.  I wouldn't mind it if the work was less than $20 but when you're selling work that's hundreds of dollars, please show a little effort.  Don't simply throw the paintings up on the wall because it will look like that's what you did.  If you know what work you're bringing to the show it's just as easy to draw up a guide before the show so you feel in control of the presentation.  Don't be afraid to bring things with you to make you space more inviting.  Remember it's a numbers game, the more people that come through your tent the greater your chance for a sale.  (the only time this is different is if you have very dedicated collectors and they wait for this event each year then numbers may not matter, to you) 

The artist with the best outdoor gallery was Stefan Geissbuhler, www.artthatsings.com.  He made his space inviting.  He brought a floor to lay in the tent, the artwork was curated in a way that showcased the art, and he himself was inviting.  He not only had his artwork but a book that he printed of his work and it was open for display.  He was engaging so you wanted to stay in the tent and examine his work.  It wasn't overcrowded with art allowing each of the works to stand out in their own way.  I applaud him for taking this event seriously and reinforcing the idea that artists are professionals...at least some are.

        

I ventured out early to get a jump start on the annual Art Mart at the Art Student's League of Denver.  It's an event that I enjoy because you get to see old favorites as well as new emerging artists.  My strategy for the Art Mart is to walk through the entire area taking notes of the places that I'm attracted too and then I return for more serious viewing.  I learned lots of lessons today about outdoor art shows that I'll share with you in the coming days, but the one that stands out for now is the sharing of booth space.

I don't know if artists share space to save on the cost or they want company or they don't have enough work to fill the booth, but overall sharing booths, at least how most were done here, is confusing.  Too many times the work is in such contrast to each other that it is distracting.  I went to a few booths where the two artist's works were do contentious to one another that I started to get a headache.

If you want to share a booth then shouldn't it be inviting?  There were a couple of booths that constructed a wall to divide the space.  Were they not speaking to one another, trying to create intimacy for their own work, or were they trying to add wall space to the already cramped and dark space?  I heard many negative comments about those booths and people just kept on walking by, so their strategy failed, they lost potential sales, and most of all the whole idea of getting your work out to the public was a bust.

This is certainly one of those "Don't let this happen to you moments".  It's a deal buster for the audience/buyer/collector and makes you the artist look unprofessional.  If you can't do it right then reconsider this venue or this type of outdoor festival because they're a lot of work and doing it poorly isn't worth your time, effort, energy or money!

        

This past weekend Denver held its annual La Piazza Chalk Art festival in Larimer Square.  La Piazza is not only an enjoyable weekend, but it serves a greater purpose...raising money for art education in the public schools.  The event draws big crowds as people get to come watch artists creating art, art that is temporary.  The artists come out and diligently work for two days creating masterpieces on the pavement.  Like the Tibetan Buddhist Sand Art, on Sunday evening, the art is washed away by the city to avoid accidents by motorists paying attention to the art instead of the road.  If you don't attend the event you won't see the art unless someone you know took pictures.

The event allows the public to see a sample of the artist ability and work.  I was surprised at how few artists had business cards, postcards, or any other information about how to contact them after the festival.  I picked up a few cards of those artists I'd like to follow-up with to see what artwork they have available for sale.  How many artists left money on the pavement by not having a way for the public to see more of their work.  I think art for art's sake is great, but if you're trying to make a living at it how do you want people to find you.  If you think the public will put a lot of effort into finding you then your narcissism is showing and it's not attractive.

One of Denver's in-the-know art guys, Eric Matelski was at the event.  Eric, the creator and host of the First Monday Artist talk, www.fmatdenver.com, was down on his knees like the other artists totally absorbed in his world of creativity.  You could see the joy pouring out of him as he worked on his masterpiece on his plot of pavement.  Fortunately the weather was on the side of the artists, in the past the pavement has reached 120 degrees so this year the artists were lucky.

I also applaud the business community for supporting this event.  The business community sponsors the event and gets an artists to represent them at La Piazza.  It's a great way for artists to create partnerships with them and hopefully develop an artist/collector relationships.  Also businesses know lots of people and that can be a great stream of traffic as you show your work around town.  As an artist cultivate these relationships and don't underestimate the power of building strong relationships.

        

It's not unusual for me to take a couple of minutes on Monday morning to reflect on the shows I've seen and the lessons I've learned from attending those shows.  I consider the "best practices" artists exhibit on both the business side of the art and the creative side of the art business.  One of the questions to consider is "where and when are you sabotaging yourself?"  I know that I'm adding one more task to your laundry list of skills, but if you're not showing in a venue that has a curator; it's important that you know how to curate a show. 

I'm concerned when artists begin a new body of work that is a tangent to their most recent work or a style they are known for in the community.  If you want to show new work then do just that and keep the older stuff out of the mix.  If you are showing new work and older work that don't connect you begin to confuse your audience.  You play tug-o-war with their hearts and their minds.  There's nothing wrong in fact I encourage creative growth, but there should be a clean delineation between the two bodies of work. 

If you are exposing the community to your new work allow us to see the new work without comparison.  If both bodies of work are present you force us to begin making a choice.  If the choice is "I like the old style better" then you lose me as a collector/fan.  If you only show the new work then I get to, without comparison, experience your new point of view.  I had time to cleanse my artistic palette giving you and the new work a fighting chance for appreciation and even falling in love with your work all over again.

There are enough obstacles without creating new ones.  Learning to curate a show will allow you to develop a new skill and sharpen your artistic eye.  You begin to think differently because flow begins to be the key word and that engages the viewer hopefully moving them closer to your work.  Continuing to grow as an artist can only help you create a successful and sustainable art business.  Who wouldn't want that?

        

I find it interesting that the question emerging artists are most likely to ask when they consult with me is "How do I get my work in a gallery?"  I think it's an incredibly naive question for multiple reasons.  These young or career transitioning individuals don't necessarily understand the intricacies of working with a gallery.  They believe because they create beautiful art a gallery should want to show it.  Artists need to remember first and foremost that galleries are businesses.  The gallery owners understand that and if we could get more artists to understand that how artists approach their businesses would be easier and more fruitful.

If you haven't read Stephen Covey's "7 Habits of Highly Effective People" then you may not know or understand the principle that states, each and every relationship must be a win-win situation.  We know what the gallery has to offer you, but what do you have to offer them and don't say your art...that's just selfish. 

There is a tendency to put the cart before the horse and then we wonder why emerging artists become overwhelmed, is it really a surprise or is deluding yourself a license to wallow in self-pity.  It's crucial that you create order out of chaos.  Engage in a reality check.  There's a reason that people say, first things first.  Once you do your homework on everything from pricing your work, market research, create a cohesive body of work and develop your story then you can think beyond the foundation principles.  If you worry about going door-to-door hoping to speak to gallery directors then all you're doing is avoiding the work that must take precedence. 

Too many emerging artists live in the world of "what if" and set their wheels in motion based on the illusory vision of their own importance.  I'm finding an increase in emerging artists who are getting their ducks in a row and I assure you they will win.  They are the artists who will be able to hang in there for the long term and reap the rewards of preparing; supposedly it works for the Boy Scouts...why wouldn't it work for you?

        

In the past three weeks I've heard numerous people discuss the importance of critique groups.  The big question to ask yourself is do you know what you want and need from a critique group?  Are you ready for a critique group (how thick is your skin)?  How open are you to advice from others?

The critique group is an invaluable tool for artists.  It can be a community that provides support, networking and an objective view of your work.  It's the place where you can bring your work if you're stuck with a piece and want to get over the hump.  The critique group is also a place where you can learn about new techniques, new tools, and exhibition opportunities.  The trouble with critique groups is that I don't believe most know what they're getting themselves into when attending such a group.

I'm a textile artist and critique groups have been around since the dawn of time.  The model in the textile art community is a group approximately 10-12 people.  The group meets once a month and it is not an option since the groups are closed...it's an expectation.  It's part of the social contract when joining such a group.  Over time groups gel and become a cohesive group.  Many critique groups go on to submit their work as a group show to various venues.

The other model is a drop-in critique group.  In my opinion, I believe that drop-in groups have their place, but for many artists can be a dangerous place.  Members in a drop-in group don't have a history so what may be said as constructive criticism could be misconstrued.  If you don't know the history of an artist's work do you know if the work builds or is the artist stagnant?  What's the trust level in the group?  If you, the artist, are looking for a hit and run opportunity just to get a reaction to the work this is a great model.  My  hope is that the organizer of a drop-in group has clear boundaries for the types of feedback the artist will receive and the organizer who then must become a facilitator has the balls to intervene if the feedback is crossing the line.

It's obvious which side of the issue I fall on because I've experienced both models.  The idea of meeting regularly with the same group of people instills a sense of community.  It makes you accountable to continue creating work.  Having a supportive network will open you up to experimenting and that can lead to enormous opportunities and creative breakthroughs.  I know groups who have been meeting for over twenty years...that's incredible.

Do you belong to a critique group?  Is it a closed or open group?  What do you like about the type of group you belong to?  I'd love to hear your experience.