At a Crossroads

Many of you don't know this about me, but for the past 13 years I worked part-time in the DC area in a completely different field. I called it the "other job." Countless times I watched my kids all day then pulled a 10 hour night-shift. I was like Jekyll and Hyde working two jobs: one as an analyst, the other as an artist. This week I finally quit the "other job."

For the past year and a half I was on sabbatical from the "other job." In fact, every time I had a child (three!), I was able to take 6 months to a year off. During those times, I focused on my family while also painting my tail off. At some point during this time in and out of the office, my studio practice took off. So why did it take so long to quit the "other job"?! I can't tell you how many times I told friends and families that I was done working nights, and how many times they asked me if I was going back. The "other job" was the definition of a safety net. Most people would die to have a stable and flexible job like I had. It gave me the ability to slowly become a full-time artist, without the complete pressure of failure. I finally told myself that if I didn't quit now, I never would. I've sold almost 80 paintings this year and have been able to pay for my kid's school, groceries, and activities, but the fear of not knowing what the future holds or if people would continue to support my art kept me uncertain. I feared the unknown.

I'm incredibly grateful for the "other job", and although it wasn't a perfect fit for me, it is where I met my husband, where I learned how to write, and where I learned how to be professional. I learned new tradecraft that had been completely foreign to me, and I was afforded the financial ability to maintain a studio space for the past 13 years.

This week was huge because I finally found the courage to resign. I was at a crossroads, my sabbatical was set to end in November and it was now or never. I knew this day would eventually come where a decision would need to be made and I prayed that I would be freely capable of making it from a financially sound and non-emotional standpoint.

My message to young artists is this: don't lose hope if you need another job, even if it is for a decade. You will learn new things you wouldn't have otherwise. As long as you consistently work on your art with passion and patience while continually planing for the future, you can realize your dreams too.

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When it's too Good to be True

Last spring I was approached by a relatively well known interiors catalogue from the east coast to sell limited edition prints of my work. At the time, none of my current work was available to be sold as limited editions because I had a previously standing contract with a fine art publisher and/or the work had previously been released as open editions and was therefore disqualified. However, we agreed via email that I would work on a new collection over the summer that could be released in their fall catalogue. They needed at least 10 images before they could sign me, but they agreed that they would give me feedback over the summer and we could work on this together. They showed enough interest that I was comfortable in doing a new series with them in mind, because at the very least, I was certain that this type of work was popular with my collector base and could sell as originals. It was almost too good to be true! I began sending them a few of the images for feedback. They directed me to do more sea grasses, lighthouses, and simple florals. They were currently working with another artist that specialized in waves. I continued working on this new series over the summer. I sent them new pieces in early July with no response and again in late August with no response. Finally I directly requested a response. I assumed that the fall catalogue would be released soon and out of respect I at least deserved an answer, even if my work wasn't exactly what they were looking for. Finally I heard what I suspected was coming, that they had already released the fall catalogue and went with other artists. They had released the catalogue without respectfully telling me in advance that they chose other artists. They had admittedly overextended themselves.

I'm writing about this experience as a warning to other artists that we should never do work for a company without first having something contractual in writing. This situation had never happened to me before, and because I trust in other people's word, unfortunately I believe I was taken advantage of. I also believe that they solicited too many artists into this project and hopefully learned from their mistake. I'm also certain that the artist they signed who specialized in waves probably had a different experience. My message to the businesses out there is to respect us artists, and my message for us artists is not to be starry-eyed when being solicited by big name companies. The more of us who demand contracts prior to work commences, the better we are all off.

What are your thoughts? Has anyone else had a similar experience?

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Instagram Growth for Artists

I've recently been asked how I grew my instagram following to over 28K in just over two years so I wanted to spread the love and help some of you creative types who may just be starting out on the platform. I believe that sharing always brings good karma, and since I've benefited so much from this amazingly supportive community I wanted to share some of my tools with you.

1. Post every day! This is so important! You want people to get to know you and your artwork, so be sure to post every day. Instagram is paramount in marketing art on social media, so use it to your advantage. Post a variety of content including detail shots, studio scenes, shots of your work in a gallery or in a collector's home, process videos, photos of what inspires you, photos of your favorite places. If you're going on vacation, stockpile your images in advance and plan your posts so you won't be disrupted while relaxing. Try to keep all of your content related to your creative niche. For example, if you're a painter, don't post about your latest cooking endeavor or your kids playing soccer because it creates confusion. Sure it's ok to share what is important to you so your followers can know you from a different perspective, but you also want your account to be professional and concise. It's a delicate balance, but I recommend creating a separate account for your family life so you can preserve those memories while maintaining your privacy. Also try to share what is inspiring and what will connect you to others. Of course not every day is roses and sunshine, but nobody wants to follow someone who constantly complains about the difficulties of being an artist. It's ok to post when you're having a bad day because instagram is one of the best places to find support, but be mindful how often that happens. Try to minimize your posts to once or twice daily so you don't over-saturate anyone's feeds.

2. Have a clear profile. Be sure to use a profile name that is clear, concise, and easy to remember. Why not try to use your given name? Make sure you list your city in your profile so collectors will know if they can expect to pay for shipping. Also set your account to public so potential collectors can find you.

3. Be genuine and consistent. What makes your work unique? Write down words that people use to describe your work and how you would describe it including styles, subjects, and mediums. Narrow down your findings and focus on the top three results. I believe my work is unique because it is focused on texture and color, therefore I use those as common elements for all of my posts. Perhaps your work is unique because of your unique medium or social message. Whatever it is, make sure collectors and followers have a clear idea of who you are and always remain genuine to yourself.

4. Hashtag away! Don't be shy about posting at least 25 hashtags in your comments. This is how people will find and follow you, so use it to your advantage! Post a variety of hashtags from different topics. For example:

-Art Hashtags: #painting, #art, #artoftheday

-Geographic-based Hashtags: #acreativedc, #dcarts, #washingtondc

-Design-related Hashtags: #interiorinspo, #interiorstyle, #designlife, #interiordesign

Try to switch up your hashtags daily so new people will continue to discover your work through different channels. Use a mix of more popular and wide-ranging hashtags like #painting or #artdaily along with some very specific hashtags like #womenartists, #southernartists, #thickpaint. Also brainstorm a new hashtag that is unique to your work. People can use this to easily find your work and it will continue to help with brand recognition. Some examples of mine are: #annmariecoolick, #GoSnapArt, or #avisualdelicacy. You can ask your followers to post using the hashtag and you can repost some of the best to your own feed or on your stories. Your followers will feel more invested in your content and will want to participate more.

5. Start a community on instagram. Networking with fellow artists both on-and-offline is a win-win. Many times artists are turning down shows or pop-ups due to scheduling conflicts and such, so why not start a mini-community of artist friends to share info and opportunities? Last year I started the East Coast Art Collective as a way to network and host joint studio sales through our platform on instagram. It's a fantastic way to leverage the power of everyone's combined following. These mini-communities are also a great way to mutually support one another by commenting and liking on each other's work.

6. Feed the machine. Follow other creative accounts on instagram and be a good instafriend. Comment on other's work, follow them, be supportive, and try to become real-life-friends if/when you can. They will in turn support you back, and if they don't reciprocate, don't be afraid to unfollow. Also set an advertising budget and advertise on big accounts when you can. I try to advertise on other accounts every 3-4 months. Some accounts will suggest some of your pieces that might fit in with their feed, but if you know what piece has generated the most likes and comments on your own page, then it could possibly do even better on a larger page so don't be afraid to speak up. Some good accounts to advertise on are @ratedmodernart and @popcultureinpictures (this is not a sponsored advertisement).

7. Create a sense of urgency. Growing a following takes time and daily commitment, but you also need to make sales. Creating a sense of urgency may be just what you need to give a boost during slow periods. Many artists accomplish this through "painting releases." Personally I like to work on a wide variety of pieces at a time so this model does not work for me. You can also host flash sales where your work is a certain percentage off, but limit your sales because you don't want buyers to just keep waiting for the next sale. You also don't want to give the impression that you can't sell your work at full price. Also remember that just because your work hasn't sold in over a year doesn't mean it never will. Sometimes it takes a couple years to find the perfect collector, so definitely don't paint over your work unless you really don't like it anymore. It's also important to look back on what you've created over long periods of time to see your growth.

8. Use your best photos. I've seen so many wonderful artists on instagram who can't take a good photo. Use natural lighting any chance you can and always photograph your work during the day when the lighting is good. I usually photograph outside on cloudy days and then edit in photoshop. You can also reach out to local photographers who may be interested in swapping a piece of work for a photo shoot. It's also great to see posts of the real you in your messy paint-covered shirt, so get yourself a tripod or improvise a setup with your phone.

9. List your work for sale! Make sure your profile is linked to your website and always list your prices. Nothing is more irritating than seeing a button that says "inquire to purchase." This exudes an air of snobbery and also discourages potential clients from asking about the price because they might be embarrassed that it could be out of their range. Why not avoid all that discomfort and list the prices up front?

10. Collaborate! There are so many ways to gain exposure through collaborating. You can collaborate on a joint piece of artwork or simply exchange posts with another artist. Recently I collaborated with a woodworker for some custom frames, a local photographer for some great in-work shots, and hung a few pieces in a local high-end shop.

What have you learned about marketing your art specifically on instagram? Please share!

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