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A HIGHLY INFORMATIVE ONLINE MAGAZINE DEDICATED TO THE ARTIST AND THE ART LOVERIf you like this site then Recommend It!
ART FACTS
A CAREER IN THE FINE ARTS: Taking Those First Steps
By: Robert K. Roark
There will be a break this month from my ongoing series of articles on private commissions. I would like to take this time to address the many questions and comments I have received from artists around the world concerning their difficulties in starting up a career in the fine arts. As everyone should know by now, there is no surefire, guaranteed formula for "success". Indeed, there are probably no two people available who could even agree on what really constitutes success. However, rather than becoming mired in philosophical debate, perhaps I can pass along a few practical suggestions that will be of some help to the "general" artist population.
Becoming a professional artists is much like starting up any business. The product you are trying to sell is your artwork and the steps you must take in order to sell this product are quiet similar to those you would take to sell cereal, t-shirts or expensive sports cars.
With that in mind, be prepared to spend (or invest, if you will) some money (or capital) in your budding career. Typically, some of the things you might invest in are: business cards, 35mm slides of your artwork, brochures on yourself, a letterhead, quality framing, a listing in your local telephone directory, and you other promotional items that you may think of.
Placing images of your work on a website can be considered a form of advertising and has the potential for being a effective sales technique. Of course, like all advertising efforts, the more professional-looking and eye-catching the website is, the more likely you are to elicit a response. The Internet, like the brick-and-mortar world, is fiercely competitive, and you must find some way (capital investment, if you get my drift) to set your images apart and above the millions of other images swarming through the ether. Advertising on and selling over the Internet is a subject unto itself and I plan to cover that aspect of the business in some detail in future articles. So stay tuned!
One of the least expensive and most effective ways to promote your art is simply to place it in a fine gallery and let the gallery sell it for you. No doubt, finding the gallery that is exactly right for you can be time-consuming and fraught with frustration. For more information on this particular approach review my articles on the gallery-artist relationship.
Entering your creations in various exhibitions can gain you wide exposure, especially if you should win a prize or award. Look for advertised shows and competitions and enter as many as you can. This may involve packing and shipping the actual artwork (more capital!) or sending slides (and more capital!!), but it's an investment in time and money that can pay off in future. If you do plan to become involved in competitive exhibitions, avoid shows that are directed primarily toward non-professional artists.
If you are an artist who wants to sell your own work (and many artists do, usually under the misconception that they can avoid the gallery commission and keep all the loot for themselves), I would suggest placing attractive ads in the various publications ("American Art Review", for example) that target the art-buying market. Additionally, you will need a toll-free telephone number, fax number, e-mail address and buffo personal web-site wouldn't hurt. Also, an elegantly understated showroom for your work is a must for bringing in interested buyers. There are lots of other steps "independent" artists can take to sell their own work and these will be addressed in upcoming discussions. Good luck!
Getting started in this or any other business is no easy task. Each artist must decide how much time, energy and money is to be invested. Having the necessary investment capital at hand and even knowing the "right" people can be a big help, of that there is no doubt. However, for those who are looking at the long term possibilities of a career in the arts, patience, perspicacity and perseverance will serve you far better. Throw in an outstanding product, some creative thinking and a little bit of luck and you should be on your way!
Next month I will continue discussing the pros and cons of the private commission and the actual mechanics of creating a privately commissioned painting from start to finish. Please e-mail any questions and/or comments you may have and I will do my best to cover them in the coming months.
Thanks and Happy New Year!
E-mail Mr. Roark your ideas for topics, comments or questions: hostmaster@artisticforum.com For information on commissions by Mr. Roark, please contact his gallery, Winstanley-Roark Fine Arts, 2759 Main Street, Brewster, MA 02631, Tel: (508) 896-1948 or (800) 828-7217, E-Mail: wrfa@masterfulart.com.
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