By Sandra Cooper
Sandra
Cooper, a Graduate Gemologist, is a
co-founder of Abbott Kinney Art Gallery in
Venice, CA. Sandra began drawing and
designing jewelry in 1986, then transitioned
to painting. She currently sits on the Board
of Directors of Malibu Art Association, Inc.
She has been consulting beginning artists
regarding all aspects of art and marketing
since 1994. In ‘sharing her mistakes’,
Sandra provides others with an invaluable
learning curve.
www.ArtForEwe.com
Art is not like competing in sports when the
crowd is there and your fans are cheering
you on. Most often the creation takes place
in a solitary studio. Art can be a passion,
a way to cope, an escape from what you don’t
what to face or the most fun you have all
day.
I am a spurter. Yep! I just made up a new
word. I work in spurts. When I am “on”, I am
really on. When I’m not, there is nothing,
not one thing, I can do to get those
creative juices flowing, but when I am
spurting, I can’t stop the creativity from
pouring out.
When the spurting stops, not to worry!
That is when my marketing side kicks into
gear, and so can yours. Unless you have an
art rep willing to make those marketing
calls or send out query letters and emails
for you, it is up to you to make “it” all
happen – to make contact.
As artists, we know how to take rejection.
But all too often we don’t know how to
promote ourselves. If we can’t tell the
world how fabulous we are, who will? That is
why I would like to refer you to one of the
most valuable books I have ever read:
Interview Tactics. Author Gayl Murphy shows
us with example after example of how we can
sell and promote by using the right words.
Don’t let the title of her book throw you.
After a day spent reading and actively
plunging yourself into her workbook, you
will be able to come in contact with anyone
willing to listen. You will have your game
on, I promise. Murphy’s book explains “If
You Can’t Tell It, You Can’t Sell It”;
helpful for those artists who enjoy their
solitude.
The link to this must read book is:
http://www.InterviewTactics.com. Believe
me, after reading this book, you will be up
to the task of making contact; of marketing
yourself during your downtime – when you are
not creating or in my case - spurting.
Publications, whether print or e-zines, are
like machines that need to be feed. They
need your event information as much as you
want it publicized. A tiny sampling of
“where” to make contact is ArtScene
(artscene@artscenecal.com). It costs to
post, but is free to receive. Once you are
on their email list, the pop-ups begin. They
include listings for shows and ‘all calls’.
For you newbees – ‘all calls’ (are
invitations to exhibit your work) allow you
the opportunity to be juried into
exhibitions that you would not normally know
about.
Another So Cal internet “contact” is
http://atelierzero.com/event.html. Here
you can post your event or read about others
and this one is free. Another free contact
in your new contact sport of marketing is:
http://www.artslant.com/la. Additional
sites for you to look at include:
http://www.danielakart.com/events.html;
network_update@flavorpill.net; also check
out
www.culturaleventsinlosangeles.com –
below is the direct link to their Events
site:
http://www.culturaleventsinlosangeles.com/CulturalEventsInLosAngelesCommunity.htm.
There are too many to list here, but they
are all out there WAITING to include YOUR
event info.
Aligning yourself with the charity of your
choice is another excellent way to promote
your art and help provide a wonderful
service. This is an article in itself so I
will just leave you with that thought for
now.
There are generally local art groups in your
area. Malibu Art Association, Inc., Women
Painters West and Long Beach Arts are just a
few. These groups provide a myriad of
opportunities from showing your ‘art in
public places’, to offering a page of your
own on their website. For those artists
without your own websites, this is an
excellent first step. This can save the
startup artist A LOT of money, while
providing you with your own website
‘presence’. If you do have a website, links
back to your site are provided, all a very
low cost.
Local newspapers and print magazines provide
excellent opportunities to advertise events
in the Calendar Section. Larger publications
like LA Confidential also have calendar
sections. For these publications you will
need their lead time (the amount of time you
need to get your Press Release to them);
usually up to up to three months.
Don’t worry about writing a fluffy press
release (this is NOT an Artists Statement).
Most publications whether print or e-zines,
only have room for the facts. You don’t need
a PR person to tell you when your next
exhibition is scheduled. You have these
facts; YOU can play this contact sport! Now
get in the game!
During my down time, and through my efforts
of marketing, I played my own contact sport.
I am now on the playing field and the walls
of NOHO Gallery LA. I invite you to
stop by and see the July exhibition,
Visions. The opening reception will be
held on Wednesday, July 16, 2008, at the
Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim
Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601, phone 818
761-7784;
www.nohogalleryla.com
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