Artist as Entrepreneur Program for Visual Artists

Upcoming Event for Artists
American University Museum at the Katzen Arts Center

Artist as Entrepreneur Program for Visual Artists
May 18 & 19, 10-4PM 

Applications are now open for this professional development program, presented by New York Foundation for the Arts (NYFA), in partnership with Alper Initiative for Washington Art at the American University Museum, and provided to selected participants free of charge through the support of the Stephen & Palmina Pace Foundation. 

Open to visual artists (painting, photography, sculpture and installation, ceramics, folk art and traditional, craft, printmaking, drawing and book arts, performance art, film, video and new media) the program has been customized to fit the needs artists in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. 

The Artist as Entrepreneur Program offers the fundamental principles of sustainability—and ultimately profitability—in the arts. This includes topics such as strategic planning, finance, and marketing. Additional material is drawn from NYFA’s popular textbook, The Profitable Artist (Allworth Press, 2018), now in its second edition. Participants have access to flexible and dynamic entrepreneurial tools such as the “Artists Action Plan” and Business Model Canvas (BMC) that provide a blueprint for your practice or specific projects. The structure is a blend of formal lectures and breakout groups, designed to build community among the participants and encourage ongoing dialogue, collaborations and support. 

Artists of all career stages, including students, are encouraged to apply through this Submittable link. Participants will be selected through a panel review process. Please view the required application materials. Application deadline is April 17, 2019. 

Booth at AAFNYC

Our booth at the Spring Affordable Art Fair in New York - booth B4 with work by Matthew Langley, Alexei Tereynin and me!

The Dynamics of Buying a Work of Art

An oldie... but always a goodie:

The Dynamics of Buying a Work of Art

After setting up hundreds of art shows in galleries over the years, and dealing with both novice and experienced collectors, I am sometimes still amused by the dynamics that go into the decision to buy (or more often than not pass) a piece of art.

And I have detected a pattern most easily seen at an art fair.

Put together a few thousand people, paying an entry fee to enter the fair, an assortment of dealers, and a huge diverse variety of offerings and it’s an education in people watching.

The married couple: 
“Do you like it?”
“Yeah, I like it- it’s just what we’ve been looking for.”
“Where would we put it?”
“We have a couple of spots that it’d fit.”
“Do you really like it.”
“Yeah, how about you?”
“Yeah, I kinda of like it.”
“Should we get it?”
“If you want it.”
(five minutes later)
“Let’s think about it.”
“OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”

The couple (not married):
Her: “Do you like it?”
Him: “Sssoright”
Her: “Where would we put it?”
Him: “Dunno.”
Her: “Do you really like it.”
Him: “So’OK.. Yeah, how about you?”
Her: “Yeah, I kinda, sorta, really like it.”
Him: “Dunno though”
Her: “What? You don’t like it?”
Him: “If you want it.”
(five minutes later)
Him: “Let’s think about it.”
Her or Him: “OK” [To me] “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Woman (SW) with a Woman Friend:
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!”
Friend: “Yeah… it’s nice”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!”
Friend: “I have a friend who does work just like this…”
SW: “I am really drawn to it!”
Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… why? Don’t you like it?”
Friend: “Yeah… it’s OK”
SW: “I think it’s really good… I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.”
Friend: “There’s a few more booths we haven’t seen.”
SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.”
Friend: “Are you sure?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… It’s a good price too…. why? Don’t you like it?”
(five minutes later)
SW: “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Woman (SW) with a Man Friend:
SW: “WOW! Now, I really like this!”
Friend: “Yeah… Cool”
SW: “It’s exactly what I’ve been looking for!”
Friend: “I think it’s a lithograph” [it's actually a charcoal]
SW: “I am really drawn to it!”
Friend: “Are you really sure you like it?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… why? Don’t you like it?”
Friend: “I have something like it… I got it cheaper though…”
SW: “I think it’s really good… I think it’s the first piece in this whole show that I really like.”
Friend: “You like lithographs?”
SW: “I think I’m going to buy this.”
Friend: “Are you sure?”
SW: “Uh - yeah!… It’s a good price too…. why? Don’t you like it?”
(five minutes later)
SW: “Do you have a business card?”

The Single Focus Dream Buyer:
[Walks straight up to one piece, never looks at the rest of the work in your booth]
“I’ll take this”
[Me] “Thank you… it’s a very striking charcoal drawing - will be that be a check or charge?”
“Charge”
[Me] “I can send you more information on this artist…”
“That will be great - I love this work - it’s exactly what I’m interested in!”
[Me] “I have a few more pieces here, would you like to see them?”
“No, thanks…”

The “I’m glad you’re here guy (IGYHG)”:
IGYHG: “Hey! I’ve been looking for you!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you?”
IGYHG: “… been walking this whole fair looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
IGYHG: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
IGYHG: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!”
[three minutes later]
IGYHG: “Well… I’m glad you’re here… see ya next year!”

The “I Shudda Bought It Last Year Guy (Shudda)”:
Shudda: “Hey! You’re here again!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah… It’s our 7th year here…”
Shudda: “… been walking this whole fair looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
Shudda: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
Shudda: “Well, let me look at what you’ve got!”
[three minutes later]
Shudda: “Where’s that really good watercolor of the fill-in-the-blank?”
[Me]: “Uh… I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.”
Shudda: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?”
[Me]: “Well, no… it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have —”
Shudda: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too…”
[Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work…”
Shudda: “I shudda bought it last year”
[Walks away]
Shudda: “You gonna be here next year?”

The “Where’s That Piece Guy (WTP)”:
WTP: “Hey! You’re here again!”
[Me]: “Hi, how are you? Yeah… It’s our 7th year here…”
WTP: “… been walking this whole fair specifically looking for you!”
[Me]: “Yeah… lots of dealers this year… glad you found us!”
WTP: “Howsa been goin’?”
[Me]: “Yes… quite good actually…”
WTP: “OK… last year I saw this piece… it was a fill-in-the-bank and I should have bought it then! “
[Me]: “Yeah… that is a nice piece.”
WTP: “I’ve been thinking about it for a whole year”
[Looks around the booth and doesn't see it]
WTP: “Do you still have it?”
[From here there are two paths...]
Path One -
[Me]: “Uh… I sold it last year - but I have a few more pieces by that artist.”
WTP: “Ah! - I really wanted that one! Do you have another one?”
[Me]: “Well, no… it was an original watercolor, and I sold it; but I have —”
WTP: “I really wanted that piece; and it was a good price too…”
[Me]: “Maybe you’d like some of his new work…”
WTP: “I shudda bought it last year”
[Walks away]
WTP: “You gonna be here next year?”
Path Two
[Me]: “Let me get it for you… I have it in the back!”
WTP: “Great”
[I bring it out and give to WTP]
WTP: “Yeah this is it! It’s great!”
[Me]: “This artist has done really well this last year and —”
WTP: [Handing it back] “Excellent! I’m glad you still have it… until what time are you going to be here?”

How to sign your artwork

Years after I wrote this, it is still a pet peeve of mine...

Read my advice here.

MSAC Seeking Panelists for Public Art Project Grant Program

The Maryland State Arts Council is seeking panelists to review Public Art Project grant applications for the 2019 fiscal year. The Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) relies on a diverse array of arts experts from the field to do the important work of evaluating grant applications submitted by Maryland arts organizations and arts programs. Panelists review grant applications online, and meet in spring for the Grants Review Panel Meeting. Serving as a panelist is a great opportunity to learn about Maryland arts organizations and the granting processes of the Maryland State Arts Council. Panelist application forms are due, Friday, April 19, 2019. Please apply here.

The Maryland State Arts Council has committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in grantmaking as all funding mechanisms continue to be examined and updated. The design of the Public Art Across Maryland Grant application is meant to inspire authentic reflection and internal analysis for each applicant, with the knowledge that the Maryland State Arts Council is to be seen and utilized as a collaborative partner in the process. 

After applications have been reviewed, panelists are appointed by the Maryland State Arts Council for a one-year term, which may be renewed, and receive a modest honorarium and travel reimbursement for serving.

The Maryland State Arts Council uses Google products for all panelist activities. Applicants must have a Gmail account to apply. You may establish a Gmail account here.

Two new exhibits at Howard County Arts Council

The Howard County Arts Council is pleased to announce two new exhibits, opening on May 3, 2019: Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2019 and No Boundaries.                                                                                                   

In its 35th year at the Arts Council, Resident Visual Artists Exhibit 2019 features recent work created by artists with studios at the Center for the Arts: James Adkins, Joan Bevelaqua, Han Jeon, Myungsook Ryu Kim, Art Landerman, Diana Marta, Brendan Nass, Joyce Ritter, Jereme Scott, Alice St. Germain-Gray, Andrei Trach, Jamie Travers, Mary Jo Tydlacka, and David Zuccarini. The artists work in a variety of media including oil and watercolor painting, drawing, fiber art, and glass bead-making. 

In partnership with Howard County Recreation and Parks’ Department of Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services, No Boundaries showcases work by youth and adult artists with developmental disabilities, created in the Exploring Art and Focus on Art programs offered by the Department of Therapeutic Recreation and Inclusion Services. In these programs, youth and adults with developmental disabilities have the opportunity to explore a variety of media, styles, and methods of creating art. 

A free public reception will be held on Friday, May 10 from 6–8pm. The Arts Council’s resident artists will also open their studios to visitors from 7–8pm that evening. Both exhibits run through June 14, 2019. 

Gallery hours are Monday through Friday 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., and Sunday 12 - 4 p.m. The Galleries are closed for Memorial Day on Monday, May 27, 2019. For more information about Howard County Arts Council programs and exhibits, call 410-313-ARTS (2787) or visit hocoarts.org.

TFA Emerging Artist Fellowship Call for Entries is Open

Apply here