My #30edits series is on display! Less than a month after finishing, I get to share this fun project with my community. It will be on display at the Art in the Valley Gallery through March 5. Reception is Thursday, February 18, 4-8pm during the Corvallis Arts Walk. I hope you will stop by.
It is always fun to get my work into the world, but I won’t deny, it takes a lot of work and advance planning. Getting your art into the world is not just a matter of creating and framing the artwork. It takes effort to seek out opportunities to share the art, apply for them, prepare for them, create required marketing materials (artist statement, show statement, bio), and promote the exhibition/event/fair/workshop/book through my channels (blog, social media, newsletter). And you can’t do this one time and call it good. You have to do it constantly.
Honestly, I think one of the most important skills required to be a successful artist (if you define “successful” as getting your art out into the world) is the “advance planning” piece. At least it is for me, with a full time corporate job and a teenager in high school, I’m always looking at my calendar… To next week, to see what art events I can squeeze in to build my network. To next month to see what I need to prepare, and what time I have to prepare it in. To a couple months out, to see what’s coming that requires a longer lead time. To six or eight months out, to see what I want to have on my calendar, what I need to apply for. This doesn’t happen by magic. It happens by intention.
And I don’t do enough. I can see, if I spent MORE time on this advance planning piece, I could have even more opportunities to share my work. I limit my options by the time I’m willing and able to spend.
I hope, if you are an artist who wants to share your work, this doesn’t discourage you. I hope, instead, it encourages you. You have a lot of power in creating opportunities to share your art. It starts by looking at the future, and planning ahead.
I agree..A couple of years ago, just after I retired from my full time job, I put in a good amount of time promoting my photography work.. I put together a web site-portfolio, I applied to various galleries- shows in my area..These efforts took more time than my face to face interactions with people in the art world..With these efforts I sold some work, I had fun participating in the Houston Art- Photography crawl, and went to parties at galleries where my work was on display..After spending the past year or so caring for a sick family member which took me out of town for long stretches, I am now ready to get back into promoting my art 🙂
I’m glad that your situation has changed and you are ready to get back into it! Thanks for sharing your story and confirming your experience is similar. It’s nice to know that we have a big part in our success. Like anything, you get out what you put into it!