WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
A few years ago I found an article titled “I wanted to become an artist, so I quit my job and became one” by Christopher Fife on the New York City Foundation for the Arts site. I was a recent graduate when I found this article and I thought that this article offered a good perspective on maintaining balance between practice, work and life. I feel that many of us go through this tough debate in our head and struggle to come to a working balance.
After leaving Queen’s and heading off into the world I was faced with a choice- Do I get a “real” job and paint from time to time OR do I devote myself fully to being an artist?
Unfortunately due to crippling OSAP debt it wasn’t a hard choice … I needed a full time job and art would just have to come second. So I got a full time job at Oeno Gallery and although my job at the gallery was great and gave me many opportunities to stay connected with the art world I was not content because I was hardly making any work.
So last December I quit my job at the gallery and committed myself fully to Spark Box- the business Kyle and I opened together with the hopes we could make our own work and support others who wanted to do the same.
Over the past year Kyle and I have talked with many artist (friends, residents and open studio members) about the life of the artist and the trials and tribulations associated to our careers. Most of these conversations centered around the same theme- money vs. passion.
One resident Susan Gardiner Bourlier went to school for architecture. After she finished school she took on a good job at a good firm and was making decent money. The only problem was she wasn’t really happy. She knew that her heart wasn’t in the business and that she really wanted to be a painter. Much like myself she seemed to have what every post grad wanted … a good job in the field they went to school in. But, also like myself, her heart wasn’t in it. So she quit her job and has now devoted her life to being a painter. She said “I guess I had to pick happiness over money”.
Although her statement seemed harsh it raised a good point that many new artists don’t like to think about, which is that being an artists requires you to reassess your priorities in life. These priorities can be different for everyone, for some it is being ok with loosing a bi-weekly pay cheque, for others it is losing social time in order to paint after work and for some it is knowing that you aren’t going to have a multi-million dollar life style. I do believe artists can make money at their work, you have work really hard for it to be lucrative but it is an actual possibility.
I suppose all I am trying to say is that when you pick art as your career your life will change and even though those changes will be hard it is worth it!
For more information on getting started as a professional artist check out our Emerging Artist Guide.
GO ORIGINAL!
The May 2010 issue of Moneysense magazine has a great article about buying art and how great it is!
The article explains to its readers how its time for everyone to take down their Michael Jordon dunk shot posters and framed Monet prints and put up some original art! Understanding that this can be an intimidating experience for many people writer Mark Anderson walks virgin art buyers through the process of selecting the best artwork for their home.
Anderson explains that you should buy what you love. Art can’t always be about investment, let’s face it the market is just too unpredictable. “Don’t buy what other people tell you to,” says Peter Simpson, arts editor of the Ottawa Citizen and avid art collector. Buying art that you love means you are going to be happy everyday you wake up to it.
The article tells art buyers to avoid hesitation. He who hesitates looses out! The thing about original art is that… well… it’s original! If you like something chances are so will a lot of other people and there is only one, so jump on it!
Anderson then demystifies the gallery experience. Explaining that you shouldn’t be intimidated or feel like you need to have a Fine Arts degree to enter a gallery. “You’re ultimately the only expert on what you like.” says Simpson.
For all of you artists out there Anderson also talks about the always confusing pricing structure of artwork! “The art market is perhaps one of the least efficient markets on earth… painting of seemingly similar quality can be priced tens of thousands of dollars apart”.
I found this article pretty interesting, with a lot of good points for the artist and patron. It doesn’t seem to be up on the website but I am sure you can find a copy of the magazine at your local bookstore!
TIME MANAGE WHAT? PART I- ORGANIZATION
So we all know how hard it is to balance work, your pets, friends, family, your favorite shows and so on. On top of all of those things how does the creative person fit in time for creating? Well the hard reality is you need to be organized! I know what you are thinking… creative people can’t be organized… they’re all over the place. Well lets fight that stereotype! Because the reality is if you’re a creative person who isn’t making anything chances are you’re becoming frustrated, irritable, angry and well, just down in the dumps.
I bet you’re saying to yourself “creativity doesn’t follow a punch clock. You can’t just schedule ‘creative time’ from 2-4″. Well, in fact, this is what needs to be done. If you don’t schedule time to create you may never find the time and all those other commitments will always come first. So you need to build time for creativity into your life and this will require a little discipline.
So as nerdy as it sounds bring out those day planners and figure out the openings in your schedule. Cut down on TV time. Say no to friends every once and awhile and block in some moments for creativity!
Kyle and I are trying to take our own advice. We have started planning ahead with friends. Making weekly commitments. We also get up early and take our dog for a walk so that we can get into the studio a few hours early to work on our own projects. Sometimes we don’t get any thing made during those first few hours but we are always working toward getting a project on the road.
A great resource is the book Time Management for the Creative Person by Lee Silber.
Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here
TO FRAME OR NOT TO FRAME?
This weeks business blog is on the do’s and don’ts of framing artwork. During my time at the Oeno Gallery I was asked to put up a short “how to” on framing that owner Carlyn Moulton had written for artists. Below are a few of the points as well as a link to the full article. Although this article may, at times, sound a bit sarcastic these are all valid and honest comments. Some of which artists would never really think about. Working with commercial galleries can be a great thing for an artists career, these spaces work very hard promoting and selling the work of their artists. Being considerate when submitting work is quite important and these guidelines can be helpful when trying to send in well framed work.
Random Thoughts on Framing
by Carlyn Moulton
Framing is indisputably a very important aspect of presenting 2D works. Individuals are free to make a wide range of framing decisions and choices, but galleries require a more uniform presentation to avoid looking chaotic and cluttered, and to focus attention on the work itself.
Unless you have conceived the structure and the materials of your work in such a way as to negate the need for framing, the frame is part of your presentation package, and the care and attention and investment you make here conveys much about the value and respect you have for the work yourself.
As a gallery, we have had occasion to receive works by artists framed in almost every conceivable fashion – and some that were inconceivable. We are quite sure that some will have other opinions, but based on our experience to date, here are our observations and preferences.
1. Consider where you want your work to go – presumably your goal is for someone to see it and be able to imagine it in their own bedroom, livingroomor office, and then buy your work. And they need to be able to see why they should pay several hundred or thousand dollars for this work. While it is true that a bad frame can always be replaced, it is not true that clients will make that leap to imagine it framed differently. Nor do they want the hassle. Nor do they have a car big enough to carry the work to and from the framers.
2. Some artists create their own hand made rough hewn pine frames. Others use chipped old frames they got from their grandmother or in a garage sale. Some people whack barn board or lathe onto their work. Some people carve odd little flowers on to their frames. Do not do any of these things. People acquire work like this from their children, friends or relatives perhaps, but it never helps to sell it, at least not through a gallery.
4. A good frame finishes a piece. We have often hung two almost identical pieces together, one framed, the other unframed, to give people the option. They always choose the framed work. They are also prepared to pay for it. So if you choose good frames, the gallery will pay you for them when they sell your piece. Find a framer who will work with you and perhaps allow for stretched payments when you have a show.
8. The work needs to breathe. Leave a reveal around the canvas. Build up the mat so that it sits proud of the paper. Use wider mats.
12. For a collection of works going to a gallery, choose one frame that works for them all. Or if necessary, two. Despite minor size variations in the paper works, frame them up the same size, so that the client has the option of purchasing several pieces and using them in a grouping.
To read all 27 points click here: Random Thoughts on Framing
Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.
LETS WORK TOGETHER
My first biz blog is going to be something that we at Spark Box find to be the most important in the small business world – collaboration! Where would Kyle and I be without all the support and hard work given to us by people in this community? Having access to a motivated and helpful group of friends and community members can really make a small business survive. I know this seems like a totally obvious remark but it is seriously one of the biggest components to being successful.
We Need Each Other
The art scene is a small one and so it is pretty easy to get connected and support one another within it. Being a collaborative art studio we know all to well the importance of working with others. Its vital for us to have local artists use the space. So in order to make that happen we need to listen and act on suggestions made by our clients and potential clients. Collaboration for a business has to be good for both participants. That is why we also try to support our studio members outside of the studio space. Kyle and I recently attended an opening of one of our Open Studio members, Mia Lane. Mia currently has a show up at the John M. Parrott Art Gallery in Belleville and we felt it was important that we attend. The show was great and there several other local artists there supporting Mia and her
Learn From One Another
Being an active blogger I have noticed that the arts/crafts world online are all about sharing information, contributing ideas, supporting other artists and their projects and cheering each other on. Bloggers especially love sharing their stories. These stories are a great way to hear about what they are doing but also to learn about small business trouble shooting. You are also supporting their projects by reading and contributing to their site. How great is that? Learn and give back at the same time! Collaboration can be that simple. Support can be that easy.
Etsy (an online arts and crafts market) is a great example of how amazing the arts community can be. Even though everyone on the site is trying to sell their own goods, and create their own client base many seem to want to help each other out. There are TONS of posts from other sellers giving helpful hints and tips on how to get your own shop open, running and successful. I love this about the arts community. We are so eager to give each other a leg up.
Don’t Drag Me Down
We have heard from a few of our residents that in art school professors tend to give little information about promoting your art and getting it seen. Some feel this is a fear of the market getting saturated or that the older generation wants to keep their fame and glory instead of letting new artists move up the ranks. I hope that we can help change this part of the “fine art scene”. The indie crafters are doing it… why shouldn’t the “fine arters”? This is why this part of the website is so important to us. We hope that we can share things we have learned from others, how we got to where we are and what we would never do again. Thinking that your business is all about you and believing that you don’t need anyone else is a HUGE mistake.
Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here
BIZ BLOG
At Spark Box Studio we not only want to provide a great space where artists can produce work but we also want to provide those artists with a little business savvy. We feel that most people using the studio get a chance to chat with us about the business of art (although this doesn’t always happen in the most organized fashion, as we often find ourselves complaining about the ins and outs of the art world over dinner and a bottle of wine). Granted we haven’t had a whole lot of experience however the two of us we have been on a major learning curve since opening the studio and trying to get our own art into shows.
Recently Chrissy has been scouring the web and reading A LOT of great business blogs for crafters, designers and artists. She has signed up for everyones newsletter and has been getting some great ideas. As well we have both been reading up on grant writing, show application procedures, starting your own non-profit and the list goes on. We feel it would be unfair to keep all this great information to ourselves… so along with our emerging artist guide we are now planning to add a weekly (or what we hope will be weekly) business blog to our site.
If you think the information you find through these blogs or our emerging artist site are good, worth your time and full of handy information you can show us through filling out the survey linked to each post. This survey will not only show us your support and give us a reason to keep working at this part of the studio, it will aid in us staying alive as it helps fulfill our grant!
Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.
