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. This section of our website is dedicated to archiving the posts filed under ‘The Business of Art’.

MAKING A WEBSITE ( 03 / 21 / 2011 )
‘Advice on Creating Your Artist Website.’

KINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL MEDIA WORKSHOP ( 03 / 11 / 2011 )
‘How to Work the Media.’

LETS RAISE ENTREPRENEURS ( 11 / 26 / 2010 )
‘Great advice from TED talks.’

HANDMADE MARKETPLACE ( 09 / 22 / 2010 )
‘Great new book called Handmade Marketplace!’

FEELING GOOD ABOUT BEING AN ARTIST ( 08 / 31 / 2010 )
‘The Globe and Mail makes me feel better about being an artist!’

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? ( 08 / 13 / 2010 )
‘Becoming a full time artist.’

GO ORIGINAL ! ( 05 / 05 / 2010 )
‘Why you should buy original art.’

TIME MANAGE WHAT? – ORGANIZATION ( 04 / 01 / 2010 )
‘Time management ideas for the busy artist. Keeping yourself on schedule!’

TO FRAME OR NOT TO FRAME? ( 03 / 19 / 2010 )
‘Learn about framing from Oeno Gallery curator/owner Carlyn Moulton.’

LETS WORK TOGETHER ( 03 / 05 / 2010 )
‘A nod to the most important thing in the small business world – collaboration.’

MAKING A WEBSITE

( 03 / 21 / 2011 )

If you’re like me you may find that you procrastinate on the things that you aren’t that confident doing. For example, building a website for your work. You may not know what templates work best for artists, maybe you are unsure of where to look to get your hosting or domain (maybe you don’t even know what those words are), whatever the case, having a website that shows your work, bio and CV is very important when starting your career.

The first thing you will want to do is pick a domain name that works best for you and your work. For example, my domain is chrissypoitras.com. If people want to search for my work they will be more likely to look up my name in a search engine. If you decide to use something other than your name make sure you think it through and have a good way of making people aware that when searching for you they should search that name in google/yahoo/etc.

Next you will need to purchase that domain name (we use godaddy.com). You should purchase the .com and .ca versions of your site if you are from the USA or Canada. This will ensure that people typing in your site can type either and find you.

Now that you have your domain name purchased you should purchase you hosting service. You can also do this through godadddy.com.

NOW, before I go too far, there are other options as well. You can use sites like otherpeoplespixels.com where you can pick your template, purchase your domain and hosting all in one spot and they work only with artists.

If you decide you want to get a blog template you can either set it up with godaddy.com so that your domain name doesn’t look like this: chrissypoitras.blogspot.com. OR if you don’t really care about having .wordpress or .bloodspot, etc tagged onto the latter part of your domain than you don’t necessarily need to purchase a domain name or hosting service at all.

Have I lost you yet??

I hope not. Lets just recap:

1. Think about what you want you site to be called. Either name it after yourself so that it is an easy search for galleries and potential buyers OR pick something different that relates to your work (just make sure this makes sense before doing so).

2. Think about whether you want to purchase your domain name and hosting services OR if you are fine with having WordPress or Blogspot or Tumblr adding their name at the end of your domain. Once you have decided continue to either start your blog or purchase you domain and hosting.

Now that you have made your choice you can start looking through the many online templates. You can find several different styles at the sites listed below. Your hosting/domain service should have a great troubleshooting service and can help you upload your template to your website.

Artist Website Templates:

artistportfoliowebsite.com
otherpeoplespixels.com
foliolink.com
foliosnap.com
foliotwist.com
mosaicglobe.com
bigblackbag.com
indexhibit.org
cargocollective.com

Blog Websites:

blogger.com
wordpress.com
tumblr.com

Now that you have your template start populating it. Select the work that best represents who you are. Put up your bio, contact information, artist statement and CV. All of these items will give viewers an idea of who you are and what you are about.

You can also post your work on these sites:

artsetter.com
flickr.com
myartspace.com
behance.net
deviantart.com

These sites bring in different clients and it is always a good idea to get your work out on as many sites as possible. This will give you more chance to get noticed.

If you decided that the template sites aren’t your thing you can always hire someone to help you with your website. These can get expensive and it is generally a good idea to have the capability to edit/update your website on your own.

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

KINGSTON ARTS COUNCIL MEDIA WORKSHOP

( 03 / 11 / 2011 )

Last night we had a great turn out for our collaborative “How to Work the Media Workshop” with the Kingston Arts Council. With 6 panelists and a great group of attendees the night was filled with informative media tips and valuable questions. Our panelists were honest and forthcoming with their advice and our audience didn’t shy away from asking real questions and discussing challenges they face when trying to get their exhibits, openings and events noticed by local and national media.

Greg Tilson, Programming Director for the Kingston Arts Council, picked a solid panel featuring many local media reps including Rene Dick from Scout Design, Steve Campbell from The County Magazine, Katy McIntyre from the Picton Arts Council and Scott Johnston from the Picton Gazette. Below is a sample of some of the great information that was offered to the group. This tidbit comes from Adam Bramburger, the editor from the Picton Gazette. Here Adam tells us what he looks for in a press release.

TIPS FOR PRESS RELEASES

There’s a simple format that I teach reporters and people writing press releases to follow that I’ll pass along. This format should help them get the media’s attention. I think most people have watched the movie Austin Powers and remember my favourite character, Fat Bastard — another oversized redhead — and his catch phrase “Get In ma belly.” Well, if they remember Get INMA, they’ll be set.

INMA to me, is an acronym with all the pertinent questions the media needs to know.

I – The Issue

Simply put, tell us what you’re about in a single sentence with focus – somebody doing something for a reason. That’s enough to build a story on right there.

N – What’s New

We need a hook to tell us what makes what you’re doing different than anything that hasn’t happened before and why it is timely right now for us to be there.

M – What it Means

We need to know why the average joe, whether they’re superbly interested in the arts or not should care that this development happened. Give some context to let us know the broader hopes of what you want to accomplish.

A – What’s Ahead

This is where you make sure you relate to the community what they can do with relation to your event or project — get in the dates, prices, phone and e-mail whatever — and maybe leave them looking forward to things that will happen in the future.

Other things to consider:

1. Contact by email and phone (usually on the same day). Mention that you have sent an email or that you phoned earlier and that you are following up to ensure everything was received. Adam mentions that Wednesdays are the WORST days to try and get in touch with him, consider asking other media representatives the best or worst day to contact them.

2. Don’t clog up your press release with bios and photos. Keep it simple. Send all the additional information as added attachments.

3. Think about timing. It is best to send in a story two weeks before your event. This way the media can plan and have time to get your information out there.

4. Adam would like to reveal a press release myth, that media would rather have press releases or articles written by someone else and submitted in full to save time. For the Picton Gazette it is the exact opposite. They employ many reporters and journalists and they would much rather give them the job of writing about your event, putting together an interview and writing an article for the paper.

5. When you are drafting your press release for the media consider what they generally feature in their paper/magazine/website. The Picton Gazette enjoys featuring local artists who are engaging with the public, doing something interesting and different and enriching the community.

6. Always consider sending a one-line summation. Sometimes it might be a good thing to send as a subject line, as a headline on a press release or as a bold note.

7. It is always a good idea to give the time, date, and place in a simple to find manner.

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

LETS RAISE ENTREPRENEURS

( 11 / 26 / 2010 )

We love TED talks and these two are very fitting with what we encourage here at Spark Box – thinking outside the box, being creative and getting people interested in the things you make. We have been pouring our collected knowledge into our two guide sites: The Emerging Artist Guide and The Art School Guide that are meant to help artists at all stages of their career.

I found the Cameron Herold video on the site Etsy.com and at first his talk sounded a bit too business for me. With all his references to accounting, market research, revenue, etc. I didn’t see where an artist like myself could relate. But after watching it again I started seeing myself in many of his stories. I started selling my art outside my house when I was 10, I created a handmade dog biscuit business and had pet stores selling them when I was in my last year of high school, I saw that kids had nothing to do in my small town so I convinced a local bar to have a Youth Party night where we could dance until 11 PM when I was 13. Sure I may not be doing all of these things now but my parents always stood behind me, helped me out and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. This has helped me immensely as an artist.

I struggle with seeing myself as a business person on a pretty regular basis. I worry about the typical issues of “selling out”. But the reality is artists make things and they want galleries, people, etc. to show these things or buy them. Even if you make art that isn’t for sale you still need to get galleries interested in showing them. No matter how you try to swing it artists are entrepreneurs. So embrace this notion and find the resources out there that will help you get people to see the awesome things you are making!

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

HANDMADE MARKETPLACE

( 09 / 22 / 2010 )

I just got a new book for the Spark Box Business Library today. The book is called Handmade Marketplace by Kari Chapin. I have read great things about this book on several different blogs and am pretty excited to sit down and give it a read. Basically Chapin breaks down the dos and don’ts of the craft industry and provides readers with helpful advice on starting your own craft business. Since Kyle and I have been putting up some prints and things onto our Etsy site I thought it might be helpful to know a little more about the craft industry. Once I give it a read I will pick out some of the most helpful advice I found.

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

FEELING GOOD ABOUT BEING AN ARTIST

( 08 / 31 / 2010 )

The other week I read an article from the Globe and Mail by Judith Timson. In the article she discusses the legitimate worries of people in the arts and people with artists as children. In fact Timson spoke to many of the issues that I had written about in my last blog – the struggles with money and support. But Timson makes a few points that perhaps I missed.

First, she presents some sound advice from the executive director of Arts Etobicoke Louise Garfield. Garfield points out some of the benefits of choosing an art career. Garfield says that artists led lives that are full of “…vibrancy of their intellect and emotions. Adventure, exploration, drama, deep feeling, playfulness, hilarity, camaraderie and FUN!”

On top of all that loveliness Garfield also mentions that artists are actually pretty good financial managers. Why would that be? Well we are all pretty used to tight budgets!

Ok so if that doesn’t make you want to be an artist than maybe Timson’s reference on how artists influence history will. How could I have forgotten that some of the most interesting characters in history are artists? Perhaps I am being naive but I would say that most people know by name the biggest rock legends, classical musicians, play writes, artists and dancers in history … but how many doctors, lawyers and business executives come to mind? (not to say that those others are not all very important historical figures as well)

Let us also not forget the words of Queen Victoria: “ Beware of artists – they mix with all classes of society and are therefore most dangerous”

So if you’re feeling down about choosing to be an artists maybe it would help to think about the amazing people you will meet on your artistic journey, the power you hold by being creative and free thinking, the life lessons you will learn when you pave the rocky road to stardom and joy you will spread to others when you share your creations.

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?

( 08 / 13 / 2010 )

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!

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

GO ORIGINAL !

( 05 / 05 / 2010 )

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!

Looking for more fun business information check out our emerging artist website here.

TIME MANAGE WHAT? PART 1- ORGANIZATION

( 04 / 01 / 2010 )

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?

( 04 / 01 / 2010 )

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

( 03 / 05 / 2010 )

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.