Living in the scary.

If we put prices on our Art then we need sales and this will be the reason we are able to go forward.

If you cannot sell what you make then you cannot survive, so this is a question I always wonder about.

Artists spend so much money on Art supplies, canvas, frames and all the other things they need to do what they love, then there is all the time involved to produce the work and it all needs to be sold.

Yet after out laying all this money and time, then they want a Gallery or dealer to sell the work for them?

Today there is not enough Galleries for all the Artists and as I keep saying the business is changing and the gatekeepers are disappearing because the internet is here to disrupt everything.

Selling is a skill that you have to learn, you can tell me that you are an Artist and you do not do that, that’s ok, but how will you sell your work?

Are you in a good Gallery?

Do you have a very proactive dealer?

If not then you will have to sell your paintings and that’s scary, because it’s strangers you have to deal with, they are the ones who will buy your paintings.

It is understanding the market that you are in and also realising that the world has now been opened for every Artist to sell into, your personal Art Gallery can now be open 24/7.

Because things are changing dramatically Artists must begin to think about the future when Galleries as we know them do not exist. The Gallery model is being forced to change in the west because of high overheads, many have closed and this will follow in Asia as well.

I know many think I am wrong when I say that future sales of most Artists will not come from the traditional methods, like Galleries, Art Fairs, dealers and auctions.

Artists will have to find new ways to market their work and that is both scary and exciting.

In their local areas it will be in Gorilla Galleries, weekend markets and malls and even on the street, consider the many possibilities that will be presented to the Artist, they will have to be very proactive and grasp every opportunity that comes along.

Most sales outside the Artists local area will come through the internet. This is the area where Artists will need to become very skilled at doing sales, selling online is taking off and Artists need to understand how to sell their Art around the world as more and more people look for Art online.

Selling online will also have to be creative and to get the attention of strangers, so take time to learn.

Commit to do one, one hour seminar each week about social network marketing on YouTube there is so much there to learn for free, so take the opportunity learn all you can and do it and experiment.

The winds of change are blowing and our business will change as well, I know it’s scary so be prepared, learn all you can about social network marketing, you owe it to yourself and the investment that you have already made in your Art business.

Living in the scary is the safest place to be.