Sunday, December 12, 2010

Two year retrospective

It has been almost 2 years that I have actively promoted my art products with pretty good results. In retrospective, I really appreciate all the people who helped me along the way. While reflecting on all the rejection and success I have experienced, I am drawing some conclusions. One of those conclusions is that I have art that sells well. It is modern, occasionally amusing and childish and sometimes pretty crazy. The market for my product is there, and I am slowly learning how to capture that market. In two years, my paintings ended up in some of the most beautiful modern office spaces in Des Moines: Wellmark building overlooking the multi-million dollar Pappajohn sculpture garden, and Davis Brown Tower downtown. I could not be happier about that!

Being an artist is a tall order since we make product, and most product available today is made in other countries where labor is inexpensive. The American companies send really great designers to China and other countries to design fantastic products that are manufactured abroad at low cost and then imported to USA. Some of these items are pretty artsy and well made, and that makes it harder for US artists to create something that can compete, and win the consumer. A lot of imports are still poor quality and that is where handmade and US made can win the game.

I talked to more experienced artists - ones that have been full time artists for 20+ years. There was a time in America when an artist was able to make a living with their art. Today, it is very hard, for many impossible.

We also have a bunch of artists and creative people who are trying to motivate our shoppers to buy local. In my experience supporting local model is not working, and it is a very poor business plan. Since the consumer is the one ultimately deciding, prices play a big role on what is being chosen and purchased in every area, including fine art. Those artists who kid themselves with keeping the prices of 2005, find that the work is harder to sell then ever. The ones that negotiate and reduce costs a bit, do better.

When I run into obstacles, I don't blame any one reason for my problems. The obstacles are only there to teach us to become better at whatever we are doing. Therefore I try to always think how can I create better art, be more engaging and original, how can I offer better, safer value to the art consumers.

It is entirely possible that we overspend our time and resources on marketing to the wrong audience. While operating an art gallery in a declining mall, I have learned that who you market to is even more important than how much energy you spend in doing so. It takes some time to find that target audience, and I think that art audience will grow on-line.

My buyers range from a teenager to a retiree; it is a very broad range. Usually people who choose my art are pretty sophisticated and have quite a bit of cultural exposure. My first collector is a retired man from New York, where he spent most of his adult life. He gave me a lot of confidence to continue without changing what I think my art should be about. These individuals that supported me in the past two years are invaluable for my growth and future success. These art buyers have laid a foundation where I'll build my artistic brand for many years, or as long as the creativity muse sits on my shoulders and whispers in my ear.

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