On Success: Tips for Artists
For whatever your definition of success is
Shoebox Arts manifesto for thriving in the Art World
Find your community or make one
Patience and perseverance
Be easy to work with
Follow Directions
Show Up!
Get Involved
Generosity begets Generosity
Be brave
Be authentic
Make bad art (Thanks Kiel!)
Read/Research – keep looking at art and keep learning about art
Follow-up
Have meaningful experiences
Enjoy the journey
Produce good quality and original work
Learn to say no
Don’t be afraid to ask, you may get a yes
“The Only Rule is Work”
You do you – Stay true to your vision and yourself
Compete only with yourself
Keep working
Be curious not critical
Stay humble
Share resources and tools
Consider your endgame (goals, goals, goals)
Be open to the twists and turns on your career path
You can’t sell art if you don’t show your art
Learn to live with rejection. It is not you, it’s them.
Practical info for artists
Have the best photos possible of your work for submissions
– No reflections, angles, shadows
– make sure the coloring in the photo matches the actual artwork
Use Facebook and Instagram to its fullest potential
Have a mailing list and send out newsletters quarterly
Check your emails/texts/FB messages daily and answer immediately, especially if it pertains to your work.
Have your work ready to hang when dropping it off at the gallery AND have all of the info/paperwork signed and filled out.
Meet Deadlines and promote the shows you are in on social media and in your newsletters.
Support your artist friends, galleries, institutions either by going to the openings, visiting/studio visits during business hours or following and engaging on social media.
Build a large body of work(s) for several shows. Be ready when you are invited to show.
Start a blog on your website to help drive people to your website.
Surround yourself with supportive people
Perfect your elevator speech about your work. Learn to talk about your art in an easy and articulate manner. Be honest, humble, meaningful. Be a storyteller for your work.
Once you set a price for your work, you can never lower that price. be responsible when pricing your work. Do you want to get it out into the world or keep it close to the vest and only sell limited pieces for more money?
Business outreach is critical – be proactive and follow-up
Have all of your supporting materials, CV, BIO, Artist Statement ready to go at a moments notice. If you don’t have a professional artist statement, hire someone to write it.
Make it easy to buy – have a square reader with you at all times, or venmo AND a price list on your phone. When someone asks you for a price, you can easily look it up.
Pay attention to detail
Shoebox Arts is a support network for artists. We mentor artists as well as provide PR, social media help, workshops and more. Check out our website to see how we can work together.
