When it comes to pricing artwork, our work is simply worth as much as a collector is willing to pay for it. It's our job as artists to market, to understand who our potential buyers are, what credentials they want to see, where they like to shop, and how they spend leisure time. [...]

You can help me out by asking burning questions about marketing your work. I'm not going to try to answer your questions here, but will address the most frequently asked questions in upcoming blogs. [...]

Since it is a given that in order to attract a collector clan, I'll need an easily defined, connected body of work with a unique style, why not make that body of work something that I'll never tire of? [...]

Clint recently shared how he accepted artists into his gallery even when their presentation materials were poor - because their artwork was "kick ass". It's absolutely true, great artwork has intrinsic value to collectors [...]

I naively thought I could take one or two paintings down to Scottsdale, walk into a gallery and wow the gallerist. As I said, I didn't have a clue about how to get started selling my work [...]

Ask any successful artist how much time he/she spends actually creating artwork, and you'll find that time in the studio far exceeds time either planning or dreaming. You see, they settled on some plans and dreams early on and then took immediate action in pursing those dreams [...]

It's true that sales beget sales. Psychologically, we tend to put value on items that we see other people purchase. If a collector falls in love with one of your artworks, and sees that others have invested in your career by buying, it is more likely that they'll get off the fence and make the purchase [...]

The way art is sold and the power of selling our art, is now more in our hands (the artist) than ever before! If you're working with galleries, then it'll be in your best interest to lead those folks to your gallery's website. On the other hand, if you're inclined to work without galleries, this is your golden opportunity to work directly with your collectors. [...]

If I'm really having the time of my life in a space that I love, the Internet won't hold a candle to my studio. The key here is to make my workspace unavoidably attractive. [...]

This new power to sell is a great thing for the artist. Knowing this, then the question becomes: Why would any artist seek gallery representation when commission rates are so high? There's no one right answer. Recently, I've seen several artists who had been previously selling on their own make significantly more income and get national recognition through gallery representation. [...]

As an artist, I have a maximum of freedom and flexibility with my time. This is one of the things that makes being a professional artist a joy. At the same time, it creates a war within me. The daily struggle to choose the right thing to do for the advancement of my artwork is very real. [...]

What would happen if hundreds of us made a request that our gallery owners share contact info? What if we all did this on the same day or the same week? Would it make a difference? [...]

If you enjoy art as a hobby and like to play with paint, that's a perfectly valid reason to paint; however, if you want to gear your efforts towards painting as a professional... well... that is quite a different path, and while professional artists derive joy and great satisfaction from their efforts, one could hardly say that it is all fun and games. [...]

Lately, I've been coming across online videos and blogs that deal with the question, What is talent? Does it exist, and if it does, what exactly is it? Are some people blessed with a huge dose of it, and therefore destined to become a prodigy? Mozart usually comes to mind. [...]

After having written last week's post on how to use Twitter as a business tool, a number of artists responded to me directly or via the comments section, saying that they were either confused about how to use this utility, or else that they felt it was another way to waste time. Because the last post generated confusion and, in some cases, strong responses, I feel that this subject warrants a second post. [...]

Essentially, Twitter is the place where information spreads like wildfire. Whenever I finish a new painting or blog post, I can get that information out to hundreds of artists almost instantly. If they like what they read or see, they can send it out to their followers. In a matter of a few hours, my tweet can reach the eyes of thousands. [...]

A popular 1970's book, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, by Richard Bach, told a short story about a extraordinary seagull who broke away from the crowd by soaring higher and diving faster than all the other seagulls. While in Acadia Nation Park this month, I think I must have happened upon Jonathan L. Seagull's great grandchild. As I observed this Acadian gull, day after day, it occurred to me that this bird is truly a marketing genius. [...]

The Secret to Success is to Own a Primary Focus The fact remains that we artists only have so much time in a day or week or year. Focus and excellence in one activity leads to success – I know that all too well, and yet I am so flattered by new opportunities. Additionally, I need to consider how I'll make a living at whatever I choose to do as my primary work. [...]

If we artists remember that we’re in a partnership with our galleries, and if that partnership is built upon mutual trust, there’s no good reason why gallery owners should avoid giving us the names and contact information of those who collect our work. [...]

...I suspect that it's human nature to worry about our actions, words and abilities from time to time. However, over the years, I have learned the art of displaying an attitude of quiet confidence – especially while showing my artwork to collectors [...]

Anita Campbell tells us Why Blogs are Terrible for Drive-By Sales: Everyone (including me) tells artists they should have a blog.  But it's important to remember what a blog is for . . . fostering conversation.  Anita Campbell reminds us that we can't expect a log of instant sales from a blog. . . "What I mean is that using a blog to sell products or services directly usually brings dismal results. If you expect a first-time visitor to come to your company blog and immediately buy something, you will be disappointed. I guarantee it." (Read Original >>) The guys at 37 [...]

Zen Habits shares 5 Inspiration Hacks for Creative People: "However, anyone that's ever stood in front of a beautiful painting or a breath-taking photograph or an amazing sculpture will tell you, it can truly be an inspirational experience. Once again, art is something that is incredibly subjective but for me personally, art inspires me in two very distinct manners..." Seth discusses the Placebo Affect: "Even as your culture of ideas and marketing enters its long-tail, open-source, low-barrier, everyone-has-a-blog era of mass publication, we still need filters. Would your iPod sound as sweet if everyone else had a Rio? Would your Manolo Blahniks be as [...]

Lori has a good post over on her blog about Shopping for Galleries. [...]