I can only say, "I wish I had written this column." So well said and also very true.

I've been preaching since the dot com craze started that art is not sold in bulk. Early on we had Mikki, my mates, work on 11 art sites built to make sales. They each promised thousands of viewers. Fortunately we were grandfathered in to help them get started and didn't pay a fee. None of the 11 lasted longer than one year. Most foaled after their start up money ran out.

One I remember well, Go To The World dot com. They were getting 4 million hits a day. They featured Mikki and my animals. A week after the company moved to a larger location, they shut down.

We use our Websites to help, but so far I've not figured out how to reach NEW buyers. My mates blog is read by up to 4,800 readers in one day. I suspect 4,790 of those are artists from all over the world.

Thank you for saying this so clear and to the point.

You have a new fan in The White House.

Such a good article. I have all the things you mention (except Twitter - I don't text on my phone). And, do any of them bring me client? Well, once in awhile! Have they gotten me a gallery? Maybe. I do believe because I do all these things, the galleries I do have believe in me and that I am working hard. Of course, not to mention that I am always producing art!

But, as most of the articles we are seeing now from the better sources, such as FASO .... there is nothing better than meeting people in the right circumstances and adding them to your mailing list. I do believe that all else just needs to lead to this list ... and of course the web site where work can be seen. Newsletters, and cards, etc., sent to these prospective clients at a well-timed interval ... or when something of importance happens, is the best way to get someone to buy the art that is produced by the artist.

Having a venue, event, or several of them to sell the art, that is what we are all striving for, right? We just have to get the right clients there!

All I can say, Kevin, is "Amen"! Thanks for the laugh this morning.

Thanks Mimi, I'll have to look into that. I thought it was only something for phone applications. I am still in the dinosaur age and only use my phone for sending and receiving phone calls! :)

Kohlene, I'm the same about looking at the bottom line about fees. Good to know there was something coming in that was a "good" one!

Great way to start a Friday, Kevin. Your image of the Sad Little Gallery desperately trolling the internet to find artists, any artists, to fill its walls is a sweet one indeed.

"The Art Cavern"

"Mausoleum of Fine Art"

"The Wailing Empty Wall"

None of these would look good on that artist's resume.

I appreciate writers and artists who continue hammering in the theme of hard work, persistence, and an indefatigable belief in oneself and one's product.

Kevin -- The internet as we know it has been around longer than 10 years. The dot-com bubble-- which took place between 1995 and 2000-- was not as simple as this article suggests. One problem is that the don-com's that went under were offering services and products for free thinking they could build their brand name up in order to profit later. It was a gamble and they lost. However, that same tactic is still used today online.

It stood out at that time because so many companies were doing it and so many individuals were investing in it. Those dot-com's relied on venture capital -- which is always a gamble. When you talk about that bubble you are talking about stocks and companies spending millions in a matter of months with no profit to show for it and little to no structure as to how the company will profit from consumers in the long run.

They did not all go belly-up. In fact, some of the dot-com's from that period-- 1995 to 2000 -- happen to be the most successful websites online today. For example, DeviantART came in right on the tail-end of it and to this day is often listed as one of the top 20 websites in the United States. I'm not a huge fan of DA -- but I will give them credit for surviving the storm.

You said, "The ubiquitous "they" say that to be successful, you must have an internet presence."

I will give you a few names of professionals within the art world who have noted the importance of having an online presence. Edward Winkleman -- gallery owner, Mat Gleason -- art critic, Mollie White -- Show Director for SCOPE art fair, Hrag Vartanian -- power blogger at Hyperallergic, Jerry Saltz -- arguably the most influential art critic in the United States at this time, Charles Saatchi -- arguably the most influential art collector worldwide of the past 30 years, Damien Hirst -- the wealthiest living artist at this time.

They have all noted the importance of having a personal artist website and solid online presence at one point or the other. Obviously, if you have a solid online presence you have worked hard to obtain it.

Some of these same individuals have noted that the online influence an artist has will impact their standing within the art world as a whole because people today tend to think of numbers in regard to popularity and significance. As I've pointed out in the past -- that will be even more relevant to the next generation of art collectors.

You said, "The concept here is to "network". You know, artists connecting to other artists. You know what "network" really is? The choir singing to the choir. Have you ever sold your work on Twitter? The internet is a great social networking vehicle, but as eToys.com, Flooz.com, and WebVan.com can tell you, it's hell on making money."

I know artists ranging from Chet Zar to D*Face who have attributed some of their brick and mortar success to the efforts they have made online-- including networking online. I know of artists who were not noticed by art dealers until their influence online made them a point of consideration. An artist with a huge online following can be marketed. It is as simple as that.

Online networking is not always the case of artists networking with artists. In fact, many of Zar's online followers are the same individuals who purchase his prints. You can't deny or downplay the potential for the reach the Internet allows.

You said, "My point for all of this is: There is no easy way. The trick to being successful now is the same as it has been over the centuries: Work hard, make great art, and promote it ruthlessly."

The 'trick' of the past-- as you imply with your Medici comment at the end of your article -- was to be noticed by a wealthy art collector who had influence on the aesthetic tastes of the time. Most of us will never bump into individuals with that much influence. It is by far more realistic to gain influence online directly with the public than to wait for the big names to come around.

We live in an age of micro-celebrity that is spurred by the Internet -- there is no reason for artists not to seek that kind of influence. Does it mean all your paintings will be sold? Probably not -- but you will have a better chance selling-- and being recognized for the artwork that you do-- than you would otherwise.

As for knocking on gallery doors-- I assume that is what you meant-- is that the "old fashioned way"? The success of that direction depends on where you are at. An art dealer in a smaller community may find that approach acceptable -- but a dealer in NYC will certainly not be impressed.

As NYC art dealer Edward Winkleman has pointed out -- it is better to build rapport with a dealer before showing up at the gallery like a peddler selling wares. For most of us building rapport with influential art dealers starts online.

In most cases showing up at a gallery on a whim will only result in the gallery staff laughing after you leave-- no matter how great the art is. I know dealers who actually keep track of names of artists who have tried to push themselves on them. What might be viewed as ambition in any other setting is often seen as desperation by art dealers-- and most dealers don't want to do business with an artist whom they feel is acting desperate.

Networking offline and online is vital in my opinion. Obviously you have to be strategic about it. Having a strong online presence is vital as well -- and will be more so with each passing year. Nothing is easy.

The Internet is not going away-- the average adult spends 3 to 4 hours per day online. In that sense, I would suggest that it is vital to establish and maintain a strong online presence. Then you have the younger generation to think about -- without a strong online presence an artist does not exist to them.

People want to find examples of online articles about the artist, interviews, and other forms of online media. If the search offers few art-related results it is assumed that the artist has not accomplished much or is simply not serious about his or her artwork. That is just how people view the world today. I'm not saying that it is right -- it is what it is.

Brian,
Your examples are of big time folks. What about we who are bottom feeders? You only quote those who are already at the top. 99 percent of FASO readers can't even conceive of selling at at your example levels. Only a small percentage earn a living making and selling their art. And that number is shrinking almost by the day. The art market is hurting.

Kevin's column spoke to those of us trying to earn a living, I feel it was never intended for those at the apex of the pyramid. In my world critics have no value. They don't make or break the average artists career. They did in the 1870s in Paris, but now only in New York are they even known. Perhaps a few in Chicago and San Francisco. LA has no art market. Miami is way to spread out. The area covers 90 miles.

Today's gallery wants to know three things.
1. Does your art sell.
2. Can you produce after the gallery makes sales.
3. That you don't sell their clients behind their back when clients come to you through your Website.

I don't agree with you on how to contact galleries. If you send unsolicited emails to a busy gallery your message will be deleted.
Nothing replaces a personal contact. Galleries have to be sold on you before they will carry your art. The very top only want established artists. Ask Clint, he spent a dozen years in the business. He only carried the top named artists.

One thing for sure. If you have a Website, you will hear from Vanity people of all shapes wanting you to buy their product, be in their gallery or on their Websites. Artists Websites are trolled constantly by those seeking to scam us. I have received scores of emails from artists taken by some vanity scheme.
jack

Brian wrote: "...In most cases showing up at a gallery on a whim will only result in the gallery staff laughing after you leave-- no matter how great the art is. I know dealers who actually keep track of names of artists who have tried to push themselves on them. What might be viewed as ambition in any other setting is often seen as desperation by art dealers-- and most dealers don't want to do business with an artist whom they feel is acting desperate..."

I have no doubt that is true, but as you imply it is indeed a very strange and counter-intuitive way to do business. If I owned a gallery and truly cared about the state of contemporary art I'd want always to be on the look out for all kinds of art. Sure, you'd likely have to wade through a lot of poor work in the process, but to find good artists it would seem to be worth it. Galleries sell art, artists create art; it's only natural that there should be some interaction and how else to do that but to actually contact them?

Yes, I agree, we must master not only the art, but also the media to sell it!

Kevin -- Sorry if you took offense. That was not my intention. However, your timeline is off. The bubble was between 1995 and 2000. :) You can downplay the importance of the Internet all you want -- but my point is that we are here, online... reading this.

While I write this I'm certain that an artist somewhere just sold an original work of art or print online -- a transaction that would not have happened had the artist focused only on offline efforts.

While I don't think the internet is the end all be all, it is helping me sell my art right now (facebook, ebay, my web site and blog). With out it I would have a totally different plan for selling. Has it made it easier? No, I don't think so, but it has allowed me to do it from the comfort of my home. I think everyone on this thread has benefited from being on the internet in some form or another.
I was a very early user of the internet, starting in 1990 or 1991 and while it's changed a lot since then, the one thing that hasn't changed is I can get information and interact with new people at any time of the day. What more could you ask for?

WOW

Review your contacts...its one artist in contact with say One million other artists...check your LinkedIn page...so just who is going to buy your art?

I think of my website, blog, newsletter and facebook presence as just another brush in my large bag of tools. They are wonderful tools. They are effective within their limits and their effectiveness varies with the amount of use. After Lana Turner was "discovered" at Schwab's drugstore hundreds of want to be stars flocked there. Guess what? Not one other star was discovered there. Every success store is different and there is no magic formula.

This is an excellent post! I just finished putting my artwork up on Etsy because my girlfriend kept pushing me too, which I'm glad I did. At the same time I've been networking with other artists in order to participate in live events to get my art in front of as many people as possible. One example of this was contacting Chet Zar, who is know for his internet presence with twitter and #fridaynightartdorks, and getting information about who to contact in order to participate in the Visionary Tattoo Arts Festival in ASbury Park. Chet was deliberate and enthusiastic in giving me the info and wished me luck. Now I get a chance to paint with an artist whom I respect and get to meet other artists as well, which is awesome. My next big chore is going to be going to galleries in Philly and getting my work in front of as many curators as possible. It might be hard work, but the it feels great when you accomplish something.

I don't think any of us can RELY on the internet to sell our work...
But I doubt most of us would ever be noticed at all without it.

HOWEVER... I wholeheartedly agree that hard work and making good art is the real deal and THAT is what will sell our art.