As I reflect on my three decades journeying through the realms of art, faith, and business, I'm often reminded of pivotal moments early in my career. There I was, a young hobbyist artist, brimming with ideas yet grappling with the complexities of transforming my passion into a thriving career. I had no clue what that could even look like, much less how to get there. I had dreams but little understanding of how to see them come to fruition. I didn't have any art mentors, but thankfully, I did have other mentors who taught me about the Kingdom of God and about business. After being a hobbyist artist for almost 13 years, I began pursuing my art seriously as I started learning how to walk in the Kingdom and understand who God designed me to be. That changed everything. Over the years, I've tried to share what I've learned with others in art, faith and business so they don't have to experience the failures and frustrations I did as a young artist. Seeing their success is what continues to fuel my passion as an artist mentor. The Crucial Role of Mentorship in Artistic Development The significance of mentorship in art, business, and my spiritual life can't be understated. Art is not just a skill to be learned; it's a voice to be honed and a vision to be sharpened. Business is not just spreadsheets and numbers; it's how we share who we are with the world and how we receive the financial provision God has for us. Spirituality is not just a part of my life that shows up on Sunday, but rather the framework and perspective from which I live my life. Mentors act as catalysts in this process, offering their wisdom, experience, and sometimes even their studios to help young artists find their footing. In the broader context, the importance of mentorship in artistic growth is a universally acknowledged truth in both educational and professional spheres. It's about passing down a legacy of skills, insights, and artistic philosophies. A mentor can help an artist navigate through creative blocks, offer critique that encourages growth, and provide connections that open up new opportunities. I'm reminded of a friend of mine who became an art mentor for me. He saw what I was doing in copper early on in my career and saw that I was in desperate need of help. Instead of judgement, he offered his hand of experience and knowledge. Just a few hours with him cemented our relationship for many years to come and became the ground in which artistic seeds were sown which have produced much fruit! The Business of Art: A Mentor's Guidance The stark reality of the art world is - for many artists - its economic challenge. The Artnet News study revealing that about three-quarters of U.S. artists earn $10,000 or less annually from their art is a harsh reminder of the financial struggles artists face (source). This statistic is not just a number; it represents countless artists grappling to sustain their passion in a market that is often unforgiving. Artist mentorship in the business aspect of art is thus not just helpful; it's essential. A mentor who has navigated the treacherous waters of art marketing, gallery relationships, and sales can provide invaluable guidance. They can teach artists how to value their work, build a brand, connect with audiences, and create a sustainable income from their art. This artist mentorship can be the difference between a struggling artist and a successful "artrepreneur". That's what I'm passionate about! One of the things I love most about mentoring artists inside our Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program is teaching them how to connect with God's promise of abundant provision and teaching them how to renew their mind according to that truth. Transforming your inner framework of belief is the key to transforming your outer experience in business. Faith and Art: An Intertwined Journey My personal journey as an artist has always been deeply intertwined with my Christian faith. In a country where Pew Research Center reports over 70% of the population identifies as Christian, this intersection of faith and daily life is a shared experience for many (source). In my artist mentorship program, I emphasize this fusion of faith and art. It's about creating art that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also spiritually meaningful. Seeing God move through both the artist and the viewer, the creative process and the artistic product. This integration is about more than just themes; it's about how faith can guide an artist's ethical decisions in business, their interactions with the art community, their creative process with the Holy Spirit, and their overall approach to life and work from a Kingdom perspective. Overcoming Obstacles Throughout my career, I've encountered numerous challenges and milestones that have shaped my understanding of art, business, and faith. But the most powerful stories of overcoming difficulty are the ones I've seen in the lives of the artists I mentor. Artists who face faced seemingly unsurmountable obstacles with their health, finances and life situation only to persevere and thrive as they learn to trust God's best for their life, hear His voice and follow His lead in the context of the community we've nurtured inside the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program. These stories, too numerous to include here in just one article, keep me going as an art mentor and provide the momentum we enjoy every day inside our artist mentorship program. The Future of Artist Mentorship
Looking ahead, the landscape of art and artist mentorship is ever-evolving. With the advent of digital technology and social media, new platforms for artist mentorship are emerging. These platforms offer unprecedented access to guidance and community for artists, regardless of their geographical location. However, the essence of mentorship remains unchanged – it's about the transfer of knowledge, encouragement, and support. As I continue my journey, I am committed to fostering a community where artists can thrive in their craft, business, and spiritual life inside Created to Thrive. It continues to be the gold-standard for Christian artist mentorship in the world. Since 2017, we've helped thousands of artists start to thrive spiritually, artistically and in business. The journey of an artist is complex and multifaceted. Artist mentorship in art, business, and faith plays a pivotal role in navigating this journey. It's about more than just learning techniques or business strategies; it's about shaping an artist's entire approach to life and their craft. As a mentor, my goal is to light the way for others as my mentors did for me and point people to Jesus, helping them weave together their art, business, and faith into a harmonious and fulfilling life in God's Kingdom.
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Has your art hobby grown large enough that you’re thinking about turning your passion into a business? In this article, I’ll share a few quick tips that will help you know when and how to get started on the road to business success as an artist. I know it will be a big help as you consider starting an art business.
Start with a Call to the Experts While there’s plenty of sites that offer “free” legal advice out there on the internet for starting your own business, nothing beats professional, local advice if you want to get started on the right foot. From navigating local, state, and national laws, picking the correct business structure, and exploring the liability and tax implications of owning a business, a good legal advisor and talented financial advisor can help you navigate the decisions you need to make and the steps you need to take as your hobby grows into a business. Is Now the Right Time? Once you have your team of experts assembled (attorney and CPA to start with), it’s time to take a look at the state of your art. Do a little cost-benefit analysis with your financial professional, and decide if your hobby has indeed grown into a business. A few of the questions to consider when you’re at a crossroad like this: Are you regularly investing personal money into your art hobby? Are you regularly selling your work or teaching art classes? Is the money you’re making from your art becoming significant enough to replace a part, if not all, of your work income? Are you making enough money to offset the expenses of having an official corporate structure in place? As you work with your team of experts, you’ll answer these and many more questions in making this determination. But if you and the experts agree it’s time, then your next move will be to… Pick Your Business Structure One of the first things you and your team of advisers will consider is what type of structure you’ll be using to start your art business. Here in the United States, we use three basic types of business structure:
While I’m no legal expert (and this is not legal advice), here’s a basic overview of each type of business entity you and your team of experts will be considering for your needs.
Want to dive deeper and learn even more? Check out what my friends at LegalZoom have to say on this subject by clicking here. Looking for more tips? Listen to what I shared with Bonnie, one of my podcast listeners.
One Last Piece of Advice
Once you’ve determined this is the time to turn our hobby into a business, do it right and do it with integrity. Setting up a business is not the kind of thing you want to leave to chance. Don’t fall into the trap of doing business under the table just because it’s easy and may save you a few dollars. Walking with integrity in business, setting up your business, taxes, and financial accounts correctly is like weaving a net for the blessing God wants to send your way. If you have huge holes in your net because you’re not thinking and working through the details or because you’re avoiding taxes, then you’re potentially setting yourself up for disappointment and failure. If an art business is in your future, then begin by finding those experts who can help you determine the best time, the best structure, and the best way to set up a business that will be a blessing to both you and others. People reach out and ask me all the time how to make money as an artist. Yep. Many well-meaning artists have asked this question and most believe that it's a single answer, like there's some shortcut or secret ad you can run to make everyone buy your art and make a million dollars. SPOILER ALERT: There's no silver bullet for learning how to become a successful artist. However, after working as a creative now for over 25 years, speaking to thousands and personally mentoring thousands of artists via my books, podcasts, and online artist mentoring program, I've come to understand some of what it takes to really thrive. I'm going to share some of those insights with you right here. Since I also believe no one person has the corner on success, I reached out to several of my thriving artists friends who are creating beautiful work and selling the heck out of it all while living an incredible life. Based on their input and my experience, here's my top 29 tips for taking your artistic calling to the next level so that you can really start thriving in 2021.
As you probably know by now, information doesn't create change. Real change only happens when valuable information meets action and interaction; action on your part and interaction with others on your journey and an experienced mentor. Why, you ask? Most of the time, there are things in your life you just can't see by yourself. For those who are willing, God uses mastermind and mentoring relationships to bring you to the next level of growth. If you'd like to make this year your breakthrough year and really start thriving as an artist spiritually, artistically and in business, check out my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and read some of their stories! Thousands of artists just like you have made the decision to be a part and it's changing lives. Thanks again to all my artist friends who contributed to this list. Each one is creating great work, thriving as a professional artist and a joy to call friend!
One of the secrets to art business success that I teach artists is that “Connection is Key.” Your ability to thrive creatively is directly affected by your willingness and ability to connect with clients, strategic partners, mentors, and other creatives.
But what do you do if you live, work, and create in the middle of nowhere, or out in the boondocks, as we say down south? Is thriving while geographically isolated even possible? Well, the short answer is yes, and here are a few nuggets of wisdom that will help you thrive where you’ve been planted. Create Community No matter where you live in the world, the internet is your gateway to connection. Even if you only have a cell phone and a mobile data plan, you can still:
So, where do you begin? Well, obviously, in today’s world, social media may be the best way to start building a connection with people online. Connecting with clients and strategic partners online is something you can do from anywhere. From regularly posting on a Facebook page or an Instagram account to posting your art process and how-to videos on YouTube, you’re only limited by your own imagination and a couple of tech tools like a phone, some basic lighting and internet connection. But the benefits of social media for creatives don’t end there. One of the worst things about remote living can be a crushing sense of isolation, and it makes sense. We weren’t created to live alone. To combat isolation, consider starting your own Facebook group of fellow artists, joining an existing group or program (like my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program), and even starting a simple group chat or text among creative friends! It doesn’t have to be fancy, just get started. Fine Tune Your Website Online art sales exploded last year with close to $5 Billion worth of sales. For many artists that I know, 2020 was their best year ever. Now they did have to pivot to prosper during a global pandemic. Still, the fundamentals of what they did on their websites will help any artist succeed. Your website should pique curiosity, showcase your talents, inspire and inform your visitor, all while providing a clear, simple pathway for them to connect to you and the art you create. A great website is a mobile-friendly hub where you display, describe, and inspire people through your art. It tells the story of who you are, building that initial connection with your visitor. Then it presents them with an opportunity to purchase right on your website or through a link to a third-party site like Etsy, Fine Art America, or Saatchi Art. Go to Where the Fish Are So down south, it’s said, “If you want to catch fish, you have to go to where the fish are.” Make sense, right? The same holds for selling art. If art is not selling in your local area, you sometimes have to be willing to travel to where people are buying art. At this point, you might be wondering, “But Matt, isn’t online sales enough?” Well, yes, but mostly no. I’m a big believer in something I teach in the Mentoring Program called The Parthenon Plan ™ . I encourage artists to create a multi-pronged, multi-strategy approach to building their art businesses. This concept helps creatives build healthy businesses with multiple income streams through the variety of methods they use to connect with their clients. In a nutshell, don’t have all your “eggs” in one basket. Over the years, I grew my art business both only online and in person. I learned early on that I had to be willing to travel. From Atlanta to Philadelphia, from Atlanta to Chicago, or from Asheville to New Orleans. I sought out the shows and opportunities where I knew that my best clients would be. “But Matt, I don’t know where to go. What do I do?” First of all, don’t let not knowing something paralyze you. Begin with a little research:
As we begin to return to a sense of normality post-covid, in-person shows and sales will come back. We’ll see old shows return and new shows and opportunities to connect and sell in-person springing up for those willing to do a little “road work.” Be Intentional The last thing that I would say is be intentional. Be intentional about going to where your best clients are. Be intentional about creating community online. Be intentional about developing strategic partnerships. Don’t be afraid to be deliberate and step out. Be prepared. You have got to build a net, if you will, to be able to catch all the “fish” that God is bringing into your art business. I hope this has been an encouragement. Thanks for reading. PS: Combating isolation is one of the reasons why I started the Created To Thrive Artist Mentoring Program. Created To Thrive is a world-wide community of artists that have banded together to be encouraged, inspired, mentored, and challenged. They are embracing their calling as Kingdom artists while living life together online. Sure, we host a couple of live events a year, but we connect on Facebook, post on Instagram, and chat regularly on Zoom for the rest of the year. For many of our geographically isolated members, this online community has allowed them to find “their people.” Created to Thrive is truly a band of brothers and sisters who encourage and inspire each other along the way. So you want to know how to actually make a living as an artist? You're in the right place! For the last 25 years, I've made my living using my creative expression and I'm going to share with you the top things I've learned so you can begin actually making a living from your art.
You Can't Have Business Dreams with Hobby Habits A lot of artists "dream" of making a living from their art but few are actually willing to do what it takes. What does it take, you might ask? Things like:
Over the years as I've grown my own very successful art business (I'm a woven sculpture artist) and mentored literally thousands of Christian artists, I've found for an artist to really thrive, they have to cultivate 5 specific areas of their life: heart & mind, art, brand, business and life. Unless you are working on all these areas simultaneously, it's unlikely you'll be able to make a living as an artist. See, making work that is masterfully created and unique is simply the starting point. That's a given. It's ground zero. Once you're making work that's uniquely beautiful you've got to go about cultivating an authentic connection with your potential audience. For more on this subject, check out The Thriving Christian Artist Podcast. It's free and filled with hundreds of free episodes that will empower you on your creative journey toward actually making a living as an artist. Need some more help starting to cultivate those 5 hey areas? Take my "Start Thriving Now" ecourse. It's free and will be a big encouragement to you.
One of the frequent questions I get goes something like, "Matt, I'm on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. So, is it even a necessity to have a website?
I get it. Websites can seem so last decade. But an effective website can be the best marketing tool an emerging artist can use to grow their business and expand their influence. So, I want to give you a new perspective on websites while highlighting what I see are the four primary purposes of every artist's website. All Roads Lead to Your Website So, I'm a big fan of Social Media. I'm currently on Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram, while at the same time, my podcasts are being distributed across a dozen different platforms. I've been interviewed on radio, tv, podcasts, and in magazines, books, and blogs. The common thread that holds this all together is my website. I like to think of an artist's website as the central place or the hub of your artistic world. Your website should be the place that all roads from the social jungle point back to. Your social pages should link to it, your blog should live on it, and when you're interviewed online, on-air, or in print, you should mention it. Why? You ask. It's simple. Your website is where your Artist Statement lives. It's the place where all the images of you working in the studio, of the trajectory of your work, and the history of your creative process are displayed. Your site is where you showcase your current work, share your event calendar, and talk about your journey as an artist. Now, the whole point of having a website, though, is not just to have a website. The whole point of having a website is to move people through a process where they can do four things. Learn About You As you are designing your website, you want to speak about what you do in a way that connects with what your site visitors are looking for. If you go to my website, www.MattTommey.com, you can see how I speak to people that are looking for unique, nature-inspired woven sculpture. I am speaking not only about myself, my art, and my creative process, but I am intentionally sharing what I do in terms of what my potential clients are looking for. In marketing, we call that the WIIFM – "What's In It For Me?" When you ask this question, you have to think about it from the client's perspective since that is who you want to be able to connect with. Have Their Needs Met I remember walking through a store one day when U2's "I still haven't found what I'm looking for" began playing in the background. I had a chuckle because it was true for me that day, but it also brings up a great point. Your website needs to persuade visitors that the solutions you offer, the art you sell, the classes you teach, or the book you wrote is something that they need. The language you use, the pictures you share, and the stories you tell on your page need to connect with these potential clients in a way that makes them want to take advantage of the opportunity you're offering based on their values, their desires, and what they are looking for. Take Action Number three, your website has got to have a clear invitation. You want to have an opportunity to invite visitors to get involved in your world. It can be as simple as an invite to a show, an offer to take a class, or even an opportunity to purchase a piece of work. The secret is you have to ask the visitor to take action, and you've got to be really clear! In the Marketing world, we call that your Call To Action. Your CTA is effective when a site guest can clearly understand what they are being asked to do and quickly and easily do it. Become Connected Lastly, you want to make it easy for your site visitors to stay connected with you. That's why I tell the artist in my Created to Thrive Artists Mentoring Program to make sure that there is an opt-in page on their websites. An opt-in page is where somebody can make a purchase, register for a class, or even give you their email address. Again, your website is not of any real use if it is just a brochure out there. You want to make sure that it's a vehicle to connect, persuade, invite, and enable your clients to communicate with you, do business with you, and refer you to others. I hope this helps as you take that step of creating or refining your website. If this article has helped, take a moment to share it with a friend, share it on social media, and comment below! Thanks for reading. Choosing someone to walk with you on your own artistic journey is probably one of the most important choices you'll make as an artist.
Why? Because who you choose determines what seeds you're going to plant in your life and ultimately, what fruit is going to be produced. As you consider choosing an art mentor to help you on your journey as an artist, let me offer a few questions you need to ask:
Have you ever wanted to know just what it takes to get into an art gallery? I get asked about this all the time, and in this article, I have three tips, straight from a local gallery director, that will help you get your art ready for submission to a reputable gallery.
As many of you know, I have been transitioning out of my River Arts District studio, where I have been for the last ten years, into a private and not open to the public studio. As a part of this move, I am starting to sell my work through galleries again. I was making a delivery the other day, and I had the opportunity to talk to the director and their staff. I shared with them that one of the big questions that I get all the time from the members of my Created to Thrive Artists Mentoring program is, "Matt, how do I get into a really reputable gallery?" Of all the things they shared about what to do and what NOT to do when seeking gallery representation, the following three things really stuck out as vital to artists wanting to sell their work through a reputable gallery. Follow the Procedures I know that might seem like a "Duh! Everybody follows the procedures!" But not everybody does! In fact, too many artists just show up at the gallery and ask, "How do you be an artist in this gallery," or another favorite question, "Can you just look at my work on my phone?" Listen! Any reputable gallery has got a process, often found on their website. It will detail when they are looking at work, how to submit it, and the time frame in which they'll get back with you. If you research a gallery you are interested in and can't find their submission process online, then reach out with a call or email asking how they would like for you to submit work for their consideration. The critical thing to remember here is that every gallery has procedures, and they all want you to follow them; why, you wonder? It's because if they are a reputable gallery, they are a busy gallery, and following their procedures shows a gallery owner that:
Always remember that a gallery isn't just someone who shows off your artwork from time to time. They are going into business with you. When a gallery accepts your work, they partner with you to distribute your art to the world. So, it's vital that you follow their procedures at the beginning of what can be a very fruitful relationship. Be On-Time This kind of goes without saying, but it was one of the key "what NOT to do" things the gallery staff shared with me. They told me, "If all of our artists would be like you, Matt! You are actually on time. You were here when you said you were going to be, and you have your paperwork!" Here's a Pro Tip for getting an art gallery director and staff to love you and your work: Make it easy to do business with you. It starts with things like:
Do this, and they will have a great feeling about you and your work. And when the gallery owner and the gallery staff feel good about you and your work, they are much, much, much more willing to talk to clientele about what you do creatively, both to sell pieces and to refer clients back to you for commissioned work. Make Great Artwork Again, I would hope this would seem obvious, but too many people just don't seem to get this. You've got to be making great work for a gallery to take you seriously. You may be a great marketer, but if you create sub-standard pieces that are not desirable in the marketplace, then you can't expect the gallery to get excited about what you do. While you're out there looking for a reputable venue to represent your work, owners are looking for artwork that will enhance their art gallery's reputation. I share these concepts often, both in this blog and on my Thriving Christian Artist and 5-Minute Mentoring Podcasts, about:
Investing in yourself and your art is the path towards creating high quality, unique art that will be prized and appreciated in the marketplace. When you do these three things, I promise that you will make friends and influence gallery owners quickly. You'll be set apart from so many other artists in the Marketplace who may be great at what they do, but they aren't making it easy for a gallery to do business with them. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend, share on social media and comment below! Thanks for reading.
Do you ever struggle with a lack of time and feel like you just can’t get everything done? Do you ever wonder how you are supposed to be the artist that God has called you to be, yet don’t seem to have enough hours in the day? Well, if that’s you, then keep reading because I’ve got some practical strategies for finding more time for the things that really matter.
One of the five roadblocks I’ve seen hold artists back over the years is this whole concept of overwhelm and the lack of time. You might be nodding your head right now, thinking, Matt, I know what you mean. A lot of artists struggle with this, but here is the thing that I have learned about overwhelm and lack of time. How you spend your time is simply a reflection of a few things in your life:
And all of this can be summed up into one word: Vision. How you spend your time is directly related to vision. It’s the Bible that tells in Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” or as another version reads, “the people cast off restraint,” and one of my favorite translations says that without vision that “people run wild.” So how does all this relate to time and time management? Vision from God about your life and art allows you to have a standard by which you choose how to use and prioritize your time. It helps you to know who you are and what you are called or meant to do in your life and with your art. Without that in place, then it's too easy to let circumstances and other people determine what your priorities are in life. Then before you know it, your time, your money, your energy, and your focus have been hijacked by someone else’s agenda. I had to get to this place in my own life. The place where I fully embraced God’s call and plan for my life as a husband, a dad, an artist, and as a father to Artists. Understanding who God created me to be and knowing what He has called me to do guides how I choose to invest my time. This vision for my life helps me to prioritize what I say yes to and what I say no to in my day. What’s Eating Up YOUR Day? So, I am going to give you a little assignment that you can do right now to start taking control of your time. For the next seven days, grab your journal, a legal pad, or even a piece of paper and write down everything that you are doing in 15-minute increments. Now, I know that you are probably saying, “OMG! That is a lot of detail.” Yeah, it is, and that’s the point. This time assessment is a commitment, but it’s really going to reveal where you are spending your time. Yes, I want you to include the random scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, the daydreaming, and anytime you spend unfocused. Be sure to include doing things for your family and friends, even the things you do out of guilt or obligation. Time for YOUR Aha Moment And then at the end of the week, what I want you to do is this: Go back through that assessment and look at the areas where you choose to spend your time. Ask yourself the following questions:
The point of this exercise is not to feel shame for what you didn’t do but to help you see what you can do. Most people who do this week-long time assessment end up having a complete light bulb moment of realization: “OOOohhhhh! My Goodness! I’ve wasted a whole lot of time on a whole bunch of nothing.” The important thing is to take that Aha moment and use it as a call to action. Ask Yourself This Once you’ve completed this exercise and find yourself staring in the depth of this Aha moment, this is what I want you to ask yourself. “What am I willing to give up or change in my life right now in order to live the life that I believe that God has designed me to live as an artist?” I know that it's a tough question, and not one to be answered lightly. But I’m also convinced that every artist who answers this question is ready to step into the fullness of what God has for them. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend, share on social media and comment below! Thanks for reading.
Have you ever dreamed about starting your own art business but got stuck knowing when and how to begin laying the foundation?
I see this frustration show up all the time in artists who have emerged past the hobbyist phase with their art. Maybe they have been selling a little bit of art from time to time, and now they are starting to see the reality where art can grow from being a lucrative side hustle into their full-time vocation. This is when the questions I get from these artists start to change. I start getting asked things like…
I hear all this and more, and I always tell people this; It is never ever too early to lay a solid foundation for your art and your art business. And every time I share this bit of wisdom, the very next thing I hear is, “well, Matt, what do I do next?” Here are the top three things I always share. Accelerate Your Confidence As you start working intentionally on your art business and while continuing to develop both spiritually and artistically, you begin to gain confidence in an accelerated way. It never ceases to amaze me that once you start to get some success under your belt and people start responding favorably to what you are creating, all of the old fears and hesitations seem to melt away. Fear of failure, fear of technology, and even the fear of not being good begin to be replaced by confidence as you take that leap of faith to get out there and start doing stuff. And to be clear, this isn’t something that can be bought or even something that God is just going to download to you supernaturally. This release of confidence comes with the territory. As you step out, God is there to release grace and confidence in your life equal to the task that you are pursuing. So, gaining confidence is a huge reason why it is never too early to lay a solid foundation. You’re Gonna Need a Bigger Runway Building a successful art business is a lot like building a long, beautiful runway. A lot of people think that they are going to build this great “plane” of an art business, then all at once, their art career will begin to take off and soar. While I would love that that to be true, here is the deal: your “plane” will never get off of the ground without a runway. The truth is, you have got to have a runway to begin to build up speed and accelerate in order to take off and be who God has called you to be. Laying a foundation for this “runway” starts in your spiritual life. You begin by aligning your mindset, your heart, and your mindset with the truth of how the Kingdom works, how money flows, and how to connect with the broader move of what God is doing in the earth and raising up this army of artists. With this started, then begin to focus on all of the marketing, business, and art stuff that it takes to really thrive as an artist. As you are faithful to do this little by little each day, you’ll be laying a firm foundation for that “runway.” Then when the day comes and you are ready to push the accelerator on your creative life, you will shoot down the runway, take off, and soar as an artist. Start Healthy, Stay Healthy Laying a healthy foundation early on avoids do-overs later in life. I don’t know if you are like me, but when I get something that has to be assembled, a curtain rod, a bookshelf, a piece of lawn equipment, whatever it is, I never look at the instructions. I always jump in and start doing it. Maybe this is a guy thing, but I don’t think it is. Inevitably, I get to a point where the thing I’m building doesn’t look like the picture on the box. Maybe it’s because I’ve put “Part F” backward into “Slot A” while using “Screw I” instead of “Bolt L” to hold it together. Then I have to take the whole thing apart and redo it. This entire process wastes time, makes me frustrated, and always leaves me wondering “Why didn’t I just read the directions?” Laying a solid foundation in your spiritual, art, and business life is a guaranteed way to avoid a bunch of unnecessary do-overs in your journey. Otherwise, you are forever trying to figure things out on your own, and having to come back weeks, months, and even years later to undo negative patterns of thinking and ways of doing things. Seeking the advice of someone who has traveled this journey before you, a mentor, can be one of the best first steps you can take in laying a firm, healthy, do-over free foundation in life and art. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading
Do you struggle with pricing your artwork? Do you often feel like you're underpricing, or maybe even undervaluing, your artwork? It's an all too common problem for artists. If you can relate, I have some good news and some surprising news for you. The good news is that this doesn't have to be your story. The surprising news is that we're going to have to address a mindset issue that's probably been holding you back.
Over the years, I've learned that if you are struggling with pricing as an artist, it rarely has anything to do with the value of your work, the quality of your work, or what people are willing to pay you. What I have found to be the case is that 99% of the time, the major roadblock when it comes to pricing is YOU, or more specifically, your MINDSET. No matter how talented you may be or what kind of local art market you live in, at the end of the day it all boils down to what you believe about yourself and your artwork. Don’t worry, I’ll explain more as we keep going, but first I want to start here. Let me challenge you to take a few minutes and do a little self-assessment. Be honest, even if you don't like your answers. The point of this little exercise is to find the root cause of why pricing your art is such a struggle. Mini-Assessment
Now, take a moment and ask God to show you the common thread that runs through all your answers. What is one thing that is most responsible for the problems you've had pricing your artwork? I know for me, when I started, it was a struggle to figure out how to price my artwork effectively so that I could make money as an artist. One thing that I did learn over the years was that if you don't value yourself and your art, then that same discounting of yourself and your artistic giftings will be reflected 100% of the time in the price that you put on your artwork. Take a moment to let that sink in while I share this story. After I moved to Asheville, North Carolina, and had become a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild (the second oldest and most prestigious fine craft guild in the country), I had an experience at one of my first shows with them that exposed my false thinking and highlighted the need to change my mindset. Being a new artist in a group in such a prestigious group, I decided to push my pricing to where I felt comfortable, to a price point I thought people would pay based on what I would pay. My mindset at the time was something like, "If I wouldn't pay more than this, then I won't price my work any higher than this." At the time, it made sense to me. Well, I had a beautiful sculptural piece there with me that weekend. And as I started working the crowd, and people are coming up and talking to me, this one guy came up and started circling that piece. I tried to hold my excitement back just knowing he was falling in love with the sculpture and that I was about to make a sale. Everything was going well until he looked at the $200 price I had on the piece. The guy finally engaged me and asked, "Well, are you the artist?" I said, "Yeah!" He said, "Well, this is a really beautiful piece, a really special piece." I said, "Well, thank you so much.” He said, "You know, people come to this kind of show because they are looking for something that is really, really special." Now in the back of my mind, I am thinking the whole time, "This guy is going to totally buy this piece! He is driving himself into the buyer's lane right now." I said, "Yeah! Yeah! People do come to this show because it is a beautiful show." He said, "Matt, can I be honest with you?" I said, "Sure! Sure!" He said, "You have been doing this a lot longer than I have; you have got a lot more experience than I do, but I'll be honest with you. $200 really doesn't say "special" to me." And then he walked away. I have a friend that had the same thing happen when she was selling a piece of pottery. She had priced her art at $150, but a prospective customer mistakenly thought that the piece was priced at $1,500 and was eager to take the piece home. As the customer took the piece up to the counter to check out, she was informed that it was only $150. Normally you'd think this would be a good thing, but the customer who was willing and ready to buy a $1500 piece of pottery refused to buy it now that it was only $150. Why do you think this happened in both of these cases? I believe it all boils down to perception. From the artists' point of view, we both priced our pieces based on what we perceived our value and the value of the piece to be. Again, this made perfect sense at the time. But to both potential buyers, their perception of our art, art that they wanted to buy, was damaged by what they perceived to be a cheap price. For me, this experience was an excellent opportunity to reach out to God and allow Him to challenge and change the mindsets I held around the pricing and valuing my work. As I grew in this area, I began to gain the confidence to start pricing my art in a way that set me apart. If this resonates with you, then I challenge you to take your own pricing and value mindsets to the God and ask, "Lord, am I charging for my art based out of fear, or am I charging for my art based on being a business person, being confident in what You have called me to, knowing that I need to make money and make a profit to sell?" I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading. For a detailed explanation of pricing artwork, check out my guide to How to Price Your Art: The Definitive Guide for Pricing Artwork for Visual Artists.
You know, a lot of artists have dreams about supplementing their income with their artwork, but few know how to take those first steps towards making this dream a reality. If this is you, please keep reading. I’m going to be sharing some practical things you can start doing now to turn your art hobby into a profitable and productive side-hustle.
Make Space First of all, be sure you are intentionally making space in your life for both your day job and your art. If you’re like most folks working a full-time job, then Monday through Friday is probably dominated by work, commuting, and living life, and that’s entirely understandable. The challenge, then, is what you do with those other hours in your day, your weekend, and your free time? Well, if you want to make your art work for you, especially as an income stream, then you have to be serious about making that work for you from a time, energy, and resource perspective. So, sit down, look at your calendar, make sure you are giving intentional space every week to your art. Be Realistic Secondly, you have to be realistic about the time you have to invest in your art, but more importantly, you have to make that time count. Be consistent and faithful in the time you have to be inspired, practice techniques, and create pieces of art. Remember, you’re in this for the long haul. Also, be realistic about how you are going to get your work out there to potential buyers. You may want to consider quarterly shows, online sales, or even working with a local gallery that can market your art for you while you are still working a full-time job. Remember there isn’t a one size fits all approach, the secret is finding what works best for you, your family, and your art during this season. And this brings us to my final point... Be Clear Be clear, I mean really, really clear about what you want, what you are willing to give up in order to get that, and where you want to go in this season of your life. We call that vision, and the Bible is really clear on this topic. Proverbs 29:18 tells us that, “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” and that word perish there actually means to cast off restraint. It means going here or there with no real direction in life, but VISION allows you to be clear about who you are, what you want, and where you are going in any given season of life. All of us go through different seasons in life. Right now, my focus is on being a Husband to my wife, a Dad to my son, and a Father to artists. When new opportunities arise in my life, I take a moment to evaluate each open door in the light of the current season that I find myself in. If the option being offered doesn’t line up with the vision God has laid out for me during this season, then I don’t do it. It really is that simple to be clear when you have a vision for your life. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading.
There’s a fresh wind blowing through the arts right now, all over the world. Many have called it a New Renaissance of sorts and as an artist, that’s exciting!
For many artists, it's brought a new vitality, a resurgence of buyers and the opportunity to significantly grow their businesses through new tools and technology platforms, but is that it? Is that the end game? I believe there's much more on God's heart for artists. More than Marketers During this current resurgence of the arts, God is highlighting artists, our work and our creative process. It's an exciting time but God's not simply interested in raising up more talented artists and better marketers for our own sake. This move is not just about creating great art and making money as an end in itself (although both of those things can be the fruit of following Gods lead)! He’s actually waking up our hearts, drawing us into wholeness, transforming our minds and raising up an army of creative sons and daughters who know who they are and what they are called to in the Kingdom. This is definitely a God-inspired movement - a tidal wave of creativity in our generation - but to simply see it only as a renaissance is to miss the essence of what's going on. This move is very different and if we don’t recognize the differences, we will miss the central focus of what’s Gods really doing in this hour. Here’s why: 3 Philosophies of the Renaissance During (and as a result of) the Renaissance, three main philosophies emerged that have guided artists for generations since:
These three systems formed the basis of how most artists approach their work and business - Christian artists included - even today. It goes like this: pursue my artistic expression (because that’s who I am), make it all about my desires, my talent, my expression and then find others to support me through grants, donations and sales. For some that works, although not long term. For many, it doesn't work, resulting in a starving artist mentality on one side or a success-focused art marketer on the other. The ugly side of patronage during the Renaissance of the past was that the artist became dependent on and was at the mercy of the patron (rather than a healthy identity in the Lord), adding a complicated (to say the least) dynamic to their life and art. Today, being a slave to the market or latest marketing trend can yield the same frustration. More than an Arts Renaissance In this season, God is using this renaissance to lead us to revival and ultimately, thriving in His Kingdom. He's also raising up an army of artists who operate in three wholly different ways:
Lasting Success, Grace to Grow As an artist myself and one who’s had the great privilege of walking with thousands of artists over the years as a mentor, I know this: artists who seek the transformative power of God in the context of their life, art and business will always experience more lasting success than those who simply seek after the latest artistic fads and business trends. Further, artists who center their art and business in their relationship with God also have the grace to grow and mature over the long term, building what Proverbs calls “wealth without sorrow.” I want revival, not just renaissance. Revival starts in the heart - my heart - and flows out to others by the Spirit of God through my art, my business and my life. Revival awakens and empowers me from within. Revival centers my life, work and business in hearing Gods voice and following His lead. Revival calls me to community and lasting impact, for His glory. Sure, becoming a better artist and a better marketer is a part of this process for artists but it’s when God shows up that everything changes. That kind of lasting transformation will never happen as the result of my own effort. When God shows up, transformation is released. When God shows up, my life and art has meaning. When God shows up, then the world is changed. Pray this with me: Oh God, raise up an army of artists - sons and daughters - who know your voice, follow your lead and release the beauty of your Kingdom in the earth! Here I am, use me.
Tell me my friend, does this sound familiar?
You've created a significant body of work and have done your best to let the world know you're open for business, but no matter what you do, you just can't seem to sell your art locally. If you find yourself in an extremely rural area, an area that is economically depressed, or an area that doesn't have an established art-buying culture, then it may be time to face facts. Your local area may not be where your ideal clients, the best buyers for your art, are located. If this is you, don't worry. This isn't the end of your artistic dreams, but the beginning of a new way of thinking about and approaching your art business. And to help you get started, I want to share three ideas that I've seen work for artists around the globe. 1. Selling Art is Not the Only Way to Make Money as An Artist When I first moved to Asheville and started to establish myself as an artist, I discovered that teaching art classes was a great way to augment my art sales. These classes brought in some much-needed income while helping to elevate my status as an artistic professional in my community. Over the past few years, online courses have come into their own. Even in our currently socially distanced world, it's never been easier to use what you know artistically to create a great source of income. 2. You Need to Go Where the Fish Are I grew up in Georgia and learned quite early that if you're trying to catch fish, you've got to go to where the fish are. The same wisdom applies to selling your art. If your local art market is sluggish or non-existent, then it's time to find out where folks are buying art in your region and your state. Start with a little online research. Spend some time looking into shows outside of your local area that are a good fit for your work. Then look into the galleries that are attracting the clientele you're looking to connect with. Once you've narrowed down the list, check out these shows and galleries in person. It may mean taking a road trip and getting a hotel. The goal is to find with the Holy Spirit's guidance, the shows and galleries that are a great fit for your art. 3. Selling Your Artwork Online Is a Great Option The fundamentals are simple: attract an audience, get their email address, and build a connection over time. It may be a new concept to you, but over the years, I've learned that Connection is Key when it comes to growing your art sales. Every successful artist I know cultivates buyers by intentionally and consistently building a connection with their followers. Now once you've built that connection, everything else is quite simple. From processing payments online to worldwide shipping, it's never been easier to sell your art to a global audience. Looking for A Blueprint for Success? Over the years as I've developed my own thriving art business and helped thousands of other Christian artists do the same, I've discovered there are some key elements you need to be focused on in order to start or grow your art business. They include things like: ✅ Having a simple, clear pathway for your purpose ✅ Knowing where to focus your time, attention and resources to accelerate growth ✅ Understanding what habits make success easier ✅ Clarifying God’s plan for your life and art ✅ Discovering why people aren't buying your art ✅ Transforming lookers into raving clients ✅ How to build a personal brand that attracts buyers both online and offline ✅ Knowing the key elements every artist website should have to start making sales ✅ Feeling confident in creating a simple artist marketing plan ✅ Knowing how to handle the business side of being an artist without being overwhelmed These key elements are the beginning of starting or growing your art business to the next level.
I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend.
Enjoy this live video from a recent Facebook Live. We has some connectivity issues for a few moments early on... just scrub through them and keep going :)
Many artists have dreams of creating a business from their art. Even more have dreams of growing their current art business beyond a trickling side hustle into a real part-time or full-time business that can provide then the financial and time freedom they desire.
Well, if you're one of those artists and you're tired of spinning your wheels then I hope this article will be an encouragement to you! Harmonious Opposites For most artists, one of the first big hurdles to overcome is the concept of being both an entrepreneur and a creative. I know, I can hear you now "But Matt, I'm not good at all the business stuff... I just want to create!" If that's you, then wonderful! I'm happy for you. You, my friend, have a wonderful hobby you can enjoy for many years to come. But here's the truth: you can't have business results with hobby habits. Either you learn to embrace both parts of the journey, or you come to terms with the limitations of not doing so. There's no right or wrong answer, but you can't have it both ways. Entrepreneurship and creativity are what some have called "harmonious opposites". On the surface, they seem like they are the antithesis of each other but in realty, they actually fuel each other when held in a healthy tension. Living in and cultivating that tension is your job. Let me explain. Creative expression in and of itself is a wonderful pursuit for every person, regardless if they feel they are called to be an artist or not. However, for those who want to grow in their capacity, skill and function as an artist, a few things must happen, right? Mastery of skills, techniques, material usage, design, composition, the list goes on. Without these fundamentals, creating can become limited and boring. However, with this foundation artistic expression becomes and ever-expanding world of possibility. In essence, skill development is the runway for artistic freedom and I bet if you've been an artist for any length of time, you've probably experienced this reality in your life. The same is true with entrepreneurship and the fundamentals of business. Unless an artist embraces the fundamentals of marketing, sales and running a business they simply limit their capacity to thrive in this modern world as an artist. Gone are the days where an artist can rely on one gallery to sell their work. Buyers want interaction with the artist more than ever which requires artists not only to be makers, but to be great marketers as well. It's simply a required part of the package. Otherwise, you've got to be ok with creating art as a hobby with no predictable way of seeing sales. The Juggling Act Now that you're (hopefully) starting to embrace the harmonious tension between being both an entrepreneur and a creative, realize that functioning in that world is not a singular path. Rather, it is much like a juggler, who starting with a single item, then adds other items to their act and keeps them all in the air. Skill and experience make that easier as you grow. The big question for most artists is "what things should I be juggling and what things should I be leaving out?" That is, what are the really important things that I need to know - especially starting out - and what are the things I can grow into? Without knowing this, most artists will spend hours, days and months spinning their wheels doing things they think are important yet not having any data to confirm their suspicions. A Blueprint for Success Over the years as I've developed my own thriving art business and helped thousands of other Christian artists do the same, I've discovered there are some key elements you need to be focused on in order to start or grow your art business. They include things like: ✅ Having a simple, clear pathway for your purpose ✅ Knowing where to focus your time, attention and resources to accelerate growth ✅ Understanding what habits make success easier ✅ Clarifying God’s plan for your life and art ✅ Discovering why people aren't buying your art ✅ Transforming lookers into raving clients ✅ How to build a personal brand that attracts buyers both online and offline ✅ Knowing the key elements every artist website should have to start making sales ✅ Feeling confident in creating a simple artist marketing plan ✅ Knowing how to handle the business side of being an artist without being overwhelmed These key elements are the beginning of starting or growing your art business to the next level.
Have you ever struggled with knowing where to advertise yourself as an artist? There are so many options available today. Some are expensive, some are effective, and some are just a waste of time and money.
I love it when an artist is thinking about advertising because it immediately tells me that they are proud of their work and ready to get it out there to the art buying public. It also means they are stepping out into their journey of becoming a thriving artist. That’s exciting! I was recently asked a question by Deb, one of the members of my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program as she was considering advertising in her local paper. She wanted to know what I did to advertise myself as an artist. My answer may surprise some of you, but before I share it, I want to give you a little backstory. Backstory: I owned a marketing company in Atlanta for several years. We did some advertising, we helped people develop ads and get them placed in magazines, newspapers, and online. We'd help communicate their message, build brand awareness, and build their online presence. Despite my background in advertising, I don't advertise, at least not in the way you might think. Now, I know you're sitting there, maybe in a bit of disbelief, but I've been able to build a six-figure art business with an international following without having to pay to promote my artwork. It all comes down to the way that the Lord led me to develop my art career. You see, I believe marketing your art is not just about finding people to buy your stuff. It’s about cultivating and sharing your artistic uniqueness and then sharing that with the world in order to build an authentic connection with the people in the marketplace who value your aesthetic and connect with who you are as an artist. Are you ready to find out how to do this? Define Your Artistic Uniqueness Let me ask you a question. What makes you different? What makes you unique? What is the "secret sauce" that makes your artwork stand out from other artists in your area who are creating pieces using the same mediums or working in similar genres as you? Defining what I call your Unique Creative Voice as an artist is vital to developing your "brand" as an artist. There are many ways to go about doing this, but I’ve found there are really three key steps you need to take to do it successfully. Focus Your Creative Expression Have you ever heard the saying, "Jack of all trades, master of none?" Unfortunately, this could be ascribed to so many artists I've met over the years. While it's great to have a wide variety of skills and interests, it's vitally important to focus your creative energies on one or two primary things so you can truly develop what I call Masterful Competence; but only if you want to sell your work consistently. :) This focusing may also mean that you begin to put limits on your creative palette while you define the parameters of both what and how you create your art. It's learning to find creative freedom within the boundaries of a limited palette. I realize that might seem stifling at first but learning to co-plan and co-create art with the Holy Spirit while limiting yourself to a handful of supplies, techniques, and mediums supercharges the development of your artistic mastery. Learn To Tell the Story of You One thing I'm always saying is that 90% of the time, people buy art because of connection. Sometimes it's a connection to your subject matter, but serious collectors also value the connection they have with you and your creative process. That's why developing and refining your story is vital to growing your art business. Your story and the story of your art can be one of the most powerful tools you can carry with you as you embark on creating authentic connections with the clients and potential clients you meet. You see, fully embracing your story is so important, because before you can truly grow as an artist, you must be able to speak passionately about yourself, your artwork, and your process. When you're passionate and excited about your work, and you learn to share that passion, people will start to connect with you and your work. The difference between telling your story and advertising is the difference between hunting with a rifle versus hunting with a shotgun. Telling your story, either in person or via editorial content (blogs, podcasts, articles, etc.) is a highly focused, precise way of zeroing in on your ideal clients. While generalized advertising (though it can be useful) is a bit like scattering your seed to the wind. Sure, you may "hit" one or two of the people you're looking to connect with, but the vast majority of your paid advertisements are going to land in the laps of people who don't want or can't afford what you do. There is a better way, and once you've established what makes you artistically unique and you're ready to tell the story of you, then it's time to… Discover Your Ideal Client Creating your business around a niche of people who connect with you and your work is the bedrock of a successful art business. As I've said many times before, "No connection, no sale." The question then becomes, "How do I connect and with whom?" That's what developing a client avatar is all about. A client avatar is a fictional representation of your ideal client, all wrapped into one character. Being able to see your ideal client as a person, rather than an obscure figment of your imagination is super helpful when developing your potential products, messaging, and marketing campaigns. With a client avatar in mind, you're able to create marketing efforts directed right at them. Finally, let me say this. It's best if you can develop your client avatar based on actual evidence you've collected over time rather than just coming up with who you 'think' is your target client. With actual client history, you can analyze how people have connected with you and your work over the years while working on ways to enhance that experience. If you're just starting fresh, give it your best shot and also look at the clients of other artists in your area or medium who are selling to provide you with a starting place. So, you've defined your artistic uniqueness, you're ready to tell the story of you, and you know what your ideal client looks like. Now it's time to… Bring it All Together Have you ever wondered what that secret recipe is for making and selling great art? Well, it's not just your artistic uniqueness, your story and your client avatar alone that make the biggest difference, but rather how you use these three ingredients, or tools, together to develop the perfect recipe for connecting you and your art with the people who want to buy it and pay top dollar for it. The goal is to find the points of intersection where you can connect with your ideal clients. What magazines do they read? Where do they hang out? What non-profits are they involved with? What clubs and organizations are they members of? These are just a few of the questions I've used over the years to find points of overlap in my life and in theirs. And this is key to creating connection. Let me tell you how my friend Julie, a photographer, does this. Julie's fine art portrait sessions are a perfect fit for individuals and families who can invest $2500 or more to capture images meant to be treasured for several lifetimes. She learned early on that her ideal clients were often involved with local non-profits, serving on boards, donating time, and making donations at fundraisers and galas. So, Julie combined her skills along with her love of serving the community to connect with her ideal clients by photographing them at local non-profit events. Again, the goal is to know where your ideal client is hanging out and learning to connect with them intentionally. Through direct connection via mutual interests or by being referred by someone your ideal client is already doing business with are two great low to no-cost ways to promote yourself. Now, if you were going to spend money on advertisements, and please know that I'm not against this, this is where having intel on your ideal client can really stretch and focus your advertising dollars. If your ideal clients are affluent seniors, look for the local publications that are already targeting that market. Some exclusive subdivisions in our area even have their own magazines, each filled with public interest articles on a variety of topics. This opens up the possibility of a public interest piece (which costs nothing) or even paid ads that will land in the lap of an ideal potential client. Final Thoughts Marketing and promotion are a lot like planting seeds. The worst thing you can ever do is to stop sowing the seeds of connection. Some of those seeds are going to come up immediately, some of them are going to come up in a few months, some of them may come up in a few years. You never know, but you have always got to be planting seeds, and then focus those seeds in the places where they are going to count the most around those intersection points. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading
Have you ever considered putting your artwork on apparel or merchandise in order to get it out to the masses? Well, one of my podcast listeners and Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program members, Jen, recently asked me about this idea of putting a great piece of artwork on a T-shirt. She wanted to know if this is a good idea or not, but more specifically, she wanted to know if this would cheapen her art.
I love tackling questions like this because it helps artists find focus and bring clarity of purpose to their creative pursuits. Over the years, I’ve found that there are really two ways to go about selling your art. Folks who have been in the biz for a while, usually end up in one of two camps: The Mass Merchandising Camp or the Fine Art Camp. It’s rare that artists have feet in both. The Mass Merchandising Camp In this camp, the whole idea is to sell as much art as possible by placing art on everything you can imagine while keeping the prices low enough to make it affordable to the masses. In this camp, your canvas might be cellphone covers, leggings, pants, shirts, t-shirts, hats, mugs, cups, stickers, towels, or calendars. You get the idea. Now don’t get me wrong, this can be a great camp to be in artistically speaking. Artists in this camp are eventually drawn towards licensing their art. From art and art merchandise sold online and in big box stores, to mass reproduced series of prints for business and hotel chains, art licensing is a multi-billion dollar segment of the global art market each year. To be clear, Mass Merchandising is an excellent camp to consider, but it does have one glaring downside. The more that you bring down the price of your artwork and increase its accessibility, the more you cheapen its value in the eyes of serious collectors, people I consider to be your best buyers. What do I mean by that? True collectors, the folks who spend the most money on art, are usually looking for pieces that are original, exclusive and many times, offered at a higher price point. To them, buying art is not just about the art, but about the ambiance that goes around it, the prominence of the artist, the significance of the piece, and the perceived status that would come from owning it. The Fine Art Camp Now, for me, I chose to plant my feet in a different camp when it came to marketing my art. I learned a valuable lesson early on in the fine craft world. My friends who were potters tended to lean mostly towards functional pieces or towards non-functional work. I began to notice that potters that focused primarily on functional pieces, mugs, bowls, plates, etc., were amazing artists that were stuck on a volume-producing treadmill. To make a living, these artists have to batch produce a larger volume of pieces to make ends meet. Again these are great artists creating beautiful pieces, but at the end of the day, a mug or a bowl meant for daily use isn’t going to fetch fine art prices. Then there were the ceramicists that created ornate vessels and sculpture. Their focus was on unique one of a kind items meant to serve as the focal point of a room, a centerpiece on a table, or a high-end accent to an existing collection of fine art. Sure these artists never sold the volume of pieces that functional potters sold, but they did attract the kind of buyer that I was looking to attract in my art business. Positioning Is Everything Seeing those two schools of thought in action there inside the fine art camp made it easy for me to find my path when it came to creating and selling my art. While my career in basketry began in the “functional” school of thought, I knew I couldn’t stay there forever. Over the years, as my skill grew, I came to love making things that are exclusive, unique, and really special. Consequently, I knew that if I wanted to follow my artistic passions, I had to move away from the “sure bet” functional baskets were for me and begin to position myself differently. My prices had to increase if my volume of sales were going to decrease, but more importantly I had to develop that “it” factor, that idea of exclusivity, that would attract the kind of buyer that could and would pay top dollar for my work. As I did this, I learned a few things about the high-end art market. Buyers in this market are much more concerned about the connection of my values to theirs than they were with the concept of merely filling a blank space on their shelf. I learned that my ideal buyer was drawn in by the aesthetic of my work, the uniqueness of my pieces, and eventually by my reputation as an artist. As I turned off the faucet in my art career on the lower-end stuff, I began to connect with clients that were passionate about my work. These folks never beat me up on price. In fact, price is often one of the last questions they ask when purchasing one of my woven sculptures. The best part is that they started referring me to their friends which only served to strengthen my reputation and increase my value in the marketplace as an artist. I found that I love to do business with buyers like this, serious collectors who appreciate my artistic passions. Trust is Key Choosing your path as an artist is one of the most critical decisions you’ll make in your career as an artist. One of the things that helped me the most in my journey was to set aside some time to examine my heart. I began to realize that when my focus was on “how can I make a buck,” or “how can I get you to buy my basket,” that I was living out of a place of fear and striving. Fear that I would be a starving artist that couldn’t provide for my family and striving to do everything in my power to provide for my own needs. What I wasn’t doing was trusting the Lord, the One who had given me these talents and had called me to the marketplace to provide for me as His son. In my own epic saga of artistic (and spiritual) growth, I reached a point of surrender and trust. I surrendered the idea that it was up to me and that I had to work, sweat, and strive and leaned fully into trust. I prayed something like, “You know what, Lord? I know that You love me. I know that You have called me an artist. I know that You want me to make things that I am passionate about. I know that as I am faithful to be the artist You called me to be, You are going to be faithful to bring the clients, the connections, and the provision.” When I did that and disconnected from all that striving, that’s when things changed for me. It’s been the same for so many artists in my Mentoring Program. When they let go of striving to create and sell and leaned into trusting God and yielding to the direction of the Holy Spirit in every aspect of their art life, things began to change. Doors of opportunity, provision, and artistic fulfillment began to open wide for them as well. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading!
As an established Christian artist, I'm often asked how do you take a hobby and turn it into a viable business; either part time or full time. Or to take it a step further, how do you take something you love to do, have God bless it and turn it into a source of income, allowing you the time, the freedom and the income you need to start focusing on what God has called you to do?
Over the years, I've learned that most artists are moved and motivated simply by the opportunity to create art. And the simple fact is, if you're making enough money through creating and selling your art, then you have more time to create. That's pretty awesome! When that is coupled with seeing your art being used by God to transform the lives of others, your joy and fulfillment cup in life really starts to overflow. While this is fun to think about, the real challenge for most Christian artists is figuring out how they get there; how they take that hobby, and go pro. I've touched on the concept of "Building the Bridge" in previous posts, but today we're going to map out exactly what that journey can look like for you. Make Great (and Unique) Art The foundation of this bridge is simply making great art. You have to develop your skill, your unique voice, and an aesthetic that is desirable in the marketplace. Otherwise, you’ve got nothing to share with the world. It's also essential to continue producing great work regularly for your style and your voice to develop. Without that, most artists find themselves stuck without a unique, recognizable voice or enough work to start really selling. Now, I know it's easy to become discouraged at this stage. It takes time for your unique voice to develop. It's going to take dedication, determination, and countless hours in the studio to develop your unique artistic voice, one that will set you apart in the marketplace. That’s normal and a glorious part of our journey both spiritually and artistically. No amount of marketing and business skill can make up for the lack of the time you spend creating. Remember, the same God that blessed you with talent and desire is the same God that will sustain and inspire you as you continue building your skill throughout your journey. Put Yourself Out There Proverb 16:9 says, "Man plans his way, but the Lord orders his steps." Your next step is to make your plan and get yourself out there into the marketplace. The most effective way I've found to establish long term success in marketing my art is what I like to call my Parthenon Marketing Plan. Think about the Parthenon, that ancient multi-pillared structure in Athens, Greece. Built thousands of years ago, the structure of the building is still largely intact due to the multiple pillars that were built to support the structure. Picture that building in your mind as we switch gears and focus on marketing your art. Instead of putting all of your "marketing eggs" in one basket, or on one "marketing pillar," begin diversifying your marketing efforts across a variety of different sales and marketing channels. Don’t just rely on art shows and craft fairs to sell your work, branch out and establish an online presence, too. Instead of just paying for Facebook ads, why not reach out to your local media outlets and let them know you're available for interviews and public interest stories! The possibilities are endless. The point is to build your marketing "house" by using a multi-pillared approach that employs a variety of different marketing tactics, all working simultaneously. That way, if one strategy fails, falls short, or, as we've seen with the Covid-19 Pandemic, is shut down, you still have a way to connect with clients, sell your art and pandemic-proof your business. Find YOUR Place….Are You Going to be Evian or Tap Water? So let's recap. First, you have to create great art while developing your unique artistic voice and style. Then you must begin reaching out and connecting with people so that they know you exist in the marketplace. Finally, it's also essential to know where to position yourself IN the market. Let's use water as an example. Now, there's tap water that basically costs you nothing and then there are bottles of water out there that can cost upwards of $100 (check out https://svalbardi.com/). How do they charge that much for water? It's all with how it's positioned in the marketplace. They've marketed it in such a way that makes it unique, special, and exclusive enough to offer a client the experience they're seeking. It’s the same way with art. Take my work, for example. I don't just create functional baskets you can find at any store. I create woven sculpture. I don't sell at common community craft shows. I've positioned myself in the marketplace in a way that highlights the value of my work as fine art. When my clients meet me, see my art, and get to know me, they begin to feel that one of my sculpted pieces just might be worthy of a place of honor in their home and the high prices my work commands. Do you have to be the best artist in the world to accomplish this? Absolutely not, but you do need to create something that is perceived as special, unique, and valuable. This approach continues to build on itself. Once you cultivate and build a reputation for being exclusive, unique, and desirable, you'll begin to find and attract your special niche of clients. By positioning myself as an artist, instead of “some guy who makes baskets” or “crafty”, I've been able to create a unique brand that is both high end and exclusive. And that's how you start to command the prices and respect in the art world. Where is God in all of this? My friend, He's in your studio and the work you create. He’s in your inspiration, and He’s definitely in the relationships you develop along the way. The Holy Spirit will guide you every step of the way both in your creative process and into those special relationships He has for you. Learn to invest in those key relationships the Lord points out to you and intentionally cultivate those relationships over time. It will pay off, I promise. Remember, the Lord is ready to walk with you in every artistic, business, and life decision you face. The same God who filled you with creativity and inspiration desires to guide you moment by moment as you step out in faith and use the gifts He's given you in the marketplace. And as you are faithful on your journey, the Lord will begin to open up doors for you to do the thing that's in your heart. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading! Back in March of this year, I had the honor and the privileged of hosting 500 artists at our first ever Thriving Christian Artists Conference here in North Carolina. One of the highlights of that event was having the audience pick our 2020 Created to Thrive Spokesperson of the Year from our four finalists that were present there with us that weekend. As a part of for being considered for this honor, everyone who entered this to submit a short video detailing why they should be chosen. While I can't share all the fantastic videos we did receive, I do want to share with you the following videos from our four finalists. Enjoy Lydia Crouch - FinalistRachel Painter - FinalistIrene Hassler - FinalistJan Tetsutani - Our 2020 Spokesperson of the YearAs Christian artists, it’s easy for us to say we’re not in it for the money label money as a hindrance; even evil. But in doing so, we’re simply using the fear of money as an excuse to justify our roadblocks. We get so caught up in worrying about finances, that it paralyzes us. Matthew 6:33 tells us: “Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” What that tells us is that provision is not something we must earn. God has designed us to walk with Him in the Kingdom as we pursue our unique design, embracing our position as sons and daughters. When we do that, then all things will come unto us. This is true, even when it comes to finances. So, do you think money evil? Of course not. Money is simply a tool that reveals the heart of it’s steward. Existing in this life requires money; making it, spending it, giving it and investing it. So today, I want to give you a simple three-step process to start thinking about your finances differently. Don’t let money paralyze you from being able to do that thing God has called you to do. Sow The first thing I want to encourage you to do is sow. As Galatians says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Too many times we are quick to give in to the excuses because of the fear and anxiety that comes along with money, . We tell ourselves we can’t afford something, have more important expenses, that we’re on a fixed income or maybe we will do it next year. Instead of sitting in that fear and never taking the chance, I invite you to sow. Sow into the Kingdom intentionally and by doing so, you are declaring in the face of the enemy that fear and anxiety don’t define you. Instead, you are planting a seed of purpose. Remember, you don’t plant a seed without expecting a harvest. When we sow in the face of fear, we are declaring God is our provider. If you are afraid to sow that seed, how will God entrust you with a harvest? Plant that seed in good soil in the Kingdom expecting to receive what God has for you. When you do this, putting your money into things won’t seem like such a waste. It won’t fill you with anxiety. Because you will know it’s been put in the right place. Look Next, you have to look for that harvest. What better place to start looking than in your own hand. Ask the Lord what is in your hand right now that could make a difference. Even if it’s small, find a win right now. Look for the fragments in your life. As told in the Gospel of John, a boy with just five loaves of bread and two fish fed thousands by bringing them to Jesus. Jesus then multiplied them to feed the masses. After the feast, the disciples picked up the fragments left behind; all that was forgotten and overlooked. So you ask the Lord what things in your own life are overlooked. This can be in your life but also in your finances. Is there a resource or asset you have forgotten about? Is there a recurring bill you forgot about and don’t utilize? Is your studio filled with artwork, even if they’re little sketches, that you could sell or make prints of? These little fragments could add up to something big. Lastly, when looking, I suggest looking for ideas. When you know something big is coming up, especially a large expense, stop thinking ‘oh I can’t afford that’. That immediately blocks the provision of God in your life through your lack of faith. It puts up a wall that says you are not ready to receive, that you aren’t in faith. Instead of thinking of all of the ways you can’t do something, ask the Lord for an idea. You can’t just ask God for money. God doesn’t pay in money. He pays in ideas. Make sure to listen for them. Be faithful with little and He will make you ruler over much. Go After all of that looking, I pray you have found something; an idea, a revelation, an opportunity. Now, what do you do with it? Well, you just have to go. Take that leap. Make a decision. When God gives you an idea, it has a lifespan. Opportunities are like waves. They come and they go. You have to take advantage of them when they are in season. Otherwise, you’ll miss them and have to wait on another. Many times, when I am talking about my passions and what God has called me to do, I hear stories of people who passed on opportunities five, ten, even twenty-five years ago. They chose to do nothing instead of choosing to go. And in not acting, they may have missed their window. So, in regards to provision and walking in the marketplace, when God shows you something, when He gives you that idea, go for it. Know that the idea is from the Lord, start walking in faith and just go. If you sow, look and then go, you will see God’s provision showing up in your life. You can start walking in faith and provision. As you do, you’ll learn to cooperate with the Holy Spirit and the flow of heaven into your life. It's God's good pleasure to give you the Kingdom. It's God's good pleasure to pour out on you more than you can ask or imagine. It's God's good pleasure to put dreams in your heart and give you every ability that you need to be able to fund and walk in those things in the fullness of His design in your life. That is absolutely how the Kingdom works. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading! Proverbs 29:18 tells us that without a vision, people perish. This is true even in the creative world. As Christian artists, we spend our time enthralled in our artistic passions because that’s the way God designed us; spending countless hours “in the zone”. However, when we’re looking to take our art somewhere bigger, enlarge our skills and really use them to build a business, we must start with a vision. Big Vision, Bite-Sized Goals First, you need to get clear about what God has called you to do. As a Christian artist, you may already know what that is, but maybe you need help getting there. So set your target, that vision of where you see yourself headed. After all, if you don’t know where you’re going, you'll never know when you get there. Write down what that vision looks like to you. How does it feel? What level of income are you hoping for? Are you selling your work and if so, how much, where and to whom? How does your business fit into your overall life? Clarifying who you are, what you want to accomplish and the life you want to experience along the way becomes your guiding principle, the spot on the horizon you’re always moving towards as enabled by the Holy Spirit. Remember, the Bible says in Proverbs 16:9 “A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” SMARTi Goals After you have your big goal, it’s time to start breaking it down into bite-sized pieces. I like to first break down the big goal into one-year goals. It needs to be aggressive enough to want to work towards, but also realistic. I call them SMARTi goals. These are goals that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, have a time frame and incentives when you accomplish your goals. I like to add a little incentive for achieving them. So, what do your big goals look like? How much money do you want your art business to bring in this year? Do you want to sell a specific number of pieces? What about learning a new skill, applying for a certain show or getting in a certain gallery? Do you want to record an album and get it out there on iTunes? Dream big, dream specifically and create your SMARTi goals. Paralyzed or Powerful As we all know, a big, lofty goal can sometimes put you in a state of confusion or paralyzation. We can get overwhelmed and that can lead to a lot of inaction. Instead, I invite you to shift your focus and allow that vision to become the fuel that encourages you to keep moving forward as enabled by the Holy Spirit! One way to take the fear out of big vision is by creating bite-sized objectives. Once you have your big yearly goals, simply break them down into 90-day goals that are much more manageable. This way, every quarter of the year is taking a little bite out of that big one-year goal and closer to your vision. And even if you don’t achieve every goal you set, you’re still a lot further down the road toward your big goal than you would have been simply floating along on autopilot like most people. Weekly Objectives Next, we’re going to break it down again. Every week, within your 90-day goals, set an objective. Now, you’ve created even smaller bites. To do this, I like to work in reverse and plot out everything that needs to be done for the big goal. Break it all down to little tasks and assign them as your weekly objectives. Accomplishing lots of small, daily and weekly goals takes you towards your 90-day goal one step at a time. And remember, every 90-day goal you accomplish is one step closer to the big, yearly goal. I know, from experience as a thriving artist, this will set you on the path to the vision that God has for you in your life. Do this and you’ll be amazed and the acceleration you experience. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading! My Facebook feed this morning looks something like this: art, pandemic report, art, scripture meme, art, “don’t worry if you just lost your job you can make money now online”, art, meme... Let’s just say it’s a really “convenient” time for people to be trying to sell courses and webinars on how to make money online... be wise, act with intention, not desperation and realize there is NO EASY WAY to make “quick money” on the internet. Online businesses in any industry - now more than ever - require rapport, connection, and relationship. Anybody can teach you tools... there are tons out there. I teach them every day. The key is building connection with your audience. Now is the time to care for your audience, clients, family and friends. Yes learn, grow and invest in yourself during this time, create art, build your inventory, spend time listening with the Lord but don’t be fooled by promises of quick, easy results just because it’s “online”. There is no silver bullet. There are, however 7 things every Christian artist can do right now, even in this crazy season of pandemic, to thrive. Here they are:
There are many creatives around the world looking to take their passion for art to the next level. A big question I get a lot is how to transition from being a hobbyist into a full-time working artist, one that will pay the bills. It’s simple when you think about it. How do we get from any one place to another? We build a bridge, of course. And like with any bridge we must start with a good foundation. I find that the Lord will begin to make a bridge for us as we're faithful with what He has already given us. Let’s consider a Kingdom principle: Be fruitful and multiply. Unfortunately, many people are looking for multiplication in their life before they have demonstrated fruitfulness, and it just doesn’t work that way. They may have temporary growth but it will never be lasting. Because of that, I want to give you five things today that really help you be fruitful in this season so that you can start to lay the foundation for your “bridge”. Body of Work One of the most important and primary stepping stones on your bridge is developing your artistic skills or what I call artistic mastery. Let’s face it, to be recognized, celebrated and purchased in the marketplace, you have to have great work. It’s the foundation and there’s simply no way around it. It took me 15 years of honing my skills, developing my artistic voice and building a substantial body of work. Trust me, this is not a part of the journey that can be skipped. Each piece you create is one more step to mastering your skill. Exposure Once you have that recognizable and masterfully produced body of work, the next step is to, well, get noticed. There are many ways to get clients, as well as keep them. Some of these include social media, a well-designed website, and email marketing, not to mention powerful strategic partnerships you can develop with industry professionals that will refer you to their clients. All the artistic mastery and skill in the world will be for naught if no one knows you’re out there. Time and Space Next, you must dedicate the time and space to give to your work. You need a dedicated place you can go to and create. It doesn’t have to be an elaborate, massive art studio. It can be the corner of your office, tucked away from distractions, where you just allow yourself to do your thing. Once you’ve chosen your space, now you must schedule the time to be there and then stick to it. If you don’t do this, your art will tend to simply fade into the background where it is forgotten. Creating space and honoring your time to create enlarges your capacity to steward the gifting God has invested in you. Profitability Now that you’ve put in your time, created awesome art work and started to master your chosen medium, the next thing you need to do is to make it make money. After all, if you aren’t making money, you can’t do this full time, can you (unless you have another income stream that provides for you outside of your artwork and doesn’t require your time)? This looks different for everyone. For me it was doing shows, showing in galleries, and creating wholesale accounts. After those started to gain momentum, I was able to get a studio and for me that really kickstarted both the mastery of my craft while I greatly expanded my body of work. For you, it may look different, but a consistent revenue stream is a must. Without consistent (or at least somewhat consistent) cashflow, it’s hard to make decisions and move forward with doing your art as a business. Vision Maybe the most important part is really having a grasp on your vision. Where are you now and where do you want to go? For me, I started my art very part time, making extra spending money or money for Christmas. At the time, that was all I expected of it and for that point in my life, it was great. However, once God called me to really begin to transition into art full time, my vision changed. I realized that I really needed to do things differently. I needed to do more marketing, more shows and definitely create more art. My vision may not be the same as yours. You can’t compare your journey to another’s because no one is on the same path. You could be wanting to supplement your retirement income or making your art as gifts for a mission project or even doing it as a part-time hobby because you already love your full-time job. You get to define that. You decide with the Lord and with your loved ones what is it that you want your art business to look like. And then before you know it, you’ll start to see that bridge intentionally appearing in order to take you from where you are now to where you dreamed! Lastly, as always, remember that God is with you the whole way on this journey! He definitely has a plan for you! If you trust in Him (and the vision He’s given you) and follow the journey faithfully, you will be fruitful and multiply with great success. That’s God’s promise! What more could we ask for as sons and daughters of God? I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend. Thanks for reading! You know sometimes as an artist, getting started can be the hardest thing to do. I recently got a question from one of my listeners, Ethan, who said, “Matt, I’ve got a goal, I’ve got a vision, but I never seem to get on track with either. It’s always been one step forward two steps back for me and I'm just not sure how to get started towards seeing some real progress being made in my life.” I can absolutely understand where Ethan is coming from because I've been through that same thing before in my life. I was sitting at church the other day after reading this question, and my Pastor gave a great example, right out of Genesis, of how God starts a project. Structure Is Not A Bad Thing He used the example of when God began to form Eve. He started with a bone He borrowed from Adam. And this is so significant because this bone was used to form a structure upon which the Father built Eve’s body. Think about it, all physical growth inside your body starts with structure. From the teeniest cell to the strongest bone, if you didn't have this foundational structure in your physical body, then just be a blob of ooze (I know… gross). A lot of times as artists we want to resist structure. Maybe it doesn’t feel artsy enough or maybe the idea of structure conflicts with what you feel about being Spirit-led. But the thing we have to realize is that EVERYTHING God has ever created was built within the framework of a Spirit-inspired structure. (Don’t believe me? Check out this YouTube video about the Fibonacci Sequence.) The Power of Connection After laying a foundation with the skeletal system, God used tendons to connect everything together. Whether you’re talking about your physical life, your spiritual life, or your artistic life, you can't sustain growth in your life without meaningful connections in your life. I think this is one reason I see so many creatives struggle. Somewhere along the way, they bought in the lie that they are the only one struggling to make it in life, in art, or in business. If this is you, then don’t let the loneliness, isolation, and fear of what others might think or say keep you trapped and hidden one moment longer. Be intentional. Seek out and connect with other like-minded artists and mentors right now. Your Strengths So, if you're looking to unleash transformation in your life, start with structure, pair that with authentic connection, and then combine that with your strengths. In your physical body, I’m talking about muscles, but in your life and art, your strength(s) are those unique gifts and talents God has sown into your life. Think about it. These gifts and talents were given to you by God so that they could be exercised, built up, and finally used by you as you step out and fulfill the plans and purposes that He has for you. As an artist, it’s your talents and skills that bring a unique perspective to the works you were created to make. Skin: What the World Sees So yes, it’s a weird point, but if you were just a bunch of muscles sitting there, you'd be kind of gross, right? So you need to have skin, or more precisely, you've got to learn how to present the thing that God is doing in your life and art out to the world. It’s about putting a face on what you do so that others can be drawn to it. If you find yourself struggling to show depth of your talent and the strength of your character through the connections you’re cultivating, then it might be time for a “face lift.” Ask the Father to show you what He says about you and your work, listen to what He says, receive it, then share that with others. And Finally, Breathe It All In I love the final point my pastor made, and it goes to the core of what I've taught for years about being filled and skilled out of Exodus 31. Once Adam had been completely formed, his skeleton, tendons, muscles, and skin all in place, God had one more step left on His “Create Mankind” action plan. Adam and Eve were just mounds of impressively arranged dust right until the moment God Breathed HIS life into their bodies. My friend, that's when life, true life, comes rushing in! Without the breath and life of the Holy Spirit moving through your creative process and guiding your steps as you grow your art business, you very well may end up striving, frustrated, and paralyzed. If you’re sitting there wondering why it feels like God has left you on the side of the road (and He’s not), may it’s time you took a “deep breath.” If you can relate to this, then I challenge you to invite the Creator of all Creatives to breathe His life into all that you are doing. I hope this has been a big encouragement to you and if it has been, then please take a moment to share it with a friend, ok? Thanks for reading! |
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AuthorMatt Tommey is an artist, author and mentor who is passionate about empowering artists to thrive spiritually, artistically and in business. |