I’ve been an artist for over 24 years now and thankfully, have moved from a struggling artist to one who’s thriving artistically, spiritually and financially. Because I have an artist mentorship program and written several books for artists, I’m always getting questions from artists who want to start thriving. The two most common things artists want to know is how to sell art and where to sell your art. The questions are connected, so let me explain.
How to Sell Art…
First of all, this is a huge question but surprisingly simple. It’s simple because it has to be based on you, the artist. How do you like to sell your art? I’ve found over the years, there are basically two ways to sell your art: direct to the customer or through a strategic partner (or, I admit it… a combination of both). It’s really important to understand which strategy is most effective for you when you’re asking how to sell art.
When I first started asking how to sell art, I did what most artists do and looked to others who I saw being successful and modeled them. Unfortunately for me, their model didn’t work for me. Many of the artists I knew were introverts who enjoyed mostly making in their studio rather than interacting with the public. Consequently, they had adopted a wholesale methodology which required them to make production items, sell at a 50% discount, sell through stores and galleries, and never have any interaction with their end user. For me, as an extroverted people person, that was very unfulfilling. When I made beautiful work and faced the reality of packing it up and shipping it off to a gallery far far away, that gave me no emotional payoff, which for me is an important part of being an artist. I love hearing people say “Oh my gosh, that is so beautiful! I love it!” Without that, I was missing something huge!
The other methodology I saw most artists doing included doing as many retail craft and art shows as possible. They seemed to live on the road. In the summers, they were in the mountains and in the winter, they all headed to Florida. Always on the road, always staying in hotels or travel trailers. Again, not my idea of a beautiful artistic life.
For me, I chose to pursue selling my art through a public studio in Asheville’s River Arts District, a collection of over 200 artists in 23 old warehouse buildings in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s a mecca for artists and art lovers, as well as wealthy retirees who like to incorporate local art into their homes. I get to make, sell and interact all out of my studio. I deliver most of my commissioned works and I get a high level of interaction with my clients. We build relationships. They visit the studio with friends and for me, that’s huge!
So what’s the bottom line? You have to determine how to sell art for yourself based on how your wired, what you’re creating and the life you want. Without being clear about those questions, you’ll end up really frustrated. If you’re going to be an artist, you want to do so while living a beautiful, creative and fulfilled life.
Where You Sell Your Art…
Now you understand why these two questions go together. How you sell art ends up determining where you sell your art. There’s no cookie cutter plan that works for everyone. As you consider where to sell your art, make sure you craft a strategy that fits how you like to create, sell and live life. The artist life is not just about cranking out product, but about authentically creating your work, connecting with others who love what you do and making a profit.
That being said, here are some of my best recommendations:
Where to Sell Your Art For Artists Who Want to Sell Direct To Clients:
- Retail art & fine craft shows in your region (and nationally) that have a track record of attracting your ideal client
- Open Studio where people can see where, how and what you create
- Through Your Website & Social Media
- Through friends and family recommendations
- Personal recommendations from clients
- Home Parties & Trunk Shows
- Private clubs & organizations who connect with what and how you create
- Strategic Partnerships with people who are in front of your ideal client but don’t directly compete with you ie: interior designers, builders, architects, hotels, etc.
Where to Sell Your Art For Artists Who Want to Sell Wholesale:
- National art & fine craft wholesale shows
- Museum Shows & Exhibitions
- Local, Regional & National Galleries & Stores
- Strategic partners who want to represent your work
- Guilds & Marketing Co-ops in your area
We talk about these issues every day in my Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship Program and over the last year, I’ve created several in-depth teaching videos on this subject based on my own experience and the experience of hundreds of artists I’ve helped over the years. Find out more about becoming a part of my artist mentorship program here.
Also, let me know what’s working for you! Comment below and let’s keep the conversation going.
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