Putting yourself out there as an artist

PAMELA

Putting yourself out there can be a mix of excitement and anxiety. The anticipation of being accepted into a juried art show, having your art sold in gift shops or even starting your own shop can be both thrilling and daunting. 

In the past, I would visit small gift shops, book boutiques and coffee shops with my portfolio, confidently presenting my artwork. Paintings were often selected, and contracts were signed.  I also did many Art and Artesan fairs, donated paintings to worthy causes, sold artwork out of my art studio and did commission pieces. Approaching these venues with my art was never a challenge back then. To me this was a wonderful and direct way to showcase my art. 

Now, over the years… the evolution in art sales has led me to transition from in-person interactions and physical submissions to a digital presence. From initially starting an Instagram page to finally opening my online shop and joining platforms like Etsy, Daily Paint Works, and Art social, just to name a few.  This shift has shaped my experience on how my art is received. 

Taking the plunge to open my art shop website, opening a shop on Etsy and posting on social media as much as I can was a conscious decision outside my comfort zone. After overcoming the initial hurdle, I wondered why I hadn’t done this sooner.  By letting go of the negative thoughts in my head I embraced the leap. Discovering the right venue took time, I explored many options and gained confidence through many conversations with Ria.

Remember: Put yourself out there, find the courage to showcase your art authentically, free yourself from over thinking. Once you jump that hurdle you will be pleasantly surprised how easy it is to take on the challenge once you take that leap.

RIA

Putting myself out there has changed throughout the years.

I have had many interruptions in my painting career. Work, family obligations, procrastination - to name a few. Before the internet I took occasional commissions, entered local art shows, and participated in group gallery exhibits. 

In 1996 I bought a domain and started my website hoping to sell my work. Traffic was low and the web wasn't what it is today.

In 2004 I discovered deviant art, where I still have a page, and started posting my work. It was really the first time that I felt I was part of a community of artists. Receiving positive comments from other artists helped me take the next step. I am still in touch with some of the people that I met there.

In 2006, one of those friends contacted me and told me about the daily painting community, and I joined Daily Painters. I set a goal to complete a painting a day, as all the members did, making small works more affordable to collectors. What I discovered through the process was improvement in my work through discipline and the joy of painting simple subjects. I started selling my work on a regular basis and increased the members in my mailing list. The group has splintered since then but you can see what it looked liked in the WayBack Machine. 

These days I put myself out there everywhere that I think a potential sale may happen. We are competing with the rest of the world which seems daunting at times. As Pamela, I am active on many platforms. It never feels like enough and it takes up a lot of time, yet I have to admit that some of it is fun!

I've come full circle, almost, as far as putting myself out there. At the beginning of this year, 2024, I decided that I want to participate in more brick and mortar galleries. So far it's been working out. I have three juried shows that I'm participating in this month and they will run through the beginning of March.