There is something to be said for good old- fashioned hard work and perseverance! Gwenn is the owner of the Fat Cat Gallery in a tiny town called Oak Ridge, NC. She has out sold (my paintings) my "big city" galleries even in this tough economy. Her secret? Follow up with every client that walks through her doors. She brings work to their homes multiple times until they are happy. She called today with a commission project of (2) 30" x 60" landscapes! This same client bought a 48" x 48" bird painting a few months ago. Good work Gwenn!
What can you learn from Gwenn? Be persistent in an "how may I serve you" kind of way.
Have a good relationship with your galleries. Keep in touch with galleries regularly. Keep them stocked with fresh work. Drive the work yourself if you have to. Get commissions completed promptly.
August 30, 2011
I started a 48" x 48" figurative painting today that I hope will be shown in my Oct. 20th Art Show at the Lagerquist gallery in Atlanta, GA. I took a 5 mile bike ride with my 7 (almost 8) year old son. When we returned, I introduced our new 4 year old adopted Australian Shepherd to the chickens. She tried to eat one. Not good. I won't try that again any time soon.
A friend/tobacco farmer came by to ask if he could use our pond for irrigation for his nearby field. No problem. He said that it has been the driest he's seen in years. Maybe I can work out a barter with him. He and his wife recently travelled to Asheville to look at a school for their daughter. They saw my work at the Atelier 24 Lexington gallery. Small world.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
A Little Background
My goal is to blog almost everyday. I want younger artist or those who are thinking of making a living as an artist to have some insight into my everyday life. I'll start out with a few remarks or tips about the art business followed by just a journal of my day.
Artist are as different as there are styles. This is my story. I have worked in metal, wood, printmaking, painting, photography and ceramics. I spent my fair share of inhaling toxic fumes as I try to "experiment" with various combinations of materials. I choose paint over any other media but I also sculpt with metal from time to time. I have been a self-employed professional artist for 8 years now. My wife is also an artist and we have a series of paintings that we collaborate on in addition to her other work. We live on a 12 acre farm in North Carolina along with our 3 children, 8 goats, 18 chickens, and 3 australian shepherds. Our 2000 square foot studio space is right out the back door and overlooks 5 barns and a pond. We love it out here!
I'm represented by 14 galleries across the country. I usually do a couple of public art jobs and oil portraits a year along with my regular gallery sales. I only take jobs that are interesting these days but when I was getting started (first 5 years) I took any art-related job I could get my hands on. I'll speak more about that later, I just wanted to give you a little background info to get us started. Here's a link to my website if you are interested in seeing my work... Hibbardfinearts.com or at the Sparrow Gallery. A list of other galleries and links is also available on the site. Leave a comment if you like.
August 29, 2011
Today, I received 2 emails from galleries. One asking if I'd like to have a solo show in Asheville in November and the other was requesting 2 commissioned horse paintings in Boston. That's what I like to hear! No painting today, though. I decided to clean out one of my barns to make it into a self-sustaining guest cottage/man cave.
Artist are as different as there are styles. This is my story. I have worked in metal, wood, printmaking, painting, photography and ceramics. I spent my fair share of inhaling toxic fumes as I try to "experiment" with various combinations of materials. I choose paint over any other media but I also sculpt with metal from time to time. I have been a self-employed professional artist for 8 years now. My wife is also an artist and we have a series of paintings that we collaborate on in addition to her other work. We live on a 12 acre farm in North Carolina along with our 3 children, 8 goats, 18 chickens, and 3 australian shepherds. Our 2000 square foot studio space is right out the back door and overlooks 5 barns and a pond. We love it out here!
I'm represented by 14 galleries across the country. I usually do a couple of public art jobs and oil portraits a year along with my regular gallery sales. I only take jobs that are interesting these days but when I was getting started (first 5 years) I took any art-related job I could get my hands on. I'll speak more about that later, I just wanted to give you a little background info to get us started. Here's a link to my website if you are interested in seeing my work... Hibbardfinearts.com or at the Sparrow Gallery. A list of other galleries and links is also available on the site. Leave a comment if you like.
August 29, 2011
Today, I received 2 emails from galleries. One asking if I'd like to have a solo show in Asheville in November and the other was requesting 2 commissioned horse paintings in Boston. That's what I like to hear! No painting today, though. I decided to clean out one of my barns to make it into a self-sustaining guest cottage/man cave.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
BYOB...Bring Your Own Barter
If you're short on revenue coming in this month think outside the box and barter! I love bartering. Today, a neighbor just brought me 24 of my favorite beers (Red Oak) on ice accompanied by cheese dip and chips! Three months ago, I traded her a painting for a really expensive chair that my wife had been wanting. I'm happy... the wife's happy and the "treats" just keep on coming! Another neighbor wants a painting in exchange for plowing and seeding one of my fields. My good friend who is also a cattle farmer and I barter all the time. I gave him a large painting of a Black Angus and repaired a sculpture his wife purchased. In return he has given me 2 old tobbaco trailers (that I turned into mobile chicken coops), and let me use his other trailer to haul a John Deere 910 tractor that I scored on another trade. His wife who happens to be the best country cook alive, brings us homemade bannana pudding and home-cooked meals about every few weeks. Can you tell the way to my heart is through good food? You may not have a farm and these trades might not seem too glamorous but I figure that I have earned about $9,000 this month above my gallery sales. Not too shabby.
Start making a list of needed/wanted items. Maybe things that can actually make your business grow, like a kiln, a welder, scrap metal, canvas or wood panels. Start with friends. Maybe you have a friend who can design website and yours (you have one right?) looks outdated. Barter and Trade! Remember ...you're not a starving artist, you are thriving business!
Start making a list of needed/wanted items. Maybe things that can actually make your business grow, like a kiln, a welder, scrap metal, canvas or wood panels. Start with friends. Maybe you have a friend who can design website and yours (you have one right?) looks outdated. Barter and Trade! Remember ...you're not a starving artist, you are thriving business!
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