Cory Huff's Blog: The Abundant Artist Goodreads blog, page 7

Finding Yourself as a Very Online Artist with Yakira Carter AKA CyberL0ve | TAA Podcast Season 5, Episode 1

https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/theabundantartist/TAA_038.mp3

Welcome to season five, episode one of The Abundant Artist, the show that dispels the myth of the starving artist and shares how you can live an abundant life as an artist and make a living from your talent one interview at a time.

In this episode, Cory speaks with Yakira Carter AKA CyberL0ve. Yakira is an Atlanta, GA-based artist (that’s soon to move to NYC) with influences from Kazuto Nakazawa, Akira, and Studio Ghibli films. Yakira’s ethereal art comes to life both through digital and traditional mediums and mainly captures the beauty of women of color.

Yakira shares how she brings her art to life, how she has found success online, her goals and plans for the future, her process for creating art, and the influences that inform the decisions she makes as an artist.

In this episode:

[:36] Yakira’s influences and the formative experiences that shaped her overall style and artistic aesthetic.
[3:22] How Yakira creates her work on a typical day.
[4:39] Does Yakira wait for inspiration to strike before painting?
[6:07] Is Yakira self-taught?
[6:55] Yakira’s insights into why there is such a strong artistic presence and incredible booming black artist community in Atlanta, GA.
[9:02] Why did Yakira make the decision to leave Atlanta?
[11:37] The business side of Yakira’s art: how she makes her money, markets herself, and receives projects and commissions.
[14:23] How Yakira has grown her instagram to 36k+ followers.
[18:57] What ‘failing towards success’ means to Yakira.
[20:05] What being an online artist means to Yakira, and how understanding internet culture plays into how Yakira presents herself as an artist and informs her art.
[26:09] How Yakira emulates a traditional style using digital mediums.
[28:47] Yakira reflects on her progress and shares what she is excited about regarding her career going forward.
[30:15] Why Yakira wants to move to NYC.
[31:10] A future goal of Yakira’s: getting into galleries.

Mentioned in This Episode:

Yakira Carter AKA CyberL0ve
CyberL0ve Instagram
Spirited Away
Akira
Inuyasha
Ghost in the Shell

Studio Ghibli
Copic
Pigma Micron

 

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My Outdoor Art Fair Aha Moment: Dan Cleary

Five years ago, I began work on a photography series I now call “Wright Brothers: Then and Now.” In this series, I layer 100-year-old historic photographs of the Wright Brothers with current-day photographs I create at the exact locations. I’ve traveled to numerous locations in the United States and France to create these photographs. This spring, I published a book of the entire Wright Brothers series of images.

Four years ago, I started doing two local outdoor art shows, one in the summer and one in the fall. I was successful at these art shows, so I decided to move to bigger national shows in cities outside of Dayton. I wanted to use the outdoor art shows to market my Wright Brothers photographs and book. In 2020 I was accepted into seven outdoor art shows, but we know what happened in 2020.

In 2021, I was able to do three outdoor art shows outside of my hometown. Having sold my minivan to my younger sister a couple years ago, the entire setup now had to fit into my midsize SUV! My first show was in Toledo, Ohio. I used an E-Z UP tent, folding white tables with black tablecloths, and framed photographs hung in gallery style on the tent’s interior walls. Sales were OK but not as good as I had wanted.

My next show was in Ann Arbor, Michigan, indisputably one of the biggest shows in the country. I used the same setup because that’s all I knew. The second day of the show was a total rain-out. I had no sales that day and sales for the weekend weren’t very good.

Across from me at Ann Arbor, in another booth, a woman was selling copper cattails for $39 a bundle that you put in your garden. Even though it was raining, people came up to her booth to buy cattails, and despite the bad weather and her tent collapsing once, she sold out of all the copper cattails she brought for the weekend by Sunday afternoon. Why did people go up to her booth and not to my booth? This was the big question I needed to answer. I decided to look at her methods.

Her booth featured light antiqued thrift store furniture and an antique rug. It was open and very inviting as people walked by. My booth looked dark and uninviting. People couldn’t tell who I was or what I was selling. She put her booth number on each bundle of cattails she sold, so people knew where to find her. I put my customers’ purchases in plastic grocery bags that said, “Thank You.” She was very personable, introducing herself to each person who came up and asking their name and who they were buying for. (At least that’s what my wife said when she purchased her cattails!) I needed to change my approach and thought, “How can I use her example to my benefit.” My next scheduled show was in Akron, Ohio. My goal was to figure out how to redesign my booth and decide what would be my “copper cattail” product that would invite people in.

I started working on a new personal photography series last summer called Dayton by Number or Latitude and Longitude. The images are architectural detail photographs from locations around Dayton. In them, I try to show the beauty in the familiar that you might ordinarily walk right past. I also created posters that included the title DAYTON, OHIO, with the latitude and longitude of each location. It occurred to me that these images and posters could become my “cattails.” So, I traveled to Akron before the art fair and created a series of photographs detailing the area. I have a 17″ 10 color printer and can print the posters myself at a minimal cost. I charged $45 for an 11×14 unframed poster and $195 for a 16×20 framed print, which made a good profit from both.

I asked an interior decorator friend to help make my booth more inviting. She suggested eliminating the folding tables and black tablecloths. Instead, I built two wooden table tops and used black iron legs that screwed together for the base. Building tables that quickly go together made it possible to lay them flat in my SUV for transport. She helped me design a Gallery Wall of my architectural photographs for the back interior wall of the booth, displaying the new photographs of Akron and Cleveland. She also suggested warming the booth up with a contemporary bench and flowers. The people in Akron recognized the locations in my gallery wall, and it helped draw people into the tent. Once they were in, I could also talk about my Wright Brothers photographs. I sold many Wright Brothers prints and books. Many people asked if I was from Akron and were surprised when I said no. It was a good conversation starter.

 

The Akron show was financially successful. Hopefully, I will be going to seven shows within 2-3 hours from my home in 2022, and I can repeat this process. I’ll create a wall of artful architecture photographs that will help draw people into my booth.

About the author:

Dan Cleary has been a self-employed professional photographer (and artist) in Dayton, Ohio, for over 30 years. He has an MFA in photography from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Detroit, Michigan. About 15 years ago, Dan decided to start creating art photographs again, and began integrating some of these photographs into his business by creating regional landscape photographs that companies could hang in their offices. A local hospital chain has purchased over 200 of those images that are on display in their buildings within about a 40-mile radius of Dayton.

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How to pitch journalists and influencers

Do you have clients purchasing several US$3,000 art pieces because they saw you in the paper? Does your business come mainly from referrals? Do you find it hard to network? If these questions resonate with you, you will be interested to hear about Marie Sand’s experience with media outreach.

Marie Sand is a full time painter who helps horse enthusiasts to deepen the unspoken connection with horses and nature. After taking the How to Sell Art Online 301 course on PR and Media Outreach, she was featured in several magazines and newspapers. She gained a number of collectors directly from these articles.

Marie Sand sat down with us to share her experience and advice with media outreach.

“First of all, I have to tell you that I was really intimidated to approach media and I didn’t know what I was doing. (The) How to Sell Art Online 301 course gave me the foundations and the reason for taking some time to learn about media. Ninety percent of my sales come by way of referrals. When I heard Cory talking about the media snowball effect, I knew I had to overcome my fear of reaching out to journalists and influencers.”

Marie had several aha moments she shared with us.

1. Journalists and influencers are always looking for great content. If you know your mission as an artist, research media that work for you, and have a story to tell, you are a goldmine for a journalist or an influencer. Knowing that you are doing a favor to them helps if you feel intimidated.

2. Choose the right angle for the right medium. There are many angles to talk about the same story.

Marie likes to use this Story Formula developed by Alex Blumberg (radio journalist, former producer for public radio and television): I am telling a story about X and it is interesting because of Y.

It helps her to think differently about a single story. Marie has been featured in a wide variety of media. She shared three examples that show how the media approached the same story in very different ways.

In a fashion magazine in Finland, they emphasized the fact that she was a French artist in residence in Finland and inspired by nature and horses of the country.In a French Psychology magazine, she talked about how she transformed the burden of her hypersensitivity into a superpower to paint and draw people’s emotions.In a French horse newspaper, the angle was about the connection with horses and how horses mirror our emotions.

3. Find a hook that will catch the attention of the journalist or influencer. The magic pitch requires us to be creative and as artists we are…

Here is an example that led to an article in the national Finnish newspaper Helsingin Sanomat.

“I organize indoor drawing sessions with live horse models. When I started to write my press release, I talked about Drawing Masterclass. It sounded sooo boring. I gave some creative thinking to it. I suddenly had a vision so my pitch started like this:

Imagine walking in your living room, you sit comfortably in your favorite chair, you have every art supplies you need. And a ‘nude’ live horse poses for you.

This is what will happen Saturday from 2 PM to 5 PM blah blah…”

4. Start your email to the journalist or influencer by talking about him or her work. Marie’s experience with journalists is that it is worth refining the subject line of the email and the first two or three sentences to “hook” them.

Dear So and So – I always look forward to your stories about X. I know you like Y so I think you might be interested in this story.

The press kit follows. She learned not to spend too much time on the press kit. When she does, it means she procrastinates.

5. List 3 to 5 journalists and influencers today. Write them an email. And follow up with a call. It is important to spend time on identifying the right influencers and journalists who will resonate with what you do.

“I suggest you have a look through different stories they have written to get a sense of what they are interested (in) and (what) their angles are.”

Marie concluded by saying that she usually has a hard time getting coverage from small or local media outlets.

Her last piece of advice was “Think big!”

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How to use in situ photos to sell art

One aspect of the buying process that collectors miss whilst browsing through online art listings is being able to get up close to a painting, to get a feel for its texture, size, and how it could fit into their home.

By creating immersive in situ photos, it allows the potential collector to see the artwork in context and envision how it could look in their own space. In situ photos provide collectors with more visual information that can help them make a purchasing decision and make the art buying process seem less daunting.

There are several methods for creating room view photos yourself, without the need for a professional photographer.

Hang and photograph the artwork yourself

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Perhaps the simplest way to display your artwork in situ is to photograph it yourself. The brilliant thing about taking photos of artworks in a room is that collectors can see not only the image, but the texture of the painting from different angles and how it appears in natural light settings.

Another thing to consider is your target audience when photographing art. Are you trying to appeal to more commercial audiences, like business offices or hotels? If so, create a setup that resembles the setting your collectors will likely view the art in.

How to create your in situ setup: styling tips

Think about the room in which you place the artwork and the atmosphere you want to convey; this is your chance to show the kinds of effects your painting can have on a viewer. If you want your seascape artwork to exude calm and serenity, it could be apt to place it in a bedroom setting. A lively, bold portrait painting would look great in a social area like a kitchen or living room.

Hanging art in a room with lots of natural light against blank neutral colored walls will make it stand out. This type of setting will also appeal to the majority of people’s tastes.

However, some collectors will want ideas and suggestions for how to frame and hang artwork. If you want to go to town, you could also demonstrate some creative ways to display the art. For example, if you have created a small painting, you could hang it as part of a gallery wall setup.

Dress the image up by placing the artwork over a sofa, or next to some complementary decorations, like plants, light shades, or an ornament that will harmonize with the colors in the artwork.

A painting with texture can benefit from being photographed from multiple angles, to demonstrate the three dimensional and even sculptural aspects of the piece. Whatever you feel makes your work unique, emphasize it in your photos.

Lights, camera, edit

The lighting and camera settings you use will make a huge difference to how the artwork appears; you want to ensure your audience sees it in its best light.

Step 1 – photograph the painting: For optimal lighting, place the art on a wall or shelf in indirect sunlight. If it looks too dark, you could use a studio light with a softbox to brighten it up. A softbox will diffuse the lightstream, meaning that you can avoid glare, reflections and shadows on the artwork. A studio light could be a good investment if you plan to regularly photograph your work. When using artificial light, get bulbs that are close in tone to natural daylight and avoid getting warm colored light bulbs as they could distort the colors in the artwork.

When photographing, it also helps to use a tripod to stabilize the camera to avoid unwanted blur. Take a few shots of the artwork from several different angles and decide which one you like best.

Step 2 – edit and perfect your photos: If the photos you took didn’t turn out perfectly, don’t worry! Whenever I photograph artwork for my website, I always have to do some editing before my paintings look how I want them to look. Load up the photo into Photoshop (or a free editing software like GIMP) and ensure you set the file to high resolution, with an RGB color profile (as this is the color profile used for the web).

Keep in mind when you’re editing that the aim is to accurately represent how the artwork looks. Sometimes photos can skew colors of the artwork slightly. The best thing to do is to keep your artwork beside you while you edit so you can refer back to it. Use the brightness and contrast tool to brighten up the colors. If you think the color has come out too warm or cool in appearance, use the color balance tool to alter it. You could also crop the photo and adjust the perspective to change the composition.

Create in situ mockups to sell your art

Not every artist has the space to create their own room view photo shoots. If that’s the case for you, you have another option. Create your own digital mockup of your painting. There are two ways to go about this, either source your own image of an interior then edit your artwork into it, or use an art preview app to automate the process.

Create a mockup using an app

Art preview apps are a great choice for artists who don’t want to spend the time editing their images. Artplacer allows you to upload your image, select your interior and enter the dimensions. This means that you can create a mockup of the artwork with the correct proportions.

Another great feature of this app is that you can integrate it to your website, allowing your collectors to upload photos of their own room and superimpose paintings onto the wall.

Create an in situ mockup with Photoshop

Artwork & mockup image created by emilyclare.art

Photoshop is an indispensable tool for artists. You may already be using it to edit reference photos, or to digitize your artwork to create fine art reproductions. Another great use is creating in situ mockups of your art. This method takes a little more effort than using a preview app, but it gives you more flexibility in choosing photos of rooms to display your art on. Plus if you already use Photoshop for other purposes, it might be a preferable alternative to using one of the paid-for art mockup apps.

The first step is to choose an image of an interior with an empty wall from a stock image site like Pexels or Unsplash. Open your chosen room image in Photoshop, then copy across the image of your artwork into a new layer.

Resize the artwork and move it to your desired location on the image of the empty wall. Add a drop shadow from the layer fx dialogue box to create the appearance of depth under the painting. It may take some time playing around with the settings, ensuring the direction and blur of the drop shadow is right. When you’re happy with the look, save it and ensure the file is in RGB color mode for the web and at a resolution of at least 72ppi.

Where to showcase in situ photos

You’ve done all the hard work of creating beautiful in situ photos, now it’s time to show them off! Post them on your social media platforms, on the product pages of your website, or on the homepage of your site.

In situ photos bring artwork to life, show your best work in real settings and inspire collectors to want to make the painting look that good in their own space. An in situ photo is a finishing touch to an art product page, that shows collectors how the artwork will come together in their home or office. By removing the barrier of imagination from the spatial visualization process, you and your clients can be more creative and intentional about the way in which artwork is installed and displayed.

About the author:

Emily Clare is the publisher at Fine Art Tutorials.

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When money calls, do you answer? A look back at my relationship with money and how it’s getting better

[Abundantia* Headquarters archive, phone logs 2005-2020, records for artist Nicola Woods. Client Contact Representative: Starshine Moneybags]

Phone call earth date: 05/05/2005

– Hello, hello, is that Nicola?
– Yes, Nicola speaking. Who is this?
– Hello, yes, this is Starshine Moneybags calling from the Abundantia headquarters with an important question for you.
– All right. I’m not sure about this, but go ahead.
– Nicola, we have a collector who would like to buy your artwork that’s on display at ARtWerkForYou gallery. Can you let me know the price?
– Oh, whoops! I listed that as “Not for Sale”, but now that you mention it, it would be great to sell it. How about I get back to you with the price? Is there a number I can call you back at?
– Well, yes, you can call 555 111-2222 and leave a message if no one answers.

[Abundantia Report 05/05/2005 by Starshine Moneybags:

Human/artist Nicola Woods was displaying some very interesting artwork in a gallery, and we encouraged a conversation that would lead to a sale. Despite the work being labeled NFS the interested collector (who wanted to buy the work as a gift) persevered and asked the price of the work. The artist showed inner signs of excitement that someone wanted to buy her work, but was unable to articulate a price, and despite some subsequent attempts to encourage the exchange of money for her artwork we were unable to deliver.]

Phone call earth date: 05/15/2015

– Hello, is that Nicola?
– Yes, who’s speaking please?
– Hi, you may remember me? Starshine Moneybags from Abundantia?
– Oh, maybe, your name sounds vaguely familiar.
– OK, well I’m contacting you because we have an interested party who would love to buy your artwork directly from your website, and although there’s a price listed there’s no method for them to pay online.
– Oh, whoops! I’ve been meaning to set up a shopping cart function on my website. I’ll look into that and get back to you.
– (Sigh) OK you do that, just send an email to info@Abundantia.com, and one of our reps will pass the info along.

[Abundantia Report 05/15/2015 by Starshine Moneybags:

Human/artist Nicola Woods continues creating art and there is increased interest in the services (artwork) that she offers. Over the last few years her confidence has increased and we are pleased to see her work becoming more accessible and available for viewing online. Unfortunately she is still uncomfortable with selling her work and we continue to have difficulty delivering money in exchange for her artwork.]

Phone call earth date: 12/22/2020

– Hello, hello, Nicola here, is that Starshine Moneybags?
– Yes, speaking.
– Hi Starshine, it’s great to speak to you again. You know I’ve really enjoyed selling more of my artwork this year, and I wanted to let you know that I’m more open to receiving and I’m trying to be more mindful of removing obstacles so your job is easier.
– That’s great, Nicola! We’re so happy to hear this. To be honest, we were getting quite put off. We tried as best we could but your negative thoughts and physical obstacles have made it quite tricky to deliver. You still have a lot to learn; do keep up your training and don’t forget to stay in touch!

[Abundantia Report 12/22/2020 by Starshine Moneybags

Human/artist Nicola Woods is showing great promise, and we had a lot more fun delivering this year. Her increased confidence is quite attractive, which has the effect of keeping our attention. It’s nice to see that she’s putting herself out there more. We’ve noticed that collectors can get in touch with her easily, and when their heart is set on buying an artwork, the sale goes through without trouble. Like most humans she still doubts herself, but we see definite signs that her trust levels are increasing, and her thoughts of “no one will buy my work” are decreasing. In addition, now that we are in contact more frequently, we have a much clearer understanding of what she would love to have, and our delivery work is much easier and more enjoyable. We look forward to seeing this human grow her capacity for abundance and generosity in the coming years.]

Over the years money has called me, but I haven’t always been responsive. When I put myself in the shoes of money and reflect back on my life as an artist, I can see how hard it has been for both money and the universe in general to help me.

Since first picking up a paintbrush at the age of 2, taking art classes at school and university, and then maintaining an art practice and a day job, I’ve blossomed as an artist but my relationship with money has been such a struggle. For many years I remained unaware and ignorant of how to connect art with money. I unconsciously absorbed all the starving artist myths, and didn’t even consider that other possibilities exist. Unfortunately, art school didn’t offer any practical or useful information about exhibiting or selling my work. I recall some advice from my professors about applying for grants, but in general my formal art education, though useful for strengthening my artistic expression, did not prepare me for life as an artist that makes money.

Until recently, my experience of money was filtered through a lot of negative emotions such as worry, anxiety and shame. I felt very uncomfortable and conflicted about earning money, especially in connection with my art. Like many artists, I’ve been great at spending money on my art (and incurring debt as a result) but not so good at setting up the conditions to receive money for it.

So, how have I changed since I listed my work as NFS and didn’t have the means on my website to allow for sales?

As a bookworm with a strong drive to expand my knowledge, I am drawn to information that helps me change and evolve. When a friend mentioned The Abundant Artist (TAA), I jumped right in and after reading some blogs and participating in some free challenges, I nervously signed up to be a member, all the time worrying that I couldn’t afford the membership. Several years later I know that the completely reasonable membership fee has value far beyond the cost. I’ve learnt practical skills that help me showcase my work, enhanced my website to allow for purchasing, and in the process gained more confidence.

A few months after I joined TAA, founder Corey Huff encouraged artist members to form mastermind groups and set up weekly accountability meetings (WAMs) as per the 12 Week Year model. I can’t quite figure how I ended up with the two marvelous artists I’m in a WAM group with, but I’m quite sure there was magic in the process. We connected online and although I still haven’t met my WAM group pals in person, three years later we are still meeting and inspiring each other. Together we amplify each other’s positive results, and support each other to make the sometimes scary but necessary leaps so we can evolve as artists. I can’t emphasize enough how much my WAM group has helped me, and I look forward to when we can meet in person (France, here we come!)

Thanks to TAA and my WAM group I learnt practical art marketing skills and gained confidence, but I still had giant worries and stress around money. Thankfully, since 2019, my relationship with money has been changing for the better. Again, my inclination to keep learning led me to the Shift Network (an amazing online transformative education platform), and through their offerings I heard about Sarah McCrum, the author of “Love Money, Money Loves You.” Since reading Sarah’s book and taking her courses I have radically shifted how I both understand and interact with money. Simply put, I feel more relaxed and grounded, all of which has a beneficial effect on my finances.

I’ve learnt that where I direct my thoughts makes a difference. For instance, if I keep worrying that no one is buying my artwork, this results in no sales.

One of my new techniques is to relax and visualize the word “SOLD” on each piece. I also find it helps to let go of what I can’t control, and allow the piece and the collector to “find” each other. Instead of worrying, my job is to keep enjoying as I create and share my art, offer meaningful content to my audience, and provide pleasant responses to sales inquiries and timely delivery for purchases. Naturally my negative thoughts continue to arise, but I have noticed that I am able to shift my mind towards a positive perspective more quickly. This new approach is especially helpful with all the current economic uncertainty. Acquiring ease with money is like any other skill; ongoing training and discipline are required. But it’s definitely worth it and so much more enjoyable than being stressed and worried. I can’t wait to see what Starshine Moneybags’ report will be next year!

(*Abundantia: 1.  Latin for abundance, plenty, riches. 2.  Ancient Roman goddess of abundance and prosperity.)

About the author:

Nicola Woods is a fine art photographer born in England and now living in Toronto. She creates shimmering tree portraits that resemble historical photographic techniques such as daguerreotypes and ambrotypes. Inspired by the physical beauty and the symbolic meaning of trees, she explores how trees mark time and embody qualities of perseverance and shelter. Woods holds a MFA from Johnson State College VT, has exhibited in North America, and completed projects in art residencies around the world.

You can view Nicola’s artwork on her website or follow her on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook.

The post When money calls, do you answer? A look back at my relationship with money and how it’s getting better appeared first on Online Marketing for Artists.

What’s working for sales: Will Eskridge

Follow up, be patient, then follow up

Last June a new follower on Instagram had responded to one of my pet portrait posts. They had reached out inquiring about having a commission painted. I responded immediately with my quick details on the process of having a custom pet portrait painted. Then I received the response all artists dread. Silence. Nothing. Nada. I thought nothing of it at the time as I was working on other commissions. A month passed and I decided to follow up with the potential client. I messaged a nice “Hi, hope you are doing well. I just wanted to check to see if you were still interested, etc.” They responded immediately stating they were definitely still interested and were sorry they hadn’t gotten back with me. They even sent some photos this time. I then responded enthusiastically about the awesome photos and with the link to my website to book the portrait.

Take a Chance (While You Still Got the Choice)

Guess what happened next? Yep. Nothing. Nada. Again! I started to feel I was getting bamboozled, but I looked at their profile and we had mutual local friends, etc. I stepped back realizing all the things everyone is dealing with, especially with the pandemic. So I waited a few weeks and followed up nicely again, but this time I mentioned that my commission window was going to be closing as the holiday orders were starting to roll in. They apologized again, but this time booked soon after our messaging. Success!

If you are keeping track, you will notice that this sale took four months to complete. And even though I truly do not believe the client was being flaky, I am pretty confident that had I not consistently followed up, it would have taken a year or even more for them to follow through. When I hand delivered the portrait, they were thrown back by it and told me they wanted to get another one in the future of their other dog to match this one. This is just one of the countless sales I have finalized simply by circling around. Which reminds me, I need to send them a follow-up message about the second portrait!

Be Present

It sounds simple, but being present whether it be at an opening, online, or at an artist market is crucial to consistent sales. In the past, I have been guilty of ghosting my own art markets and opening receptions while curiously walking away wondering why I hadn’t made a single sale (what in the world was I thinking?). They say collectors buy the artist, not the art. They want to know your story and in your own words, from you. In order to provide this, you must be present. Even in the current atmosphere where art shows and markets are virtual, you have to be available any way you can.

The Weight of the World

Being present encompasses many forms. It’s about making a connection. When posting online, I almost always include my audience. I ask questions, run polls, talk about interesting facts, and always respond to comments. A note on responding to comments: Keep the “thanks” at a minimum. I fell hard into replying to comments with just a simple “Thank you!”. The problem is, this is where the conversation almost always ends. There is nothing for the other party to follow up on. You want to keep the conversation going. Think about what you can ask them as if you were in a conversation at one of your openings.

Hashtags and Alt Text

Late last year, a first-time client found my artwork directly from the alt text I had entered in my images. They had initially sent me an inquiry via the contact form on my website. After making a connection and conversing about what they were wanting for their commission, I asked how they came across my work. They said they did a google image search for “contemporary lion painting” and they loved my work immediately. I was floored in amazement that had I not diligently added alt text into my images, I would not have popped up in their search. No commission for me!

So, I load those puppies up with niche and relevant words. I included everything from style, to locale, to my own name. Here’s an example: “bat portrait animal art painting blue outsider contemporary funny impasto contemporary texture bright bold vibrant wildlife artist Athens Georgia Will Eskridge”.

On a related note, hashtags on social media are important for reaching your ideal audience who will purchase from you. Part of my weekly task includes researching, tweaking, editing, and adding to all of my hashtag lists. Social media is constantly changing their algorithm so I attempt to adapt along with it. I have gained followers and collectors through carefully curated hashtags on social media. The commissioned pet portrait I mentioned above? That’s right. They found me through one of my hashtags on Instagram.

About the author:

Will Eskridge is an innovative artist who specializes in contemporary animal art for passionate collectors who want to amplify their living and workspace with unconventional, thought-provoking art. Over the last few years, Will has transformed his business, quickly transitioning from 0 buyers to turning clients away because of the overwhelming number of inquiries. You can find him at www.willeskridge.com.

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Land of Opportunity: Understanding the O-1 Visa for Artists

Working temporarily in the United States is achievable for non-citizen artists and can be very lucrative. This article explains what an artist O-1 visa is, who is eligible, how and when to apply, and who else might be able to accompany you to the United States.

This article comes from noted NYC O-1 visa lawyers The Yao Law Group, who have helped many international artists work in the United States.

What Is an O-1 Visa?

An O-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows a non-national with extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, business, education, or sports, or a non-national with a record of extraordinary achievement in the film or television industries, to work in the United States temporarily. Individuals eligible for an O-1 visa are recognized nationally and/or internationally for their achievements.

Examples of O-1 visa holders include:

Olympic and other elite athletesMusical ActsFilm producers and directorsUniversity professorsEntrepreneurs and investorsScientists and researchersNovelists and other writersDancersVisual Artists

The O-1 visa is broken down into two categories:

O-1A visa: for those with an extraordinary ability in the sciences, education, business, or sports, excluding the arts and the film and television industries.O-1B visa: for those with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in the film or television industries.

Artists of any kind, whether connected with film or television or not, would apply for an O-1B visa.

How Long Does It Take to Get an O-1 Visa?

Approximately 45 days if you submit a complete and correct application package.

Artists planning to visit the United States to perform, display their work, or work here temporarily must plan ahead. First, your employer or your United States agent must file Form I-129 to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at least 45 days before your first day of work in the United States.

The agent or employer of the artist applicant called the “petitioner” then must provide proof that the artist meets the eligibility requirements for an O-1 visa. This includes a “consultation,” which is a watermarked or otherwise-authenticated report from a peer group asserting eligibility, a written itinerary showing that the artist intends to work in their field of extraordinary ability in the United States, and other documents showing that the artist possesses the requisite ability to qualify for an O-1 visa.

Your petitioner must also file a copy of any contract or agreement you have with them.

Can My Assistants and My Family Come with Me?

Possibly. There are other non-immigrant visas available for those who qualify.

When an O-1 visa is granted, others may apply for an O-type visa to accompany the O-1 visa holder to the United States:

O-2 visa: for those who will accompany an O-1 artist to assist in a specific event or performance or series of events or performances, such as support staff, an assistant, backup musicians, or a coach or tutor; andO-3 visa: for those who are the spouse or children under the age of 21 of O-1 and O-2 visa holders. O-3 visa holders may not work while in the United States but can engage in part-time or full-time study.

O-2 visa holders have skills that are an “integral part” of the O-1 visa holder’s work, and they must have duties that cannot be performed by an assistant in the United States.

An artist’s retinue on their trip to the United States to work, tour, or perform may include their spouse and children, the assistants they need to work, tour, or perform, and the spouses and children of those assistants.

For example, an internationally-known musician may have their family, their backup musicians and their families, their sound engineers and their families, their lighting engineers, and their families accompany them. Their crew and their families might also accompany them if their crew has specialized skills in transporting and setting up the O-1 visa holder’s equipment and props that United States nationals do not have.

A novelist on a book tour of the United States might have their family, their agent and the agent’s family, and their personal assistant and the assistant’s family accompany them. Their driver may not qualify for an O-2 visa because a United States driver could perform the same duties.

Accompanying a film director may be their family and their entire crew and their families. The film director will have to show that each crew member has a long-standing relationship with them and, by virtue of that, performs duties that cannot be performed by United States nationals with the same skill set.

A painter might have their family and their agent and their family accompany them to the United States. Their set-up crew would have to show that they have special skills or a long-standing working relationship with the painter and their works to qualify for an O-2 visa.

How Long Can I Stay in the United States on an O-1 Visa?

Up to three years. The period you spend in the United States is called the “validity period.” In order to perform the work outlined on your itinerary, you will be granted a validity period plus ten days before the start date and ten days after the end date to allow you time to come to the United States and get acclimated, and time to pack and leave the United States. You may only work during the validity period.

You can extend your stay in increments up to one year. To obtain an extension, your employer or agent must file:

Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker;A copy of your Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record; andA statement explaining why you need the extension, referencing the originally approved event or series of events.

Your spouse and children holding O-3 visas should file Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change, also submitting documents that support the need for an extension.

How Do I Know if I am Eligible for an O-1 Visa?

You should discuss eligibility with your agent or employer. International superstars are not the only artists eligible for an O-1 visa. In fact, artists who have reached national acclaim and wish to visit the United States to expand their scope of exposure are likely eligible. Visit the USCIS website to learn more about the eligibility and the application process.

About the Author:

Veronica Baxter is a writer, blogger, and legal assistant living and working in the great city of Philadelphia. She frequently works with and writes on behalf of the busy NYC immigration lawyers in The Yao Law Group.

The post Land of Opportunity: Understanding the O-1 Visa for Artists appeared first on Online Marketing for Artists.

Post-Pandemic Vision: Integrated Art Sales

This graph shows traffic to The Abundant Artist over the course of a year, comparing 2017-2021. Note the massive increase in traffic in 2020.

Now that things are opening back up we can’t assume everything will just go back to normal. A lot of artists discovered that selling their art online was more profitable and more fun. Many art galleries and shows will not reopen.It’s normal for traffic for established websites to stabilize. TAA was established in 2009. You can see a pretty repetitive pattern year after year. But beginning in late March 2020 we had a big spike in traffic that essentially stayed until April of 2021. The Covid pandemic closed most art galleries and outdoor art shows. A very large number of artists decided they needed to learn how to sell their art online. We were ready for it, and worked with lots of artists who adapted in various ways.

On the collector side, behavior has changed as well. Wealthy collectors adapted to buying art online, before they saw it in person. Wealthy people increased their share of wealth during the pandemic. Many high-paid professionals under 40, ideal prospective collectors, have transitioned to working from home, or hybrid office/home office situations, permanently.

The steady decline of retail stores, already picking up pace before 2020, accelerated during the pandemic. US cities have more retail square footage than most countries, and a lot of that space is gone for good.

Some of the near-term challenges for many artists will be navigating the art world as it struggles to reopen. Museums, galleries, and individual art studios will be doing a mix of in-person and hybrid in-person and virtual shows. I suspect we will see a lot of temporary, pop-up galleries inside larger museums and established galleries, as well as the usual indie shows.

This mirrors hybrid retail experiences we’re seeing in other sectors. Amazon, Apple, Dominos pizza, and other companies are all creating stores that allow people to shop online and then step into the store for just a few minutes to pick up their order (2 minutes or its free for Dominos).

The Transition to Work From Home

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In white-collar, professional circles, the everyday topic is how to help employees recover from burnout. Over a year of intense changes (Covid, work-from-home adjustments, kids homeschooling, caretaking of sick family members) have left many people completely exhausted.

All of those people who are now permanently working from home are going to find that they need ways to improve their home offices. In addition to lifestyle and workway challenges, that means better furniture – and better surroundings. Artists would do well to specifically target these professionals making $100,000+ per year who need to fill their bare walls.

Integrated World

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These hybrid store experiences points to a trend called Integrated Commerce – the full blending of online marketing and ecommerce with offline marketing, galleries, and shows. For artists, this could look like using Instagram and TikTok to get attention and drive people to your pop up gallery or studio show. At that point, some of those people will buy. The rest will need a little more time. They’ll come to an open studio event, see you give a talk in a hall somewhere, and then buy something from your website later. There’s infinite permutations of how this could work, but the point is this: the idea of selling online as separate from selling offline is becoming an obsolete notion.

In 2009, I wrote The Internet and The Arts: A Manifesto. A lot of artists told me that people wouldn’t buy art online, that people need to see art before they buy it. I pointed to a handful of artists who were at the vanguard of selling art online, and that it would expand. Now selling art online seems normal. Any artist under the age of 40 knows that while Instagram is not required to sell art, not having it is weird.

Pretty funny how fast things change, and how normal becomes inverted.

So selling art online isn’t new anymore.

As things change, so does The Abundant Artist. In 2016 I wrote a book called How to Sell Your Art Online. Websites and social media were still relatively new to the art world then. If I wrote that book now, it would just be called How to Sell Your Art.

The Future of The Abundant Artist

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Artists need an all-around education, centered on artists controlling their careers, thriving with abundant wealth. Whether you’re selling art online, offline, independently or through a gallery, you deserve to know enough about art business to make an informed decision about how you want to sell your art – or whether you want to sell at all.

Which means TAA needs to make the following changes:

Our courses need to include integrating offline and online salesWe need to publish articles and other educational materials on learning how to run a fully integrated art businessWe are going to offer courses on the art making side – improving your practice, and specific media and styles

Look for more of that kind of content in the near future. If there are other things you’d like to see from us, I’d love to hear about it.

Want to hear more stuff like this from fellow artists who are successfully selling their art right now? Join our webinar this Thursday, July 22, at 11 AM Pacific / 1 PM Eastern. Here’s the link https://www.crowdcast.io/e/expect​

See you there!

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More Time & Space to Make Art? Sign Me Up! Write Winning Proposals for Grants & Residencies

Two of the most important skills an artist needs to develop are how to describe
themselves and how to describe their art. These skills are put on full display when the
task at hand is writing a grant or residency proposal. Grants are part of the diversified
income streams that make up a healthy art career. Residencies provide time away and
in some cases, specialized equipment, to test new ideas and create new bodies of
work. For those artists who have not made the leap to full-time creative, these two
supports are even more crucial.

The main reason artists get stopped is money. I know this from personal experience in
my life. As an artist who lives in one of the most expensive cities in the country, I am not
ready to quit my day job yet! Grants and residencies have allowed me to pursue new
series and garner new skills. I want to make sure you have the time and support for
your art. Let’s talk about how to effectively incorporate grants and residencies into your
art career and write winning proposals.

This article will teach you:
– How to search for opportunities;
– Which documents you need to apply for grants and residencies;
– Strategies to write a compelling application;
– How to develop realistic budgets;
– Tips and tricks to tackle rejection and keep a winning mindset, and
– How to celebrate your wins and use them to garner other opportunities!

In order to apply for most opportunities, you need the following:
– The names, addresses, phones, and emails of three references
– Artistic resume or CV
– Portfolio of Jpegs/5-10 artworks
– Performing Artists: short videos of your work 3-5 minutes.
– Writers 5-10 page writing samples. Each grant and residency opportunity will
vary, but have a 5 page and 10-page PDF ready to go. If you have a recent piece
from a journal or magazine, do a PDF with the journal or magazine cover.
– Budget (include artist fees, supplies, etc.,)

All documents – not just writing samples should be converted to PDFs. Occasionally
you may be asked for a current tax return. Some places may ask for the first page of
your current tax return, again scan it and convert it to a PDF.

If you are applying for cash or project support, you will need to include a budget.
Most government grant applications require one. You pay yourself, through the
artistic salaries line.

As artists, we want to make sure we have a visually appealing application For artistic
resumes & CVs, keep formatting clean and simple with a consistent font to make your
documents look attractive. Even if you are not a graphic designer, get a free or low-cost
format online. Resume Now has lots of free formats. (https://www.resume-now.com)

Don’t skimp on the quality of your photos and video. The one place I never hesitate to
spend money is on photographers that can shoot glass art. Last but not least, make
sure that your online presence is current. Keep your Website, Facebook, Twitter,
LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest — whatever you are using — up to date with your art and
writing activities.

Now that you have all the pieces for a good application at the ready, let’s talk
about where to get money. The best place to get money is from the government.
Start by looking at your local arts council. City and county—check both. Cities and
counties also buy art. Candid, formerly the Foundation Center, is another place to look
for money. You can search for individual grants and residencies at the library for free if
you live near one of their participating collections. Online service starts at $19.95/month.
NY Foundation for the Arts, “NYFA Source” lists thousands of grants residencies and
other opportunities. https://www.nyfa.org NYFA is also one of the oldest and most
reputable places that do fiscal sponsorship of artists if you need it to meet a particular
funder’s requirement.

Moving on to how to find the time. Residencies are all about having the time and space
to make art. Residencies can be solo time for you to work or time for you to study with a
master artist or writer in your discipline/genre. Sometimes residencies come with a cash
award and some don’t. Some residencies are fully supported and some offer 1/3-1/2 off
the costs and you have to match the rest. And, some residencies allow you to apply in a
group to make work.

Before you look for a residency, take a sheet of paper, or blank computer screen and answer the following questions:
– How long can you go away? Residencies average 2-8 weeks.
– Do you need to pay your rent or mortgage in advance?
– Can you rent your place while you are away?
– Will you have the funds to travel to a location? Are there particular states you
want to go to? International countries?
– Do you work with a specialized medium? (I work with glass so I like to go places
with a glass studio whenever possible.
– Are there particular times of year that are better for you to go away?
– Are you open to snow?
– Are you open to humidity?

– Do you care about cell phone service?
– Do you care about internet access?
– Are you willing to do some work during a residency or workshop? (Examples include Cooking, Housekeeping, Gardening, Yoga).

Once you have the answers to these questions, you are ready to search for a residency.
The College Art Association lists a number of residencies. Membership is required to
search their database. http://www.collegeart.org Art Rubicon: https://artrubicon.com is
visual arts-focused and Canadian-based, so lots of international opportunity listings.
ResArts is another source of international listings. http://www.resartis.org/en/ The
Vermont Studio Center has an extensive list of opportunities on its website.
https://vermontstudiocenter.org/resou... The Alliance for Artists Communities have a fully searchable database of residencies, the majority of their members are in the US https://www.artistcommunities.org/residencies Most residencies are taking applications for in-person residencies in 2022 in light of COVID-19. And, for
the remainder of 2021, I have seen the rise of “virtual residencies” which include cash
and professional development support meetings conducted over Zoom while the artist works from their home studio.

For the last section of this article, here are my favorite strategies to write winning
grant and residency applications. Be sure to follow the instructions for the letter. Use
the font, font size, and margins that are specified. Be strict with the word/character
counts for online applications. Write your documents in WORD first, then cut and paste
them into the online form when you are sure you are below the word or character count. Say everything you can to describe yourself when applying for fellowships/residencies.Include your age, race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ, geography. Also, specify the type of art or writing in detail i.e. glass, ceramics, paint, new media, fiction, nonfiction poetry,mixed media, music, type of instrument — donors give to all categories and in some cases, highly specific categories of people, locations and/or art forms to fund grants and residencies.

In order to manage your applications, keep a calendar! Put in application deadlines for
sure. You can also note when you apply when you expect to hear from them and when
you actually hear from them! If you are comfortable with spreadsheets, they are also a
good tool to track these dates from year to year. You can also set up a spreadsheet to
track this on Excel.

In closing, here are a few ways to tackle rejection and keep a winning mindset. The
best way to get over rejection is to win a grant, residency, or show. The best way to get
a grant or residency to apply and keep applying! Start with a goal of one application a
month. Work your way up to at least 20 applications a year. It often takes a minimum of 3 tries for the same grant or residency to get it. (Took me 3 times to get the Vermont Studio Residency – and then it was postponed due to COVID019!) Use positive affirmations. I love to get free “Notes from the Universe” and you can get them, too!
https://www.tut.com/Inspiration/nftu/

Send gratitude out for your wins. Write thank you letters for places you get awards.
Patronize programs and workshops at places where you have received support and
thank the staff in-person/online. Last but not least, at the end of the year, include the
nonprofits in your charitable giving if you are so inclined.
Best of luck in preparing lots of applications to get grants and residencies in the coming
year!

About the Author:
Cheryl Derricotte is a visual artist and her favorite mediums are glass and paper.
Originally from Washington, DC, she lives and makes art in San Francisco, CA. Her art
has been featured in the New York Times, The Guardian, The San Francisco Chronicle,
MerciSF and the San Francisco Business Times.

Recent awards include the Black(Space) Artist Residency at the Minnesota Street
Projects; 2020 YBCA100; This Will Take Time – Oakland Residency; Villa San
Francisco/French Consulate Micro-Residency; Windgate Craft Fellowship at the
Vermont Studio Center; the Antenna/Paper Machine Residency (New Orleans); San
Francisco Individual Artist Commission and the Hemera Foundation Tending Space
Fellowship for Artists. Glass awards include the Rick and Val Beck Scholarship for
Glass Art Alliance for Contemporary Glass’ Visionary Scholarship. Cheryl was an
inaugural Emerging Artist at the Museum of the African Diaspora in 2015/2016, on the
occasion of the Museum’s 10th Anniversary.

Cheryl is an active thought leader in the arts. She serves as the Chief Mindfulness
Officer of Crux, a nationwide cooperative of predominantly Black and other
underrepresented artists working at the intersection of art and technology through
immersive storytelling (AR/VR). Cheryl is a frequent speaker about her own work and
more broadly, contemporary political art. She loves helping new art collectors engage
with the art world to acquire work that is well-crafted and sparks conversation.

Learn more about Cheryl by visiting her website cherylderricottestudio.com

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Art Studio (Business) Insurance: Your Art Studio Needs Insurance Too

Are you an artist whose hobby or interest has developed into real sales? Or an established professional who’s been driven home by the COVID-19 pandemic? No matter who you are, if you’re making money from the art you produce at home, it’s time to ask if you’re properly insured. You may not know it, but you’ve become a business owner — and your existing renters or homeowners insurance is likely woefully inadequate.

Once you sell your art beyond a certain threshold — usually defined as exceeding $2,000 per year in revenue — insurers will view all property and activities arising from creating it as business-related. It doesn’t matter whether your studio is in your garage, shed, basement, closet, bedroom, attic, or a detached on-property building — that area becomes your business premises, and is subject to significant limits and exclusions in a normal homeowners or renters insurance policy.

Why won’t my existing renters or homeowners insurance cover my in-home business?

Homeowners and renters insurance policies don’t cover in-home businesses by design, and even specifically limit or exclude business activities. Those limitations and exclusions include:

Business property coverage
If your business-related artworks, equipment, materials, books, etc., get stolen or damaged, your homeowners or renters insurance may not cover them at all, or only for a very limited amount (known in the insurance world as a sub-limit).

The limit is usually set to no more than $2,500 for business property. Furthermore, your artworks would be valued for their material cost, not their artistic value (more on this later). In addition, to be covered at all, they must be located on your premises, and not in a detached building.

Liability coverage
Let’s say someone delivers a package to you for your studio’s business purposes, and they trip and fall on your property. Or, imagine a client or customer is visiting to view or purchase your art, but your studio is full of sharp materials, and they cut themselves. In either circumstance, you may be held liable for medical bills or lawsuits — but your homeowners or renters insurance won’t cover losses arising from business activity.

Buildings used for business purposes
If, like many artists, you’ve set up your professional studio in a detached garage or shed that’s located on your property, absolutely nothing in it is covered. Your homeowners or renters insurance will exclude it from coverage — even if it would normally be covered if it wasn’t being used for business.

Essentially, if you run an in-home art studio without business insurance, you’re taking on a big risk for two main reasons:

1. Personal liability exposure: If any business-related client gets injured at your property, you may be on the hook for tens of thousands of dollars in medical bills or lawsuits. That could put you into major debt and end your art practice forever.
2.Property loss exposure: The materials and equipment required to create art are expensive. If it all goes up in smoke, restarting your practice will be a massive burden you’ll have to shoulder all on your own.

Now that you’ve understood the risks at a high level, it’s time to think about choosing appropriate methods for insuring your art studio, and how business insurance works.

How should I insure my art studio?
The type of insurance you need, and how much, is dependent on your art practice and your circumstances. The following guidelines may help you:

If you’re a less established artist
As an up-and-coming professional, you may not have invested too much into your practice yet, so getting full-blown business insurance may be overkill. You may want to:

Use (or add riders to) your existing homeowners/renters policy
If $2,500 isn’t enough, you may also be able to purchase additional coverage with a homeowners or renters insurance rider (also called an endorsement) for an in-home business. If your insurer doesn’t offer this rider, you could also consider switching insurance companies.

However, even if you are able to cover more of your property, you may still be at risk for personal liability if a business-related visitor comes to your property and gets injured, like a delivery man slipping on your steps. (However, some insurers may also grant some very limited business liability protection — it’s critical to check your policy and confirm with your insurer.)

If you’re a more established artist
As an established artist, you may have significant amounts of business property, and may even have people assisting your practice on a part or full-time basis.

The types and amounts of coverage you may receive will depend significantly on the insurer you choose, so it’s important to communicate with your agent and let them know the type of art studio you’re running, where it’s located (whether in or near your home), how much money you earn, how many employees you have, and how often you have business-related visits.

With that said, you may want to:

Buy an in-home business insurance policy
An in-home business insurance policy will grant you more robust coverage, but less than a full business owners policy (BOP).

Depending on your insurer, this type of policy:

– Covers far more business property, with the standard amount being $10,000
– Covers your liability for $300,000 to $1 million, depending on your choice
– Covers income and ongoing expenses the business loses (like payroll) for up to a year
– May grant you other structures coverage, which covers your art studio in a detached garage or shed

This is a great choice if you’re more than just a very successful hobbyist, but also not a full-time professional artist running a bona-fide business.

Buy a businessowners policy
A businessowners policy (BOP) is going to provide you the greatest amount of protection, and is a good choice for those of you with a thriving home-based art studio that has employees, provides services to clients, and regularly has business-related customers and visitors. A BOP is generally comprised of two types of insurance:

1. Commercial general liability insurance

Commercial general liability (CGL) itself is a conglomerate of different types of insurance, all of which are designed to give your art studio general liability protection. The three major types that comprise it are:

– Premises Liability: Pays for injuries that take place at your studio’s premises. If your art falls off of a shelf and somehow injures a customer, you’re covered if they sue you.
– Products Liability: Pays for damages that occur as a result of using your product. Let’s say you create a sculpture that has a sharp edge that your customer wasn’t warned about. If they cut themselves on it and sue you, you’re covered.
– Completed Operations: Pays for damages, defense expenses, and settlements caused by your work after you complete a job. If your art studio provides off-premises services to clients, there’s a chance your work may cause an injury.

2. Commercial property insurance

Commercial property insurance, as you might guess, protects your studio’s business property. It will pay for the repair or replacement of property loss due to theft, damage, or destruction.

When buying a BOP, be sure that it will cover the entirety of the artworks, items, equipment you work with. Examples include:

– Completed artwork and work-in-progress
– Valuable papers and documents
– Business inventory, supplies, and equipment (like paints, tools, or other equipment)
– Paintings, ceramic, prints, sculptures, and other mixed media
– Fine art created by others in your possession
– The building you own or rent

A BOP will usually also cover items in transit (such as on the way to a gallery), on exhibition at a museum, on consignment in another person’s store or gallery, and in storage.

You can sometimes add extra coverage, like:

– Business Income and Extra Expense: Provides coverage if your studio needs to shut down temporarily due a fire or some other covered peril. It will cover your income and other covered expenses laike payroll, rent, and other financial needs while your property is being replaced or repaired.
– Employee Dishonesty Coverage: Provides coverage if your employee commits theft of money or property.

How exactly is my own artwork valued in insurance?

You may be wondering how an insurance company will value your completed artworks, or work that’s currently in progress — will they value them as the masterpieces that they are, or as the sum of their materials and parts? After all, if valued properly, your artworks may comprise the bulk of your property’s value — and it’s critical that you get them insured that way.

Each insurer varies on how they do this, but most will pay out based on appraised values and average selling prices. That means if you sold your last painting for $1,500, a similar painting of the same size and materials would be valued the same. And this would apply to works of other artists that you’ve collected, as long as you’re able to provide provenance.

Conclusion
By nature, insurance is complicated and varied, depending on the state you live in and the insurance provider you choose. To simplify your insurance needs, think to yourself:

– Do I frequently have clients or business-related visits to my property?
– Do I make a significant amount of revenue from my art studio, and have a large number of completed artworks, materials, and equipment stored in my studio?
– Do I provide artistic services to third parties who may be dissatisfied with my work?
– Do I have employees or part-time workers in my studio?
– Would I lose significant income if I weren’t able to continue creating art due to a natural disaster?

If you answered “yes” to any one of those questions, it’s time to talk to your agent about getting specialized business insurance for your art studio. While this article can help you understand the outline of your needs, you should have a specialist assess your exact circumstances.

Mark Slack is a career and business contract expert with over 9 years of experience creating products and writing guides that help professionals solve everyday problems. His advice has been featured in Yahoo, Mashable, TheMuse, and several other publications around the web. When he’s not providing advice to young professionals and budding entrepreneurs, he can be found hiking or practicing his Mandarin.

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