Anisette Studio

From Muddy Brook Cottage 1/14/2024 ~The Artist as Entrepeneur~

Creating one’s art, is our personal creative process and it is just the beginning of being an artist.

If we do not learn how to sell our type of art, and most importantly put in the necessary efforts to sell our brand of art, it will never become a revenue stream for us. Building your revenue streams is important. If you do not focus on this your art will be and stay as just a hobby and something we give away to family, friends and others

This state of being is where artist do not understand or value their work. The first step to moving forward is to understand and to place value on your work! Value comes from the creative process, the time spend in creating the work, and the cost of materials. This should not be ignored. You must believe in yourself, and what you do!

Good support systems are built upon. Family and friends who likely do not fully understand what it takes to be an artist are not the type of support you need. This does not mean they should not be appreciated for any support they give you. They simple do not know what it takes if they are not creatives, such as being the artist.

Family and friends are simply not artist entrepreneurs nor are they they an art related business coach. These individuals do exist such as Catherine Orer who is fantastic! Catherine is excellent because of what she has done within the art community. I met her and am a member of the Artist Entrepeneur Network. Catherine does pod cast, there are great interviews of her. Catherine Orer – Search Videos (bing.com) and The Artist Entrepreneur Podcast on Apple Podcasts and https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-artist/001-who-is-catherine-orer-ywtMEfGcDg5/

I love knowing I do have choices, that there is a way forward for me. But it does mean I must put in the effort myself. I am the only one who can create my own business plan. I need to make the connections such as with a gallery. This requires courting and hob knobbing. If all you do is want to create art, then that alone will be what you do.

Taking the time to do the business end of art is worthwhile. There is time for both creating art, the business end of art and to have a family life. Making being an artist is not unlike other jobs in this aspect.

It is important to see your studio as being your job site. It needs to be an actual place you go to work. Even if it is a room in your home. It is your mindset that makes it your workspace. Once I left my kitchen, and went into the hall of my prior home, I was at work in my mind. I was lucky to have a bathroom in the studio. The catch to having a studio in your home is, there is all the housework right there before you to be done. There has been now ride home and then there you are facing the things it takes to run a home. If you’re a women and work, you get this! It’s hard, very hard if you have no help with the day-to-day chores. SO, what do you do about this? You maintain your goals of being an artist. It is your job, and it comes first, and housework secondary. I look at it in this way. I work and as my breaks, so I move, I do something such as fill the dishwasher, and I return to work. I throw in laundry and return to work. The returning to your workspace now seen as your job is the mindset that works. Understanding what comes up as there is always something to happen does not change the reality of what you need to do as an artist. It is something you take in stride. Treating your art as a business gives a distance from home life and what you do as a parent, husband or wife.

In the mix you need to take care of yourself. There remains so many hours in a day.

What we do needs to be persistent. Our efforts take time, things don’t always go smoothly. What happens is that what we do will accumulate and then it avalanches and becomes something we have created. True of art itself or true of the business itself.

Selling one’s art means telling others about yourself, putting yourself out there! Your audience won’t be interested in your art unless they know something about it and you!

I talk about Shibui Found Image Art, bits about who I am, and I am putting a face on my blog for both myself and my art for readers to see. I don’t have to tell everything about me. However, people are curious about others, and if they can identify with someone it’s really fantastic! Life has its struggles which we overcome, and also where we become someone. My goal is to help others with my art and writing. Telling my story, sharing my art and its goal will get me there. Don’t hold back!

Best wishes! Pejj