Working with
artists is a lot of fun. Really, I would put nothing before it in terms of what
I want to do with my life's work. But sometimes it can be a little like herding
kittens, and it can get really frustrating if the artists aren't organized. (But
really, that never happens...never.)
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Mom Learning to Float by Allison Maletz, watercolor painting. Maletz
is one of those artists who keeps a complete and ever-evolving
record of all her works.
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I guess it is asking
a lot to expect an artist to create phenomenal paintings
and be a good bookkeeper, so if I had just one suggestion (or plea)
for all the artists out there, it would be to have something--a website, a
catalog, a blog, or an album--of all your images with information including
their titles, media, dimensions, and so on.
Keeping this
sort of record helps you as an artist, and it helps the writer, gallerist,
museum curator, or buyer you are communicating with as well. For one, an artist
can easily sell art online using this basic format of image and info. But it
also helps when marketing your art. When I am writing about an artist, I like
to get a sense of where their style started and what phases of painting they've
gone through. A catalog can really help show that.
Also, doing
this means that you have been photographing paintings as they have come off
your studio wall, which is something all artists should really do. You spend
all the time working on a piece, you want to be able to show it off--not just to
the lucky person who ends up buying it but also to the people you network with
along the way. This kind of reference shows what you've been doing in the
studio all along.
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Two people go on holiday for ever by Ian Francis,
mixed media on canvas, 48 x 48. Francis keeps
an up-to-date blog of his latest projects. |
To me this
sounds like such a simple thing, but I know a lot can get in the way of it, so
if you have the opportunity to start creating this kind of record of your work,
I definitely encourage you to do so. It's the best way to start your art
business and can be used as a building block for your it in a myriad
of ways.
And if you are
an artist working in a professional or semi-professional capacity, or if you
are simply ready to treat your art with more of an art-business sensibility,
consider a subscription to The Artist's
Magazine. You'll find advice and networking tips from practicing artists,
insights on how to market and sell your artwork, plus tons of inspiration that
will help make your paintings the best they can be. Enjoy your subscription!
