the Business of Art

Authenticity

2010-10-24T07:21:00.001-04:00

Authenticity refers to the truthfulness of origins, attributions, commitments, sincerity, devotion, and intentions. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authenticity)

This week I have been bombarded with facebook friend requests, facebook events, emails and tweets. It's election week and all of sudden everyone wants to be 'my friend'. Now I'm not against shameless self-promotion or advertising, in fact I teach these things at the college. But I definitely don't like campaigns done poorly, without creativity and most importantly where the intentions that are not authentic. Coming into my social network just when you need me means that you are trying to use me, not help me or even like me (let alone really a friend).

Sorry, this is a bit of a rant, but I figure we can all learn from their mistakes. So how do you socially promote what you do and be authentic at the same time?

PARTICIPATE, even before you need something. These guys should have joined twitter a year a go and joined in the conversation. If they think I could be there facebook friend, they should have done so a year a go and commented on things I do.
ENGAGE the audience creatively, not just by posting that your canvassing went well today. Tell me how it changed your views and what new impact you will have.
DIFFERENTIATE between social media channels. Your facebook statuses should not be the same as your tweets. They are two different channels and need to be used independently from each other. That also includes your news on your website, your blog and your email campaigns.

Too busy, too plain and too many

2010-09-25T14:07:00.000-04:00

Last weekend I was at the Queen West Art Crawl, as a vendor, but also as a spectator of other booths and shoppers. Here are 3 of my main observations:

1. Although it is good marketing practice to collect contact information from potential buyers (via emails lists, mailing lists, etc), it shouldn't get in the way of the reason people are at the show. If you have a book for mailing lists, a guest book for comments, brochures for future shows, your business cards, a portfolio, all of these things cloud your art. They are actually competing with the real reason you're there - your art. By the time your potential customer has picked up a card, a brochure, signed even 1 of your 2 books and made polite conversation with you, they are too tired to look at your art. So be careful, have enough stuff to engage them, but don't make it too busy.

2. White space is important, but it can also be intimidating. If your booth looks too neat, too empty, customers are afraid to enter. Really. They think 'I shouldn't touch', or 'If there's only 3 things they must be really expensive" or "if there's only 3 things, they must be the 3 things that no one else wanted. Another draw back to the plain booth, is that people buy art from artists for a story (as I've mentioned before) and a plain booth doesn't tell a story. It doesn't say who you are. So you have be somewhere between too busy and too plain.

3. Throughout the show I had some friends visit - which I loved and needed for a bit of a break from polite talk and they even brought coffee. But I did notice that customers didn't ask questions or buy when I seemed 'too busy'. I also noticed that a booth just across from me had 3 girls 'working' the booth. One was the artist and 2 others were her supports. Great for the artist - minus the sales. People already feel intimidating entering tents, then add more people watching them makes it even harder. So when possible, leave your booth to visit with friends (leave in the care of someone while you leave though) or need a break. Don't make your tent the one with too many.

Heartbreaker vs love of my life

2010-09-14T15:09:00.000-04:00

Last week, my son started grade 1. A big step in many minds, but to him it just seemed to be another day. I started putting little notes in his lunch bag when he was in JK - just to say I love him, or sneak him a kiss, especially on days he seemed to wake up on the wrong side of the bed. Well, I did one last week too as he is transitioning into his new grade 1 role. Apparently, I wasn't the only mom I found out on the school yard one morning.

Well, James asked me to stop sending them because he didn't want to get teased. It broke my heart. It really shouldn't have, because wasn't the purpose to make him happy? And if they weren't, then why should I be upset. Anyway, I was a little.

James asked me while I was making lunch how to spell love. I told him, but so busy thinking about how he doesn't want me to send love notes anymore, I didn't even pause to think why he wanted to know. Well, this morning I was rummaging through my purse at a meeting and out fell a little note, a love note from James. He sure knew how to bring a smile to my face.

So how does this tie into business? Well, it doesn't totally. But it did get me thinking about are there things I do for my customers that are really things I would like as opposed to what they would like? Maybe it's time to ask them...

Borrow a book, call a friend

2010-06-30T14:51:00.000-04:00

Well, learning from our kids is nothing new, but I thought I would share another life lesson I learned from my son a few summers ago. It's something that comes up over and over in both parenting and even in other aspects of my life as well.

James asked me if we could fishing. Not that big a deal, except the fact that I had never been fishing and had absolutely no idea where to begin. And that's how I answered thinking that would be the end of that and we would move on to something more within my comfort zone. But, not with James, he said 'well then let's go get a book from the library to learn how'. Darn library!

We did go to the library, read a book, stocked up on supplies (all the wrong supplies mind you), and headed down to the lake. Thank goodness for not catching anything that first time, I didn't even have pliers with me.

We then enlisted a friend, an avid fisherman, to take us on a fishing trip. We learned a ton, got the correct supplies and have since caught many fish together. All it took, was a little curiosity, the desire to learn, some good resources at hand, and a little practice. Sounds a lot like art doesn't it?

Rain Rain come today

2010-06-09T16:55:00.000-04:00

Not usually the chant you would think of when heading off to an art show, but rain can sometimes be helpful for things other than our gardens. It can even be helpful for an outdoor art show - really it can.

This entry took me a few days since getting back from my last show, in the rain. Since Monday I have been hanging up my tent, my table cloths, my curtains and cards to dry. This is definitely not the fun or productive part of a show in the rain.

The productive part is that there's less window shoppers out on a rainy day. Which means that only the die-hards, ready to spend consumers venture out in the rain. So right off the bat, you have to work less to sell more. And on top of that, you don't lose those customers to 1. getting lost 2. getting tired 3. changing their mind. On a sunny day at an art show, shoppers will find something they like, but say 'I will buy it on the way out', or 'I will come back once I've found my friends'. And then they are gone forever (lost, tired, or changed their mind). In the rain, people are more impulsive, if they like it they will buy because they don't want to have to come back if they decide later they really want it.

So, yes in general, rainy days aren't that fun, but my experience shows that rainy days aren't that bad for sales, at least for the amount of work we have to do on those days.

Ok - time to fold the drying tent and pack it up for a rainy weekend show in London!

A Graceful Exit

2010-05-07T21:40:00.000-04:00

Have you ever noticed that art galleries can seem intimidating? How about the stores that have a greeter at the door - does that intimidate you? A few years ago, a friend mentioned to me the idea of giving out Artist Directories as a way to gracefully let her non-customers out the door. And you know what? The construction on Princess / Ontario has done that for our Kollaboration show. At first I wasn't happy about this and then I remembered what it felt like to enter an intimidating gallery.

Providing a way for non-buyers to feel welcome to come and welcome to leave too is important so they will come back again when they are ready (or not ready) to buy. Giving them a way to gracefully decline makes them and you feel better; no uncomfortable moment. Whether you do it by handing them information for something else they may be interested in, sending an open invitation with no obligation, or even prompting an excuse for them (the weather, the construction), the KARMA in this has got to be good.

And with that said, NGB has our Mother's Day Open House this Sunday, so come on by, although it may be snowing... :-)

Collaboration is tricky for branding

2010-04-06T14:56:00.006-04:00

Well, tomorrow is the end of a special project that I am apart of called Kollaboration Kingston. There's 16 artists working on several projects in small, medium and large scale works of art in all mediums to be shown at the Sandra Whitton Gallery for the month of May. It's been a truly amazing experience in many ways and I can't wait to see the outcome. (to read more about the project go the blog http://kollaborationkingston.blogspot.com/)

What I really found interesting about this project though is not the works of art being produced, but rather, the concept of collaboration and what it means to others and how it works too.

One of my main observations is that collaboration is easy for emerging artists and it's easy and inspiring for established artists. I think it's easy for emerging artists (and new entreprneuers in general too) because they (insert we, as I'm in this category too) haven't developed a hard core clientelle yet. We haven't branded ourselves yet, we still developing that. We still often venture all over the map, trying to find our niche and therefore we are willing to collaborate with anyone on anything, with hopes it may lead us down the path of success. Plus we are still in learning mode.

For established artists (and established businesses too) collaboration is a necessity to feed inspiration. They have been doing this long enough that they need to spice it up a bit. And they have such a dedicated following and clientelle now they don't have to worry about their brand. Their customers will be intrigued and follow them anywhere.

So, that leaves the mid-career artists and entrepreneurs, the ones stuck in isolation. They have struggled to find meaningful collaborations (from my view anyways) as they are at the point in their career that really defines them as an artist. They have a following, but still need to nuture them a bit. They have proven they know their art form, but still risk looking amateur. So collaborations can be very risky for them at this point in their career. What a hard place to be. The good news is that soon they will be so amazing they will all be established artists, with a diehard fan base and need the inspiration of collaboration.

My goal? Go from emerging to established... can it be done?

Tips on Etsy

2010-03-26T10:47:00.004-04:00

Early in March I participated in a set of workshops about selling on Etsy. Dianne from DiBAjewellery facilitated the advanced workshop and here are some great tips and ideas that I picked up from her session (some directly from her and others from general discussion).

Have an Etsy anniversary event
Could what you sell also fit under supply?
Update it frequently (throughout the day if possible)
Bulk up your shop - lots of inventory gives the appearance of being serious
Have various price points available to inspire easy sales
Photography is key - it's all the customer has to go on, so make it good. Use all 5 slots, all angles including the back
Use full descriptions with lots of detail including both imperial and metric measurements
Put your location in your profile
Use all 14 tags - ideas for tags include 'international', 'gift', colour, full name
Create treasury's
Participate in Etsy - forums, blog, labs
Detail your policies - ie do your items come from a smoke-free or animal-free environment?
Use the announcement section
Tools to try www.etsyhacks.com and www.craftopolis.com.

Thanks Dianne for all the great tips!

Tooting my horn!

2010-03-05T14:40:00.004-05:00

I got a huge wholesale order today - from a gallery in California. Yeah!

I surpased 100 followers on twitter yesterday. Yeah!

I sold a pair of earrings within 30 minutes of posting them to my etsy page. Yeah!

I was featured on the Baby Bundle Boutique Blog this week. Yeah!

Hey, everyone's got to toot their own horn once in a while :-)

Dealing with Rejection

2010-02-23T09:01:00.004-05:00

We've all been there (at least I hope I'm not the only one) - you know, getting the rejection letter in the mail? Whether it's a grantwe didn't get, a show we got turned down for or a group we wanted to join says no. As artists we have to have pretty thick skin, because this can happen a lot.

Right now it's show application time. And in a few weeks we'll be finding out if we got in or not. It's also grant app time for the Ontario Crafts Council. People always ask me what shows I'm applying for this year. Do you know the number one way I deal with the possible rejection of not getting in? (healthy or not) - I don't tell anyone I applied until I know I got in. It saves face at least.

Here are a few other things I do / tell myself to keep a smile on my face:

1. Find something way more fun to do that weekend - like go camping or to a spa.
2. Take it as a learning opportunity and scrutinize who did get in to see how I can learn from them.
3. Commisserate with others in the same boat (if I spilled the beans that is).
4. Tell myself - they just don't understand what I do :-)

HST explained

2010-02-06T13:45:00.003-05:00

I've been asked a lot lately and it got brought up again at the Kingston Arts Council workshop on Thursday night how the HST will work. Here's the simple low-down on how you will have to deal with taxes in 6 months time.

Basically it will be just like GST and no PST for business owners. If you currently are required to register for GST (revenue of more than $30,000 in the year) than you will be required to collect and remit HST. If you currently aren't required to and haven't registered for GST you will not have to.

PST will no longer be. You will not have a vendors permit, therefore you will not be tax exempt when you purchase supplies for resale, the tax amount will just become part of the regular expense of the item. You will not collect PST from your customers and therefore you will not remit anything to the government. So for a lot of artists this means that our prices will go down a bit in the eye of the customer! Yeah.

Sorry for the somewhat boring post today - we'll get back to more fun later this week.

When things go wrong

2010-01-27T08:57:00.000-05:00

January is play month for me. I have given myself the entire month to work on projects I have had in my sketch book for a long time and never had the time to work on. The type of projects that may not work the first time. It tests my skills, challenges me, keeps things fresh and helps clear them out of my head so I can work on my more traditional style pieces.

I finished my marble piece. I started it in copper to see if it would work, then did it in sterling. Next, I am going to make the hole a bit bigger so the marble floats around (but will not fall out).

I finished setting my very precious red orange piece of glass. The design was not the important part here, it was using this very special piece of glass.

Lastly, I made a mess of a belt buckle. I did it in copper (better to learn on something less expensive). I love the patina on it, and my hammering worked out. But I learned two valuable things - the way I will have to set the glass is different (notice that it is broken) and on the back it needs to be a peg not a hook.

Oh and I learned exactly what I was suppose to. January is play month, and playing means that not everything will go as planned. It is not about the outcome, it truly is about the journey. When things go wrong, what did you learn along the way...

Fly like the wind

2010-01-10T20:46:00.000-05:00

I had so much fun today, really! At first I was hesitant, then I was cautious, then I was adventurous, then I was silly, and then... I smiled and laughed. I went tobogganing with my 6 year old.

It was funny to watch all the parents standing around at the top of the hill, politely smiling as their children raced up and down the hill. Once in a while I would see one give in to their child (and their own inner child too) and get on the sled. By the bottom of the hill, I think they had forgotten their 'proper' place. They were laughing and being silly with snow in their hair. Every time a parent tried it, they didn't stop at one time, they went over and over; no longer standing politely at the top of the hill making small talk.

A friend of mine and I remarked about how it was kind of similar to what artists go through. Early in their (our) careers we have freedom and excitement. We try new things, we laugh when we fall and make mistakes and we get back up and try again. Just happy to be on the hill, er um, studio I mean. Then as time goes on, we get more serious. We start standing at our booths, at shows making polite conversation and producing art that sells (and with good reason - we have to pay the bills), taking less risks.

But at some point, we need to jump back on that sled - or even better - just on our bottoms, and fly like the wind down the hill and over the bump. Try something new, take some risks again - SMILE. And when you fall, laugh it off and get back up and try it again.

Everything I know I learned from a 5 year old

2009-12-31T09:51:00.000-05:00

Everyone knows that we learn a lot from our children, but here is just a quick list of some of the things I've learned from my son over the holidays:

1. "The presents will still be here later mommy." He told me when I tried to rush him into opening more presents instead of playing with them along the way. WHY RUSH THE GOOD THINGS

2. "Kids need food more than toys." He said when we were picking which charity to help this year, but most amazingly is his logic, compassion and conviction. FOCUS ON THE BASICS

3. If the reward is good enough, it's worth the wait. Nothing quotable here, but my son didn't need a single video, game or activity between Kingston and London for this trip. He just talked with us the whole way and was excited to get there.

4. "Can I start doing my checklist again mommy?" Everyone likes some sort of routine (even though I fight it) and after a chaotic holiday it's good to get back to some structure GOOD TIME TO SET UP BUSINESS ROUTINES

5. "You can't feel older mommy, that's impossible." This will serve me well I'm sure. My son said this on the eve of his birthday when I asked him if he felt 6. I hope I experience the same thing on my next birthday! AGE IS JUST A NUMBER, IT'S NOT A FEELING

Don't wait for the postman...

2009-12-20T10:11:00.001-05:00

Not yet anyways.

You see I haven't mailed out my holiday cards yet (so if you're waiting for the postman, you may be waiting a while). At first I felt guilty, then I felt defensive, then just resolved to that's how it was going to be. Then I was excited when the idea hit me...

I'm going to send my holiday cards out at the end of January. You know, just when the winter blahs set in. When the excitement of the holidays is long gone and nothing but bills is arriving in the mail. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this idea, but I think it's brilliant (if I do say so myself).

If nothing else, it let's me off the hook for the next few weeks.

Running Your Event

2009-12-11T14:04:00.000-05:00

It's the time of year that most artists are ogranizing some type of an art event - open house, studio tour, show, etc. Whether you're 'running' it or simply 'walking' it, here are some things you should be thinking about:

1. What is the purpose?
a. Show & sell vs.
b. Show & tell
2. Who is the target market?
3. What are the details?
a. Date
b. Time
c. Refreshments
d. Location
i. Does it need to be altered?
ii. Signage
e. Budget
4. Who’s participating?
a. Invite only
b. Jury
5. Task list & Responsibilities
a. Staff / volunteers
b. Media
c. Security
d. Advertising
e. Cash handling
f. Cleaning
6. Timeline
7. Goals
8. Event Day Plan
9. Contingency Plans
10. Follow Up
a. From participants
b. From attendees
c. Your impressions

One of a Kind

2009-12-03T12:30:00.000-05:00

Storage that is! I got to go to the One of a Kind show this week in Toronto. I had never been before. It was pretty cool. I was most impressed with the creativity vendors had when it came to storage solutions. For an 11 day show, they really need it! Some of the booths were only 3" x 3" so imagine trying to fit storage space into that!

Any show I've participated in I spend a lot of time planning my displays, but have never really considered storage. You know places to put your lunch, your magazines, your coats, extra product for when you sell out (hehe), and all your boxes. One of the vendors even had a futon behind their little curtain! I can see now that I should really think about this.

At the Gift Giving Show at the Fort we lucked out with storage. Last year some of us used double stacked beds left behind in the rooms. They worked great as table tops, but they also worked great for storage, because the top of the bottom bed became a shelf! With a little cloth, you could hide it from the public and had the floor and shelf to store you personal items (and take a nap if you had helper to relieve you!).

Well, I'm off to pack for the Gift Giving Show this year - starts tomorrow at Fort Henry and goes all weekend. I might just use that bed after all (and not for storage!)

Thanks Toronto City Guide for the picture!

A walk to the park and birding

2009-11-24T15:42:00.000-05:00

This past weekend, I realized that our family seems to be stuck in a bit of a rut. We do the same things all the time. We used to do a lot more hiking and adventuring, but now a weekend for us is pretty much a walk downtown to get a coffee, then to the studio for some crafts with James, then to the Yacht Club for snacks, a beach walk and hanging out. Not that there's anything wrong with routine, it just gets a little, well... routine.

So, last night we made an Adventure Jar. In the jar we wrote on slips of paper fun activities we can do like hiking, biking, hockey, swimming, etc. Then when we don't know what to do, we just pull a slip from the jar. James wanted to try it out right away. So we each pulled a slip and were going to vote on the best choice for 730pm on a school night. Well, we decided to do all three instead - 'a walk to the park to look for birds. 'Although we didn't succeed at finding any birds, it was fun to be out and about doing something different.

I realized that this can apply to the studio too! Can't wait to try some new 'adventures' there!

Cussing Customs!

2009-11-16T22:17:00.000-05:00

Is that what you do when you get a custom order? CUSS? When a commission comes in do you celebrate and curse all at the same time? Every artist I know does. It's definitely a love / hate relationship.

Here are some quick thoughts on how to balance that relationship out a bit more in your favour.

1. Be very clear what you're willing to comprimise on and what you're not. Although they are a paying a customer, you don't have to agree to make it if it is really going against what you want to do as an artist.
2. Be very clear about what they will get at the end - in fact, maybe check in with them throughout the process to show them how it is progressing - that way any red flags can be dealt with early on.
3. Take a deposit before starting.
4. Just in case, do you have a contigency plan if they don't like the end piece? Can you sell it somewhere else?
5. Be clear about timelines - and give yourself some buffer time - I find it's usually hard to get motivated to work on these orders so you need extra time.
6. And most importantly, before starting ask yourself is the project something I want to do, is this person someone I want to work with?

The Anatomy of a Blog

2009-11-11T16:59:00.000-05:00

Last week I taught a 'Blogging for Artists' workshop at the Cornwall Artpreneur Conference. Since then a few artists have asked for the information so here are some (can't give away all my secrets at once) on what you should include in your blog posts:

Controversy is good, make a statement, no politicians allowed (in other words no sitting on the fence)
Links to other websites and blogs are good
Images are vital
Have contests
Include your customers (comments, stories, photos - with permission of course)
Post follow up comments (even if they come by email)

For those that missed the workshop I am hosting the same session on Kingston on November 30, 1-2 at my studio. For more info visit my site - www.lindseyfair.ca

Rejuvenated - the power of the collective

2009-10-30T09:27:00.000-04:00

Since we moved into the studio, Cathie and I have been very busy 'nesting'. It's been very fun creating a space that we love to create in and others want to visit. So much fun that our work started to trickle out into the hall. First it started with the door, then the bathroom.

The other artists at NGB started to take note and they got the bug. After being complacent for a long time with it, they were rejuvenated by our actions to make the common spaces more attractive. So Julie (Davidson Smith, a very talented painter and encaustic artist) painted the bathroom and painted a notice board in the hall. I added to it, then Julie made a new sign, Jane (a potter) painted her spools, and the list continues.

Sometimes it just takes a newbie, a new influence, some fresh blood (or ideas) to start the ball rolling. And once it does, it bound to roll in many great directions!

PS - We are holding a demo day at NGB on November 14 from noon - 4. Come by see us work (and check out the new common space all decked out now)

Work with what you've got

2009-10-20T22:41:00.000-04:00

My studiomate, Cathie Hamilton, is so clever. She taught me a good lesson this week as we prepare our studio for the open house this Friday. She taught me (or at least reminded me), that sometimes you've got to work with what you've got instead of trying to fix it. In fact, sometimes it turns out even better.

This is a picture of our studio door that Cathie painted. Notice the mouth? Well, our door had a hole in it, so instead of repairing it, she simply worked into the design. So far it's received many compliments and I think it's so cool.

So next time you're dreading fixing something, maybe just consider working with you've got.

Time to Partay!

2009-10-17T22:55:00.001-04:00

It's time to celebrate - I've finally moved in to my studio. Consider this your personal invitation to my studio warming.

When: Friday, Oct 23
Time: 7-10pm
Where: NGB Studios, 12 Cataraqui Street, go in the red door (look for details on my website - www.lindseyfair.ca)

Hope to see you there!

Show list for 2010

2009-10-14T10:06:00.000-04:00

At the last Artist Roundtable Group we discussed what shows are coming up and should be attended. The list is not complete, nor will I guarantee it's accurate, but at least it's a starting point.

Click here for the Art and Craft Show list.

A Clean Slate

2009-10-05T17:34:00.000-04:00

How many times in your life do you get to start fresh, start with a clean slate? Not very often I presume. But if you are like me, it feels good (albeit a bit intimidating). It's inspiring, so exciting, full of possibilities. Not confined by what exists. Well, this week I'm there. I've just moved studios from the temporary to the permanent and I got to start fresh, with blank walls and open spaces.

I have so many ideas running through my head and so many drawings in my sketch book. It's good for me, good for my soul and truly good for business. So, I would advise all of you to start with a clean slate - even if that clean slate is only an empty page in your notebook. Look at it as a fresh start 'with blank walls and open spaces'. Where does it take you?

PS - for those of you anticipating the open house party - stay tuned - the invite is coming!

Time to Kollaborate!

2009-09-29T09:29:00.000-04:00

I can't help but notice that there's a feeling in the air, a feeling that is different - I think it's the feeling of collaboration. Everywhere I look this fall I am seeing signs of how people are working together in very creative ways - whether it's fellow artists working on bodies of work together (good work Andrea, Jane, Carolyn, Alexi and so many others), my son mentoring a new student in his class, two struggling businesses finding a way to combine what they do to survive (yes it's true - we almost lost two of our downtown jewels this fall, but now they're staying!).

And it doesn't stop there. I just sent off a grant application to the Ontario Arts Council for a really cool project (I'm biased since it's my project) called Kollaboration Kingston. It will be a weekend where 17 local artists from all mediums, ages and stages of career, get together and work on bodies of work together - big and small. I can't wait to see what comes out of this project....

Successful Studio Tour Tips

2009-09-11T12:05:00.000-04:00

Here's a quick summary of tips for running a successful studio tour or open house that were suggested at the the Artist Roundtable Discussion Group this month:

2 or more artists in each venue

artist shopping opportunity either before you open to the public or at the end of one of the days

special invite only event prior to opening for the public

have preview photos or video taken and posted before opening

wrap up party to collect vendor feedback as soon as possible - maybe even onsite

involve media

do a draw to collect email addresses

plan the date a year out

send reminders 1 week and 2 days before

make sure to have signage and have brochures available on the sign itself

promo the morning of the show to media and on social networking sites

Please add to the list if you have other ideas.

The best way to learn it is to teach it

2009-08-27T13:27:00.000-04:00

Last week I ran a summer camp 'Beads 'n' Bowls' for kids. It was a blast, a little on the tiring side, but full of inspiration. It was amazing watching the kids teach each other things that they had just learned. That's when the light bulbs would go on. You could see their confidence growing and their skills accelerating. The picture to the side is a group of kids I taught at the MAKE camp the week before.

Now it's my turn, heading into the fall, I'm doing a lot of teaching. From business to blogging to beading. I'm sure going to learn a lot! Have a look at the new NGB blog that lists the upcoming workshops that all the artists at NGB are hosting this fall... http://notyournormalschool.blogspot.com/

In the meantime, think about something you want to learn, or practice. Maybe you can find a student. Imagine the learning then..

Diving in Fully Clothed

2009-08-07T23:40:00.000-04:00

Last night, after dinner, we decided to take a quick trip down to my favourite rock beach. It was a beautiful night, light breeze, big waves where you could actually hear the rocks being tumbled ashore and washed away again (thanks Matt for pointing that out), and 3 giggling Fair's messing about. James was looking for sticks to make into pretend weapons and in between jumping waves trying not to get wet, Matt was watching the sailboats in the distance and wishing he was out there I'm sure and me with my head down on the 'hunt'.

At one point I said, 'come on orange'. Referring to my desire to find an orange piece of beach glass. Looked down and was what at my feet... not an orange piece of beach glass, but a piece of an orange peel. Note to self, be more explicit when I call out my wishes.

I continued to think about a piece of orange glass and giggled as I pictured myself diving in the water, fully-clothed, blackberry and all to get a piece. And there's no doubt that that's what I would have done if one had caught my eye. There's not many things in business that I would jump in fully clothed for, but it's good to know that I still have something that gets me that excited.

What about in your business, is there still something that would make you jump in fully clothed (and it doesn't have to be literally like in my case)?

Studio vs Dining Room Table

2009-08-07T23:14:00.000-04:00

I've had a few people ask me about this, so I figure it's time to do a blog about it. Last spring the artist roundtable group did a studio tour and one of the stops being my studio (at that time that meant my dining room table). The discussions are always about the business of art, not art itself, so I talked about why I choose to have a home studio vs a dedicated space (leased or owned). So I rhymed off this list of reasons:

I can work when I feel inspired, and can sneak in 5 minutes here and there

I don't have to lug stuff back and forth, or end up leaving something at the wrong place

I don't need duplicate things like a hammer or Internet

The price is right

Jane Thelwell, a pottery on the tour, asked if I would ever consider having a studio outside of my house. And I thought briefly and at that moment all I could think was about the benefits listed above and the main benefit was that I could spend more time taking care of the house, my family and spending time with my son. So I answered, maybe one day, but right now I need to be at home.

And now, just a few months later I have a studio. So what changed? My family. They didn't change, but after that day at my house, I took a long look at how I was doing things. Was really being at home more efficient, did it really mean I got to spend more time with James? No. When I was trying to work, in what was supposed to be our family space, I got frustrated that they were interrupting. The lines got blurred between art time and home time and I was doing neither efficiently.

Those 5 minutes here and there, were interfering with playing games so I had to put everything away each night, which meant that it would take me half and hour to set up again and half hour to clean up, leaving me with barely any time to create. Not to mention that I couldn't work on anything that I couldn't put away, so I hadn't worked on a mosaic in months.

Then there was a safety concern, although I never did any polishing inside, I was still getting nervous about other aspects of my work being around my son and his friends. What if they got silver slivers? Or whatever, but still.. So I started working off-sight to do any polishing or sanding.

So I started looking... and found a space. Since then I have realized so many other benefits about working somewhere other than my dining room table such as:

I can sit and do some research, or sort glass without feeling guilty for not doing the laundry

I can accomplish more in a short amount of time both at home and at the studio, because I'm focused for both

James maybe spends a little less minutes with me, but way more quality time since I'm trying to squeeze in 'just one more thing' when I'm with him

I now have inspiration, critics and mentors right at my door, when I need a sounding board or an opinion I just go down the hall

So sure it costs a little, but so far it's been worth it!

Talk about Competition

2009-07-29T15:31:00.001-04:00

The Sea Glass Festival in PEI was a great learning opportunity for me. Not only did I get to meet the guru of Sea Glass, Richard Lamotte, and learn about appraising glass, finding glass, identifying glass, I also got to scope out my competition. My true, head to head competition; other sea glass artists. (photo by Buffy Delaney Moore)

The morning of the festival started out exactly how I thought it would... slow. Not with foot traffic but with sales. There was actually a lot of traffic. So I thought it must be the amount of direct competition. There were almost 25 vendors all selling sea glass products. The up side to this is that I never once had to explain what sea glass was, because everyone that came, came because they too were a sea glass lover. In fact, one women said to me 'I collect sea glass' and her husband swatted her arm and said 'who here doesn't'. The downside to having an 'educated' audience? Everyone photographing your work, writing notes about your work, studying your ideas, so they could go home and use their stash of glass to try and recreate your art.

The afternoon was a nice surprise though. It proved that what I always say is true; don't worry about the competition, if you offer something of value, you'll come out ahead. And so I did. The afternoon I was very busy with sales, orders and compliments about my work. It didn't matter that I had so much competition around me, it was a good show (for sales, and for learning). And besides, I got to make my own notes too..

The Working Holiday

2009-07-09T11:56:00.000-04:00

Before I get into the working holiday bit, I wanted to share one of my favourite photos of me with you. It's not my favourite because of how I look, but rather the authentic smile / laughter that it captured while I was beach glass hunting on my favourite beach. Thanks Tracy Olan from Beautiful Day for capturing it!

Now it's down to crunch time preparing for the working holiday. It's definitely the way to go. Not crunch time, but the working holiday that is. The trip to PEI originally started with just me going to be a vendor at Canada's first ever Sea Glass Festival, but it quickly grew to be the annual family vacation. We have always wanted to travel down east (or for Tim's sake out East), but kept putting it off. Now we found a way to make it happen and now it will be a tax write off too! Shhhhh.. don't tell anyone. The downside is you have to pack for both things and you have to make time for both things, but the pros definitely outweigh both of those things. My suggestion is to keep two separate packing lists and don't intermix the boxes - well that's what I'm going to try and do, I'll let you know how it goes when I return.

Studio News

2009-06-27T13:26:00.000-04:00

Well, I can finally see my dining room floor.... because I have a studio! Well, ok so my actual studio is still being built but in the same complex I am now moved into a temporary studio until mine actual one is finished. My studio is at NGB Studios on Cataraqui Street. It's definitely not fancy, but it's full of character, lots of other artists and it's my own space. I haven't fully made me it my own yet as I am reserving that effort for my permanent space (although resisting that urge is hard), but I'm working out the kinks and it feels good.

I'm going to try and be there for Thursdays and Fridays during the day for the next little while, so please feel free to drop in and check it out. Come in the front door right on Cataraqui Street - the somewhat scary looking green door up the 3 stairs and look for the sign straight ahead that says 'Recycling Depot' - how perfect is that for a beach glass artist eh? Not my idea, was there before I moved in.

Now I'm just one of those artists with a studio, but not enough time to spend in it. In fact, I'm going to keep this short so I can head to the studio right after this. See you at the studio!

You have to want to win

2009-06-13T06:43:00.000-04:00

As I write this blog I have to fight back a little tear (ok that may be a little exaggerated). You see, it's about my Detroit Red Wings and the Stanley Cup. For those of you that watched the game last night you know what I'm talking about, for those of you that didn't, don't worry, this entry isn't really about hockey.

As I watched Detroit last night, from the very beginning I saw, or didn't see actually something different. In game 1 and 2 of this serious Detroit was out to win, this game they seemed to be playing in a Sunday afternoon game, not for the Stanley Cup. Matt (the hubby) says it's the age coming through. Detroit is a lot older team than Pittsburgh (you know like my age) - maybe that's true. But then how come they won one of the games 5-0? Age didn't matter then. I honestly think it was the drive to win. Pittsburgh fought hard last night, right to the very last second.

So what does this have to do with art? Well, today I'm off to do participate in Art Among the Ruins in Newburgh, and I'm playing to win. The last show I went to I think I treated a little like a vacation... fun place to be, fun people to be with, etc. But if I want to win at this game of being an artist, I have to fight. Not literally, but I have to go out there and do what I need to do to win over a few customers. Hopefully you'll hear as the day is drawing closed 'she shoots, she scores' coming from Newburgh.

I'll take the high road

2009-05-26T13:25:00.001-04:00

James taught me something last night (not the first time). He was singing a song that I taught him last week when a friend hit him and he wanted revenge - "I'll take the high road, and you'll take the low road and I'll be to Scotland before you..." We talked about what 'taking the high road' meant. I thought the lesson had just went right over his head, but apparently something stuck. And his timing couldn't have been better... for me.

On the weekend I was doing a show at the Distillery District in Toronto. A neat place for sure, with lots of people and lots of wind. The wind storm created some issues and I had some of my display items break. In the midst of cleaning them up, someone had taken one of my rings; and not just any ring but a red beach glass ring (one of the rarest colours of beach glass). Needless to say I was off to a grumpy start that day.

But when I heard James singing 'I'll take the high road..' it reminded me to do the same. Instead of being so bitter about it, I'm going to see it as a compliment. Someone wanted one of my pieces so much that they were willing to risk breaking the law. And I bet they'll be talking about it too! So who knows, maybe they'll buy something from me down the road...

The dreaded donation request

2009-05-20T14:03:00.000-04:00

Spring is here, and do you know how I know? Because I've been asked to donate some of my beach glass art to everything ranging from animal shelters, homelessness, to youth at risk and some organizations I still don't have a clue what they do. Don't get me wrong, my frustration isn't that I don't think these organizations are deserving, nor is because I think I'm the only being asked because my husband who is not an artist but a small business owner, is getting swamped with similar requests - maybe even more. My frustration is that I don't think they're listening to the same radio station as me - WII FM.

Have you listened to that station? It's the What's in it for me station. As much as we do things for strictly philanthropic reasons, we often have other motives as well. If I am going to help an organization for nothing else then to help, they don't need to seek me out, I'll seek them.

So if someone is seeking my support, then I need them to do some work in exchange. I need to determine what value is in for me as an artist, as a person, as a small business owner. I actually get them to fill out a form so I can judge all my donations equally, keep a file on each donation and make informed decisions. Since I've started to telling other artists I do this, I've been getting requests for copies of my form so here is the gist of it:

Contact Name:
Contact Phone:
Contact Email:
Organization:
Value of item requested:
Event Name:
Event Date:
Location:
Description of Event:
How many people will be attending?
Who will be attending the event?
What other items are being donated?
How does my art fit?
Where else will my name / item be promoted?
Will I receive tickets to the event?
Will I be notified after the event about who received my item and how much it went for?
May I request a reserve bid?
Are you able to pay for any portion of the piece?
Will I receive a tax receipt for my donation?

So don't dread those requests, organize them!

My treasure box

2009-05-10T08:24:00.001-04:00

When I'm participating in art shows / sales I have a list of stuff to bring, you know the usual - product, receipt book, pens, credit cards slips, brochures, table clothes, business cards, etc. But I also have my treasure box. And the other artists always love it. So what's in my treasure box? Here's the list:

~ Tylenol
~ midol
~ throat lozenges
~ mouthwash
~ a loonie
~ band aids
~ extra shoes (feels great to change your shoes half way through the day)
~ granola bar
~ fruit
~ hand sanitizer
~ hand cream
~ small blanket
~ a good book
~ allergy pills
~ sunscreen

Just the little things that make the day go by a little bit easier. Now - get packing your treasurer box.

It's so easy to get off track

2009-04-27T16:16:00.000-04:00

Ok - so I have to tell a little secret to start this one - I read O Magazine. Not all the time, but when someone gives me an old copy I always read through it. This month (well the one I'm reading this month, I have no idea what issue it is really), she's talking about her weight gain, and how 1 month she was up 2 pounds - no biggy, then 5 pounds - still no biggy, then 10... you get the idea. And before she knew it she was up 40, she went off track.

Well, I'm not going to write about weight loss, but the idea of getting off track. I'm sure you've all been there. But what do you do about it? Last week I had a request for a custom ring. GREAT! April has been a great month for me for custom orders. So I brought some glass and my ring sizer so we could decided on the design and glass to use. The problem? This little girl wanted purple. Well, some art forms may have the luxury of working in purple, but us beach glass artists? Not very often. I have a few pieces of mauve, but unless you look close or compare it to a white piece of glass, they just look white. I've never found a deep purple. The mom tried to convince this little girl to pick a different color. Then someone standing near by said 'you could just take regular purple glass and tumble it'. I almost said yes. Can you believe it? If you've read previous entries you know that I pride myself on using only pure beach glass. I don't alter it, but I almost agreed to do it for a customer. There are somethings you do for customers, and there are somethings you don't. It would be like a CPR train on a CNR track. They just didn't do it, even though they could have.

I'm crossing my fingers she likes green because I'm delivering it tomorrow!

Bailouts all around

2009-04-15T18:39:00.000-04:00

Ok, I've been trying to ignore, ok not ignore, but at least not jump on the auto industry bail out opinion band wagon. For those that know me, you know that keeping my opinions to myself is very hard and I've lasted a long time on this one. But I found some relevance to the art world that triggered some thoughts.

Yesterday, as I was getting interviewed for a story in Kingston This Week (coming out tomorrow) about the Gift Giving Show this weekend at Little Cat, Rob and I got talking about all the changes in the newspaper world. Iconic newspapers across the continent are closing, our local newspaper is making major shifts, KTW went from 2 times a week to a weekly, etc. Locally in Kingston we have seen over 80 jobs lost in the last year in the print media industry alone. And yet.... no bailout.

Today (in the newspaper funny enough) I read about one of Kingston's oldest retailers, S & R Department Store closing this summer. A lot of readers weighed in with their comments and yes it is a sad story, I make at least 1 trip there a week, sometimes 1 every day! And yet... no bailout.

When my life wasn't going as planned and I decided to leave my job and enter the art world full time, I didn't ask for a bailout (getting a credit card was hard enough). I made the necessary adjustments, planned, worked with my team and changed courses - all on my own! Just like the newspaper industry is doing and just like the retail sector is doing. Yes we will see some of these iconic stores and media groups close, and lay offs will happen; but innovation and inspiration doesn't come by doing the same old same old. You have to move with the times, in fact, in business.. you have to move ahead of the times!

When opportunity knocks

2009-04-02T13:40:00.000-04:00

It may not always be the best time, but sometimes you just have to jump in anyways. The spring is always a great time for beach glass hunting because the strong waves and breaking ice turn everything upside down and the glass finds its way to the shore easier. Well, this year is an exceptionally good year in Kingston because when the ice broke up, my beach (the one I do a majority of my collecting) was the landing spot. The ice all ended up on the beach and even into the parking lot. I've gone down to the beach everyday as the ice melts, new treasurers rise to the surface. It may be cold to hunt on ice instead of sand, but the sounds of the waves, smells of the shores and site of the glass make it all worth it.

Another opportunity presented itself to me last month. It came about in a funny way, one of my stores that sells my art, asked me about my environmental beliefs and processes outside of simply using recycled beach glass. To be honest, this was a good question. I had never really thought of it. It's not that I'm not pro-earth, it's just that I thought I'm doing a small part by using the glass and hadn't thought further. But this got me thinking. If I'm going to hang my hat on being an eco-artist then it has to be more then just recycled glass. So, I've started making my own paper from old newspapers for some of my wall art and signs, I've asked my printing company to make sure my stock papers (for cards, etc) are on 100% post-consumer, Canadian made stock, I've started using found wood or off-cuts instead of canvases, and I've always worked with my left-over silver filings (that was just because I was cheap, but now there's two reasons!). Some of it is on display for April at the Starbucks at Princess & Division in Kingston, or you can visit me at the Back to Nature show April 18 & 19 to see more.

In your business are you carrying your philosophies, your mission and your brand throughout your entire work, or just a portion. You should take stock, there maybe an opportunity knocking at your door..

What I've learned from shopping online

2009-03-26T14:28:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one that's been there (or here) before, you know, buying something online and crossing your fingers that it's what you were looking for? And then, when it arrives, realizing it's nothing like it looked in the picture?

I just made my first large purchase from a new jewellery supply company and more than half the order was not what I wanted! The last two days I've been waundering around saying 'I should've just spent the extra and bought from a local shop'; but a moment a go a light bulb went off. If I'm trying to convince my customers from all over the world to buy from me online then I can't give up on it either. What I need to take from my exprience (besides frustration and product I don't need) is to make sure my customers don't have this happen to them and more importantly, feel confident that it won't!

Here's the things I learned from this expierience that will help me fix any of my online sales:

1. Images from multiple angles of the product.
2. Images large enough to see detail.
3. What to do if you aren't happy with it.
4. Who pays for shipping of unwanted items?
5. Send a confirmation email of any phone orders, or online orders before shipping it.
6. Include in the delivery box FAQ's about your products.

I'm sure there's others, but I'll start there. That will keep me busy.

Can't teach a customer new tricks!

2009-03-18T17:13:00.000-04:00

Well, my frustration with the new layout of Facebook has prompted this rant. I like my old facebook, not this new one. I used to laugh at people that said this to things, mainly my mother actually, because to me that meant she was 'old'. Unwilling to admit that I must be 'old', I'm blaming Facebook. In doing so though it got me thinking about business choices.

Facebook probably made these changes based on a combination of customer feedback, gut feeling, trends and what the competition is doing (have you seen Twitter lately?). The trick however, is in the customer feedback. In most cases only unhappy customers speak up. And often these people (I know not always) are going to find something to be cranky about no matter what. So, if you make changes just to satisfy them, which may be never happen, then how are you making your other customers feel? If you going to make a change to your art, your business processes (like where your selling your work) then you need to do so in collaboration with your customers - all of them! Especially your champions. Change is hard for anyone, so make sure to have lots of customer treats to reward them!

Grants, Glass and Good old fashion work

2009-03-11T15:59:00.000-04:00

My days are full, my brain is full and my hands are sore. If you are fine craft artist then you are probably in the midst of preparing your Ontario Craft Council grant app (and if you're not doing one, you should be!....) I know I'm not only preparing mine, but helping 4 other local craft artists with theirs as well. If you're not doing one because you think the odds are just too high and you won't get one. Think again. For the Ontario Arts Council grants I helped 3 artists apply for one in the winter and 1 out of the 3 got it. That seems like pretty good odds to me, especially when the prize is $5,000!

So my days are full with grant apps. My brain on the other hand, is full thinking about how close we are to beach glass hunting season. Matt (the hubby) starts to have restless sleeps around now because he starts dreaming (and reenacting) sailing regattas as he gets excited for sailing season. Me too - but not for the sailing. To hear the sound of the waves, smell of the shore and touch the great glass finds. Not too long now....

And lastly, my hands are sore as I prep for the upcoming spring show season. I'm now registered for more shows than ever before, my website is selling more and I have more stores carrying my work. I think I only have 12 items in stock (5 of which are christmas cards, 1 is the ring here) Which are all good things, but keeping up with products is hard. I guess that's a good problem to have.

It doesn't hurt to ask

2009-02-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I've had a few things go right for me lately and friends keep asking me what my secret is for being so lucky. Well, the answer is easy, I asked. I've never been afraid of the word 'no', in fact I often see 'no' as a challenge. So, asking tricky questions isn't that hard and asking easy questions is nothing more than making time to do so.

I wanted a store in Toronto to carry my work, so in late January I started looking around for a few stores that fit with my eco-conscious beach glass jewellery and I emailed them asking if they were interested. A few got back to me and yesterday I delivered some of my jewellery to Green is Black in Toronto. All it took was an email asking the question 'would you be interested in seeing my work?' (see my latest work shown here at Green is Black)

I wanted a celebrity or journalist to wear my work, and more importantly, write about my work, so I looked around and found a perfect fit - Gill Deacon (as you heard about in an earlier post). I sent her email asking if she would be interested, and she sent an email back saying yes. 2 weeks later she blogged about it!

Sure, I may have heard a 'no' or two, but I didn't stop asking questions, I saw it as a challenge. So, start asking questions, you may be surprised with the answers!

Why wait 'til you're dead

2009-02-20T15:52:00.000-05:00

My husband I were talking about why many famous artists, weren't famous really until they died. Why is that? I'm sure I can spend hours researching this, but I'm going to tell you my theories instead. I have two. They're both connected and it comes down to marketing and sales.

As an artist, when I'm marketing or selling, I'm not creating. When I'm creating, I'm not selling or marketing. And the scale never seems to balance right on this one. However, if someone else is selling for me, then I can spend my life creating. So think back to those famous dead artists.... they got (just go with me for arguments sake) their lives to focus on their art and didn't deal with the selling side. So, no wonder they were good, they got to practice and create often. And if I've taken anything from Outliers (the book I'm reading by Malcolm Gladwell), is that people succeed because of doing, and doing again and doing again.

The second theory is that it's easier to sell someone else's work than it is your own. So, dead people can't sell their work anymore, so others do. They can focus solely on selling and not on creating. They see it from a buyers perspective not an artists. If you don't believe me here, just go out with a friend and try this theory out.

But, I don't think I want to wait until I'm dead. In fact, I know my family doesn't. So, my goal for this year is to change this theory or at least impact it differently. I'm going to work on selling my work actively, but also trying to balance those scales.

When things go bad, they usually come around

2009-02-17T15:14:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I was finishing (and I mean finishing, the final 2 minutes of sanding / polishing) a newly designed flower pendant with white beach glass for petals and rare cobalt blue glass for the centre when I broke off one of the pieces. I tried to re-soldering, knowing that it wouldn't work because the precious glass wouldn't take the heat - here's proof of how it turned out... Over twenty-five hours done the drain, not to mention the glass :-(

So, after whining a little to my hubby, we headed down to the yacht club for some fresh air and to share a pint. Well, I was surprised to see the beach was snow free. Which is my world, means beach glass hunting season just opened! So, although my day started out bad, it sured ended on a high. Here is my find from the first day on the beach.

Tooting my own horn - well actually someone else is...

2009-02-06T15:40:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the second post in the same day, but this just came in and I had to share it! Gill Deacon (Canada's combination of Oprah and Martha Stewart, mixed with David Suzuki) wrote an entire blog about my beach glass jewellery! Have a look >>

Here's a picture of her wearing one of my necklaces!

When the Cash Flow is More like a Frozen Pond

2009-02-06T10:04:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm not sure if your business is like mine or not, but this time of year not only is the ground frozen up, but my cash isn't flowing much either. I know retailers are feeling my pain right now too. So what are we to do about it? Here's some tips that may help:

ask for longer payment terms on supplies from your regular suppliers
ask for larger down payments on custom orders
host a seconds sale (I'm hosting a Leftovers Potluck on February 15 as a twist on a studio open house - drop by if you can and bring some friends)
check in on those consignment accounts and see if they can pay you
eat leftovers (see #3 for a fun twist on this :-)

Oh yeah, and next year heed my advice (from experience) pre-plan for your slow times.

Carving out Time

2009-01-28T13:57:00.000-05:00

Well, I just took stock and...

apparently I'm not an artist (very much that is). And not because I don't want to be, or that I don't have it in me. Because I don't have time to create. I've been so busy on the business of art, that I forgot about the art part.

I've been working with a client as a business coach. Every session for the past 4 months (and we meet weekly) the conversation, no matter where it starts, ends back at her timeline or so I call it. When she's weighing new opportunities, planning to take on something, etc, the first thing I do is remind her to pull out her timeline and goals and see if it fits and where. If it doesn't fit in the timeline, she doesn't do it. I think I need to heed my own advice.

TTYL - I have to go work on my timeline and then off to the studio (aka dining room table)!

The List

2009-01-21T15:57:00.001-05:00

Well, I'm hunkering down and getting serious this year. I'm getting my beach glass art sold! So to start I took a look at where I'm currently selling my work and and where I want to be selling my work. I removed my product from one store in Bloomfield (that's a blog story in itself, but not for public consumption!) and already have two new ones on board. One is a great boutique in Port Stanley, ON (my home stomping ground and where my beach glass collecting all began) called the Sandpyper Gallery. If you're down that way make sure to have a peak, it's very cool. The other one is closer to my current home, it's Gallery ArtPlus in Belleville. What a beautiful gallery! And the staff are so great. They both met my criteria.

Do you have criteria for stores that carry your art? When I first started I would put my work in any store that would carry it, now I'm the one being picky. It has to be the right fit. Here's my criteria to give you a head start on yours if you don't have a list yet:

Is it on the water? (specific to me because of it being beach glass)
Does it communicate with me?
A maximum of 35% take (except in a few cases)
Do they carry any other beach glass work and is it authentic?
Do they allow my own branding?
Do they pass the secret shopper test?
Is their target market the same as mine?

Your product beats your marketing

2009-01-16T09:35:00.000-05:00

When I ran Market Me (a marketing company) a few years a go I was very picky with the clients I took on. I knew that not everything was marketable, well wait, everything is marketable, just not sellable. I've seen many people try to use a good pitch or ad to sell a very mundane thing. I've also seen in the art world, artists afraid of selling out, not willing to create anything that people are willing to buy.

I agree there's a fine balance between creating just for the sake of selling and for creating just for the sake of creating. Unfortunately, if you don't have a buyer you won't be able to eat so some compromises do have to be made. And if you get it right, you'll have a profitable balance between the two.

I recently set up a few blogs and it really does come down to what you're selling as to how successful you'll be. I'm sure you've heard the term selling ice to an Eskimo? Well, one of my blogs (http://weddingsundera1000.blogspot.com/) on the first day I launched it already had more subscribers and visits than this blog ever has! It has a better selling proposition or higher demand. It proved to me that it comes down to what you are selling not what you are marketing as I hadn't even started to market it yet.

So if you wondering what you can do to increase your sales - before looking at your marketing campaign, look at what it is you're selling.

Show Time

2009-01-07T11:48:00.000-05:00

Now is the time when most artists are planning their shows for the year. Applications and payments are usually due in the first 3 months of the year. It's really a great system, the winter months are typically slower for sales and allow for more admin time (yuck!) and it forces us to sit down and do our planning. The trick is putting all this money out in show fees when our sales are lower. Artists should take this time to do a little cash flow planning as well. It doesn't matter how much money you make at the end of the year if you can't pay your bills in the middle.

So sit down with your cheque book and your spreadsheets, just remember to take time in the studio too!

Let the plans begin....

2009-01-02T15:42:00.000-05:00

Well, it's now more than 24 hours into 2009 and I've got my plans in motion - do you? I've got my revenue goals, my show list, and a 'I'm going to finally work on creating..." plan all outlined in a new book that Santa got me. Every year I start the year off like this. In fact, in the fall I found an old Hopes & Dreams book of mine and it was very refreshing to get to check off the things I put on my TO DO List 10 years a go.

I've also already had 2 requests to help friends sort out their new business dreams and where to start. During those discussions we talked about what a business plan really needs. Many soon-to-be entrepreneurs and artists are overwhelmed with the business plan outlines they find online, in books or remember from school. And honestly, your plan doesn't have to be that complicated unless the business you are in is that complicated. The most important thing is that it's useful and used!

Take 1 hour today and every week for the next 52 weeks to work on your plan. It only needs to include: what makes what you do unique - really unique and better than other options out there; who are your customers and how will you find them (not wait for them to find you); and money - how are you going to make it, how much and milestones. That's it, that's all, now go get started.....

Control...Alt...Delete

2008-12-29T14:51:00.000-05:00

In business it's important to know when the best time and place to reach your customers is, whether it's for advertising purposes or for actual sales. Artists for the most part are pretty good at this in my experience. Most artists gear up for December, for Mother's Day, etc. But I think it's also just as important to know the most important times NOT to reach your customers.

I had a great example of when not to. On Christmas Eve as I was getting the dinner cleaned up and pumpkin pie served when my phone rang. It was a telemarketer. Not only that, but a very rude one too. When I asked him to call back at a more appropriate time (I should of just hung up really, but my marketing background obliges me to be nice), he said no and wouldn't let me ask questions either. I finally handed the phone to my husband who after a huge argument hung up the phone. Not only would I not listen to this caller, I will NEVER do business with them: 1. for having the gull to call at the time and 2. for allowing such rude people to put me in a foul mood for Christmas Eve.

They are not the only intruders over the holidays, (and that's how I think of them as intruders when they do it at such inappropriate times), but my unsolicited email went through the roof too! Which is really sad for them since there will be so much of it, I'll just delete it as a block and not read any of it.

So when you're thinking of sending your customers a note, a newsletter, or anything, make sure it is when they are wanting to hear from you. You don't simply want to be 'deleted'.

Not Now I'm Busy

2008-12-18T11:13:00.000-05:00

When opportunity comes knocking it's sometimes hard to say no, but sometimes it's exactly what you have to do. In the world of beach glass reds, yellows and oranges are very very hard to come by; and therefore very valuable and in demand. So it would seem the easy answer is to create these colours. And yes, some artists do just that, however, it's not beach or sea glass then, it's tumbled glass. And there is a market for that out there (there's a market for almost everything isn't there?) but it's not my market, or rather, my interest.

This is where I say no. I could make it, but I won't. The reason I work in beach glass is I like the hunt. I love the sound of the waves, the feel of the sand and rocks as I dig and the magical moment when I find a really cool piece. I would loose that if I simply used a tumbler.

In your business, if an opportunity knocks but it doesn't feel right what do you do? Do you answer the door or simply say "Not now, I'm busy doing what I love to do?"

More to show than sales

2008-12-15T11:57:00.000-05:00

Well, now that my shows are done for 2008 I can reflect on how successful they were. Most artists simple look at sales and revenue. And to be fair, we do have to pay our bills so this justifiably the most important aspect of any show. However, it is not the only measure of success or importance.

Shows are a form of advertising. In fact, when I post my expenses I put the show registration fees under advertising. Even if my sales are low during the show, I usually get 3-5 custom orders following the show. And it's important to track these, which can be tricky as it may be a few months down the road. I also usually see increased enrollment in my Bead 'n' Bitch sessions or other workshops.

At the Gift Giving Show two weekends a go, another bonus to shows came to the surface that other vendors experienced and shared with me. Friendship and peer support. Many of the artists there were meeting for the first time, since them I have seen them become friends on Facebook, heard that they have gone for coffee and I'm sure many will keep in touch at future shows.

So when you're measuring the success of your shows - don't just look in your wallet.

What can you do?

2008-12-04T15:11:00.000-05:00

Ok this entry maybe a little biased, but my last entry got me thinking more about the economy. And then our artist roundtable group talked about the impact (or not) the economy crisis is having on them personally. My answer? Buy local this Christmas. If we all decide together that we want our local economy to thrive and not dive (cute rhyme eh?) then we need to spend our money here and not over the Internet (I can't believe I'm saying that) and not over the border (unless you live there and that is your local economy). As artists we should always be promoting that we are the local option, but we also have to live it ourselves. So encourage your customers to buy from you because by doing so they are helping the local economy, but also this Christmas, do it yourself too.

And on that note, I'm off to start setting up the Fort for the Gift Giving Show. Hope to see you there - shopping locally...

Be an elf this christmas!

2008-12-01T13:48:00.000-05:00

Since the economic turmoil began I've been thinking about what to write about it. Yes it's having an impact on everyone (and I'm sure even you), but do we really have to spend all of our energy in the doom and gloom that the media is highlighting for us?

I say no. Right now, more than ever, we are seeing the true Experience Economy. This phrase is borrowed from a book I'm reading called The Experiece Economy by B. Joseph Pine II. The basic jist of the book is that people will scrimp in some areas of their lives so they can buy luxury items in other areas. In a financial crisis this means that typically people will buy their consumables and what they can cheaply so they can make themselves feel better when they indulge in say...art.

But what does an elf have to do with this (the title of this entry is what I'm referring to)? Well, when people want luxury and pampering, they want luxury and pampering. Santa's elfs would never give a gift unwrapped or without a perfect ribbon and gift tag. And at the same time, those low cost consumbables would never come wrapped or with a fancy tag. So if you don't want to be considered a cheap alternative, make sure to think like an elf and make your art gifts a true indulgence. Let your customers solve their need to feel good by buying one of your one-of-kind, well-worth the cost pieces of art.

Merry Christmas to me!

2008-11-27T12:47:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas to me! Yesterday, a much anticipated book arrived in the mail for me: Pure Sea Glass by Richard LaMotte. I have wanted this book for over 2 years. I'm already half way through it. Many people have this book as a coffee table book, but for me it's much more than that, it's a reference book. It helps me identify the dates and origins of the beach glass I have found. Some of the pieces I have in my collection that I thought were only a few years old could actually be from the early 1800's! That's so cool. The bottle topper for instance that I showed in an earlier blog (http://thebizofart.blogspot.com/2008/07/what-should-i-be-called.html), according to the book was made between 1860 and 1920! It also said that finding an orange piece is so rare that even avid collectors will only find 1 in every 100,000 pieces of glass they find. It's rare because to make orange glass they often use real gold to achieve the right color. I was lucky enough to find one and then sold it. Congrats Erin on your lucky piece.

Meet the Meanie

2008-11-24T10:25:00.000-05:00

Entrepreneurs are often afraid of their competition. They go out of their way to stay away from each other; but I go to the other extreme. I think you should get to know your competitors really well and find ways to work together. I think the synergies you get from one other, the power to grow the entire pie instead of just your slice and the camaraderie you get from it far out weigh the risks associated with it.

Artists do this better than anyone I think. This past Sunday I was part of the NGB Studio Open House (I've including some pictures if you missed it). The artists that have their studios there invited outside artists to share their space for the day and sell their products as well. In our studio (Jane Thelwell's pottery studio) had 4 great women (OK I'm a little biased as one of those four was me, but there was also Annie Clifford, Marie-Claude Delcourt and Jane Thelwell). We worked really well together. We crossed our products over into each others areas, sold for each other while we took art walks ourselves, shared food, helped set up and tear down and were each other's cheerleaders. We also found that selling it each other was easy than selling ourselves so it was a great way work together.

So next time you're wondering if you should meet your competition - go for it - meet the meanie!

Blogging for Blogging

2008-11-18T14:55:00.000-05:00

I looked back and I can't believe I haven't written about this already... blogging as an artist. I was doing two presentations today at the college and the main focus of discussion was on blogging. Is it important for business? Why is it important for business? ETC.

The answer is yes it is important for any business but especially for artists. It comes down to people buy from people; especially in the art world. If customers just needed a picture for the wall they would go to a superstore, but if they're buying art, they want the story. Your blog is a perfect place to tell your story. It's a way for customers to connect with you and feel they have a personal relationship with you.

Another important purpose of blogs is authenticity. In Trendwatch's report for 2008, authenticity was rated as the number #2 influencer in buyer trends. People want to know who you are and they want it to be believable, so traditional, biased information like brochures and websites just won't cut it anymore.

So if you don't have a blog - get one! Then let me know and we can connect in the blogsphere! Happy Blogging!

Custom lines is that an oxymoron?

2008-11-10T15:52:00.000-05:00

I've been thinking a lot about my jewellery and what makes my beach glass pieces stand out when compared to other beach glass work. I also have been thinking about the responses I got over the summer as I'm preparing for my two upcoming shows(NGB Studio Tour and the Gift Giving show - www.giftgivingshow.com) . So the combined question at hand? It's actually two questions: how do I stand out and be remembered (which leads to repeat customers and custom orders) and how to make it simpler to do so?

Up until now, not only have I always created one-of-kind pieces but only one-offs too. Well. The solution to my questions: lines (beachshuk, perfect pendants, whispy - http://lindseyfair.ca/index.cfm?page=collection). I have created a few lines of work (although each piece will always be unique because each piece of glass is unique), so that people can order something and have an idea of what they are getting, they can compare items in my booth and most of all, when showcasing my work to other artists I have a line that will stand out.

I'm not sure if this is the best strategy, but here's to trying. I'll keep you posted. Let me know what you think about it.

Successfully Sneaky Slogans

2008-10-31T13:29:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I presented a workshop for artists in the Cornwall area on Successful Selling Strategies. The group was great; a lot of great energy in the room that I could feed off. I also met a fellow found object artist - Candice Nixon (http://www.meltingpotstudio.ca/). Anyway, back to the story... when I cleaned out my briefcase this morning I found an old napkin tucked in a corner that I kept from our trip to North Carolina earlier this month. The napkin is from the Detroit airport ( a great airport by the way ). I kept it because I loved the slogan on it. It's short, memorable, cheeky, and most of all gives you a mental picture of exactly who they're talking about without saying it out loud. In the workshop yesterday we talked about knowing who your target market is, what your competition is doing and what needs you are filling. This slogan sums it all up in one cheeky statement - doesn't it? It's a very successful sneaky slogan!

A trip down memory lane

2008-10-27T08:54:00.000-04:00

My son the other day laughed when I told him about when I was in kindergarten. He didn't believe that I had ever been in school. So I dug through my memories box and found the Ziploc bag labelled 'kindergarten' (I used to think it was crazy how organized my mom was, now I'm so glad she was). The two of us had a good laugh going through it. Everything from the 75 cents it cost to go see a puppet show for a field trip (25 for the bus, 50 for the show) to the photo of me with pig tails.

I also noticed the artwork. I'm surprised I didn't become a fibre artist, it seems 90% of my art was done with wool that year. My son pointed out that I spelled my name using both capital letters and lowercase letters and he thought that was funny. Until this fall when he started school we had always written his name using all capitals, but in school he is told to use lowercase. The first month, he kept correcting the teacher and telling her how to properly spell his name. I started getting worried, maybe we had taught him wrong, or maybe we should have started with lowercase letters earlier... maybe he'll always be confused! Oh no! Seeing that I was a confused little 5 year old and I eventually figured it all out and turned out OK (for the most part), I realized that I have nothing to worry about. James will turn out at least as OK as I am.

The next thing we noticed was a ribbon for 1st place. James asked what it was for. I couldn't remember. Every piece of the artwork brought back a vivid memory, a smell, voices, what table it was created at, but that ribbon... no idea. We strive all our lives to get 1st place, and when we do we don't even remember what it was for. Now that's a lesson we should always remember.

A true treasure

2008-10-08T10:07:00.001-04:00

This posting is going to be a little different then my usual business oriented ones; but it is a good little story so I have to share it.

As many of you know I've been collecting beach glass since I was in the womb I think. My husband on the other hand, only started collecting last spring during his trip to Bermuda as far as I knew.... but....

My mother-in-law brought me a present last week, a jar full of beach glass. She said she had found it in her storage locker and just found it. I asked her where it was from. This is the cool part. Matt (the hubby) had given it to her for mother's day when he was 8 or 9 years old! He's been a closet collector his whole life! On days like this I'm not sure what the greater treasurer is - the beach glass or Matt. I'm think I'm lucky to have found (or been given in this case) both.

Design by Oops!

2008-10-03T10:41:00.000-04:00

I just finished a ring that is nothing like I originally intended it to be. I'm sure you've all been there, you know, the design by oops situation?! In the class I'm taking, the other students get frustrated when it doesn't turn out how they intended it to, and one of them even starts from scratch every time it's not perfect. Me, on the other hand, love to work with it until the very end to see how different (or similar if I'm lucky) it turns out. Remember, someone will love your discards as we talked about in an earlier post. They don't know what you actually intended it to look like, unless you tell them.

So, just for fun, here's my latest design by oops. And the story...

You can really tell by the photo, but the band is twisted slightly, it kind of spirals up the finger. It was supposed to be flat, but it adds an neat touch. The beach glass was supposed to sit straight up and down on the finger, but because of the twist it actually sits on a slight angle, again a neat touch.

Inspriation from the Strangest Places

2008-09-26T09:29:00.001-04:00

Last week I was at a Junior Chamber conference in Kelowna (where I bought a great piece of local art from a neat little store called Funktional). During the conference there was an Effective Public Speaking competition and the topic was 'getting inspiration from the strangest places'. During some of the speeches my mind wandered (says a lot for the speakers doesn't it? that's a whole other blog entry!) and started to think about where I get my inspiration from.

At my core, my most basic level of inspiration comes directly from my family. I have an over-active need to make them proud. I remember when I was in college out west and stumbling across a really old hand carved tomb stone that said his name, years and in quotes "..and he was a damn good Irishman." I think that sums it up, he made people proud of who he was. Now I may not want mine to read the same thing (since I'm not Irish) but I hope it will have the same impact.

When I moved passed my core I thought about my art. Why do I create? Why do I choose beach glass? I started jotting notes down and then I realized I was basically re-writing my artist statement. I remember when I first wrote my artist statement it seemed so daunting and difficult, but putting it in the context of inspiration it was all of a sudden easy.

So the next time you're asked to submit an artist statement, start with the question 'where does my inspiration come from?' You may even be surprised with your answer!

It's orientation time!

2008-09-16T14:30:00.000-04:00

On Saturday, we had a new exchange student from Japan move in with us. Shizuka is here studying english for 4 months. The last few days not only has she had an orientation at Queen's but at our house as well. Everything from how to do laundry here, that we have a funny hot water tank in our house, what life with a 4 year old is like, the type of food we eat, etc. It's been fun for all of us, but it did make me relate it to my customers a bit.

When my customers buy a piece of jewellery from me, it is often their very first piece of beach glass jewellery. Which means they don't know how to take care of it; how to wash it, how often it can be worn, what if it tarnishes, etc. So I need to make sure to give them some sort of an orientation. Do you do this for your customers? Maybe with an FAQ page on your website, a little tip sheet given with each sale, or just by showing them during the sale?

The second thing it reminded me about was language barriers. In most cases, the challenge may not be as significant as Japanese to English; but often I hear artists (and other business owners for that matter) getting too technical when they talk to clients. Remember, you know the intricate details and 'lingo' associated with your industry but your customers may not, they may not know what those acronyms mean. You may just get the same crossed-eyed, squished up nose look I got from Shizuka when I said it was 'muggy out on the weekend'. So make sure you are speaking the same language as your customers, they'll appreciate it, Shizuka does.

First Day Jitters

2008-09-05T09:21:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my son's first day of school, JK. All summer both of us were looking forward to it so much. He was so excited about it until....the night before. That's when the nerves set in. "What if they make me play games I don't know?" What if no one wants to play with me?" "What if I can't reach the toilet paper?" (I know who knew he had so many worries?) So we talked them all through and other scenarios that might pop up too. We read the letter from the school and packed his backpack with everything on the list. We made up his lunch and labelled it all.

In the morning we went over the letter again, reviewed what was for snack and what was for lunch. We walked to school early so that it was less intimidating when we arrived and we could get the lay of the land first. He made friends instantly and all seemed to be good...until the bell rang and then the tears started. So we re-introduced in him to the teacher, went over his backpack and food again. Talked about what the day would be like and told him he could ask the teacher to call me at lunch if the day was still horrible. I never got the phone call, in fact when I picked him up at 330 he said he had a great day. It was harder than daycare because he had to learn more and play more, but he liked it.

This whole process reminds me of preparing for a new show. I am all excited leading up to and the night before I get nervous. "Do I have everything packed?" "Do I have enough stock?" "Do I have the right products for this show?" So I do the same things as I did with my son, review the confirmation letter, review what I packed and try and get a goodnight sleep.

The day of the show I try and go early to get the lay of the land. Introduce myself to the organizer. Give myself a time that I'm allowed to leave if I want (if this is possible with this kind of show).

The morale of the story is whether it's the first day of school or preparing for a show, preparation is key, but most important is to make sure you've packed some good snacks!

The rarity of what I do

2008-08-21T15:52:00.000-04:00

Every artist can take pride and promote the uniqueness of what they do. Every piece is unique. Well, I'm going to take a moment to talk about what makes my work so unique. Yes, some of that is the way in which I use the beach glass, but what really makes it special is what I start with. The beach glass itself is unique and now a days becoming increasingly rare. At the Women's Art Festival I had many customers come up and talk about all the recent publicity about the the trouble in finding beach glass now.

When I was a little girl I used to be able to walk on my home beach in Port Stanley Ontario on Lake Erie and find buckets full of wonderful treasurers, now I can barely find 5 pieces. It's true in the spring that I can find lots, but each year it is less and less. Between plastic products and the responsible behaviour of recycling (which is a good thing) finding glass is rare now.

Here's an article that someone from the Art Festival pointed me to from the National Geographic early this summer. the article is written by Margaret G. Zackowitz. A short but worth while read.

Photo Time

2008-08-18T13:04:00.000-04:00

Since my blog about Adversity... everyone wants to know what the earrings look like (for those that didn't come to the festival yesterday to see them, shame on you). So here is a picture of them.

For those that didn't visit the festival, it was a great day. Beautiful weather, fun music, creative vendors. As a vendor, I found the show to be a good ROI, but I did hear others saying they may have done better at the market. Interesting how somethings work differently for different people, even when you're comparing apples to apples. I actually heard this from another jewellery designer; however, maybe it was because it's like granny smiths to macintoshes not two apple the exact same. It would be interesting to do a real study on this. Julie Davidson Smith, a friend and fellow artist, sent me a pic of my booth in action. Thanks Julie.

And the last picture was sent to me by Carolyn Barnett. It's the necklace she made at the last Bead 'n' Bitch. I absolutely love the button she used! She also included an old piece of wire wrapped beach glass I had done and wasn't happy with the wrapping so I threw it back in the discard pile to redo later. Goes to show, that your disgards are someone else's treasure (just like I talked about in an earlier blog entry)!

The next Bead 'n' Bitch is tomorrow night.

Adversity inspires creativity

2008-08-15T15:48:00.000-04:00

This week I've been busy preparing for the Women's Art Festival for this Sunday (on top of having a cold, camping with the family, writing a few proposals, hosting a potluck...you get the idea I'm sure). In the midst of creating some earrings I ran out of jump rings. I had two solutions (well 3 but giving up just isn't my style) 1. try to order some but not sure if they would arrive in time and the shipping would cost more than the order or 2. be creative and try something different. So I went with number 2.

I started using my tiger wire and some crimps, some silver wire and voila... a new beautiful, little bit whimsical, style earring was born. In fact I love this new design so much that I made several pairs with the same concept. I can't wait to show them off this weekend at the festival! (that's why I didn't include a picture, come to the festival to get a peak!).

So what I learned from what started out as a frustrating situation is that sometimes it's good to shake things up a bit, put yourself in an adverse conditions and you'll be surprised with what you come up with...I sure was pleasantly surprised!

A bitchin' good time!

2008-08-06T12:00:00.000-04:00

Last night was our first Bead 'n' Bitch. The ladies had a great time and produced beautiful twisted wire necklaces. I think everyone learned something, even me. Thanks Carolyn, Julie, Diane and Kelly. See you all on the 19th!

Don't leave home without it

2008-07-31T07:34:00.000-04:00

I went to a great show opening last night at Sandra Whitton's gallery. It showcased 2 of my favorite local artists -- Carolyn Barnett and Andrea Graham. The other 2 participating artists were fabulous as well.

My mother-in-law and I went together and got talking. Earlier in the day she was meeting some of her friends and trying to describe the type of jewellery I make and what beach glass is. (I've found either people are avid collectors themselves or have no idea whatsoever what beach glass is). They told her that she should wear a piece or at least have a sample in her purse. Good idea... I'll get back to this comment in a moment, but back to the show last night.

So I looked around the gallery and noticed that none of the artists in attendance, including the goldsmiths were wearing their own work. Carolyn was at least carrying a sweater and given the heat it made sense that she wasn't wearing it.

We spend so much money and effort on promoting our work that I think sometimes we often overlook the simple ideas. Your new mantra should be 'don't leave home without it'. Whether it's a small business card size portfolio in your pocket, a piece on (if you're a jeweller) or a sample in your purse (if you carry one). And take that step further, like in my mother-in-laws case, make sure your family and close friends that are willing do the same. Talk about cheap labour! So remember, next time I see you, you better not have left it at home!

Upcoming workshops

2008-07-21T15:13:00.000-04:00

Hi everyone. I've had a request to let you know when my upcoming workshops are going to be so here are a few of my local sessions:

Bead 'n' Bitch
July 22, 2008
7:00pm-9:00pm
$15
Come once or sign up for all 4 nights. Each night complete a new jewellery project or bring your own projects in progress and get help completing it. Time to hang out with fabulously fun women, share some drinks and create beautiful ( or at least unique :-) ) jewellery!$15 per night or $50 for all 4 (Aug 5, 19, Sept 9, 23). Includes beverages, most project materials and coaching.

The Art of Being Social - Web Marketing for Artists
July 30, 2008
7:00pm - 9:00pm
$20
Social networking and marketing online are key to any successful business in today's competitive world especially for artists! These two hours will be spent going over the basics of online marketing for artists including: Facebook, YouTube, Blogging and yes even Second Life. Come learn how you can profit from the web instead of just spending on the web.

Bookkeeping Basics for Artists
August 27, 2008
7:00pm - 9:00pm
$20
Entrepreneurs dig right into the production and sale of their product, because that's the fun part. For most, however, bookkeeping is the necessary evil. This is particularly true for artists. This workshop will show the importance of records and suggest and show simple methods specifically applicable to artists.

I have also have some kids camps listed on my website: www.lindseyfair.ca

What should I be called?

2008-07-09T10:49:00.000-04:00

The big question has been posed and I need your thoughts on it. What should I call myself? As discussed in previous posts, I am venturing out in the world as a goulash, a mixed bag of activities, services and products, somehow or other all connected though to the world of art. Should I brand myself and my art as simply 'Lindsey Fair' as my parents named me? Or should I try and find something catchy and unique as a business name that captures it all?

There's definitely an argument for both sides. Seth Godin (one of my favorite business authors) discusses the value of his brand being "Seth Godin", and that he's lucky his parent's didn't name him Mike instead.

As much as I believe I have established a modest brand in my name, I'm pretty sure it's not as strong as Seth's (maybe some day). However, I'm a big believer in being memorable and unique, and I'm not quite sure if Lindsey will cut it.

So what are your thoughts? Should I simply be a piece of white beach glass called Lindsey Fair or a unique bottle topper called..........

Just say 'NO'

2008-07-07T13:20:00.000-04:00

Here I am, full-time artist (with a little goulash in there of course). And day 1 I am already being reminded about the importance of saying no. Not in the same context that my parents taught me when I was a little girl, but for when you get overwhelmed and swamped.

My task list is bigger now than last week in the corporate world! And new opportunities keep presenting themselves and I'm a sucker for peer pressure I guess because I keep saying yes. It's a hard gamble sometimes to say no, because what if you're turning down a good, really good thing? Leo Babauta talks about how to get out of this dilemma in his blog - The Gentle Art of Saying No, which when I came across it was a good reminder to me that I have the 'right' to say NO.

Practice saying this before sitting down at your bench, easel, desk or studio "My time is valuable and I've figured out my priorities (and sticking to them)".

When goulash is better than meat and potatoes

2008-06-24T15:04:00.000-04:00

The last 2 weeks I have worked with a few clients trying to simplify their work or develop a disciplined focus for what they do. Someone, somewhere along the line has told them that they need to find one focus and go with that; that their business can't be so scattered. And at times I would agree with this statement. At times, however, I think it's exactly the wrong thing to do.

Take for instance what my life as an artist is going to be in a few weeks:

running a kids camp
teaching at the college
grant writing for artists / organizations
selling my own art
facilitating workshops and presentations
writing blogs
online marketing consulting

A quick look at this list and some may say it is unfocused. But when you look at it closely, they are all inter-related and all within themselves focused on the work I want to do and can do. They all generate revenue and none of them conflict with the image I want to create for myself. To me if I were just the meat and potatoes with the same outcome every time, that was predictable and somewhat bland, I would lose focus and ambition. By taking that same meat and potatoes and making goulash, I get a different flavour every time - that's what will keep me focused on results and my passions.

It takes a family to raise an entrepreneur

2008-06-10T06:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I took the plunge - I submitted my letter of resignation from the corporate world. It's funny to watch everyone's face when I tell them I'm not leaving for another job, I'm leaving to be an artist. It was almost surreal, I had planned the day for a while but it felt so neat to actually be at this point in the journey.

As I embark down this new path, I realize that as much as I'm an independent artist and an independent business consultant, I'm not in this alone. My friends and family have played a very important role: my cheerleader. My husband, who is not a risk taker, is really going out of his comfort zone to support me and that gives me confidence and a level head to bounce my ideas off of. My friends have offered me solid advice on everything from timing, to process to financial ideas.

So, I've learned that even if you're in business by yourself, you're never in it alone. It really does take a family to raise an entrepreneur!

The second Rule of 7!.

2008-06-04T20:32:00.000-04:00

Sorry, I got trigger happy and posted before I was finished.

So, the first rule of 7 is about time management. The 2nd rule of 7 came across my plate (well, actually my Facebook) today. A 'friend' asked if a ring that I had posted in my photo album a while a go was still for sale. I posted that picture over a month a go. So what does 7 have to do with it? Well, it takes a customer 7 times to see your product, name or alike before they buy from you. Which means that it also takes time. It's important to remember this when you're remembering your promotional activities, you may not see direct sales right away, but down the road when you least expect it the connection will be made.

Now here's to hoping there's a 3rd rule of 7 - all sales happen in groups of 7 :-).

The Rule of 7

2008-06-04T20:24:00.000-04:00

Last night at the TIA workshop on Social Networking for business there was a general concern that between Facebook, youTube, mySpace, Blogging and your own website that you wouldn't have anytime to spend in your studio. That's when I mentioned my first rule of 7. I allow myself 7 minutes per day on Facebook because I know it could suck me in and never spit me out. The artists wondered why 7 minutes? Well, 5 is too little and therefore not effective, and 10 is too much and can easily be rounded up to 15 and then 20 and so on. I think I stole this concept from either Eat that Frog or The 4-hr Work Week. One of them states that by setting random times for tasks it forces you to pay attention to the clock and not allow 'creep' to happen. It's a really good concept in planning meetings, set them for 10 minutes after the hour instead of on the hour and you'll be amazed at how much you can get down in that first ten minutes.

People love your Imperfections

2008-05-25T06:43:00.000-04:00

I was at the Odessa Art & Craft Show yesterday, which overall was a very quite show to say the least thanks to the first sunny weekend of the year! And at the very last minute of the show a customer reminded me of a fault that all us artists have -- we critique our own art too much.

I have a good friend who is an amazing DJ and spin artist. For years we have been begging him to make us a CD. Finally after 7 years of begging we finally got one and do you know what he said? "It's not perfect so please don't share it with anyone else." So we listened and do you know what? To us it was perfect, it was fantastic!

So back to the Odessa Show, the customer wanted to buy an Inushuk that I had made out of beach glass (of course). The only thing is that in my mind it wasn't for sale because it was really just a prototype and not perfect. You could see some of the glue, the legs were too close together, etc. So when he asked to buy it I was shocked and do you know what I said? "Well it really wasn't for sale, you can see the glue." He said, he didn't care or notice and loved it anyway. He didn't pay full-pop for it, but probably would have if I asked him to.

If we wait until it's perfect, we'll never leave the studio. The point of the story is, you don't need to spend all your time making it perfect from your point of view, just perfect enough from the customers view - they love your imperfections, it's what makes it one-of-a-kind.

When Supply is Good

2008-05-17T20:55:00.000-04:00

For beach glass artists May is the month to celebrate. It is prime time for finding unique and large quantities of beach glass. So today when I was out collecting it made me thinking about supply and demand.

Most artists that I know, including myself for everything other then my glass, buy supplies as they need them. In fact, I can often be found at the local bead store buying 10 specific beads to finish a project in the works. The problem with this method is that it doesn't always make the most financial sense.

If there are times in your industry where supplies are plentiful (like May for me) it may be a time to buy in bulk and stock up for later, as often that's when store owners apply discounts. Not only will you save by buying in bulk but also by taking advantage of buying during a sale. The same reason people buy holiday wrapping paper in January!

It also made me think about what happens when your product isn't available anymore... but we'll save that for another day.

Name Your Price

2008-05-09T07:31:00.000-04:00

I went to the Arts Council Juried Art Salon last night and was amazed (not surprised though) at the diversity of price of the art in the show. For what seemed to be similar pieces to me (an untrained eye, but definitely a consumer of art) prices ranged from $210-$4,000. Wow!

Pricing is one of the most common questions I get asked by artists (next to where do I get money :-) ). And pricing your art is a challenge for sure. Here are somethings to consider when trying to price your art:

Cost of materials
Cost of running the business (advertising, rent, website)
Time into the piece
Time on training this far to be able to create this piece
And yes, personal attachment does come into play (I had a good example of this the other day. I had a very rare piece of orange beach glass with a star etched in it, I sold it within 48hrs of posting it to my website, but felt remorse right after).

Now that you've taken all that into consideration you piece is probably worth $50,000 right? Well, you have at least 2 other things to consider:

Competitors price
Market demand (what are consumers willing to pay for this)

The last thing to consider is the concept of premium pricing. When I first started selling my jewellery I priced things very low because for the 4 considerations where very low so I didn't think I could price them higher. As time went on I started to integrate higher pricing based on the last two consideration and WOW what a difference, sales increased by 40% and I made more profit on each piece. If premium pricing didn't work, Starbucks wouldn't still be in business!

The Art of Being Social Workshop

2008-05-06T21:59:00.000-04:00

I am presenting a workshop for TIA (Thousand Islands Arts) on June 3rd from 7-9pm. Here's an overview of the session. If you want to attend contact TIA, if you can't attend but wish you could, let me know and I'll let you know when the next one is.

Social networking and marketing online are key to any successful business in today's competitive world, especially for artists! These two hours will be spent going over the basics of online marketing including Facebook, Youtube, Blogging, your own website and yes even Second Life. Come learn how you can profit from the web instead of spending money on it!

Duct Tape Doesn't Hold Everything!

2008-05-05T01:37:00.000-04:00

I'm sure I'm not the only one to experience the limits of duct tape and I probably not the only one to experience a problem with an art show. Well, this goof up would make Red Green think twice about his endorsement of the sticky product.

Last Thursday, while having an already very hectic week, I was rushed to hang my work at the local Starbucks for a show I have on this month. When I got there I realized that I didn't have the proper hangers for their wall mount system. I thought no worries, I have duct tape and it holds anything! Now my work isn't heavy, but just in case I put lots of tape on it and made loops on the back of the canvases that would work with their hooks (or so I thought). A few hours later I got a call from Starbucks, I was hoping someone wanted to buy a piece, but no...

A piece fittingly called 'A Good De-ed' had fallen off the wall and hit a poor customer on the head. So I retrieved my work, attached the right hooks and rehung everything the following day. The morale of the story, well there's two:

1. Taking short cuts doesn't really save you anytime.
2. Duct tape doesn't hold everything, especially when you're counting on it!