Category Archives: The Business of Art

Things I’m learning about selling art online.

The Power of Gifts

Early Success

What is so important about gifting? You may think it’s a cool way to get your feelings across, or perhaps you’re just doing what’s expected.  My opinion is that it’s not about you at all.  Here’s a story of what happened when one of my commissions was received as a gift.

Recently I did an acrylic painting of a fruit stand.  Pretty mundane, right?  But the man who commissioned it asked for a lot of things to be in it. He was giving it as a gift to his very successful realtor for the fine service she provided on the sale of his home.  He had remembered a story she told of growing up in Fredericksburg Virginia and having a profitable fruit stand with her shy sister. So he wanted her name, the place, the sister peeking out from behind the shack, and, of course, the fruit. Together we named it “Early Success” and agreed it was the perfect title.

He tells me that upon presentation of his beautifully wrapped gift, she was extremely touched and amazed that someone would acknowledge her in this way. but once she saw the details of the painting with her hometown’s name nestled in between the flower pots, and her name across the top of the fruit stand, she broke down with emotion. Then she saw her sister peeking out from behind the stand and saw herself doing business behind the fruit and flowers. It was a wonderful moment for both giver and receiver.

So, what’s the real power of this gift? …..ACKNOWLEDGMENT!……  He had actually listened to her and remembered her story. This painting was a way of acknowledging her “Early Success” as well as showing appreciation for who she is today. Every time she sees that painting she will be reminded of who she really is.

As artists, we worry about how “good” our painting is, both technically and aesthetically. Our real gift is that our work acknowledges others in a way nothing else can. A picture really can be worth more than those thousand words.

So I’m back in the studio every day with the joy of painting ever present in my life. If I’m happy, my paintings will show it and can bring you joy.  What about you?  What are your plans for your artistic endeavors in the new year?

Happy Holiday blessings and love to you all.

Starting a Series focusing on Eyes

#2 in "The Eye Has It" series

I figure the best way to learn how to paint faces is to paint a lot of faces!  So to inspire myself, I”m doing a series of half-faces, or one-eyed women.  The first three have been straight-on, but the next ones I want to start experimenting with angles, side views and top-down.   Thought you might like to follow me along the way and see how things are going.  Just completed another one which I will post later.  This is also part of my strategic income plan to create pieces that make great prints, as well as originals that are affordable for many at $225.  Let me know what you think!

Selling Art More Challenging than Making Art

This flowered into being overnight with light.

Some of you have followed along with my quest for an internet sales solution designed for artists. I looked at several that were more than clunky. One even shut down my browser when I tried to sign up for a newsletter. ETSY was a site I’d heard about, but it’s really for selling crafty items. EBSQArt is another site, but it’s tedious to use and hard to find the next action, like BUY THIS ART. And what buyer is going to ever think to go to sites named ETSY or EBSQ?  I mean, really. How about a name that says what it does – how hard can this be?

So, the other day I was looking up “minimalist drawing” because I have been unsuccessful in becoming a minimalist. I thought perhaps I could “art” about it, and I have a client in Minneapolis who is patiently waiting for something minimalistic from me.  And, voila!  I fell into this incredible website, Fine Art America,  where I could search by any style, type, color, what have you.  And I could buy prints and notecards if I wanted. And I could remember the name of the website because it said what it does – it sells Fine Art to America.  Immediately I signed up for free and have put up a few things that would look good printed.  Take a look: http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/susie+stockholm/all

For now it seems pretty neat.  I’m working out how to put the shopping cart feature onto my website and list the originals for sale that should stay original without prints.

Let me know what you think so far.  Or, if you’re inclined, buy something!

Susie