Debate | Should You Watermark Art You Are Posting Online?
I am frequently asked by artists whether they should watermark their artwork before sharing it online. There seems to be a pretty widespread concern that posting artwork images online could…
Debate: Should Artists Show Work in Doctor’s Offices, Banks and Other Business Locations?
Recently I received an email raising the question of whether it would be worthwhile for an artist to show her work in a doctor’s office. The doctor would display the…
How to Hang a Painting | A Free Guide From Xanadu Gallery
Introduction You’ve just purchased a spectacular painting. An artist spent years studying, refining his/her craft to create this masterpiece. A gallery went to great effort and expense to display the…
Ask a Gallery Owner | Why Do Galleries Get Such High Commissions?
“I won’t work with galleries. The commission is too high!” I frequently hear some variation of this statement as I am conversing with artists. You’ve probably heard fellow artists say…
From a Reader – Creating Art Sales by Promoting Your Work to Your Network of Acquaintances
I’ve often written that selling artwork is all about building relationships with potential buyers. There’s another side to this, however, in that people with whom you already have a relationship…
Did your Family and Friends Discourage You From Becoming an Artist?
I recently read an article about Richard Branson, serial entrepreneur and founder of Virgin Records and Virgin Airlines, where he talked about the reluctance many people feel when trying to…
How to Follow Up and Close More Art Sales
I’ve mentioned before that we don’t hand out photos or brochures in the gallery. Instead, when a potential client is leaving without making a purchase, we take the opportunity to…
Collective Wisdom: Finding Your Bread and Butter
In speaking with a number of artists who have built financially successful careers, I have observed that many of them have stabilized and strengthened their art business by creating a…
4 Critical Steps to Sell More Art
“What do you do?” you’ve been asked many times. “I am an artist” is most likely the response that instantly comes to your lips. You have probably been giving this…
Branding: Artists, Build Your Brand Around Your Name
In today’s post, I would like to address a branding question that comes up quite frequently in relationship to branding for artists:
Should an artist use his or her own name when building a brand, or is it a good idea to create a business name and brand around that name instead?
The most common form of the question I hear is whether it’s okay to use the artist’s studio name instead of just using the artist’s name.