Blog

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 4 - 4 PM ET

Art publishing is a big business. Have you explored licensing your images for print and other products? This podcast will help you sort out the basics and get you thinking about another source of income from your art.

What you will learn:

1.  What it means to license your art (how it works, contractual permission, etc - a broad overview)

2.  How to create art that works for licensing

3.  How long it takes to make money

4.  Basic expectations manufacturers have of artists who license their art (digital files, website, etc)

5.  Some day-to-day realities of life in the art licensing industry (lots of competition, art changes, deadlines, quick turnaround requests, often no response to submissions...)

Our guest is  artist Tara Reed who founded her art licensing business in 2004. She creates art that helps sell products, teaches artists about the business side of licensing and blogs about licensing at www.ArtLicensingBlog.com. She serves on the Advisor Board of SURTEX, a premier trade show for the art licensing industry.

Do you have questions you'd like me to ask Tara? Please put them in the comments below.

You can also call into speak with her: 805-243-1338 

TUESDAY: JUNE 18, 3 PM ET

Art fairs not working for you? Not getting into the shows where you know you can sell your work? Tired of being on the road? Looking for a new adventure? 

Meet two painters who can say both yes and no to the questions above. Yes, the art fairs work but they wanted to try some  new ideas for marketing their work. Where did they turn? Social media!

• In March, Carrie Jacobson, a painter from Connecticut, drove from Virginia to Arizona, painting, doing a show and visiting her dad. She found buyers  who paid for the whole trip in advance and she had more paintings to sell when she reached her destination.
   
• Painter Scott Coleman from Georgia has been doing art fairs forever (I met him at my first art show back in the good old days), but in recent years has been using his blog and Facebook to sell "a painting a day." He sold 365 "Daily Cupcake" paintings in a year and a half. 

Imagine -- no rejection letters, no booth fees, no storms, just creating art -- and oh, Marketing!  Remember, being an artist is 50% creating and 50% marketing. 

Is there some inspiration here for your art marketing?

We'll talk about using a blog, Facebook and, email marketing to drive sales. 

This should be very interesting, especially in light of the recent storms in Virginia Beach. Both of these artists have participated in that show and Carrie is participating this year. 

Questions you'd like me to ask? Put them in the comments below. You can call in to talk with us: (805) 243-1338.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 5 PM ET

Most artists have made their peace with the digital upload systems, www.Zapplication.org, www.JuriedArtServices.com and www.EntryThingy.com. If you want to participate in the better shows you sign up and upload your images for the jury. 

But how did this get started and what is the relationship of the individual artist or individual art fair with these systems?

Here are our experts:

• photographer Larry Oliverson who was instrumental in introducing the concept of online applications to the art fair business by bringing artists, art fairs and Westaf (the agency which provides ZAPP) together
• painter Kathleen Eaton who is an artist member of the ZAPP Oversight Committee and is writing a book about the history of art fairs. During the past two years she has juried two shows that used the ZAPP system
• Leah Charney, Manager of ZAPP®. She oversees the ZAPP product and the 350+ clients, 570+ events and more than 60,000 active artists that use the system

These guests have a long history with the organization and can provide both historical data as well as current operating information.

We'll discuss the myths and truths about:

• how Zapp has changed the art fair business
• Zapp's relationship with the shows
• best practices on preparing your application and making digital systems work for you
• what an "artist advisor" does

Zapp is going to be around for a long time and understanding its processes and using it to its fullest is advantageous to everyone in the art fair business. 

Call into the show: (805) 243-1338.

Leave your questions in the comments below and I'll include them in the podcast.

For more details on how ZAPP uses artists to advise and develop their system:

HowZAPPworkswithartists.rtf

THURSDAY - MAY 23 - 6 PM ET - Call in at 805-243-1338

Do you love our art fair related websites where you can

• find a show to attend
• get the inside scoop about an art fair
• stay in touch with the ups and downs of our industry
• get support for your business
• or just have a good laugh?

You are not alone! As we celebrate our 4th birthday there are nearly 10,000 members and our SEO is soaring. Thank you for making this happen.

Today's show is hosted by Connie Mettler and Internet marketing author Scott Fox. They have two missions:

1. Scott will give you 5 quick and easy tips helpful especially for artists for marketing your work online and Connie will share 5 quick and easy tips for marketing your work at the shows
    
2. Draw the names of the winners in the pledge drive
    

This will be live and we hope you will be listening to see if you are the winner of the great prizes that our friends have donated to our pledge drive, worth 1000's of $$.

Check out the prize page here: www.artfaircalendar.com/pledge-drive

AND we welcome your phone calls! 805-243-1338. Tell us your art fair stories and ask your questions. We'll have answers. We'd love to hear from you as we celebrate and shamelessly promote our art fair websites ;)

March 21, 2 pm ET

Thursday, April 25, 2 pm ET

Making the sale and making it easy for you and your buyer

Talking about:

• terminals, wireless & wired
• iPhones
• iPads & tablets
• PayPal
• PCI compliance & fees
• merchant support
• pay-as-you go processing
• monthly charges
• and getting the biggest bang for your buck

Steven Ballan, vice-president of 1st National Payment Solutions, one of the pioneers in providing merchant accounts to non-bricks and mortar merchants, lays out the current "best practices" and answers questions about making smart choices in your credit card processing options.

In light of the continuing discussion about credit card processing we'll speak with a merchant provider who has been in the business many years. 1st National stepped out years ago to provide services to artists and they have a long history in the business.

You can help make this podcast better by posting your questions below in the comments and also by calling in to the show: (805) 243-1338

Our podcast on January 17 was with Jennifer Rapp Peterson, an illustrator, greeting card entrepreneur, cartoonist, and oh yes, tech wiz! We talked about artist websites and her specific answer to "what to do", IndieMade.com, an inexpensive ($12 a month), technically unchallenging, beautiful place to host all of your website needs. 

During the podcast several people called in to say they had new sites up and running in less than 2 hours! My best advice to you this month: don't get in your van and drive 200 miles, sleep in a hotel, eat out and hope to break even, or a little ahead, at that art fair you are considering. Keep that booth fee and the other expenses in your bank account, give yourself a weekend off and build that site!

Jennifer offered a free ebook to our readers/listeners who sign up for their mailing list:

Building an Artist Website: a Place Called Home

Create more than just a website, build a website home.  A website home can provide the foundation of any art business online.  It's a place where visitors can find all of your information online.  It's an artist's best marketing tool.  Learn about what an artist needs from a website, why they need it and how they can make it happen.

Sign up for the IndieMade.com mailing list and receive the free ebook:  www.indiemade.com/newsletter

After you have your beautiful site up and running we'll come back and start talking about making money with this site. 

How did you like this podcast? Learn anything? Inspired?

Thursday, January 31, 10 am, ET

Are you ready for to wholesale your fine art or fine craft? Do you have handmade goods that you'd like to see in galleries and gift shops? 

Guests will be:

Paul Willsea, who along with his partner Carol O'Brien, has worked as a glass artist for over 20 years. They  sell their work through the wholesale marketplace as well as at art fairs. In addition, Paul has been on the Board of advisors for the Buyers Market of American Craft and is well acquainted with the business aspects of wholesale shows.

John Terry, owner of the Avalon Gallery in Del Ray Beach, FL, who not only attends the wholesale markets looking for new artists to showcase you'll also find him at street art fairs searching for the perfect work for his enterprises.

Stacey Miller, a jeweler, brand new to wholesaling who will share her experiences preparing to participate as a first time exhibitor at the upcoming Buyers Market of American Craft in Philadelphia in February. 

Join us as we learn about:

• best wholesale marketplaces
• what a wholesale buyer is looking for, price points, inventory, presentation
• the ups and downs of the gallery business
• is wholesale for you?
• ideas for longevity in the business
• how to prepare for your first show

You can call in with your questions: (805) 243-1338

Leave your questions in the comments below and I'll ask the guests

Listen here: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artfairs/2013/01/31/is-wholesale-marketing-an-answer-for-you

Wednesday - January 16 - 4 pm ET

You know that New Year's resolution you made about getting your website in order or figuring out what to do about that nagging social marketing question. Join us!

Artists - do you have a website, just for you? A site where you can

• post your pics,
• blog your thoughts
• sell your stuff
• and keep in touch with your audience, all in one place?

Is it time for you to find your home?

I'll be talking to Jennifer Rapp Peterson, whose company IndieMade.com specializes in creative websites for artists and entrepreneurs. Jennifer has spent 20 years as a serial creative entrepreneur as a cartoonist, book illustrator, software consultant and inventor.

Her unsuccessful search to find a friendly, easy and affordable way to build a branded website for her own endeavors that would include

• a store
• a content management system
• AND built-in marketing tools

was the seedling that grew into a web building system that is smart, easy and affordable for artists.

She'll have tips for everyone on social marketing and ideas for websites and marketing your work online. Bring us your questions. Call in to the show: (805) 243-1338 or leave them in the comments below. Let us help you find these answers and get your website in order!

Visit IndieMade.com now to get your questions ready.

Wednesday, November 21, 12 noon ET

In a business full of taking chances the first big challenge an artist has is to make the jury cut at the shows. After all, if you can't get into the show you aren't in business. I'll be speaking with

• Mo Riley, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair: Mo came to the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair (the original one) about 3 years ago from the Detroit Festival of the arts. She inherited a complex jury system that has over a dozen jurors from various media who attend on consecutive days, breaking the jurying down into small pieces.

• Lyn Sedlak-Ford, Board Member Art in the Pearl, Portland, OR: one of a group of 14 artists who started this show 17 years ago. There are 3 left of the original group. We'll talk about how an artist's organization chooses a jury and what they expect from their jurors.

• Jerry Allen Gilmore, juror for many of the nation's best art fairs: with an MFA in painting and drawing he has had a career both as an artist, exhibiting internationally, and as an arts administrator in Colorado. Currently he is concentrating on curatorial projects, artist portfolio reviews, jurying for regional and national art institutions and on his own artwork.

We'll talk about:

• how to choose a jury, qualifications, diversity, experience

• demands on the jury

• how they showcase the applications

• jury instruction
• different kinds of jurying

Do you have questions you'd like me to ask? Please add them below.

We'll also be taking questions from callers at this #(805) 243-1338

Thursday, October 17, 2 pm ET

Artists Casey Sheppard (a jeweler) and Evan Reinheimer (a photographer) join Connie to talk about their experiences using Kickstarter.com to fund their art projects.

Casey's project raised funds to enable her to participate in the Cherry Creek Art Festival this summer and Evan is currently fundraising to finance a trip to Australia.

Kickstarter is a funding platform for creative projects. Everything from films, games, and music to art, design, and technology. Kickstarter is full of ambitious, innovative, and imaginative projects that are brought to life through the direct support of others.

Since its launch on April 28, 2009, over $350 million has been pledged by more than 2.5 million people, funding more than 30,000 creative projects.

We'll talk about:

• what motivated them to participate
• what they learned along the way
• how to market a kickstarter project
• whether your ideas are "big enough"
• rewarding your donors
• mistakes made

Call in to the show to ask questions. Here is the #(805) 243-1338, or post them below.

Have you participated in any of these projects? I'd love to include your experiences also.

See Casey's completed project here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/37372733/casey-sheppard-jewelry-collection-for-cherry-creek?ref=live

View Evan's ongoing project here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1986082413/kite-aerial-photography-in-australia?ref=live

Here is our latest podcast from September 13 where I spoke with art marketing consultant Barney Davey. Barney has been active in art marketing since 1988 and began his career with Decor magazine and the Decor Expo tradeshows in New York City. This podcast is about business, not art. According to Barney if you are not selling your art being an artist is a hobby.

Listen to it here:

You'll learn how to position yourself and sell your art with these tips:

• learn not to sell not what is in your wallet but your customer's wallet

• how to cultivate high end customers

• how to make the BIG sale

• when to shut up

• what "kaizen" means to an artist

• how to move a buyer to purchase

Barney gives many references for further reading and study. Listen to this one over and over again. He really has a wealth of information to share and make you look at your business with a fresh eye. Learn more about Barney and how he can help you in your art career: www.artprintissues.com

Check out the rest of our podcasts by clicking on the "Radio" button on the toolbar at the top of this page, or visiting the Art Fair Radio Show page here.

Did you learn anything from this podcast? Tell your friends.

You are going to love this one! Not only did we get the info about the nation's top art fairs (do I hear Coconut Grove, Plaza Art Fair, Cherry Creek, Bayou City, Fort Worth) -- no surprises there ;), but also we get a vote for a well-attended high end crowd at Sunfest in Ocean City, MD.

Photographer Allan Teger called in early and we had a long chat about his 35 year career in the shows. Don't know Allan or his work? Here is his website: www.bodyscapes.com. He's been successful selling at art fairs, the bulk of his income, but he also has a successful online business selling his hand printed black and white photos to collectors. He's been featured in a lot of magazines and also has his work in galleries.

About half way through the show contemporary abstract artist Melissa Ayr called in from her gallery in San Francisco. She had just returned from the art world's fabulous Art Basel Miami where her work was exhibited by her representative at the Red Dot Art Fair. She had tales of high-flying parties and the gallery rep world that was fascinating.

Melissa and Allan were perfect foils for each other, comparing notes on how to build an art career.

Are you interested in being more successful at the nation's art fairs or do you have aspirations for an international career? This podcast will answer many of your questions.

• Did you know these podcasts are available on iTunes? Search for "art fair artists success show".
• Did you know that you can download them to listen to at a later date? Here's that link.
• or listen right now right here.

Thursday, September 27, 6 pm ET
Who gets into almost all of the top shows and win Best of Show? Meet Jody dePew McLeane (pastel drawings) and Ted Gall (sculptor), involved in the art fair business for over 30 years and consistently exhibiting at the "dream shows."

The essence of this show will be:

• how to build a long term career selling at art fairs
• sustaining a body of work that continues to grow and yield creative fulfillment
• adapting to changing economic conditions
• art fair vs gallery sales
• lessons learned
• tips for someone starting out today

Jody is a member of the Pastel Society of America in New York and was elected as a master panelist by the Society. Her works have been featured in four books including "The Best of Pastel II" and her work is in many public collections.

Ted has served consultant to the Art Institute of Chicago and the Illinois Arts Council. He has taught art classes in Illinois and in California. His corporate collections include The Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Walt Disney, Bell & Howell, Standard Oil and others.

Do you have a question you would like to ask them? Please post that below. Also, we'll be taking phone calls and you can call in at this #(805) 243-1338.

In a business full of taking chances the first big challenge an artist has is to make the jury cut at the shows. Mo Riley, executive director of the Ann Arbor Art Street Art Fair, Lyn Sedlak-Ford, jury chair for Art in the Pearl, an artist run art fair in Portland, OR, and Jerry Allen Gilmore, artist, curator and juror for many of the top art fairs discuss:

• choosing a jury, who are those people and what their credentials are
• what an art show organizer does with your submission before the actual jury day
• what an artist receives in exchange for a jury/application fee
• how a juror evaluates art that is not in his/her field of expertise
• what the jurors learn from each other and why the panel should include insiders (art fair artists) and outsiders (teachers, curators, museum folks)
• how the final choices for the show participants are made
• wait lists

In listening I was particularly taken with the seriousness of purpose with which these people treated the jurying. When they talk about pre-jurying and the number of times a juror looks at the images the level of professionalism is readily apparent.

Listen to this podcast and be prepared to look at the jury process in a new way.

Friday, November 9 - 11 am ET

In the aftermath of the nation's worst storm in history, Hurricane Sandy, people on the East Coast are working toward reestablishing equilibrium in all areas of their lives. The heavy economic toll continues to be counted. This coming weekend's Fine Arts & Crafts Show at the Westfield (NJ) Armory has been cancelled by the National Guard.

How does this cancellation affect the organizers of the event, Howard and Janet Rose of Rose Squared Productions, in the short term and going forward? 

We'll be talking about:

• how show organizers make their money
• the economic impact when a show has to be cancelled for show organizers, artists and the surrounding community
• the importance of events to local economies
• developing relationships between promoters and artists, their interdependence

We will be taking calls and would love to hear from you. Call in: (805) 243-1338

Access earlier shows: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/artfairs

On October 18 I interviewed two artists who have used Kickstarter.com's website funding resource to raise money to enable them to complete art projects. Casey Sheppard, a jeweler from Lincoln, NE, started her project on the site last Spring when she was accepted into the Cherry Creek Arts Festival. She was moving into her first big show and short of resources for the booth fee and the materials she would need to create the jewelry for the show. 

Evan Reinheimer, who specializes in aerial kite photography is from Long Island, NY. His project is live on the site now and has 10 days until his funding deadline. He is trying to raise money for a shooting trip to Australia this winter.

This episode recounts how they used the resources at Kickstarter. They talk about how to do it, tips for someone new, what they learned along the way and about how much work it was, because the essence of it is you have to ask strangers to support you. The cool thing about being a supporter is that you are not only pledging money you are actually an investor in their projects and at completion of the project you receive a "reward."

Here is Casey's project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/37372733/casey-sheppard-jewelry-collection-for-cherry-creek?ref=live

Here is Evan's project: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1986082413/kite-aerial-photography-in-australia?ref=live

Evan is still raising money to fund his trip. Visit the site and "friend" him and share his links on your sites (free), or pledge (not free)! If his project doesn't get fully funded he gets nothing. If it does you will get a reward.

Listen to the podcast here:

Who gets into almost all of the top shows and can win Best of Show? Meet Jody dePew McLeane (pastel drawings) and Ted Gall (sculptor), involved in the art fair business for over 40 years and consistently exhibiting at the "dream shows." They are the proof that you can earn a living participating at the art fairs. Both artists declare that the art fairs are the source of all their income.

The essence of this show is:

• how to build a long term career selling at art fairs
• sustaining a body of work that continues to grow and yield creative fulfillment
• adapting to changing economic conditions
• tips for someone starting out today

Listen to it here:

Join us on Tuesday, August 14 at 5 pm, ET at ArtFairRadio.com for this useful episode.

A continuing topic for artists is "what good is a website for me?" "Why should I waste the time and money?" and more positively, "I have a website, how can I make it make it work better for me?"

My guest will be Scott Fox, author of Click Milliionaires: Work Less, Live More With an Internet Business You Love

Listen in as he gets down to the most strategic, smart and inexpensive ways you can:

• get a website up and running for little money
• why you need it
• quick and easy ways to implement it as a marketing tool
• how to use it to promote yourself
• ways to make it make money for you
• using Facebook as a marketing tool

You'll get great tips on how to make your website work for you without a lot of technical background and time involved. Isn't it time all that promise about websites comes true for you?

I'll be doing two shows with Scott, this one dealing with the basics of Internet marketing and a second one in October, a call-in show where you can ask him your specific questions.

P.S. Scott is my son and he is the author of three books about Internet marketing and he taught me everything I know about running websites. He recently even started an online community patterned after ArtFairInsiders.com, ClickMillionaires.com. It's been my turn to teach him a little about community management, though heaven knows that is a whole other topic!

Do you have questions you'd like me to ask him on Tuesday? Please leave them in the comments below.

Catch up on our past podcasts at the "Radio" tab at the top of this page.