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Starting in May of 2020 Art Fair Insiders has been producing podcasts and hosting Zoom meetings to help artists navigate the present day challenges of creating and selling their art. The first four meetings were hosted by Sharon McAllister from ArtFest Fort Myers. We discussed how artists can apply for economic relief through the government sponsored programs, PPA, SBA, CARES Act and Unemployment. Then we spent 3 episodes exploring how artists can utilize websites to promote their work online. The third phase was a series of podcasts on using popular social media applications to sell art.

Below you will find information about the people who volunteered their time and information to help artists move into the new normal and continue to find buyers for their work. Click into their websites to see how what they are doing can help you. 

1. Can a Website Sell Art?

• Kathleen Eaton, a painter from Sleepy Hollow, IL: www.eatonart.com
• Cat Tesla, a painter from New Mexico: www.artbycat.com
• Stephanie Wheat, a handbag designer from Chicago: www.rebellionbags.com
• Barbara Bloom, a shibori silk painter and soapmaker from Cleveland: https://imagesinbloom.com
• Lucy Kelly, a creator of one-of-a kind recycled jewelry from Pittsburgh: www.belmonili.com

2. Etsy. Is it a Fit for my Art?

• David Klenk is a custom furniture maker who has increased visits to his Etsy page by linking it to my product photo pins on Pinterest. He has not done a craft show or trade show since 2016. My first online sale was in 2006. I sell between $40,000 and $70,000 per year online.
• Jackie Kaufman selling on Etsy since 2008 has two shops, a long established jewelry business and a newer shop with prints. She  successfully uses her social media posts on both Facebook and Instagram to bring customers to her Etsy Shops to be able to sell worldwide."

3. Facebook: Can it Help You Sell Your Art?

1. Richard Sullivan from Naples, FL, who says he has "literally been to Facebook College. I know it sounds crazy but they have spent countless hours working with me."
2. Erik Jensen from Utah, who uses his very tech savvy skills to sell his art, created from computer keys, from his website and interconnected Facebook and Instagram accounts
3. Dawn Wilson, a high altitude and high latitude photographer and writer from Estes Park, CO, who integrates her website, Facebook and Instagram to manage her sales and serve as president-elect of the North American Nature Photography Association. 

4. Instagram: How Can I Use it to Sell Art?

• Catherine Freshly, landscape painter: catherine@catherinefreshleyart.com , www.catherinefreshleyart.com ,  https://www.facebook.com/CatherineFreshleyArt/ ,  https://www.instagram.com/catherinefreshley/  Catherine Freshley is an acrylic landscape painter from Portland, Oregon. She worked at an advertising agency for seven years, focusing on digital advertising strategy and brand strategy. In addition to being passionate about painting, Catherine is dedicated to disproving the starving artist stereotype. Her Instagram followers appreciate her candid approach to talking about the business side of being an artist and her digital resource guides for artists. available on her website, share the expertise that allowed her to quit her full-time job and earn more as an artist. 
  
• Jay McDougall, contemporary wood sculptor from Minnesota - www.jaymcdougall.com & www.artshow-artists.com; Facebook: JayMcDougallArtist & Artshow_Artists; Instagram: @JayMcDougallArt & @ArtShow_Artists
• Renzo Iglesias, L’Harmonie Creative Jewelry, info@lharmoniejewelry.comI've dedicated a page for your community where I plan to share all of my extensive knowledge and step by step actions on what you can do now to drive your business forward using digital marketing strategies and social platforms like Facebook, Instagram & email marketing. https://www.facebook.com/pg/renzoiglesiasmarketing
  I've participated in over 200 art shows and events for the last 8 years. Along the way, I have always had this passion about what really makes people buy someone's art or craft. One could think, well, it just looks good. But, I knew that couldn't just be the only factor. This passion to learn has led me to discover important people in the digital marketing space that share not only marketing strategies and techniques but also psychological marketing. I have then invested my time, money and energy; learning all I could about the digital marketing space and tools like Instagram and beyond.
  
  My plan: I'm finally ready to give back to the community that has supported me all these years. I plan to give back value tenfold by sharing what has worked for me. I'm excited to share how I use Instagram to drive traffic to my site, find my audience, increase awareness, do customer research, have content generated for free, name my upcoming designs and most importantly, drive sales, all through this one platform called Instagram.
  
• Dawn Wilson, photographer from Estes Park, CO:   www.DawnWilsonPhotography.com, Facebook: facebook.com/dawnwilsonphotography, Instagram: @dawnwilsonphoto, Twitter: @dawnwilsonphoto, YouTube: Dawn Wilson Photography is my channel name
  

 5. Pinterest: Can I Use It to Sell Art?

• Our guest Brian Reagan: "Pinterest is a gateway to my website that I can't duplicate with any other social media outlet. Before I kicked up Pinterest, I really didn't have a national audience.  I was limited to the individuals that we have met doing events in Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana. I am getting eyeballs that would never have found my website." His website: bhpltdohio.com 

The podcasts are always available at Art Fair Radio- https://www.blogtalkradio.com/artfairs and Apple podcasts at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/art-fair-artists-success-show/id440759328?mt=2

If you have some time over the next few days and want to take advantage of upping your knowledge of earning a living as an artist, here are our best podcasts to help you on your way.

(As an aside, these podcasts can be found online anywhere  podcasts are hosted, including ArtFairRadio.com, Apple Podcasts -- download any time.)

1. Can a Website Contribute to Art Sales? Our newest podcast and just about my favorite ever, inspiring and so helpful. Five artists, with prices from $15 to $8000, talk about their experience selling online. They are so smart, business-savvy and motivated to make the business work for them. By the end you will be inspired.
2. How Artists Can Apply for Economic Relief -- ArtFest Fort Myers under Executive Director Sharon McAllister's leadership, is using their website to act as a clearinghouse to help artists interpret and access the financial services under the CARES Act.  Sharon is joined by accountant John Brodie of Comprehensive Accounting in metro Detroit.
3. 10 Reasons You Didn't Get in the Art Fair -- show directors from the St. Louis Art Fair, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and the St. James Court Art Show speak from experience
4. How We Bring Buyers to our Art Fairs -- Patty Gregory of Belleville's Art in the Square and Christi Salamonie of the La Quinta Art Festivals share their tactics
5. 10 Tips to Use Now for Artists and Show Directors -- Do you have questions about using the Internet to further your career or better position your art fair online? Anything Internet, Scott can answer and point you in the right direction. Concerned about your jury imaging, booth design, visual appeal, digital help? Larry is the expert.
6. Who is Buying at the Shows and Why-- the art fair buyers tell us what brings them to the art fairs and what they buy
7. Is Anyone Here Earning a Living? -- We speak with art fair artists who actually pay the bills and make a living. Are there people like that? This is a very practical nuts and bolts discussion of entrepreneurship. Creating art and earning a living with it are two separate endeavors.
8. My First Art Fair - Zero or Hero? -- A panel of beginner and experienced artists from various media discuss their "first time."
9. The No Mistake Art Fair Career - 10 tips from Larry Berman and Bruce Baker: we talk about nailing getting into the show and then how to make sure when you get there that your work sells.
10. Online Marketing for Artists 101: an oldie, but goodie because good advice never changes.

and for when times change: Selling Art Face to Face -- Ever hear, "I'll think about it? " Gain confidence and learn what to DO and SAY when they say they need to think about it! Listen to find out what to do next including solid tips to take to your next show.

That's the tip of the iceberg. Fine 80 more helpful episodes always available to you at ArtFairRadio.com

Thurs., May 14, 1 pm ET - Part IV of our website building help

Scott Fox, a financial and self-help author, specializing in entrepreneurship and startup company advice joins us to answer questions about SEO (search engine optimization) and why it makes a difference to you and your website. He is the author of 3 best-selling books, including Click Millionaires: Work Less, Live More with an Internet Lifestyle Business You Love, full of easy to follow direction on how you can use the Internet to build a sustainable business. 

Scott has been my mentor in building my art fair websites. His step by step, no nonsense, non-techie style is meant for you.

**This is a question and answer podcast. If you have a specific question, we can help you right away. If we don't receive your questions, we can't help you.

We want to hear from you. You will be able to call in, but to insure your question is answered please add it in the comments below. 

LIVE - THURSDAY, APRIL 30, 2 PM ET

A well functioning website can change your life. It is the art fair that never closes. It can reconnect you with a former collector of your art and expose it to a worldwide audience. It opens the door very wide to new opportunities and has the potential to change your life.

Did you hire a designer to create your site and now it is complete? Or maybe you did it yourself and it is nagging at you for attention again. Facing the fact that a website is never finished is one of the less pleasant facts of life. If you want your site to do its job (market/sell your art) then that requires regular refinements and updates, and sometimes a drastic overhaul.

This podcast focuses on examining your existing website. Some of the topics:

• Is your site up to date?  
  • What are the standards you need to meet?
  • Should you modify it to match the current design style?
• Does your site fit your marketing plan?
  • Is it geared to your target customers?
  • How big should it be?
  • Should it be a store?
  • How often should you update?
  • How often should you revise it?
  • Are you collecting email addresses?
• Getting Traffic
  • What you need to know about Google 
  • Using Social Media
• Q & A

Our guest is veteran web designer Franklin Piuck, Cyberhenge.com, Web Design for the Arts and Small Business. Frank's own interests and contacts have caused him to develop a customer base largely involved in fine arts, designer crafts, and specialized antiques and collectibles. (Reach Frank directly: fpiuck@cyberhenge.com, 973-616-6162)

Please note: on Tuesday, May 5 at 2 pm, Franklin Piuck is going to host a webinar where we will further explore your questions about your website. If you wish to be a participant in the webinar, we need to have your email address ahead of time so you can receive an invitation to participate. Please send to me: info@artfaircalendar.com

We really want your input on this podcast. Please put comments and questions in the box below.

Sitting around waiting for the shows to start? I know, not really, but how about spending some time on your "artist's retirement plan", aka your website and email lists?

1. Buy a better domain name for your site that isn't just your name. Something that will make it easier for buyers and search engines to find. Not alexandrajohnson.com but maybe handblownglass.com, or Iowalandscapes.com, fibertowear.com, handmadepotstolove.com.
   
   Do a search for an available one at GoDaddy.com. They have wonderful tools to help you decide what your URL should be. Use a word that describes your art/craft, that identifies what you do that makes your work special and see what you can find.
   
   
2. Update your show schedule now and continue throughout the year. Make it easy for yourself so each time you are accepted to a show you go in and add the show. While you're there link to the show's website and let the show know you did so they link back to you.
   
   
3. Get serious about collecting emails. Add an email sign up box so you can build that list while you are sleeping. See this sign up box on all of my websites, upper right hand corner. It brings new subscribers daily. No work for me and it has led to nearly 60,000 subscribers. Granted, I've been gathering them for over 10 years.
   
   
4. Instead of the "contact me" form on your site, add a link to "contact me" so they can contact you NOW that sends you an email. Don't let the prospect lose interest. Its the Internet, they want to reach you while they are thinking about it. Don't make them call you. They want the ease of email.
   
   
5. Make sure that Contact Me is highly visible on your website, upper right hand corner.
   
6. Change the copyright date at on your site or remove it permanently. Don't let it say 2013 ... 
   
   
7. Update your headshot. I know you've got a smiling photo of yourself on the home page. People buy from us not only because the work is wonderful but because you are wonderful.
   
   
8. Add images of your new work.
   
   
9. Update your "About Me".
   
   
10. Check out some other artists websites for inspiration if you get stuck.