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Chapter one of the physical storefront era: completed
This October, I paid off my physical storefront in Holly MI. I officially own the building! I’ve been selling woven jacquard tapestries, art prints, woven tote bags, pillows and more on a seasonal basis there. My revenue has skyrocketed and my vision for my career has expanded tenfold. Let’s talk about the last 3 years and my journey establishing myself in this chapter of the art business. Adding an art business to my art business You could say I stumbled upon the opportunity to buy another existing art business by being in the right place at the right time, but anyone who has stumbled upon an opportunity that they took…
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What does it mean to be the artsy friend?
The artsy friend: you might’ve seen one, you might be one. They’ve got that quirky but irresistible charm, that Pisces/Scorpio energy (even if that’s not their sign), and usually a lot of incredible ideas. The artsy friend is the creative type. You’ve got big dreams, hobbies galore and an attitude that miiiiight just tie it all together into something truly world-bending. People say you’re a little strange, but you feel like being an oddity in today’s world is a superpower. You see things from a perspective most don’t, which gives you ideas most don’t have. And you want to use that power to make life more beautiful, inspiring, and open…
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Three areas every working artist must focus on – in order
You’re done being a hobby artist. If you decided today to officially put your ALL into your career as an artist, what would that look like? There are three phases every working artist masters. You’ll focus on these three things (in order): NOT THE ONLY, BUT THE BEST WAY Before we get into details about the phases, I want to mention that I used to have a different take on the process of becoming an artist. In this article, First four steps to take to become an artist, I talk about how the first things you should do are make it known, make a sale, sell at an art show,…
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Big 5 lessons from traveling full-time as a solopreneur
Running an art business while traveling full time is an absolute trip – figuratively and actually. I was on the road for over two years while operating A Cup of Cloudy as a solo entrepreneur, and I learned a few lessons with my traveling business that will be helpful for all artists. When I quit my day job, I focused on increasing revenue AND cutting expenses drastically. For us that meant selling all our belongings, leaving our rental house, and moving into a tiny home. My husband and our two dogs lived in a travel trailer and then transitioned into hotel-hopping in the second year. We saw so much of…
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Secrets for gaining a repeat collector
The repeat collector is someone who buys more than one piece of art from you. They love your artwork enough to start and grow a collection of it. Repeat collectors aren’t made overnight, however — there are a few key secrets to making someone who has bought your work before become interested in buying it again. Let’s go over the best ways to motivate that second, third, or fourth sale. ART STYLE At the most basic level, people buy art to look at it. They buy it to decorate their home, so that their home looks a certain way. Having a consistent art style means when they collect more than…
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Avoid these 6 mistakes in your online art shop
SELL MORE, SERVE MORE. Sell art online this year by avoiding a few simple errors – errors that are often overlooked. Artists have a lot to manage in their creative businesses and an online art shop is just one part of it. But to sell art online is to give your creative business a way to scale! So let’s tackle a few common mistakes you might be making so you can get to scaling instead. I recommend selling your artwork at in-person shows first before creating your website. Read this article here to learn why art shows move your art journey along faster. Paying too many fees Making a good…
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Reviewing your art: 3 tips to get clarity
LOOK BACK TO MOVE FORWARD Everyone critiques their own artwork — or at least they spend a lot of time criticizing it. Any rough review can be discouraging. Adding a pinch of strategy when reviewing your art will take it from negative self-talk to constructive ideas. Today I’m gonna give you three big tips for analyzing your work so you can move forward and progress instead of wallowing at your current level of artistry. It’s time to move forward. It’s time to make better art. 1. ASK BETTER QUESTIONS Your brain is like a computer. When you ask it a question, it will answer that specific question. When you ask,…
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5 tips to tackle the artist’s busy season — the holidays
GIVE YOURSELF THE BUSIEST SEASON YET Colder weather might signal a slow season for some professions and trades, but not for artists. Right now is our busy season. Let’s do what we can to make the best of it. Here are five supreme guidelines to follow for making your busy season the best few months of the year in your art business. 1. Focus on one special thing that you offer during this time I know as a creative, you probably have all types of different paintings, ideas, sales and schemes in mind. If you’re like me, you’re already plotting your new year’s resolutions. But right now the name of…
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8 Mistakes you might be making as an artist
Everyone makes mistakes. But not everyone corrects themselves. Being a working artist comes with challenges, and you’ll have a few of your own to overcome. It’s all good as long as you bounce back! Be sure to set yourself straight after realizing you may be doing one of these 8 things: 1. Not embracing artistpreneurship In other words, if you’re learning how to sell art then you need to learn the art of sales. An artist who makes money from their art is an entrepreneur and a business owner! Embrace the world of sales, systems, legal setup, website tech, and the business of setting up shop. Ignoring these things can…
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First 4 steps to take to become an artist
THE BEGINNING How do you become an artist when you’re just starting out? After making the choice to finally pursue your creative passions, you have to start taking action. Great. But which thing should you do first? In this article I’ll walk you through what’s most important in the beginning of your artistpreneur journey. 1: MAKE YOUR INTENTION KNOWN Making your plans known seems so small but it’s really a big step. Deciding in your heart that you want to become an artist is one thing, but stating it out loud to your parents at dinner is a whole other beast to tackle. If you’re not willing to proclaim your…
