Category: marketing

by Carolyn Edlund

Considering a third-party sales website to market and sell your art? Here are the pros and cons to help you with that decision.

Third-party websites for making art sales are widely available on the internet. They range from art and craft marketplaces like Etsy and Amazon Handmade to art sales sites like Fine Art America, Saatchi Gallery, Singulart and others. These websites most often sell original artwork, but may also sell reproductions of your work. You can find many of these options in our directory of 250+ Places to Sell Art Online.

Why do artists use third party platforms to make sales?

There are various reasons for this decision. If you are just starting out, you may have a relatively small portfolio of artwork. If it’s not sufficient to fill a website, you may select a third-party site where you can simply build a page for yourself as the artist, show a collection of any size, and offer it for sale.

Many artists would love to have their own website, but don’t feel tech savvy enough to build one (and may even find template sites to be a challenge.) If this is the case for you, and you either cannot afford or don’t want to hire a web designer, you can easily go to a third party site and get set up quickly.

Other times, artists have an existing website but don’t have shopping cart functionality. They use the third-party website as their “store” for the purpose of making sales. This is usually a short-term solution while you are considering updating your proprietary website—because you are paying commission on every sale.

Pros and cons of third-party art sales websites:

Most of these sites are free to join, and only take a commission percentage when sales are made. Commissions average about 35% of the retail price of originals sold. If that split works for you, it could be a good option. If you want to keep the entire purchase price, you need your own art website.

Third-party sites already have traffic and they are trusted. You don’t need to worry about being found on the internet, because these sites already have good rankings and they advertise. However, although they draw traffic, that doesn’t mean visitors will go to your page. You still need to promote and publicize your own link on the site to pull in potential customers.

Setup is quick and easy with a third-party sales site, because they use templates. You can just drag and drop information and upload art images. There will be an onboarding process with instructions on how to build a shop step by step. And you should be able to get answers to any questions you have about the process through FAQ links or customer support.

They may offer Print-on-Demand services. If you want to sell reproductions or prints of your two-dimensional artwork, the site you work with may be able to print and fulfill these orders, and give you a portion of the sales price. Make sure you have impeccable photographs of your work to produce excellent reproductions that don’t have glare, blurriness, distortion, or other photography problems.

Third-party sales sites often have marketing tools you can learn to use, plus best practices on how to present and share your work on their platform. You might also be able to attend seminars or read blog articles that will give you tips on marketing and selling your work.

Although you can enjoy the benefits of selling on a third-party website, keep in mind that it is someone else’s platform. They can boot you off for any reason, without explanation, and permanently if they wish. You are not in control.

The site you are selling on makes the rules. They decide on the commission they will take, and if they want to change that percentage. There may be fees introduced or increased, which you will have to pay, or drop out. As an artist you don’t have full agency when you use space on another company’s website.

Importantly, you as the artist lack engagement with site visitors when you work with a third-party website. You never know the visitors who come to your page, because you cannot see this information. Nor can you use a “chat” function to talk with them. Quite often, you do not know the names of the purchasers of your art, if you don’t personally ship out the work. That deprives you of the ability to follow up and encourage future sales from these collectors.

When using third-party sites, you cannot gather names for an email subscriber list (which is one of the most effective ways to market art.) The mailing list is held by the platform itself, and they will never share it with you. Thus, even if you pull in prospective customers to your page on the site through your own marketing efforts, you cannot contact them.

Another disadvantage that artists have on third-party websites is being only one of a large number of artists selling there. Typically, any visitor can easily click away to look at other art and leave your page behind. You may see “teasers” for other artists right on your own page, which is very frustrating. In contrast, a proprietary website keeps visitors captive, viewing your work only, until they choose to leave your site.

Artists who don’t have their own website can suffer from a perception that they aren’t as committed or professional. This perception isn’t always true, although many beginners and people with lower quality work do flock to third-party sites. That fact could associate your own artwork with the perceived value and professionalism of the main site itself.

Do you use a third-party website to sell your art? What do you believe are the pros and cons?

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Artist Victoria Kudryavtseva presents a fascinating collection of batik paintings filled with color and movement. Find more of her work here.

I paint on natural silk and cotton using a batik technique. My creative work is a very exciting process! It’s like magic when the white material begins to live and glow in my work and emotions. I paint all types of batik: cold, hot and batik in watercolor technique. My art serves as a means of self-expression and a method of communication with the world and people around me.

“Above the City” organic cotton, gold batik 25″ x 25″

I graduated from an art university, but for 25 years art was a hobby for me. I devoted a lot of time to other tasks and responsibilities. At the same time I always painted and created interior items and works of art on silk.

“Guardian Mother” natural cotton, handpainted using cold batik technique, 50″ x 50″

In 2023, I rethought my attitude towards art and devoted all my time to creativity and self-presentation. I became a full-time artist, every day, seven days a week.

“Goddess of Fertility” natural silk. cold batik in watercolor technique, part of a triptych

When I dye silk, I pay attention to small details. How the tube of reserve goes over uneven areas of the silk, how the dye flows across the fabric. I love watching white silk become multicolored. I love to immerse myself in extremely complex work so that everything around me ceases to exist. It’s just me and my art.

“Road to the Sun” natural silk. cold batik using watercolor technique, 30″ x 50″

Ideas come from everywhere. It happens that I see a picture and it inspires me. Or I draw a scarf and like the intermediate stage. I memorize a step and reproduce it as the main drawing. One day I took a photo of the seashore, and realized it was a ready-made design that would look great on fabric. And it worked! You can draw anything on silk. There are no restrictions.

“Yin and Yang” natural silk, cold batik. 25″ x 25″

I like to change up the standard batik painting. Thanks to my extensive artistic experience and many years of practice, I have developed an individual artistic technique for painting on silk. I like to create paintings on complex spiritual and moral themes, combining decorative art and thematic paintings that change the direction of standards in fabric painting techniques.

“Poppies” natural silk, batik technique, 24” x 36”

I am very interested in thematic competitions on given topics. It offers an opportunity to work on a rather complex and large task. The artist can change the standard idea of drawing on silk, and makes it possible to introduce the viewer to this type of art.

“Goddess of Love” (triptych) batik, each panel 30″ x 50″

At the moment I am a participant and winner of more than 20 exhibitions, auctions and competitions in Europe and the USA. Most of my works are kept in private collections. This gives me a great incentive to continue and create new projects.

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Again, great article. I thought I would add my own exhibition checklist in case anyone wants to customize it for themselves.
EXHIBITION CHECKLIST
Once you have secured a venue for your exhibition, make sure you understand the following: (print out a copy and then check off the appropriate boxes, or fill out the Exhibition layout in the GYST software) Actually, these are good things to ask before signing or agreeing to a show.
(Choose the questions that are applicable to your project and the venue)
Name of Exhibition:
Venue:
Dates for the exhibition:
Date and time of the opening reception:
Who is the main contact person for the venue:
When can you sign the contract, or loan form:
If work is sold, what is the commission for the venue:
What is the honorarium or artist’s fee:
Who pays for shipping, insurance, reception costs:
What are the responsibilities of the venue or gallery:
What are your responsibilities as the artist:
Who pays for shipping, insurance, reception costs and invitations:
Is there a floor plan for the space? If so, where is it located?:
When are the installation dates:
What are the installation procedures:
Who installs the work:
What tools are available for installation:
Who designs and mails the announcement:
If the gallery designs and mails announcement,
What is the deadline for information from the artist:
Who pays for the announcements and the mailing:
What is the deadline for information needed for the press release and other publicity:
Does the venue have an e-mailing list for announcements:
How many invitations will you receive as the artist:
What equipment and technical support is available:
Are there issues with electrical outlets and extension cord routes:
EXHIBITION TIMELINE
3 months before the show opens
Sign agreement with exhibition venue detailing dates, commissions, and any relevant information listed above.
Write up a budget for your project.
Plan any new work that needs to be made.
Make sure your mailing list is updated and ready to go.
Do a layout of the installation of your show, using a map if helpful.
Make sure you have a contract if possible.
Photograph any works that are finished.
Send publicity to magazines.
Check the press release for accurate information or write it yourself.
Organize publicity packets and Include a copy of the announcement if available. Images can be included, or make sure to state that images are available.
6 weeks before the show opens
Design your announcements or work with a graphic designer.
Check all spelling and use the announcement checklist to make sure you have included all the necessary information. Be sure that the reader will understand the difference between when the show opens, and when the opening reception is.
Get bids from printers.
Print announcement.
Announcement Contents Checklist
Title of show.
Dates of show.
Hours the show will be open to the public.
Date and time of opening reception.
Venue and address, phone number, E-mail and Web site information.
Directions if needed.
Parking info if needed.
Acknowledgments.
If the space is wheelchair accessible, note this on the invite.
List of artists in the show, or your name.
Be sure there is room for the label or address, and the stamp or nonprofit indicia.
4 weeks before the show opens
Recruit people to help with the reception: bartenders, parking attendants, ticket takers, and gallery sitters, etc. if needed.
Distribute publicity (announcements, flyers etc.).
Mail announcements if using bulk mail.
Mail press releases to newspapers, weekly publications, reviewers and radio stations.
Make a checklist of those things you need to do to finish the work. (framing, installation hardware, painting walls in gallery, etc.).
Send a save-the-date invite to your e-mailing list.
3 weeks before the show opens
Make sure your artwork is ready to install.
Go over any special requirements with the venue to make sure you are in agreement with the site management.
Arrange for photographer or videographer to document the work or performance at the exhibition site.
Design and order any exhibition signage you will need.
Mail announcements if using first class mail.
Send press releases to broadcast media.
Assemble and mail press packets to special writers and publications. (see press section)
2 weeks before the show opens
Make calls to calendar listings managers to make sure your event will be listed.
Make phone calls to arts writers and invite them to the show or event.
Create Facebook / Myspace Event invitation and invite your friends.
Schedule installation and/or performance rehearsals.
Design and print any handouts, exhibition checklist, price lists, artist’s statements, programs etc.
E-mail announcement to your e-mailing list. Be sure to put your e-mail addresses in the BCC area of your E-mail so your reader does not have to scroll through all those E-mail addresses to read your information and private E-mails are not made public
If you send an image as an attachment or inclusion, make sure it is the smallest size (both in size and resolution), which you think you can get away with.
Including the information in the e-mail, instead of requiring the reader to click a link, will ensure that they read it more often than having to go to a link.
1 week before the show opens
Make sure all supplementary materials are printed or in a binder. Resume, artist’s statement, price lists, reviews, guest sign in sheets, etc.
Make sure the venue is ready for you to install the work, and do so if needed.
Print, mount and install any labels needed.
Install exhibition signage.
2 days before the show opens
Set or adjust lighting.
Patch and paint any walls or surfaces.
Set up guest book and supplementary information.
Get your reception supplies that don’t require refrigeration.
Test all equipment and do any rehearsals necessary.
Send a very brief reminder email to your email list about the opening.
Take any clothes you plan to wear to the opening to the dry cleaners if necessary.
Opening day of the show
Buy any reception supplies requiring refrigeration. Don’t forget the ice.
Check to make sure everything is installed and working.
Show up on time to the reception.
Call any special friends or writers to remind them about the show.
During the run of the show
Document the show with slides, video, or digital images early, in case you need to re-shoot the images.
Make any appointments with curators or writers at the venue.
Week before closing
If you plan a closing reception send reminder emails.
Send reminder emails about the last chance to see the show.
After the show
Send any thank-you notes to those who volunteered.
Send letters to those who donated money or in-kind services to your show, including a 501(c)(3) letter if needed for a tax deduction.
De-install the show, making sure that the space is returned to its original condition if required.
Make sure your show is taken down in time for the next person to install.

California painter Mary Valente showcases her distinctive collection, featuring works that blend unique stylistic elements with a signature color palette. See more by visiting her website.

I grew up with a creative and gifted dad. While it was inspiring, it was even more intimidating. He’d never had a lesson, nor could he read music, yet he could hear a melody once and then sit at the piano and play it.

“Body Language 25″ acrylic, 36″ x 48”

One day, when I was about eight, he got the idea that it would be cool to have a mural of his hometown on our den wall. Over a couple of months he completed a large replica of his Italian cliffside village, beautifully rendered in oil. It was the first time he had ever painted.

“Body Language 23″ acrylic, 48″ x 36”

Like most kids, I loved making art—but early on, decided I wouldn’t measure up. Rather than risk failing, I chose a safer route. I studied business and entered the corporate world. And I was happy… for a time.

“Body Language 28″ acrylic, 48″ x 36”

Fast forward a couple of decades and the yearning to create art resurfaced. I saved my money and took the plunge, leaving the corporate world to attend the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. I knew if I didn’t give art a chance I would regret it forever. And I haven’t looked back.

“Body Language 24″ acrylic, 48″ x 36”

With paint I express ideas and emotions in a non-verbal, more universal way. I toggle between oil or acrylic media; in addition I often incorporate pigment sticks, hard pastels, and cold wax. I try to keep my work fresh by experimenting with new subjects and materials. My two most recent series are entitled Body Language and Mendocino Mood.

“Mendocino Fog 18″ acrylic, 8″ x 10”

Body Language is composed of contemporary figure paintings. When I observe someone from a distance I draw conclusions about their mood and feelings at that moment, i.e., I interpret them. I began to wonder if others would have similar or different conclusions. When visitors come to my studio or art openings I often ask them what their interpretation of a piece is. The result? It’s rarely the same as mine!

“Mendocino Fog 17″ acrylic, 8″ x 10”

Mendocino Mood is a series I began following time spent in this Northern California coastal town. For a week, we were nestled under a blanket of fog. It was beautiful and mysterious. The fog cast an eerie color over the bluffs.

“Mendocino Fog 21″ acrylic, 8″ x 10”

When I arrived back in my studio I began interpreting this experience based on the mood I felt during that time.

Mary Valente invites you to follow on Instagram.

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I think we only want more when we aim for the wrong targets—things that take up time in our days and space in our lives but leave us empty. We think we need more to top us off, but we aren’t naming the true goal. This is what I want to talk about in this 200th episode of The Art Biz.

It’s a significant milestone for this show that I insist on doing my way. I try to publish one episode a week these days, but sometimes I might skip a week. Or even two—because my happiness is paramount.

Whether this is the first episode you hear or you have been a subscriber since the get-go, I appreciate your listening and telling others about The Art Biz. This connection makes me happy, even if it’s over the digital airwaves.

It’s why I started my entire business back in 2002. I sold many of my belongings, packed up a U-Haul truck with my 2 cats, and moved away from an unhappy place in my life—giving up my entire career in art museums—because, as I told my mom at the time, Life is too short to be this unhappy.

Some people move for love or family. Others for more meaningful work.

I moved for a location, Colorado, that I knew would instantly make me happier and it hasn’t disappointed. I won’t give you the longer story about how Art Biz Success came to be, but it was only possible because I insisted that being happy was more important than having a steady job I liked in a location that made me miserable.

To mark this milestone in the podcast, I want to share something huge that I recently realized.

A: My name is Vivienne Riggio, I am a Santa Fe-based sculptor. My artistic journey is a testament to a life infused with observation and the transformation of the mundane into the extraordinary. As a way of manifesting my vision, I fabricate large-scale mythical creatures that connect us to another time, another place.

I draw from my experience in operatic costuming and apparel design and use traditional Southwestern embroidery techniques, sheep’s wool up-cycled paper, and unusual objects.

My desire is that these shaman-like sculptures evoke a departure from conventional imagery to an unfamiliar place of wonder. Ultimately, I hope the viewer connects with that other place, a departure from their day-to-day thinking. For some these pieces take on a lifelike presence and others just enjoy the craftsmanship and appreciate them just as a work of art.

Born in Murphysboro, Illinois, my path to becoming an artist was as intuitive as it was inevitable. From my earliest memories, I was captivated by shapes, images, and designs, finding intrigue and expression in the arts from a tender age. My childhood, characterized by introspection and a deep internalization of my surroundings, laid the foundation for a unique artistic language, which I began articulating through three-dimensional art as early as five years old.

My grandparents emigrated to the US from Southern Italy and eventually settled in the Midwest. Their daily lives, though extreme from what Sicilia offered, gave them sustenance and a sense of belonging to something larger. 

In the late fifties, my parents heeded the California call and settled in the Bay Area, a small town ripening with revolutionary fervor. As teens, my siblings and I drank up the culture outside our front door questioning nothing and everything.

This is a small taste of what I inherited and was exposed to. As a young girl, I stood back and observed family dynamics, Catholicism, and academics and spent much of my time creating unusual art as a way of processing and expressing. It’s been that way ever since.

In my late thirties, I discovered New Mexico after a summer of picking fruit in British Columbia. Once landed outside of Albuquerque, I worked at the state fair, at restaurants, and wrote short stories. After a gig at the Santa Fe Opera as a seasonal worker in the costume shop, my artistic vision leaped toward larger dimensional pieces. I eventually settled in Santa Fe, but not before going back and forth to the West Coast and moving where my work took me.

I dedicated my career to labor rights, traveling to factories throughout Latin America, Asia, and North America, interviewing workers and factory owners. I’m now a permanent resident and live a stone’s throw from the Santa Fe River.

Enter the fascinating world of artist Sol Hill, who creates figurative work based on energy and vibrations. View more of  his work on his website.

We live in a wondrously mysterious universe, yet we experience a tiny amount through our limited senses and call that little bit reality. To challenge this habit, I use camera sensors to record the energetic fingerprint of our universe. I do this by exploiting how a digital sensor is designed to see energy. Consequently, it records much more than just visible light. I manipulate the exposure process to maximize the recording of all the energy a sensor can see that we cannot.

“Chromatic Resonance 1- partial 1″ Metagraph archival print on Japanese paper, 24″ x 18”

Therefore, I call my work Metagraphs because they are recordings of more than visible light. They provide a kind of meta-vision that, metaphorically and literally, allows us to see the vibratory nature of reality. The result is a visual language I use to explore the intersection of art, science, and spirituality.

“Chromatic Resonance 1″ Metagraph archival print on Japanese paper, 36″ x 24”

I aim to make work that creates a sense of wonder and visual pleasure. Neurology, biology, morality, and spirituality need positive and pleasurable stimulation. Beauty is a powerful life-affirming force, not an option but a requirement of the human condition. Without it, our condition deteriorates into something that falls far short of our potential and is often unpleasant, full of negativity, and unhealthy. In short, it turns into something not worth living for.

“Something After Which There Is No More 3″ varnished Metagraph print on Japanese paper, 36″ x 24”

The medium I work with is considered the trash of digital imaging. The artifacts of digital noise are considered unwanted ugly flaws. Working with these flaws is my way of saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Nothing is inherently ugly or worthless, so look for beauty everywhere and discover its transformative power.

“These Woven Threads 1- partial 1″  varnished Metagraph print on Japanese paper, 24″ x 18”

I was born in Santa Fe, New Mexico to artist parents and spent my formative years in art studios and my parents’ gallery. Hill’s Gallery was the first commercial contemporary art gallery in Santa Fe. As a child, I always thought I would understand the language of the mysterious objects around me when I grew up. As an adult, I realized that no language would explain all the artwork I saw. Each piece attempts to create a language that spoke the mysteries the creator was reaching for.

“These Woven Threads 1″ varnished Metagraph print on Japanese paper, 36″ x 24”

My parents begged me to pursue a more practical path when I announced I wanted to study art in college. So, I earned my degree in International Affairs, specializing in Persian Gulf security matters. I have always loved understanding how systems work and interact at a macro level. After an intense medical crisis that made me reevaluate my life’s direction in my 30s, I returned to art as my passion. I moved to California to do my MFA and find my own visual language.

“Helices Intertwined 2″ varnished Metagraph print on Japanese paper, 36″ x 24”

My background in political studies remains rattling around in my subconscious and periodically emerges in mixed media projects, usually with a political, environmental, or social justice theme. I embrace the divided nature of my artistic practice.

“Chromatic Resonance 3″ Metagraph: digital artifacts, pigment print on Japanese paper, acrylic, encaustic, panel, 36″ x 24”

The Metagraphic work is loftier and appeals to my higher consciousness. In contrast, the political work anchors me in the world we live in and employs my skills as an artist to engage in the discussions of pragmatic importance if we are going to preserve life and civilization as we know it on this tiny, precious life-filled speck of a planet that we call home. 

Artist Sol Hill invites you to follow him on Facebook and Instagram.

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Sign a contract in timely fashion. If they don’t have such an agreement, it’s up to you to make one up and get a signature.

Don’t ever leave your art anywhere, let alone agree to an entire show, without a signed piece of paper.

Provide proper art handling. If someone besides you is doing the uncrating, installation, and packing, you should be assured that they have adequate training to do the work.

Promote the event on a blog, website, and through social media. If they have their own mailing list, they should be expected to use it for your exhibition as well.

Support you through any events. Regardless of whether the venue is hosting and paying for an event, it should still be supportive of whatever you schedule. If the venue’s staff are invited to the event, they should be delightful to all of the guests and be helpful to you in any way possible.

Maintain a clean, friendly environment. You’re encouraging people to visit their space. The least they can do is sweep the floors, clean the bathroom, and greet visitors.

Ensure security. The extent to which works are insured will, again, depend on the venue. But you should expect that doors are locked, artwork is hung securely, and every precaution is taken to prevent damage or theft.

Notify you of sales. You should be notified promptly when one of your pieces sells – especially if that work needs to be replaced within the space. Not all venues will be able to share the contact information of buyers with you due to their own privacy policies, but they should have notification in place.

Pay you on time. Payment terms should be outlined in any contract. Whenever you’re notified of a sale, mark the payment due date on your calendar and start following up with the venue if it’s not received on time.

[ Make sure you read about your responsibilities to the venue and show. ]

Recycling Plastic One Painting At A Time

Linda Mariano, Editor-in-Chief

Artist Pedjman Mohammadi’s collection is a breathtaking fusion of creativity and sustainability, transforming plastic waste into stunning abstract art. Each piece is meticulously crafted from recycled materials, merging eco-consciousness with aesthetic brilliance.

Pedjman’s artistic vision breathes new life into discarded plastics, turning them into unique, visually captivating artworks. His artwork offers a diverse array of colors, textures, and styles, ensuring there’s something to inspire every art enthusiast.

Art Business News recently met with Pedjman to learn more about his career and his amazing works of art.

ABN: Let’s start at the beginning — tell us a little bit about how and when you decided to make art your career.

Pedjman: I’ve been painting since 1995, but I started painting full-time just last September. Being a father of an 11-year-old, the future of the next generation is very important to me. My daughter is a very focused environmental individual:  she gathers plastic and tries to recycle just about anything. So this last September, I decided to team up with her and try to work as much as I can with recycled materials to create my art. And that’s how everything started. Then I connected with Redwood and Artexpo New York to create my first exhibition in April, and the rest, as they say, is history.

ABN: One of the most intriguing parts about your work is that you’re not just using environmentally correct products to create the work, but you’re recycling things and incorporating them into each mixed media piece of artwork — and in some very interesting and compelling ways. When it gets down to the day-to-day of creating, what is your work philosophy and how does that impact your work on a daily basis?

Pedjman: Let’s see. Part of my timeline was living in Japan, part was living in Vienna. Living in those two countries informed me how to pay close attention to nature, recognize art, and pay attention to the environment around me. And that is essentially who I was and who I am. Those two experiences in my earlier life are still a big influence on me today. And then, the rest is really trying to be an environmentally conscious individual. I try to recycle as much as I can. I do believe there is a bridge between creativity and sustainability, and I can form plastic and create art and deliver that to my audience.

Pedjman Mohammadi at Artexpo New York

ABN: And the pieces you create are definitely show stoppers, not only from a size perspective, but they are dramatic and compelling. Let’s switch topics just a bit and ask you to think about people that you’ve talked to, people that you know, or people that you’ve read about. What’s the best advice that you’ve ever gotten, and how has that impacted your success?

Pedjman: Best advice I received was really from Redwood Art Group. I decided it was important for me to come to an art fair and present myself. I wasn’t expecting anything out of that experience. I just wanted to know where I stood i respect to today’s art business and art culture. Really listening to the advice I got, everything that Eric told me about price point and how to deliver myself to the visitors at the fair really helped me. Listening about marketing piece and how to put my booth together and curate my artwork to make the best impression really helped me to showcase and position each piece for the audience. I would say the best advice I received was really from Redwood.

ABN: Well, thank you. Wow! I wasn’t expecting that. So what do you do to market yourself and your art?

Pedjman: I leverage Instagram daily. I share my work and my daily work process on Instagram. I try to get out there as much I can, join art events as much as I can, and go to art galleries as much as I can. I think seeing art and speaking to people helps to create connections and relationships.

ABN: Making connections is so important. Whether it’s being at art events, whatever they are, really being present and working it. When it’s a first time, like one of Redwood’s fairs or even getting your work in a gallery, it’s important to remember it’s also the first time the work is being seen by that audience. So you might not sell anything, but it’s the networking and creating connections that can lead to amazing outcomes. Those connections build one on the other — and that’s how you start to establish yourself with a base and as a career artist.

Thinking about that, what has been your greatest success in terms of building your career and your client base?

Pedjman: That’s sort of a challenging question because I’ve really only been in this full time for less than a year. My greatest success really started at Artexpo New York. Like I said, I didn’t have any expectations, just wanted to see where I stood. It was remembering the small things, like “Hey, stand up in front of your booth.” It was one of the things that really captured everybody’s attention and drew them toward me, and I was able to talk to every single person. There were so many conversations that opened doors in all different aspects. In the fair, I was able to sell three of my pieces out of ten that I presented. 

But then so much came after based on all of the connections that I gathered — I got commissions after commissions, two weeks, four weeks after. And it was a joy for me to be able to listen and execute on everything Redwood had advised me. And it worked. Even my Instagram account, I started with 250 or so followers when I was in Artexpo New York. today I have nearly 4,000!

All of these small things might be small, but it was a big, big victory for me as a beginner. And all of those are the things that really work. And I try to stick to those things, over and over.

ABN: What you’re really talking about is building blocks. It’s building a foundation, no matter what you’re building — you’re building a house, you’re building a career, you have to have the foundation, then you can stand on that foundation and it’s solid ground.

Just one more question. Any particular advice as an emerging artist that you would give an aspiring artist?

Pedjman: Well, I would say be honest with yourself and be consistent. Do what you’re doing day after day. Get out there, and build relationships. I think that’s the most important piece of the puzzle. And not only that, maintaining that relationship is very important. This means that whether you gather a phone number or an email address, reach out to those clients and individuals when you have events coming up. Enjoy the ride. Try not to stress and enjoy the experience, set the tone and set the mood. I think everything starts with the attitude — when the attitude is right and the attitude is out there it creates a positive vibe that captures attention. I think that’s very important. And I’ve experienced it first hand. So that would be my two cents.

ABN: You are so right! I think one of the things that has attracted your success is that if you are enjoying what you’re doing and you have a positive attitude. Sure, it can be scary. It’s your career, it’s your livelihood. It’s always going to be challenging. But I think you’re meeting the challenge. And congratulations.

And, Pedjman, if you don’t mind, we’ll love to check back with you in a year or so and see what’s happened then.

Pedjman: Absolutely, that would be great! Thank you so much!

Artist Julia Lawing captures the beauty and spirit of life on the Atlantic coast in her stunning collection of landscape paintings. Visit her website for more.

“I mine the earth for a few metaphors by which I can see Heaven,” notes writer Andy Squyers. This is why I create art.

“Beach Walk” oil on canvas, 24″ x 30″

My art is about longing. It is an expression of the ache in my soul for a perfect world, heaven on earth, and the glimpses we catch of it here and now. Our yearning for goodness, truth and beauty.

“After The Evening Sail” oil on canvas, 24″ x 48″

I have always drawn, but began oil painting at age 45 and was immediately attracted to its viscosity and the challenge of laying it down in an impressionistic manner. My subjects come from my own life, memories of time well spent with family and traveling to both new and familiar places. Favorite muses include my four daughters and our times at rest and at play.

“In The Rose Glow” oil on linen, 12″ x16″

My love for the wetland landscape derives from growing up on a small barrier island in coastal Georgia, Saint Simons Island, at eye level with the constant tidal changes of the intercoastal creeks and marshes. They, alongside the centuries-old live oaks dripping with Spanish moss, are a subtle reminder that we are connected to forces greater than ourselves; that beyond our hurried everyday lives we can hear a faint call, a pull from a vastly richer life of serenity and joy. Beauty gently awakens our hearts to the desire deep within, to know and to be known.

“Lowcountry Moonset” oil on canvas, 12″ x 12″

Another inspiring locale for me is Rhode Island, which I was introduced to by my husband. Bruce was raised in Narragansett. We began vacationing with our four daughters there when they were small and I have been mining our family photos lately for new subjects. Beach campfires, lighthouse hikes, ocean play, rocky shores, lobster boils, sailboats and sunsets are warmly making a debut in my sketchbook and on my easel.

“Dunes, Sky & Sea”  oil on canvas, 48″ x 48″

C.S. Lewis aptly articulated that these things or people or experiences are not beauty itself but “are only the scent of a flower we have not found, the echo of a tune we have not heard, news from a country we have never yet visited.”

“Children Of The Wind” oil on canvas, 30″ x 40″

My works are included in private collections across the United States and in a number of corporate collections as well. Since 2019, I have maintained a studio in Concord, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte. But the allure of the coast and other beautiful places doesn’t keep me landlocked for long. Now that our four daughters are grown, I am eager to explore new horizons and artistic adventures.

Julia Lawing invites you to follow on Instagram and Facebook.

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01:30 The birth of county studio tour

05:04 The concept of county collectors

07:16 Growth and structure of the studio tour

08:19 Funding and business model

15:46 Challenges and realities of organizing studio tours

19:01 Application process for artists

20:44 Engaging gallery owners and art directors

21:21 Secrets to successful studio tours

22:08 Marketing strategies for artists

22:45 The importance of social media presence

26:12 Navigating the studio tour process

30:53 Balancing art and business

34:09 Jeff Schaller’s artistic journey

37:12 Jeff imagines having other studio tours use the platform he has built