On Ethics and Elephants

Elephant in the Room? What? Where? Oh, that Elephant

In the interest of full disclosure, I must point out that I never thought about marketing in terms of the ethics involved. When I think about marketing my books to an unsuspecting public, the thing that leaps to the front of my mind is the “ick factor.”

Writing and cartooning are recent additions to my creative work. I’ve been painting more years than I care to remember, and it’s been my “day job” for the last 25 years. Almost seven years ago, pandas knocked on the door, demanded entry, put their feet up on the coffee table, and insisted that I write stories, draw cartoons, and perpetrate blasphemous adaptations of Sargent and Whistler paintings, all starring pandas.

They were really most insistent.

Arrangement in Black, White, and Gray //Anne Belov //all rights reserved

Selling paintings is mostly, although not entirely, different than selling books.  I’d have to sell  hundreds, if not thousands of books to equal the sale of one decent painting. And so marketing raises it’s (often) not so lovely head.

A recent post by Jane Steen got me thinking about the ethics of self publishing in general and about marketing my work in particular. I am, to say the very least, a reluctant marketer. By following a number of blogs about both the art and the business side of writing, it led me to realize that I was going to have to make peace with marketing, like it or not.

My cartoons appeared on my blog, The Panda Chronicles for almost four years before I published The Panda Chronicles Book 1: Your Brain on Pandas. My method for getting the word out was intuitive and organic. When I started my blog, I finally dove in to Facebook, and sought out panda fans, to see if they thought my panda-centric humor was funny, or whether they would chase me through town with pitchforks and burning torches, tar and feathers at the ready. (They liked them! Huzzah!)

I shared my cartoons freely and my fan base grew. I got an unanticipated bonus by reaching out to people on an individual basis because fans became connections and some friendships (real ones) have grown as a result of this, with meetings and gatherings of panda fans in real life.

The panda Faithful at San Diego Zoo in 2013

To be honest, this is a rather time consuming way of selling books. But I am a glutton for connections, maybe because I spend so much of my day holed up in my studio painting and drawing. When I look at the alternatives: auto tweets, constant buy my book/services links, guest posts which are barely disguised infomercials, I realize that the ick-factor detector is a pretty good ethical guide.

I think we must continually ask ourselves how we respond to marketing appeals by others as we try to figure out how to sell our work. Everyone has different threshold levels of what is offensive or annoying, but if it offends me, why would I do it? I’m still trying to figure it all out, and if I listen to my gut and avoid doing things that make me uncomfortable in the marketing of others, I think I am on the right track.

The sands that publishing is built on are shifting. As more people publish their work independently, we have to figure out how to be ethical, not only in the actual writing, but in how we tell the world about it. We are all on our own, trying to figure out just how we going to continue paying the mortgage, but we are also in it together.

My practice of making connections has served me well, in personal satisfaction and real bridges built, if not yet in monetary terms.  My followers number in the hundreds, rather than the tens of thousands, but they are real names, some even come with faces attached. I have decided to trust that what feels like the right path both artistically and ethically.

What do you think?

hey! Buy my book!

You can see more pandas (for free!) at The Panda Chronicles. You can also…um…find out where to buy my books there.

A great post from Alyson Stanfield’s Art Biz Blog

Tasting Summer/ Oil on panel/Anne Belov

Alyson Stanfield’s Art Biz blog had a great post on some guidelines you might think about setting when you are asked for donations of artwork.  As usual, she is right on. Here’s the link:

http://artbizblog.com/donating-limits

Installment No. 2: the many parts of the whole.

 

Think about your life as a flat surface in your house.  Is it a lovely, empty sun-washed  space with lots of room to get to work?  No, mine isn’t either.  Every so often the mess in my house gets to me and I have to stop everything and put things away and throw things away until chaos no longer reigns on my desk and bookshelves and dining table, and just about anywhere I can put stuff where it won’t slide off in an avalanche.  Well, our lives can get like that too.  In the process of figuring out how to make all the bits of paper and magazine articles that we were meaning to read and that cup with the chip on it, fall into some semblance of order, we need to take a deep breath and figure out how to organize things.

Before we can create a schedule and calendar of our project and work flow, we have to identify the parts.  Here’s an idea that I recently thought of. (O.K., it was just now, but it’s the thought that counts, right?)  Get a bunch of 3″x5″ index cards. Yes, they still make them.  Each card should contain one activity that you do on a regular basis.  On that card also write down how many hours you spend doing that activity each week,  then write down how many hours you should be doing that thing each week.  Note if it’s something you’d like to be doing more or less time.  Items that might be on the cards are things like your day job, marketing, doing your artwork, ordering or acquiring supplies, spending time with friends or family, household or garden chores, cooking, shopping, farting around watching panda videos on YouTube, you get the idea.  Then you can separate the cards into columns and groups, to start to figure out where your time actually goes.  Or, you could stand at the top of the stairs and throw the cards up in the air, and the ones that get to the bottom of the stairs are the things you should do first.  No, I didn’t think that was a good idea either, but I thought I should say something humorous before you all got depressed and decided it would be better to get a job selling insurance.  Hopefully, this will start to give you an idea of where you are, while you are thinking about where you want to go.   More next time…..

The Time for Time Management Has Arrived

Last weekend, I spoke at the BizArts Conference at Edmonds Community College, and I promised I would post the information that I talked about here on my blog, so here goes.

To begin at the beginning…. Time is money, and conversely, money is time.

I’m going to start with the assumption, that you would like to get at least some portion of your income from production and sale of your artwork.  I’m also going to assume that you have at least some personal commitments and responsibilities.  At the vary least you have to feed the cat, and keep your home from being closed down by the health department.  So let’s break this down into the individual areas we need to look at….

1. What are your overall, big picture goals?

Do you want to pay for your supplies, materials, and workspace, or do you want to pay your mortgage and quit your day job?  What if you have a day job you love and are committed to?  I wish it wasn’t so, but the more you want out of your art ($$$$) the more you are going to have to put into it. So now, do we give up and crawl under the covers? No we do not!  By setting out our big picture goals, we can then work backwards, breaking down our big goals into  all it’s parts.

OK. Let’s say that you are a painter, and want to have a one person show.  We are also going to assume that you already are a reasonably accomplished painter, and are not at the stage of, “which end of the brush gets the paint on it?”  Here is a progression starting from the one person show and working our way backwards.  (at some point I’ll need to do a “flow chart” but not today!)

One Person Show> deliver work to gallery> find gallery that wants to show my work> have group of 12-20 excellent paintings > make labels and inventory sheets> frame work>make or buy framing> Do excellent paintings> acquire or have on hand all materials to do group of 12-20 paintings> have plan for show, including images to work from or models scheduled> have work space which is always set up….

Whew! That’s a lot of stuff and I haven’t even started talking about calendars, scheduling, and avoiding time-sucks!

The point of all this is, that until you are clear about what your overall goals are, it’s hard to move on to knowing what you have to do to get from point a to point z.

Some things to do this week:

First you need to look at how you currently spend your daily allotment of hours, as well as what your big goals are.  Take a little time with these questions.  Maybe start a notebook for your studio plan for 2011. Ask yourself:

1. What are my big picture creative goals?

2. What personal/family/job obligations do I currently have?

For one week, write down how your waking hours are spent, including work, family, friends, art making, and (dum-da-dum-dum) internet time.

I’ll add more to this in a couple of days.

Till then,

keep painting.

Just Showing up…

I just wanted to thank all of you who attended my session about time management at this year’s BizArts Conference.  It was a small but dedicated group that attended the conference, and I hope you all got some good inspiration to help you move forward in the art of being a creative professional.  I plan to include the information I covered in my session right here over the next few weeks.  Right now however,  I think I will get a little shut eye, as such a high level of information just wears me out.  Check in over the next few weeks for my time management strategies.

Keep painting!

Art Biz, here I come

Just a reminder that the ArtBiz conference at Edmonds Community College is tomorrow and Saturday, and I will be giving a presentation on “production planning”  Sounds exciting, no?  Well if you haven’t got a plan, you’re swimming upstream without a paddle.  Here’s a couple of stories that illustrate the importance of being ahead of the game.

Story 1:  When I was in 4th grade, I got so behind on my math homework that I got sick, getting even farther behind.  Is there a happy ending? I don’t know, as I’ve repressed a lot of my childhood, but let’s just say, I never became a math whiz.

Story 2: In December of 2006, I was preparing to be in a group show.  A week and a half before the show, we had a big snowstorm, and while out walking in the winter wonderland, I slipped and broke my ankle.  Did I miss the show?  Nope.  I had all my paintings labeled, framed, boxed up, with the price list all ready to go, more than 2 weeks ahead of time.  I was able to tell a friend where the paintings and information were, and they picked up my work and delivered it.  Yay.

That’s why you need a plan!

The Anne x2 Anne-ual Newsletter is here!

The Anne x2 Anne-ual Newsletter

Studio Sale Friday November 26th and Saturday November 27th

10 AM till 4 PM both days

5131 Blacktail Lane

Driving instructions at the end!

It’s hard to believe that 9 years have gone by since moving into my new studio, so I guess that means it’s not so new anymore.  The “Anne Show” as we like to call it has turned out to be one of my favorite shows of the year.  That is partly because it makes me clean my studio thoroughly and put things away at least once a year, but primarily because it’s a very relaxed show where friends drop by to say hello and see what we have been up to, whether they are in the market for new art or not.  (Also, since it’s at my studio, I don’t have to schlep paintings out and back to the car.  We take gifts where we can find them.)  The first show took place a month after I moved in, in 2001, as a motivation to get all my belongings put away. It worked, and it was fun, so we’ve been doing it ever since then.

On to the news…

This year has been no less busy than years past. I shared a show with my good friend Georgia Gerber, at Waterworks Gallery in Friday Harbor.  My theme was “Froggwell Garden in Four Seasons.”  I have used Froggwell as artistic inspiration many times, and the idea of doing a show that celebrated all seasons in the garden had been in my mind for a while.

Speaking of Froggwell, the 6th Froggwell Biennale was a huge success, which was something of a (very happy) surprise in these challenging times.  We had great weather, and wonderful art, and if you missed it this year, make sure you put it on your calendar for next year.  Actually, next year will be another “alternate theme show” devised, directed, and developed by Mr. Froggwell. Last year he came up with the idea of a forgery show, where artists did copies of paintings by their favorite artist.  It was so popular, that he’s decided to do another one next year, but with the 1913 New York Armory Show as the parameters for selection by the forgers.  He’s calling it the 98th anniversary of the Armory Show, as anyone can do a 100th anniversary show!   Robin Obata has been posting information on the show and the artists who exhibited in 1913, on a blog;  http://froggwell.blogspot.com  It also provides a link to the University of Virginia site devoted to the Armory Show.

I taught a class at The Whidbey Island Fine Art Studio, in Langley in May 2010.  My students wanted to see the finished version of the painting that I started as a demonstration during class, so I started posting a progression on my blog, https://nothingoverlooked.wordpress.com and have continued posting other paintings as I work on them.  You can find these in the “pages” on the right side of the blog.  This is one of my most recent paintings shown as a progression.

It will be exhibited at Patricia Rovzar Gallery in their annual group show.

Following the theme of showing with friends that I have known and respected for a long time, I had a two person show with Joan Govedare at The Rob Schouten Gallery at Greenbank Farm in September.  Rob and his wife Victory have created a wonderful exhibition space, and I love the energy of Greenbank Farm.  This is a large open space that was once a farm producing loganberry wine.  When the winery de-accessioned the property, it was in danger of becoming a 500-house development.  Thanks to a bunch of hard working people with a vision, and a conservation futures grant from Island County, the Whidbey Land Trust, and other conservation groups, the land was acquired by the county for open space and local commercial development in the existing buildings. If you haven’t been there, go have lunch at the pie café and walk the trails.

I also have been exhibiting in several group shows at the new Brackenwood Gallery in Langley.  I will be having a two person show there next September with textile artist Cheryl Kamera. She creates scarves and wraps using a shibori dye technique. Rich colors and textures of her work should be a good match with my paintings.  Anne Waterman and Rene Neff have done a wonderful job making the new incarnation of the gallery a beautiful space in which to view (and buy!) art.

On to the Pandas!!!!!

While I still have not managed to convince any publishers that my panda cartoons are worthy of being published, I’m having a ball writing and drawing the cartoons, which give me a chance to make fun of just about everything. When the going gets tough, the tough embrace their inner pandas.  One of the cartoons has found it’s way into an actual book.  Henry Nicholls has just published a book called The Way of the Panda. It is a historical and cultural look at pandas from their “discovery” in the late 1800’s and their relationship with China’s emergence as a cultural and economic power.  Plus there is some really great “panda gossip,” not to mention my cartoon.

I have been continuing work on my quest to enter the world of children’s book illustration.  To date, I have samples of my work on file with 7 publishers.  While this has not yet translated to an actual illustration job, I do feel that by being in the files, which I update every 3-6 months, I will eventually get an assignment.  I have also been working on my own story, which I hope to have ready to start sending out by the end of the year.  Pandamorphsis is a fantasy, which draws from old (The Cat and the Hat) and new (David Weisner’s Tuesday) ideas in picture books.  I’ve been working on the rough drawings, doing some tweaking here and there and have recently started on the finished artwork.  It will have over 40 individual drawings by the time I’m done. Created in the form of a wordless picture book it stars a cat, pandas, (of course) and investigates the idea that getting your fondest wish can have unintended repercussions. Who would have guessed that all that time I spent watching panda videos on you-tube would actually turn out to be RESEARCH!

What you’ll find at the sale!

Anne Belov:  Paintings, monoprints, panda cards, including this year’s holiday card. Available at the show individually, and in sets.  Can’t make the show, but still want pandas?  Contact me via the coment function on this blog and I’ll send you information on ordering panda cards.  If you want them to send out in time for this year, please contact me by November 22nd.

I also still have some of my costers and placemats made with hand printed (by me) papers.

There are bargains to be had, that are only available during my once a year studio show, so you’ll have to show up to find out what they are!

To get to the studio…. Ok, you’ve read this far, now I’ll tell you how to get here!  From 525 Northbound, turn right onto Newman Rd and then after a mile or there about, turn right onto maple Glen Rd.  Go uphill about ½ mile, then turn left onto Blacktail Lane. 5131 is the 4th drive on the left. There will be a sign.

From the North, you can turn left onto Double bluff RD, or go through Freeland till you get to Newman RD (left at the condominiums), and then turn left onto Maple Glen Rd and continue as from the southbound directions.

Hope to see you at the show!

Don’t forget to read Anne Davenport’s news at: http://weavewright.blogspot.com

Going it Alone

I promised I’d write something about living the artist life without the support of a gallery.  There are all kinds of reasons not to have a gallery, but if your reason is that you don’t think you should have to share “your” money with anyone else, you might think about the fact that there is no one else to share the work and expenses, either.

I know any number of artists who do very well selling there work through art fairs and self produced shows.  Some of them live in areas that just don’t have the wealth of galleries that we have around here. Some of them feel that they are the best informed sellers of their work, and they enjoy talking to people about the process they go through to create their work.  They also recognize that a good chunk of their time and money is spent packing, hauling, driving, hauling, and unpacking their work all over the place. And what do they have when a sudden bout of bad weather, at what is usually a great show for them? Wet art, a  sore back, and no revenue for the weekend (but all the bills…)

I guess I’m sounding a little negative about life outside the gallery system. The truth is that these days you need to do all of some of the above in order to survive and not put all your eggs in one unstable basket. (I myself prefer to have a number of unstable baskets, and I still end up with egg on my face sometimes.) While I mostly work with galleries to sell my art, I have an annual studio show and produce a biannual print, painting and sculpture show.  Doing these events brings me face to face with people who know and like my art, and also give me an appreciation of all that my galleries do for me.

It all goes back to that pesky goal thing again.  If your goal is to just make art, and not expect it to earn you a living, a studio party once a year where your loyal friends will acquire a piece of your art may be just the ticket.  Maybe you have a job you really like and it pays all the bills.  You have the luxury to work how and when you please, and maybe just doing the work is enough for you.  The tricky bit there is, how do you make a commitment to your work and take it seriously?  I think that once you really think about what your intention is towards making art, it becomes more clear.  People ask me what motivates me to go into the studio every morning and the real answer is, “my mortgage, heat, food, gas, and cat food.”  I believe I would do it anyway, but who knows?  Maybe I’d just lie around and eat bon-bons all day.

So take the first step, and the rest should follow.

Keep those brushes moving, (and the bon-bons coming)

Anne

Coming soon! updates on “Exuberance” and a page of recent, available work (and where to find it)!

How to behave…

I’m feeling a little like “Miss Manners” right at the moment, but I heard a story the other day, from someone who owns a gallery, about a recent interaction with an artist.  The long and short of it, without revealing too much personal information about the parties involved, was that the artist pulled out of a scheduled show, 2 weeks before the show was due to open.  It was not done with good grace, or  for a good reason, but with snarky emails and demands befitting a diva, not an emerging artist. ( By the by, this would be considered bad behavior for ANYONE)

There are good reasons both to be represented by a gallery or not to be represented by a gallery.  Artists need to consider all the ramifications of both ways of conducting their art business.  I find that the first step, that of deciding on your goals and direction, is a crucial one, and one that many artists don’t ever consider.  This is not to say that your goals don’t change over time, only that you need to be clear about what it is that you want to do with your art, and make conscious decisions every step of the way.  Once you do decide to show with one or more galleries, there are some do’s and don’t’s that will serve you AND your gallery well.

• Be clear about your goals and abilities.
• Set schedules in writing, as well as housekeeping details, like approximately how many paintings you can have by a certain date.
• Double check within a week of delivering or picking up work, that the agreed upon date still works.
• If you have special needs or concerns, talk about them and strive to reach a compromise, rather than making absolute demands.  (this goes both ways)
• If you can’t do something or make a deadline, let your gallery know as soon as possible.
• Don’t be snarky.
• Ask at the outset, when you schedule a show, what the gallery wants and when do they want it.  Write it down.  Create a calendar for yourself that lets you see well in advance of when things are needed.

Here’s what you get when you sign on with a reputable gallery:

• A full time sales staff.
• A beautiful, well lighted place to show your work.
• Cool color postcards to send to your friends and collectors!
• Someone who doesn’t make money unless you do!!!!!!  And all of this at no charge to you( other than your operating expenses, which granted are big enough already, thank you very much!) UNTIL THEY SELL SOMETHING.!!!!!  If that isn’t motivation for them to sell your work, I don’t know what is.

Selling work through your gallery to your friends and collectors helps keep the doors open.  A well located, well run gallery will also draw a new audience to your work, after all your friends will only buy so many of your paintings, and then what?  I’ve certainly made my share of mistakes over the years when working with galleries. I like to think that I’ve learned from them and am a much better person to work with now.  I’m also sure I will make more mistakes in the future, but that’s life, isn’t it?  Next tme, I’ll talk about life outside the gallery system.

Till then, keep painting.

Anne

Ps new post today on new painting in progress, Exuberance