Can You Sell Art During a Crisis? [68]

You can’t sell luxury items like art during a global pandemic. This seems to be a widely held belief and yet artists all over the world are discovering that it’s not true.

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In fact, many artists are now selling online for the first time and finding more success than they ever expected. Indeed, we both posted work for sale recently as part of the #artistsupportpledge initiative, and we were both pleasantly surprised by our results.

In this episode, we share our experiences and tips for succeeding with online sales during this crisis, discuss the importance of finding marketing strategies that work for you, and chat about ways we can use our art to raise funds for our favourite causes.

We also discuss the ways in which this initiative might change how we market our own paintings in the future, and offer advice on what to do if you post work and it doesn’t sell right away (spoiler alert: we don’t think it’s anything to worry about!)

And finally, we say goodbye to Louise’s (slightly surprising) childhood hero.

Mentioned:

#artistsupportpledge on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/artistsupportpledge/?hl=en

Alice’s small paintings – sorry – all sold out! Join my mailing list for first access to all new work, check the Shop above for currently available work.

Louise’s small paintings: https://www.louisefletcherart.com/small-works/

Norman Hunter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awoxabZSS9c

If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here to send it to us

If you are enjoying the podcast this is an easy and inexpensive way to help support it and ensure it continues. The demands of making it each week can be challenging. Your support is allowing us to hire some editing help. If you’d like to help out with a one-time or a monthly donation, you can “buy us a coffee” us at Ko-fi.com

Contribute to the podcast here:

Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio
or Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits
“Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

How to Fall in Love with Your Art [67]

This week’s episode was prompted by a question from Kate, an Australian artist who asked: “Should you like your own work? Do you ever stop fighting that inner critic (and external critics) and just start enjoying the process?”

Apple podcast

We both believe that loving your own work is crucial, touch on how we evaluate our work (and the importance of doing so) and share our feelings about where we find ourselves currently.

We also ask whether what we love changes, whether this is an issue, and what to do with those older pieces that no longer make us feel excited. As for the inner critic … Alice suggests there is a difference between criticism and critique. Can we analyse/assess our work without ever allowing that self-critique to stray into negative thoughts about ourselves or our level of talent?

Finally, we each offer concrete steps that we believe artists can take to begin making work that they love.

Mentioned:

Alice’s Connected Artist Club: 
https://alicesheridanstudio.mykajabi.com/connected-interest

Louise’s Art Tribe: https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe

If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here to send it to us

If you are enjoying the podcast this is an easy and inexpensive way to help support it and ensure it continues. The demands of making it each week can be challenging. Your support is allowing us to hire some editing help. If you’d like to help out with a one-time or a monthly donation, you can “buy us a coffee” us at Ko-fi.com

Contribute to the podcast here:

Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio
or Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits
“Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

How will Covid-19 change artist ways of working? [66]

Or perhaps it doesn’t much…. This week, we’re considering the shifts that we see happening in our artist communities. As galleries closed and art fairs were cancelled, many artists began to look for different ways of selling art.

Apple podcast

Things may have changed in the immediate future but the long term view of laying down plans and building a network to support you is much the same.

Now is a great time to set up (or re-design) your website or send out your first newsletter or get more active/creative on social media and we are both thrilled to see it.

We have both long been huge advocates for this approach and so we find it exciting and energising to watch artists taking control. In this episode, we also discuss new approaches to open studios, the limiting beliefs that might be stopping us selling at this time, and the importance of building connections.

We also have a rare disagreement about Tik-Tok but concur on the power of a tidy studio space.

Mentioned:

Alice’s Marie Kondo blog post: https://alicesheridan.com/how-to-kon-mari-your-studio/

Funny Journalist on Tik-Tok
Gary Vee on Tik-Tok

Alice’s Connected Artist Club: 
https://alicesheridanstudio.mykajabi.com/connected-interest

Louise’s Art Tribe: https://thispaintinglife.mykajabi.com/art-tribe

If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here to send it to us

If you are enjoying the podcast this is an easy and inexpensive way to help support it and ensure it continues. The demands of making it each week can be challenging. Your support is allowing us to hire some editing help. If you’d like to help out with a one-time or a monthly donation, you can “buy us a coffee” us at Ko-fi.com

Contribute to the podcast here:

Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio
or Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits
“Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

Creating versus Producing … a Chance to Reset? [65]

As the UK lockdown continues, we discuss the unfolding situation and the continual emotional shifts we are all experiencing. Here in Britain we are seeing some of our most well-known artists responding in different ways.

Apple podcast

Tracy Emin wrote an online diary; David Hockney is making new paintings; and Grayson Perry is filming a new TV show designed to encourage people to make art.

We ask whether these are helpful reactions. In troubled times, what is the point of it all? Is art relevant? And is this an opportunity for us to switch from a focus on producing work for shows to a new emphasis on creativity and exploration?

In the midst of a global existential crisis as well as a health and economic one, we also discuss the importance of mental health for our physical well-being.

Make whatever you feel called to make and share your work on Instagram with the hashtag #markthistime. We will be curating and sharing images each day on Instagram

Mentioned:

Tracey Emin – online diary https://www.instagram.com/whitecube/

David Hockney paintings https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52109901

Grayson Perry/Anthony Gormley art kit home https://firstsite.uk/art-is-where-the-home-is/

Lewis Howes podcast with Dr. Joe Dispenza https://youtu.be/RTuf7OfZ-yY

Mark This Time on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markthistime2020/

Mark This Time Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/markthistime2020

If you have a question you’d like us to discuss, click here to send it to us

If you are enjoying the podcast this is an easy and inexpensive way to help support it and ensure it continues. The demands of making it each week can be challenging. Your support is allowing us to hire some editing help. If you’d like to help out with a one-time or a monthly donation, you can “buy us a coffee” us at Ko-fi.com

Contribute to the podcast here:

Follow Alice on Instagram @alicesheridanstudio
or Louise @louisefletcher_art

Credits
“Monkeys Spinning Monkeys” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License