Building your brand without sacrificing your craft requires both finding your public and going deep into the artist. Jane Robinson is a contemporary abstract artist, living and working in Michigan, who specializes in acrylic and mixed media. Jane also conducts workshops for other artists under the banner "The Business of Creativity" as well as a monthly meetup group. She was once, also, a felony probation officer and writing pre-sentencing guidelines helped her tap into her creative side.
ContentsArt & business as different muscles
"The Business of Creativity"
The grant as the launching pad
"No one will care about your art career as much as you"
Being an "artpreneur" - integrating art and business.
Beyond the canvas - creating the brand around your art.
Getting ahead of your business - branding yourself as pulling the sale rather than pushing it.
Quirky as an asset - the brand as both you and the work.
Identifying vs. expressing your brand.
Discovering your brand by other people's experience of you - art shows, art fairs, gallery receptions, open studio events...
Finding your public - web as a global marketplace
Social media as the artist's storytelling medium - going beyond posting your work
Business building vs. sacrificing craft - the false dichotomy
Devote as many hours to business building as you do studio time
Reinvest 40% of your earnings into your art business
Aligning the operational areas of your business and your life
The solo artist and the creative tribe
The essential infrastructure of an art business
Being objective about your own work
Building a cohesive body of work
Studio time first, then find your audience
The journey of not worrying
Building an e-mail contact list around your shows
Stripping down to your soul and "selling like hotcakes"
Technology on the way: virtual painting and non-local creation

More information on Jane Robinson and her work, classes, and Meetup group, is athttp://janerobinsonabstractart.com ( JaneRobinsonAbstractArt.com)