The path of an artist can be a very difficult one to walk. It takes some personal sacrifice to dedicate the time necessary to reach the levels of your art that you want to. Even then, even if you’re technically brilliant and hugely creative, no form of success is guaranteed. We’re not even talking about making money, but simply being seen and respected. That’s because you need to have a bit of marketing panache to go with the skill.
BE PART OF THE COMMUNITY
No-one should expect great results if they work in complete isolation of those who could help them. You might have opportunities to meet and talk with the more prestigious names in your community. Don’t be afraid to reach out and to join events that help you meet your peers. Not only is it good to find and provide that support for others sharing your journey. It can lead to things like some of the hugely creative collaborations we’ve seen over the years.
GET INVOLVED IN COMPETITIONS
You should always be looking for opportunities to get involved in galleries, whether they’re local, far away, or even online. Sending straight up requests isn’t always necessarily the most effective manner, however. Instead, look for those moments where galleries and organizations are specifically looking to find new artists. Look into art contests, for one. The whole application and judging process can give you almost as much publicity as actually winning the contest. Start applying for grants offered for art projects, as well. Grants are never a sure thing, but they can be a way to keep the funding going as well as getting a potential spike in visibility.
BUILD YOUR OWN ONLINE PROFILE
As much as it is important to get your art out there in the real world, if you’re ignoring the benefits that the online world can have on your visibility, you are seriously missing out. The people who are most enthusiastic about all forms of art tend to get online to find what they might have missed and to discuss their favorites. Consider putting yourself on social media to keep your networking efforts going, as well as using sites like Instagram and your own site to promote your portfolio of work.
GET INTO TEACHING
Teaching others how to do art at any level has always been a valid way to make some extra money as an artist. In the past, it was a relatively slow but effective way to get recognized as an artist, too. Nowadays, if you hit your niche right, it can cause your own art to get an explosion in visibility. That’s because of the viral nature of tutorials in Youtube videos. As much as people of all skill levels like to learn, many enjoy just watching the process as well.
Keep your work visible, keep your name involved, keep your voice active. Don’t be afraid to keep pushing for visibility. In today’s digitally dominated society, it’s one of the only ways to make a name for yourself.
