The Profitable Artist: Chapters 17 & 18

1. Based upon your practice, what type of work would you sell on your website and what method of receiving payment would be best?

The work I would sell on my website would most likely be actual paintings or high quality prints of my paintings. I could also possibly sell drawings or smaller water color images. One of the best methods of payment would probably be using a Paypal account, to help keep things managed in a site for me.

2. Recall a time where you met with someone who turned into a person you network with now. What are you able to do for one another?

When we started to all build relationships within the thesis class. We are able to help each other with any type of medium or get materials or help each other build things in exchange for another favor. Like bartering. Allows for further networking.

3. In what ways could doing favors or helping someone help you in the short and long term?

Every person can be an important contact to helping someone out can allow someone to return the favor to you, in the short term. In the long term it could build a cohesive work relationship that could even function as a partnership or business or so on. Favors show what you have to offer another person and they can become more genuinely interested in what you do and how they can help you improve yourself.

The Profitable Artist: Chapters 15 & 16

Q. In what ways would you notice your brand being recognized?

A. Your brand can be recognized if you notice you are gaining popularity; others promoting your work, more hits on your website, galleries becoming interested, more potential buyers, fan growth etc.

Q. Why is it crucial for an artist to have a website?

A. The internet is a large part of the branding process and it allows for others to access your work easier. It makes things more readily available for people to see. It allows for galleries and other organizations to see you have credibility and for them to contact you. People can get to know who you are an an artist before actually meeting you. 

Q. How can email be a beneficial form of communication and how is this type of communication different from interacting through other media outlets?

A. E-mail allows you to easily communicate within professional contexts with other artists, galleries etc. It also allows for E-mail blasts so fans can be up-to-date with your work in progress and know what is going on with you and your practice/product. It also allows you to be organized. E-mail is different from other communication outlets because of its speed and ability to be flexible. Snail mail is a good way to send physical things but email saves trees. Posters allow for visual stimulation but can be more complicated. Email is personal and inexpensive for contact.

The Profitable Artist: Chapter 14

Q. What contemporary, currently active artists do you feel your work is able to “have a conversation” with? Alternatively, what gallery or type of gallery (or company in your field) do you feel would be a good fit to represent your work?

A: Current active artists that I feel my work is in conversation with is Alyssa Monks and Taryn Simon. Alyssa Monks has an interesting way of showing photo realism with her own twist. Taryn Simon's investigative quality and her mix is fascinating. I feel that any type of professional gallery would be nice to have my work shown in. Even a pop-up gallery would be nice. Any place that would allow me to make a personal connection. Also Jenn Man's contemporary way of doing portraiture is really interesting for further investigation.

Q: Aside from your friends and family, identify the type of person who has complimented or expressed being a fan of your work. By observing the characteristics of this person, attempt to identify your target audience or clients.

A: The type of audience that has expressed an interest in my work ranges, I think my more "photo-realistic" work can be appealing to many different types of people. 

Q: When networking at openings and events, do you think it is appropriate to mention your own work as an artist? When and how?

A: I don't think I would talk about my own work at someone else's opening unless there was a specific situation to present itself. The opening is more of a focus on someone else's work, although it could be a good way to network with other people. 

The Profitable Artist: Chapter 13

Q: In your practice, how do you think that you will benefit from social capital through negotiations?

   Social capital would be a large benefit because it translates into trust and goodwill and will allow the production of my work to grow. These people could increase any part of work development.

Q: What are the long-term benefits of participating in negotiations in your practice?

  Allows you to create social relationships that could be more beneficial and valuable. 

Q: During your art practice have you gone through a negotiation? If so, what facts did you know about yourself, the situation in question, the other party's information and the timing? What was the outcome?

  Yes, during my practice I have gone through a negotiation, participating in my senior thesis class. We have to negotiate among ourselves and with the students with the graphic design program. The outcome has been positive because everyone is very supportive of each other and their work. We negotiate about funding, producing work, and for advertising. We all worked together to promote the best we could.