Abstract Gals

Boyan - We featured Linda earlier this week. I did have a piece lined up for today themed around the centenary of Crimson Kaie but we can run it next week. While talking to Linda she supplied quite a detailed answer to the question of how she has developed her sales online.

I thought it might be interesting to turn it into an impromptu interview piece because it is a very honest, detailed picture of the process involved in setting up. I think you might find it a good reference point.

Linda - The art world is a VERY strange world! Sometimes I think the structure is still in the “dark ages”. I say this because, it is often the case that…........you could be one of the best artist in the world…......but unless you are at the right place at the right time or someone famous finds it and says you are the best~ you remain just an artist trying to exist.

So, onto promoting: It took a little while to get going…...I first started online by creating an art blog on Blogspot.com and at the same time started an Ebay store. I would post on the blog and link it to the Ebay store. My first sale was ONLY $65.oo for a 6×6….......There is a LOT of marketing stuff involved too. One of the best on the blog is the “subscribers box” & tag words.

People began to find me on Ebay and go to the blog too… My subscriber list grew along with the sales…............There was another daily art painting blog that began around the same time that I joined DailyPainters.com (Judged entry, $39/month). I think consistency is important…...and be willing to sell cheaper in the beginning to get clients. This was all over 3+ yrs. ago and the market was also better.

This was my routine for about a year….. until it got to the point that most all of the paintings were selling within the week time limit on Ebay(and my prices went up too)......There is a big line between artists on how to price....there are those that WILL NOT put their prices on their blog for all to see and there are those that are the Opposite. I fall into the latter. I think people want to see the price and not hassle to email and ask….I think some people are too shy to ask or don’t want to take the time.

There is a bit of snootiness out there…..Thinking it is MUCH classier to NOT have the price showing.
OK – after my subscriber list grew and paintings were selling I dropped Ebay and tested the waters to sell just off my blog and Daily Painters site. The paintings still sold and the prices rose in line with demand. By the 1.5 – 2 yr. mark, almost all the paintings I posted would sell.

I then created an actual website: www.applearts.com

The subscribers list grew as did the demand and for almost the past 2 yrs my work would sell within the first hour posted. When the market took the big plunge in Aug. last year….so did my sales….very few sales, hit & miss style. I had to lower the prices and work harder…it began to pick up a bit in March this yr. One big motto I use is: when it is slow….......do marketing! Recently it was RedBubble. Make prints available of the sold work and communicate. I use to be so busy that I didn’t even bother with galleries but last Aug. I went into some galleries (that had asked for the work).

One of my other advantages is variety. I think it helps a lot if the artist can be flexible. I have worked in just about every medium, style and size. Fine art and commercial….....and do commissions. If one has financial support for their livelihood then they can afford to keep prices higher and wait for a sale…..... I don’t happen to be one of those people.

Some of the cool things about doing the small work are the fact that the subject matter is always changing(relieves boredom),completion time is much shorter, you can sell at lower prices, people have more choices, they take up less room in their home and often if they purchase one…......they want a grouping and come back again.

See her work at: www.AppleArts.com