As painters we spend much of our time working alone, yet we’ve noticed that people love to watch artists paint. So, we decided to take our easels into our audience and see if this might not only help our sales but also turn our solitary effort into an event.
Artists Action IN
BRING YOUR PAINTING TO THE PEOPLE BY KATHY MOHL AND SCOTT KENYON
At our latest show of our new work, we decided to offer a painting demonstration. We set up our easels during the opening reception and casually worked on a painting while talking with the guests. By showing how we paint along with displaying our work, we were able to connect better with potential buyers. Seeing artists paint allows the viewer to appreciate the artwork more and gain a new understanding about the process. Galleries can be intimidating, and this was a way to build new relationships with the public and get them more involved with art. Meeting an artist in person, engaging in a conversation and seeing how she paints can transform a total stranger into a new collector. We found that having people watch us create a painting even added a certain excitement to the work itself. We were essentially doing the same thing as musicians who perform their songs to promote and sell their work. We sold several works and received commissions that evening and in the days following the event, which we feel was partly due to the excitement generated by simply having our easels out and brush in hand. We do not consider ourselves performance artists, just artists who invited the public to view our work, see our process and have a good time. The next time you have the opportunity to show your work, why not follow this example and turn your exhibition into something more alive and exciting? An event like this is different than an art fair, fundraiser or juried show — it’s artists displaying their art and showing viewers how they create their work in a relaxed setting.
36 Professional Artist FEB+MAR 2015