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MISTAKES SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS MAKE WHEN ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES IN THE ART WORLD.

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By Lorraine Stylianou

Decorative folk artist and surface pattern designer

1. WORRYING ABOUT THEIR LACK OF CREDENTIALS Who gives a fig! Let’s leave the discussion of 1st class art degrees to the darlings from the Slade.

We all know that traditionally artists are awarded their prestige in a system based on reputation and are dependent on the people who operate in that world – the dealers and collectors. By taking responsibility for your own creative business and applying some entrepreneurial strategies you can gain visibility without “formal” qualifications. Focus on getting your social media strategy in place or building residual income through articles and e-books rather than being concerned about post-nominals. To quote Jerry Saltz “the story of art is woefully misrepresentative - a lie, even. Millions of viewers and thousands of nascent artists are being denied the chance to see some of the best work made in the last 100 years simply because it was once decided that to be an artist meant having had preapproved training. It's a self-perpetuating false distinction….”. Banksy has no such worries.

2. CREATING IMAGINARY BARRIERS Ask yourself what the term “art world” means to you. Is it some fictional place that is intent on excluding you like the haunted castle in a children’s story you are forbidden to visit? Manage your negative self-talk, stop comparing your art to others’, and just keep producing your best work.

3. BEING PASSIVE Get actively involved in the art market – attend gallery openings, get involved in the pricing of your work, and do all the things career artists do: enter competitions, apply for residency, write out your artistic vision and statement of intent , and learn some marketing skills. Apply the tools of the journalist and write about your niche. Think like dealers and agents and you will soon see improved returns. With the power of the internet and social media, the self-taught artist has never had such an opportunity to determine their place in the world. We’ve entered a golden age where you can get your work in front of people like never before, at almost zero cost, and without curators and art directors blocking your path. Just break some moulds, set your own trends, and write your own script.

4. NOT EXPRESSING AN OPINION. As DIYers, the self-taught artist has to use the pen (or Youtube, twitter, or a blog) as much as the paintbrush to challenge people’s views on what is, and isn’t “fine art”, and encourage others to rethink how they view a piece of art. Simply get your thoughts out on paper the way a graffiti artist sprays their tag on a wall. Publish and be damned. Poke fun at the art world and show it up for what it is – an industry where large segments are entrenched in old world thinking, where little engagement is made with an audience via social media, or very little follow up customer service is given to the ordinary patron/collector of art. Be irreverent and antagonistic if necessary. Occupy Art Street.

THE 10 BIGGEST MISTAKES SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS MAKE WHEN ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES IN THE ART WORLD

5. NOT EXERCISING RESILIENCE & SELF-BELIEF It’s vital to show tenacity in a business that is visual, invites comment, and ultimately criticism. Learn not to cave in too quickly if you get negative comments or poor feedback. Think big. Believe.

6. NOT SHARING YOUR WORKING METHODS AND TECHNIQUES Sharing your process is vital since an audience doesn’t always want to see the final artwork but the tools and techniques used to create the finished piece. Allow people to follow your journey through short videos, a series of photographs and so on. Sharing helps build your fan base.

7. WAITING FOR GALLERY REPRESENTATION Be your own agent. You are not Cinderella who has to wait for a fairy godmother to say you can show your work. Start your own on-line gallery and be confident that you can promote your own art as well as anyone else. The art world, if there is such a thing, isn’t a cloistered ivory tower, an exclusive club with strict rules of entry. It is only what you allow it to be. The advantage of representing yourself is you don’t have to forfeit 50% of your sales in commission.

8. NOT MARKETING THEMSELVES Get your promotional materials together with a paragraph about your artistic vision, have a basic social media strategy in place (download a free template from Google now) and leave lots of paint trails all over the internet that lead back to you like Hansel & Gretel ‘s breadcrumb trail. Keep a mailing list to connect with your audience.

9. NOT DEFINING THEIR NICHE & FOCUSSING ON IT My niche is decorative folk art and surface pattern design and to be seen in that niche means I have to follow other folk art and pattern design blogs, participate in groups on Facebook, network with artists in my space, and share my work. Painting regularly and blogging effectively will help your business to grow. If you specialise in painting elephants, for example, blog about conservation or charity work that helps the elephant population and guest blog for these sites.

10. NOT HAVING A REMOTE TEAM You need to work with branding consultants, graphic designers and web developers to get your website, logos, and promotional materials in place rather than waste time doing everything yourself. By outsourcing to specialists far more adept at Photoshop and Illustrator than I will ever be allows me to concentrate on what I’m best at ie. adding to my portfolio. Use platforms like www.peopleperhour.com or www.elance.com to build your virtual team.

THE 10 BIGGEST MISTAKES SELF-TAUGHT ARTISTS MAKE WHEN ESTABLISHING THEMSELVES IN THE ART WORLD

Lorraine Stylianou is a decorative folk artist and surface pattern designer. Running art workshops is at the heart of Lorraine’s business, whose primary aim is to enrich and inspire lives through art, to encourage creativity and sustainability through practical workshops and upcycling projects. She is passionate about helping creatives monetize their talents doing what they love to build thriving lifestyle businesses of their own design. When she is not painting, designing pattern, and exhibiting, she mentors artists on how to evolve as artpreneurs by embracing the latest business concepts, helping them to avoid the usual peaks and troughs associated with self-employment.

lorrainestylianou.com