I have two specials running for Valentine’s Day! It’s the perfect time to purchase to insure a timely delivery. Think outside of the box! Write a proposal on the back of my art. Write them a poem. Write your wedding vows on the back. Unlike candy and flowers, my art will last a lifetime!
PSA for this blog means Promoting Sells Art. I am focusing on ONLINE PROMOTION.
Everyday someone says to me, “How do you sell so much art?”….”You sure are lucky!” or “I wish I could (fill in the blank) like you.”
The answer isn’t luck, magic or talent beyond compare. No no no. What you have to do is promote yourself. A LOT. This means being on various social media platforms actually interacting with other human beings. Liking their posts, commenting in a meaningful and sincere way and getting your work out there regularly. In means being grateful and saying “thank you” all day long. It means TIME.
“But I don’t want to waste all of that time on promoting. I just want to create. That’s what makes me happy.”
In a perfect World we would spend all of our extra time slinging paint, clicking that mouse or snapping that picture. But we don’t live in that World. The one we inhabit doesn’t work that way if you want to SELL YOUR ART. If you just want to have fun and don’t care if you ever make a single sale, then you are already set. Read no further.
All others:
Understand that I am a CAREER artist…Not a hobbyist. I don’t look down on people that dabble, do this for fun or just have a side hustle. I don’t look down on anyone. Selling my art is my ENTIRE source of income. So the stakes are high for me. I am willing to sacrifice more of my time than others. But I still manage to have a happy healthy life! I maintain a strong marriage, spend time with my daughter, (with Hubby) take care of a 10 acre homestead with 32 animals, exercise daily, go to church several times a week, read and go to my bookclub, hang out with my friends regularly, travel and visit family, travel for leisure a few times a year, AND create for 4 or 5 hours a day and I also do other things not listed. And I do it ALL without griping about the things that aren’t awesome. My life is REALLY HARD sometimes, but REALLY GOOD too. I am genuinely thankful for every day!!!
There are 24 hours in each day and I sleep for a solid 8. I spend about 3 hours TOTAL per day on Social Media…That leaves me 13 hours to do everything else. Yes 3 hours seems like a lot and I would much rather be CREATING during that time. But the REALITY of actually makingSALES dictates more interaction on Social Media….Not just DUMPING posts and running away….But actually communicating with other human beingsand cross promoting other artists. That is making me sales, growing my audience and getting me to where I need to be to make consistent sales.
EVERY real job I have ever had since the age of 13 required me to do things I did NOT enjoy doing. EVERY SINGLE ONE! Some required discomfort for many hours a day. Some ALL day long. 3 hours of Social Media time not only seems reasonable to me in light of my previous jobs, but I have found that my ATTITUDE has shifted. I decided to make Social Media enjoyable and that has made ALL the DIFFERENCE! Most of the things we complain about come down to our thoughts and beliefs about them.And thoughts can be changed. Try purposely changing your feelings about something. Force it until it becomes real. Most things are not near as awful as you’ve made them out to be and some can be quite lovely if you let them. Sure, there are days I am pressed for time and have to rush through cross promoting and doing any Social Media work, but overall, I am feeling enriched by the INTERACTIONS. I am making friends and learning more about my collectors. I no longer dread it, but look forward to it!
If you want to learn from an amazing group of artists who actively support each other, you are welcome to visit at the following link.
This is one of my earlier works. Koi Pond 2 – One of the things I love about digital technology is I can turn single panels into multiples. This not only saves my collectors on Shipping charges, but also allows flexibility in spacing (covers more wall space) for less investment. 🙂
If you see one of my single pieces and want a diptych, triptych or quadtych…Just ask!
These also look good as single panels. You can space them on different walls in the same room. 🙂
I’ve been on a hummingbird kick lately. We still get them this time of year because we still have flowers blooming in Florida. I watch them outside my studio window…I’ve been inspired to create art!
Now is the time to get your WALLS filled with colorful Cummings ART! 25% off of ALL wall art on Fine Art America. Canvas, metal, acrylic, wood, paper, framed, tapestries are all on SALE. Any size and any amount!! This is the BIG ONE!! Going on now and ends at midnight tomorrow!
It’s HERE!! My annual coupon…Save BIG!! The more you buy, the more you SAVE!! Your entire order will be discounted. Just add the code at check out! This discount is off of my mark up, so if you want to know the exact amount you will save, just contact me and tell me what you want to buy. But you will save a great amount if you want to shop and then add the code.
Abstract Art by Sharon Cummings 