There are different forms of intelligence. Creativity and artistic abilities are excellent indicators of intelligence. But earning a living as an artist is difficult, especially given today's economic issues worldwide (art is oftentimes considered a luxury item). It is also difficult for artists to get their work displayed in galleries and, if it is bought, the gallery takes a substantial portion of the purchase price. In support of artists everywhere, and gathered from speaking to a few experienced artists (which I am not), here are some suggestions to financially benefit from your creativity.

...financially benefiting from your art takes more than just artistic talent

Galleries

In addition to the basics of just knowing which local art galleries are around where you live, get to know the various styles of galleries. It typically doesn't make much sense trying to get your art shown in a specific gallery if the styles are going to clash. For example, you typically wouldn't want to spend your time or effort getting your work shown in a traditional gallery if your art is primarily modern. So get to know the art that's sold in the galleries. This will help you tailor your personal message as to why your art will fit in well with what the gallery offers.

Galleries typically have a "review board" to decide which artwork will be shown. Artists will usually submit a few pieces of their work (or, if they are not local, galleries will sometimes allow pictures to be sent). Galleries will evaluate your art based on multiple criteria, but primarily it will revolve around the quality of your work, whether your art is a good fit for the gallery, and if your art will compete with any of the other artists in the gallery (e.g., if your art is too similar). Some galleries also require artists to already have a body of work. In order to be selected, sometimes you won't be allowed to have your art displayed within a certain radius of the gallery.

Try to get to know the staff of your local art galleries, and be as friendly as possible. Make sure to get on their mailing lists and get invited to all opening shows. In fact, it's useful to offer to help them by volunteering some of your time. That way, when something is happening, you'll be top-of-mind.

Certainly, you aren't limited to local galleries but, clearly, they are more convenient to make personal connections. You'll find that galleries in some areas are easier to get into than others. (One artist told me that she found it very hard to exhibit in Auckland, New Zealand; however, her art was very welcome in galleries in Wellington, New Zealand - the capital city.) Galleries do search for new artists at art shows and on websites, so it's always a good idea to have your art on a website.

To request to show your art at a particular gallery, write a formal letter expressing your desire to exhibit at their gallery. A personal visit or phone call is also a good idea as a follow-up. Art typically isn't going to sell itself - you have to sell it. How do you sell it? By convincing people that it has value, and personal relationships go a long way to convince people of your value. During your personal visit, you can reinforce messages in your letter, such as the type of collector who would be interested in your art, why they will be interested in it, what is special and unique about your art, and ideas you have on the best ways to sell it. Other points to consider include how many pieces you currently have to sell and how much art you're able to produce in a given timeframe.

If you get turned down, don't miss an important opportunity to find out the reasons why. Be sincere in your desire to understand. Ask questions about the types of values they were looking for that you didn't demonstrate. This will help you better present yourself and your work in the future.

Pricing your Art

There are many different ways to price your art. For example, you could define an "hourly rate" for the time you spent in addition to the cost of the materials (e.g., if you consider your time worth $20/hour and the painting took you 10 hours in total to create, you could use $200 as a starting point for pricing). You should also compare your art with similar pieces and use the pricing of those pieces as a starting point (including your own art that you've previously sold). Don't just look at art specifically comparable to yours, but also at other segments of art. (This will also help you better market your art because you will better understand the values people can derive from what you offer relative to other categories.) You should also consider if you will sell only the original or if you can additionally sell reproductions for a lesser price (i.e., increasing the total revenue by selling many copies).

When pricing your art, understand that all galleries are going to have their own, individual commission structure. Commission rates usually range from 20 - 50% of the purchase price, though you will find 30 - 40% very common. Some galleries also require a "hanging" fee (e.g., $20 per painting) and, as a result, may take less in commission. Though it is possible for an artist to bargain with a gallery on commission, unless you have a particular reputation already, it's unlikely you will be successful. Be prepared to explain why you are pricing your art as you are - some galleries will want to know your objective criteria. You should be able to explain your pricing with facts.

You can find some other useful tips for pricing at Art Prices - Price Your Art Realistically.

Creating Opportunities from Limited Experience

Art students and recent graduates typically have an especially hard time financially benefiting from their art. It's difficult to find jobs in art.

Though art galleries are a useful place to sell your art, they don't hold a monopoly on your distribution possibilities. You can show your art at cafes, restaurants, offices of professionals (e.g., doctors, lawyers, companies). Some building management or other companies might also allow you to manage their art decorations for a rental fee. This is a great opportunity for you to keep showing your newest pieces as you periodically change the art you offer. You might even be able to offer art from friends to give them opportunities as well. Sometimes, it might even be worth it to display your art for free in hopes that the exposure might lead to other opportunities. Additionally, you can offer the professionals or companies a commission should any of your artwork be sold.

Consider starting an email list. Although you will have to be aware of spam laws, which vary by country, sending emails with pictures of your art or links to your website can lead to new opportunities, especially outside of your local area. There are tools to help artists create their own websites (e.g., EBSQ Self Representing Artists). Consider for a moment this idea: if you had an email list in which only 30 people gave you $35/month for which you offered them a $500 - $1,000 piece of art in return, that would provide you opportunities to constantly be working on your art and benefiting financially as you grow your reputation. However, if you do this, you must always be reliable and meet your commitments. It's not enough to be just an artist - you have to be a business person too in some sense.

Networking is a very common business practice to increase sales, and networking to sell art is no different. Meeting many people and getting them to trust you will expand your opportunities to sell art and, sometimes, even get you invited to overseas events and shows. A great place to network is art shows, so try to get involved in as many as possible. Sometimes, for as little as $30/year, you can get access to many group events like club shows, competitions, and speeches. This will further your network to get in touch with the right people.

There are many websites that allow you to put your art on products (e.g., gifts, t-shirts, greeting cards, posters). They take care of all the printing, packaging, shipping, and payments. For the artist, it's as simple as loading your art onto the Web. Examples include redbubble, artist rising, foundmyself, and imagekind.

There are some cities where you can sell your art on the streets. Rules to sell art are localized, so you'll have to do some research. For example, in New York, there is an organization named Artists' Response To Illegal State Tactics (A.R.T.I.S.T.) that has won some lawsuits and has detailed instructions for how to sell art on the streets of New York (including links to getting the required New York Certificate of Authority to Collect Sales Tax). Many cities also have art fairs but you must make sure that you apply on-time. Most all art fairs will have an application process that starts long before the actual art fair, and there are a limited number of spots/booths (e.g., America's oldest art fair, the Chicago Old Town Art Fair, completes their 3-month application and jury process 5 months before the event).

Although the opportunities are typically more limited, the value of your art and your reputation will increase the more you're able to get in the news, radio, or TV. The media are an incestuous bunch and you'll find an increase in media opportunities the more you participate in media.

Conclusion

There are opportunities to make money with your art, and exceptional stories do exist. Rozi Demant is a case-in-point, having produced five sold-out solo exhibitions before reaching the age of 24 and selling one of her pieces for $25,000. The possibilities are there - but financially benefiting from your art takes more than just artistic talent. If you have other ideas to help artists, please let me know so that I can update these suggestions.

Administrator's Note: The preceding article was used for an afternoon discussion [download discussion text as .txt file] and an evening discussion [download discussion text as .txt file] in the Braincrave.com group on May 12, 2010 in Second Life, a free 3D virtual world.