Revenue Alternatives

....... by Bill Hudson

  I stopped doing art festivals a year ago. For a retired 75-year-old, outdoor shows became a burden jurying in, loading, traveling, setting up, staying in a hotel, manning the booth for 2 to 4 days, packing up, traveling home, and unpacking. However, I miss the fun of meeting hundreds of people (often repeat customers), talking art, and selling in events attended by thousands of art appreciators.

  I began 2020 returning to traditional brick and mortar art galleries … the Gallery Andrea, a consignment gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona, and the Cove Gallery, a co-operative gallery in Laguna Beach. Then, as quickly as I had transitioned, art galleries were mandated closed and art shows were cancelled. The virus also eliminated opportunities for artists dependent upon workshops for income.

  I believe some of the best art is being created right now by exceptional artists with excess time, few deadlines, and possibly no other outlets. As venues slowly re-open, artists will be returning to a reconfigured world with fewer surviving traditional galleries and events.

  Personally, I have only two remaining sources of revenue from fine art … sales and commissions from my website www.BillHudsonArt.com and the print-on-demand service www.FineArtAmerica.com. Both rely on the internet which has become the “go-to” alternative for many business choices during this pandemic. Many of these online solutions developed in response to COVID-19 will become standard practices.

  The relevant question for income-dependent artists is: “How can I sell more art online?”  Actions taken to survive the pandemic will benefit sales both now and in the future.

Suggestions



Print-on-demand …  There are many reputable print-on-demand services. Until now, I have been content using only Fine Art America for the past 8 years. I submit my image and authorize them to print and sell that image on: prints, greeting cards, throw pillows, duvet covers, shower curtains, tote bags, phone cases, T-shirts, beach towels, yoga mats, spiral notebooks, blankets, battery chargers, carry-all pouches, coffee mugs, tapestries, and now, face masks . FAA also offers custom framing. For each product, I simply define my profit which is automatically deposited in my PayPal account. FAA provides a 30-day customer satisfaction guarantee or money-back policy.

   Among many other successful print-on-demand companies are: Printful, Printify, Redbubble, Zazzle, TeeSpring, Society6, Sunfrog, Teefury, Threadless, and Design by Humans .

 

Originals Sold Online …  I believe every brick and mortar gallery should have an online gallery selling available work by the resident artists. Many of those same galleries are selling space in their online galleries to additional juried artists .

   Stand-alone online galleries are on a rapid increase worldwide. The largest is Saatchi Art which charges a 35% commission and requires the artist to pack sold work for shipping. Other online galleries include VSUAL, Singulart, OnlineGallery.art, Artfinder, Azucar Gallery, Artsper, Shair Art, and U Gallery.

 

The world of art is changing quickly. During this lockdown, professional artists have been given time to create art and to embrace marketing alternatives.

 

Eric Good

I recently talked with an old artist friend, Eric Good. Eric is a professional commercial photographer. His skill is also evident in his fine art photography which he does because he must.

We were together in galleries for several years and shared our respect for nature. However, Eric, being a few years younger and unattached, was able to experience solitary sojourns into mountain wilderness, miles from civilization just to enjoy a sensation that few ever experience. Eric documents those trips in his photographs. He sees the world as beautiful, his photography as a tribute, and himself as a humble tool.

But the thing I appreciated most about Eric was his humor. His laugh is contagious, his opinions are solid but slightly different, and he finds humor or absurdity in most things. I laughed every time we were together.

Here are just two of Eric’s Facebook posts on COVID-19. These give you a glimpse into the mind of this talented artist.

        “How many days of wearing the same underwear is considered acceptable if you’re just sitting on the couch? Asking for a friend.”

 

       “Eight days into our family lockdown and I’m starting to question whether the Donner party was even hungry.”

 

Here are a couple of Eric’s photographs … evidence of his talent.