Alaskan Artist - Elise Tomlinson
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03/21/2006: "Art Marketing / Exhibiting Resources for Museum Workshop"


So, I put together a page of resources relating to the types of things I'm going to talk about with participants of the How to Exhibit Your Art workshop I'm helping out with at our City Museum.

I include templates for things I've created like show invitations, mailing lists, business cards, etc. as well as links to all of my favorite online resources. I'd really appreciate it if some of you would take a look at the page and give me some feedback. Also, if you know of any other relevant resources that I've left out, or you know a better source than one I'm linking to, I'd *love* to hear about it.

The sooner the better too, as I have to get this to the City Museum folks by the end of the day tomorrow. They may print some of the information off for a resources packet they are putting together for attendees. (btw, the last link is to a bibliography of books in Juneau that I'm still working on so I already know that that page won't load)
:blush:
THANKS!



Replies: 19 Comments

on Wednesday, March 22nd, greg said

Hi Elise! Your resource page looks super! I just might use your biz card template, but can I keep your painting on it? ;-)

On a similar topic, thanks for telling us all about the free Paul Dorrell Book "Living the Artist's Life." I just got mine Tuesday, and so far I'm really enjoying the guy's style and info. What do you think?

Good luck with your workshop stuff! :)

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Hi Greg, I've received my copy as well. I just had time to start reading it over the weekend. I have to say that I like it so far, I'll post a longer "review" after I've had a chance to read the whole thing, or I may post excerpts from it as I go along.

Oh, and thanks a lot for the feedback about my resources page...remember though, you *can* be critical. I want to make it as useful as possible and there's still time to fix it.

on Wednesday, March 22nd, maren@alaska.net">Maren said

Good Job Elise. I'm thinking of becoming an artist because I now know how to market a show. Really, very clear, consice and easy to follow. Maren

on Wednesday, March 22nd, greg said

oh okay, you have a cosmetic bullet problem with 'Exhibit Invitations' on the link list.

And 'super' comes from my non-professional opinion. Wish I could offer more. Hope you get some more feedback ... :)

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Hi Maren! Hey, sorry I didn't email you back yesterday, Tuesdays are crazy for me and I was in a terrible mood. I wanted to A. Wish you HAPPY BIRTHDAY! and B. tell you that I don't think we get Seward's Day off.
:(
Still, let's get together soon. We can be artists together!

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Howard said

Looks great Elise!

How do you deal with the signing of the contract with purchases through your website?

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Kasia said

Thanks for calling:) I was so surprised to hear from you that I totally forgot what to say! Oh, you probably think I am hopeless. And there were so many things I wanted to say - I was too excited to say them. :) I was like "don't sound boring, don't sound boring" and then here i am talkin' about my dinner. ...You should kill me.
Btw - I think your laugh is really great. :laugh:

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Good question Howard, I mail the collector two copies of the contract, I have signed, that they can then sign and keep one copy for their own records and mail back the second copy to me.

I always include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with their shipment. I have only had one person fail to mail back the contract, but I know who and where they are (they have a website as well) and it was only because they were in the middle of moving when they made the purchase. I feel pretty confident that if I mailed it to her again it would get sent back. Everyone else has returned them promptly. I only use them for the sale of originals.

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Hey Kasia! It was fun talking to you too, and you are *not* boring! I am late for work now as I was supposed to be out the door 15 minutes ago but I can't stop posting...it is a sickness!
:crazy:
And don't worry, we can talk anytime we like!

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Kasia said

I know I am addicted to internet, too :laugh:, especially blogging. A new disease? hope not. :P

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Judy Vars said

http://cabinfeverinalaska.blogspot.com/

I looked at everything on your resources page there is so much content for artists and I intend to use some on it. I wish I'd had this information before I exhibited my work. Here is a web site that is all about being organized perhaps. Something artists need http://www.flylady.com/
Elise how do you so many people to visit your blog and web site?

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise Tomlinson said

Kasia, I have seen the term "blogarrhea" (after diarrhea) "A condition where a person posts rambling, long, or frequent entries in their blog."
LOL! that's me!!!

And Juday, thanks for the link, I'll check it out after work. Thanks for looking at my resources page, feel free to use anything you like.

Also, as for "how do you get so many people to visit your blog and web site" hmmm, that's a tougher question.

For one thing, I've had the website for a long time and I've registered it on a lot of free sites. I've had the blog for nearly three years, the longer you're around the more people happen across you doing keyword searches in search engines like google.

If you make it onto their blogroll or links page, that increases the number of people who check you out as well. When I first started mine, I got almost no visitors at all. For most people (unless you luck out and get posted to in some high profile site) it takes awhile.

Plus, I've had lots of people read and post to my blog religiously only to find some better blogs and vanish never to be heard from again. I suppose you have to make your blog worth reading, which gets tougher and tougher after 3 years of posting. At some point you run out of interesting things to say!

That happens to me all the time. Unfortunately I usually post anyway, ergo the boring and the lost readers. But, if I make an interesting post, people tend to find me again.

Also, you can register your blog at various blog directories.
:)

on Wednesday, March 22nd, marja-leena said

Excellent resource page, Elise, even for an old hand like me! I'm going to delve deeper into some of those - like the business cards that I've been meaning to do, and the contract.

This is expensive but worth it if you have a big show - get good quality brochures printed with some images and a short bio and contact info. I had one done several years ago, and because it was cheaper to print large quantities, I still have lots and use these as "business cards" as well as handouts in shows. Have a peek at it here: http://www.marja-leena-rathje.info/archives/final_preparations.php

The only problem has been that I started my blog later, and changed my email address, so now I print that onto labels and stick it over the old address - not quite super professional but OK, until the next time I get brochures.

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Ah ha, yes, the brochure is something I've been meaning to do but I've never gotten around to. Yours looks really beautiful from the photo.

Did you do your own layout and everything? And may I ask how you had them printed? Was it litho or did you take them to a regular photocopy type print shop like Kinkos?

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion!

on Wednesday, March 22nd, marja-leena said

I worked with another artist friend who was in the same exhibition and we were both having the brochures printed by the same printers for a good deal. We did the layout idea together but her partner, a graphic artist, did the final work for the printers - colour separations etc. not straight photocopy. I'm not sure I could have done the last bit!

on Wednesday, March 22nd, Elise said

Thanks Marja-leena, I think you've got the right idea, that if you're going to do a brochure you need to pay the extra money and have it done up right, on nice paper with the whole nine yards.

Well done!

on Thursday, March 23rd, Kasia said

Hey, it's me again...do you remember about the photos?:)

on Thursday, March 23rd, Elise said

Ooops, I forgot. I'll see if I can find em.
:O

on Thursday, March 23rd, Kasia said

:laugh:if not - that is all right. But if you have any nice Alaska photos - I'd appreciate them. I do love the landscapes.