Snail Mail vs Email

Sacred Heart, detail on postcard, original painting 36 x 36

Back when I first started painting I did a lot of art fairs and exhibits. The great thing about them is that you come face to face with folks and you can build your mailing list. On the down side, most fairs don't attract the original art collectors, they are geared toward the inexpensive print buyer. I was lucky enough to participate in Red Earth art show in Oklahoma City for several years and got quite a nice mailing list of my collectors. Most galleries won't give you the names of your buyer making it difficult to build your list. But that's a discussion for another post

I used to mail out newsletters, postcards of show openings etc. But with the ever growing popularity of email  the the outrageous price of postage, my Snail Mailing has really dropped. Some people just won't give you their email address or they mean to but never do or *gasp* don't have email. I've lost contact with some of my collectors by neglecting them. How could I let this happen?

So for the next few days I'm updating my Snail Mail list by searching the internet for current addresses. I'm happy to report that most of my collectors are still right where I left them the last time I wrote. Whew! I've also found a few on facebook and I will pursue that further

I will be sending postcards to all of these folks to try and acquire an email address. But I'm also planning on contacting the folks on my email list and try to get their mailing address. Why? I think folks like to get post cards from artists. Don't you? And most artists no longer do this. I'll stand out in the crowd. Email will continue to be my main source of contact but I'll also be adding an occasional post card to the mix. 

Oh Well

Detail, work in progress, "Mine is a Long and Sad Tale"

So much for my anti-stress weekend away from the studio. I'm cutting the weekend short and getting back to my paintings a day early. I can't wait!!

It's surprising how a few days away from the easel really makes you appreciate your creative time.

I'd like to work on the Mouse Project painting but galleries are wanting new work. I love my life!! 

I Quit!

No, Not really. I don't know what Quit means

Yesterday was a typical day. 

6:30 I wake up . I lay in bed and plan my day.

7am I'm up feeding cats, dogs, making coffee.

8 am Blogging, checking email, facebook etc

9am - 6pm in the studio painting (hubby drags me away today for a bit to look at a chipper shredder a local man is selling)

6pm checking email, planning my evening

7pm- 10:30 a quick dinner (if it can't be made in 20 minutes, forget it!)  updated my resume, prepared thank you 'packets' to recent buyers.

10:30 - 11:00 get in bed and read a book ( reading a mindless books about zombies)

Today: I don't want to get out of bed. I'm Burned Out! I had my day planned to go to town, ship 6 paintings and do some shopping. I dragged myself out of bed, spent the day in town. All was going well until the fedex person called and said I had addressed a box to myself! I wanted to cry. "Town" is 1 1/2 hours away and I didn't want to drive back and find out which box was mis-addressed (turned out, I was reusing a box and the wrong address was on one side and the correct address was on the other).

Time for a break! I have no imminent deadlines, no promises I've made . So I'm taking a 3 day vacation.

Vacation? To me that means that those  talavera Mexican tiles that I bought over a year ago for my kitchen counter tops WILL be put in. My flower beds that I've neglected for the past 2 years will be weeded. Yep, I have a type 'A' personality. I can't sit and do nothing. But it looks like I need to take a break from my Art Business  and get centered. I'll be back at my easel bright and early Monday morning.

An Artists life

The Heart Fears Nothing, 40 x 30, oil on canvas. Shipping to Gallery at the Windsor,Del Norte, CO

When I started this blog I thought I would update it daily. But lets face it, most of my days are just like the day before and the day after. Today I took a break from painting to box up some art work to ship this week. I have a shed that holds all of my shipping supplies. It was such a disaster area that I spent the day reorganizing it. Pretty exciting, huh?

But that's part of being an artist.

Do you really Need a website?

Quilled Moccasins, 12 x 9, oil on canvas

I've read all sorts of articles about 'How to sell on the internet', 'Bring customers to you Blog'. Does it work? Not much.

I find my websites are most useful to show my artwork to my galleries.  And the buyers that are already familiar with my paintings  stop by and look but still, almost all of them buy from my galleries. I don't think I'm going to Be Discovered through my sites and become rich and famous.

So, is a website / blog worth the trouble. You bet! This is what happened to me this weekend: I was participating at a gallery show and a buyer came up to me and said "I really liked that painting you did of the Moccasins but it sold before I could buy it. Do you think you'll be doing another one?"I happened to have another painting of moccasins on my website so the buyer and I went into the gallery office, pulled up my website and voilà! I sold the painting. And as long as we were on my site, I showed them another painting I thought they might like. Sold! 

Because my website was up to date I was able to sell 2 paintings then and there. I've had that happen more than a few times. And of course, this is counted as a gallery sell and the gallery gets their commission.

I'd love to hear any success stories you've had with your paintings and your website.

Gallery 822 - Show opening

Sings with the Eagle, oil on linen, 20 x 30

Hope to see you at The Gallery at 822 Canyon Road, Santa Fe this Friday May 07, 2010, 5-8 pm. I'll be there with the other gallery artists. Lots of New work