The Artist APPEALS: The 7 Step System to Make Money with Your Art

In the Artist Appeals Podcast today, Erin Sparler delves into the ‘Appeals' acronym for this podcast. Erin shares more on Art; what art is, how to market your artwork and much more. Listen up and hear from her.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources. 

In this episode you'll listen to:

[00:30] The full meaning of the ‘appeals’ acronym for this podcast.

[01:28] What artwork is.

[01:33] The different terms used when referring to art.

[03:02] What to do next after creating a collection of your artwork.

[03:09] What makes the theme of your body to your artwork.

[03:26] The difference between theme and style in artwork and how they relate.

[03:50] What your voice is in the art industry.

[04:35] Why it is essential to share your artwork.

[06:08] Erin’s advice on how to make money using your artwork.

[07:50] Why developing artwork is therapeutic.

[08:43] Why it is essential to know the reasons why you create your artwork.

[ 09:05] Ways on how to amplify the ideas why you create your artwork.

[10:36] What Ensos are in the Zen artwork practice.

[12:04] How to deploy Zen tangling to create your artwork.

[12:47] More ways on how to journal your artwork.

[13:32] A to-do assignment checklist for artists.

Links

The Zen Art

Erin Sparler 

Art for meditation

TheArtistAppealsPodcast

Artist Appeals Resources

In this episode of The Artist Appeals, we're going to talk to the founder of ArtBizJams and seasoned licensed fabric designer, Phyllis Dobbs! Phyllis, has been in the textile and service industry for over 15 years. Her fabric was first featured on Hancock Fabrics and she's been designing patterns, textiles, and working in the licensing field for quite some time. About seven or eight years ago, she helped found a new event that has limited numbers and it's called ArtBizJam.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources.  

In this episode you’ll hear:

[03:45] How Phyllis founded the Art Biz Jam.  

[06:27] Why Phyllis niched down to fabric art.

[09:06] The challenges that Phyllis and her team fought through when creating Art Biz Jam. 

[09:26] How the licensing process went down when founding the Art Biz Jam. 

[13:00] The behind the scene series on presentation at a the Art Biz Jam 2019. 

[14:59] How the Art Biz Jam community amplifies their buiness through social media. 

[16:40] The different shows that artists go to, to showcase their art. 

[19:13]  Erin Sparler’s experience at Surtex in San Fransisco. 

[ 20:56] How Phyllis organizes her art work.

[22:41] Software that Phyllis uses to create her artwork.

[26:07] How to present your art work for licensing.

[29:41] Phyllis’ advice on the best ways on how to present your artwork.

[32:12] Phyllis’ advice on the best methods to market your art work.

[33:25] Phyllis’ experience with licensing agents and why she fired them.

[37:21] Phyllis’ advice on licensing and contract terms for your art business.

[40:18] How Phyllis defines and celebrates her success.

[46:31] Different ways on how to diversify your art business to create multiple revenue streams.

[47:26] Amazing sites you can sell your art on to expand your business.

[54:50] Advice on what to do when your art work copyrights are infringed.

[59:22] Books recommendations by Phyllis Dobbs.

LINKS 

Erin Sparler 

The Artist Appeals Podcast 

Eye Connect Crafts

Phyllis Dobbs 

The Art Biz Jam 

Hancock Fabric 

Studio M 

Creative Converting 

Atlanta Gift Market 

Bluprint 

Anthropologie 

Women’s Leadership Live 

Etsy 

Zazzle 

Spoonflower 

Photoshop 

Ilustrator 

Greeting Card Association 

Surtex 

Primitives by Kathy 

Bible Art Prints  

Lorrie Veasey 

Debbie Saviano 

Sue Todd 

Margo Tantau 

Ellie Kort 

Courtney Clein 

Katie Philips 

Michelle Thompson 

Jeffrey Stoner 

Artist Appeals Resources

 ‘When it becomes about money, it loses pleasure.’- Jean Charmed I’m Sure. 

Jean Van Brederode, the founder at Charmed I’m Sure Studio, shares tips on how to build a successful art business. 

Jean is a retired teacher who continues to be a part of the noble profession today, training artists and learning more on art too.  

Give this podcast episode a keen listening and learn more on how to come out victorious in the art industry. Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources.  

In The Artist Appeals Today, you’ll hear:

[02:40] – Jean’s backstory before Charmed I’m Sure. 

[05:10] – What inspired Jean’s business name, “ Charmed, I'm Sure." 

[06:30] – How Jean settled for jewelry art and the enameling inspiration. 

[10:00] – How Jean developed her first Art class. 

[13:00] – Methods deployed by Jean in educating people. 

[14:00] – Jean’s current business goal. 

[17:00] – Jean’s input on pricing in the Art industry. 

[22:03] – Jean shares on the power of presentation of her products in the business. 

[24:36] – The power of storytelling in sales. 

[25:51] – Benefits of amplifying your art business through networking. 

[27:40] –Jean's take on contracts, licensing, and protection rhythms in business. 

[32:00] – How Jean measures and celebrates her success. 

[33:40] – Jean's favorite story that lured her into enameling. 

[37:00] – Book Recommendations. 

[41:42] –The attempt to have Jean sell off her business. 

RESOURCES 

Art and Soul Retreat. 

Charmed I’m Sure Studio. 

Glenny Moir 

Richard Salley 

Jane Wayne 

Jeanine Gibbons 

Erin Sparler 

Jean Van B. 

The Art of Enameling- Linda Darty 

How to Steal like an Artist- Austin Kleon 

The Artist Appeals Podcast 

Enamel Warehouse 

Artist Appeals Resources - Link

On the Artist Appeals podcast today, we engage Debbie Saviano. She is one of the three founders of Women’s Leadership Live. Debbie is a social media design nerd, who navigates the gates of social media and global travel showing others how to develop and keep relationships through social media by connecting, engaging and relating to those they serve. Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources. 

In this episode you’ll hear: 

1.[00:03:26] – Debbie’s professional life before creating Women’s Leadership Live. 

2.[00:05:46]  – How Debbie started on helping people with social media and public speaking. 

3.[00:07:18] – Debbie’s meeting with Women's Leadership Live, co-founders, Stacy Schieffelin, and Linda McMahon.  

4.[00:10:01] – Women’s Leadership Live, goals, and strategies laid out to achieve them.  

5.[00:11:00] – Women’s Leadership Live, collaboration with Buy Live. 

6.[00:19:56] – Women’s Leadership Live, four pillars. 

7.[00:25:43] – Women's Leadership, presentation designs, and implementation. 

8.[00:29:05] – Why educating your markets through communication is vital.

9.[00:31:28] – Women’s Leadership Live, training sessions. ‘Real secrets to business success Masterclass and the Artbiz retreat jam. 

10.[00:35:18] – Debbie shares the social media strategies that she deploys on different social media platforms. 

11.[00:38:46] – Debbie's social media challenge to listeners on connecting with any five mega brands, they'd love to collaborate. 

12.[00:43:47] – Examples of positive outcomes that came from amplifying other brands by Debbie by use of social media. 

13.[00:47:05] – Debbie’s advice on licenses and contracts within Women’s Leadership Live. 

14.[00:49:45] – Debbie’s manner to rejuvenate herself when feeling overwhelmed. 

15.[00:51:52] – Debbie’s favorite failure. 

16.[00:55:38] – Debbie’s favorite book and social media channel. 

LINKS: 

Buy It Live 

Joe’s Magazine- Buzzsprout 

Artbiz Jam 

The 43 Percent Podcast 

Debbie Saviano 

Erlin Sparler  

The Artist Appeals Podcast 

Artist Appeals Resources - Link

Interview with an Author, Craft Shop Owner and Former Model

The host, Erin Sparler, gives an overview about the Artist Appeals’ 7 Step System.  She uses the format of the Appeals acronym APPEALS. It stands for Art, Product, Presentation, Educate, Amplify, License and Success.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources. 

The Appeals acronym

• tries to summarize a big amount of information into seven chunks

Art

• we start as artists by creating art

Product

• We talk about the difference between brand voice theme

Presentation

• you need to present that product in a professional manner

Educate

• all of this is for not if you don't get the word out by educating your audience

Amplify (Automate)

• you want to get bigger in the world of business

Licensing

• licensing is where you take your work and you let a manufacturer use your work on their product

Success

• how do you define success?

Resources:

Artist Appeals - Website

Erin Sparler - LinkedIn

Artist Appeals Resources - Link

Interview with the VP of Product Development at Spellbinders Paper Arts

Denzil Quick, the VP of product development at Spellbinders Paper Arts, LLC, sits down with Erin Sparler to talk about APPEALS and the process of figuring out what products they’re going to develop next.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources. 

What do you look for in a product to help facilitate communication with an audience?

• I like teaching people and I like giving back

What do you look for in a piece of art or in a concept that you makes you resonate with it and makes you select it?

• one of the things you have to do as an artist is be your own marketer

How do you go about producing your products?

• We we work with about 50 different factories all over the world

What is Pog?

• It is an actual true representation of what is it going to look like

What kind of activities do you see as most effective for educating and communicating with your market?

• It's a lot more work for the artists, but I think ultimately, it gives you greater control

What are your most effective ways that you reach out to your audience?

• It's going to depend a little bit on you your style, your personality, what you like to do

Advice about licensing and contracts

• Intellectual property, your ideas, are the same as physical property, you own it, it's just like owning an apartment building, and you lease it like you would an apartment

Resources:

Artist Appeals - Website

Erin Sparler - LinkedIn

Spellbinders – Website   https://www.spellbinderspaperarts.com

Spellbinders – Blog  https://www.spellbindersblog.com

Spellbinders – Instagram   https://www.instagram.com/teamspellbinders/

Denzil Quick – LinkedIn    https://www.linkedin.com/in/denzil-quick-01129890/

Artist Appeals Resources - Link

Interview with the owner of a lip balm and body scrub skincare company

Ashley Monney, the owner of Cire d’Abeille, makes inspired lip balms that are locally sourced and partners with wineries, distilleries and coffee roasters to make infused lip balm.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources. 

Creation of the product

• experimented with different flavors of the coffees, of the wines.

Custom packaging

• It's based on what brands and companies I’m working with.  

Wholesaling focus

• My primary focus of my company, I'd say about 90 to 95% is wholesaling only because I didn't want to have a retail store and have to manage.  

Presentation of the product

• I watched a lot of online tutorials, trial and error, get lots of feedback on the presentation before I roll it out.

• I can't just base it on what I think looks best, because I'm not the big picture.

Marketing tactics for educating the audience

• don't give people too many choices.

How do you grow beyond the product lines?

• the biggest piece of advice I got was start small.

Licensing and contractual terms

• The first thing I learned is I looked at packaging of lip balms that I wanted to emulate or copy or be like, like, what are the brand standards what's required by the FDA to put on a label?

What does success look like?

• The best day ever that I can still remember was when I had sold to coffee infused lip balm, where I was even officially like under a new LLC and with full blown liability insurance.

What are your favorite books within the art field or the business field?

• I'm not so much doing books. I do a lot of podcasts and I do a lot motivational videos for entrepreneurs where I hear and listen to other people's stories and what have worked for them.

Resources:

Artist Appeals - Website

Erin Sparler - LinkedIn

Ashley Monney -  LinkedIn

Cire d’Abeille - Website  Instagram  Facebook  Etsy

Cire d'Abeille Interview - Blog Post

Artist Appeals Resources - Link

Interview with an Author, Craft Shop Owner and Former Model

Sandra Evertson, the owner of Relics and Artifacts and author of Fanciful Paper Projects, Fanciful Paper Flowers and Memories of a Lifetime: Weddings, sits down with Erin Sparler to talk about how she developed her business and came to this space.  Go to theArtistAppeals.com to get free artist resources.  

Was there some sort of defining moment that led you down this career path?

I was selling antiques and then I started making things from these little bits and parts of antiques that were too good to toss out.   I would put these pieces together just different assemblages and people were buying those more than they were buying the antique pieces.

what was your biggest fear or hurdle you had to overcome in making that transition?

That's a huge move to go from LA where things are going well and you're being successful. Move to Texas, which I know can be rural in some areas. My whole life has just kind of been about diving in.  I never thought about it. I was going to make it work no matter what. I had to put the work in to get it to happen.

What is your goal in what you do now?

It's all kind of ever evolving. I more or less have kind of followed that little thing that clicks inside you that makes you go Oh, well, I'm going to do this. And now I'm kind of gonna do that. And that's kind of what I still do. The more I work and the more I create, the more ideas I get to create new things. Those ideas are all laid out there kind of ahead. I just have to make those moves towards them.

What do you look for in an art piece?

Sometimes it is a gut feeling. I've also had really wrong gut feelings. I do have to guess what the general public is going to like more.   I'm getting better at that because my tastes are fairly eclectic. I am working gradually into a market where there are more people. I want to bring these people along and give them more unique taste as well, instead of all the kind of generic things that are on the market.

I didn't want to damage the art pieces so I started making castings that I could then paint and add the stones to and mosaic and different things. Those blanks became a product that was just obvious to me that this needed to be on the market. That's where the whole thing evolved from.

How do you cast your molds?

It's got to be something sturdy enough to be cast. If it's not something I can actually cast, I'll resculpt it.  I'll make myself an original copy of it or as similar as possible so that it still retains that charm of an old piece.  I will cast it either with plaster or with a silicone rubber. Then I make my molds. I make my castings from those original molds that I create.  Also, I'll take an antique piece and I will make a few things out of it or I’ll make one piece and add pieces to it. Then I cast those in stone resin so that they have a nice textured feel almost like porcelain.

How many do you make in a run?

I'll make hundreds in a run. I have a couple people that help me in our shipping department. It's a small business.  The thing I like about doing it myself, I was working with a large corporation, and we were making them in China and I just didn't feel really good.  I didn't have a lot of control over it.

How important is the tactile element?

The tactile element is hugely important because it it allows the craft artists to then finish it with whatever they want to finish it with.  Iit gives them so much flexibility.

How do you work with your employees to present products and make it a an experience for the end user?

That is really what it's all about from the beginning of the process to the end of the process where the customer has the piece in their hand at home. I tend to have to take a lot of control over it because all the photographs are my own, the way that it's presented, that way I can control exactly the way that I want it to look.

I do want it to be protective when packaged, so it's in bubble wrap. It's also in this beautiful little shredded paper that surrounds it so that it looks like it's an antique already.  Then the shipping box it goes in. Also, the whole computer thing and being where we're at with internet right now, Shipstation. You can track every single thing for every person and you make sure that everything gets shipped out the next day or the same day that it was ordered for customer service.  You get ratings on it. I just want my customers have a good experience from the beginning to the end, as well. We actually get our mail picked up, pick it up every day, and we ship out packages every single day.

How do you educate your audience to the benefits of your blanks and the quality of your blanks?

Instagram is a huge thing for me.  I find it's the best for showing unique artists, because there's so many companies on there. And there's so many artists and people and anything you can imagine is there on Instagram at your fingertips. It's my favorite place for advertising.  Facebook,I just go through, do little posts of what the product is, what the item is, give it a little story about where the piece came from. They do all have a story and I add those stories into what the final product is, what the blank is. And then then the artists, they carry that on, they put their thoughts and emotions and designs into the piece and it becomes something of their own.

How have you grown your following?

It's just been all organic.  People do show their artwork, and they'll refer back to us, and we get people like that. Instagram is like a mini job for me.  I'll go and I'll find people that are interested in what I'm doing. I'll like their stuff and follow them. Then they come back and look at mine and follow me. For me, it's about growing my business and growing sales. And the way that I do it by going and following people and looking at their work and commenting on their work and getting them to come back and take a look at what we're doing.  I try to give it an hour a day. I just make it a habit. It's the place where I have been able to grow much more quickly because of just dedicating that little bit of time to it.

Do you sell wholesale and retail?

We did sell wholesale for a while, but it was just too much. I want to keep it more where I can work with my customers directly.  I think it's a better experience from me and them. I do become friends with a lot of my customers. They're all repeat buyers.

How do you reach out to your customers?

Once a year we give them like a $500 coupon to purchase more. I'll take the top three of all the customers we've had for the year and they always will buy double that. It's just such an advantage for us. And for them as well.

What does success look like for you?

Where I am now, where I've slowed it down, made better products, I feel successful. Putting out super good product that is not as commercial, that's maybe more individual. It also educates the buyer and makes them more apt to buy more unique things. Our whole environment of retail is changing. It's going back to how it was in the early 1900s where all these little boutiques are like the way Europe is.  It's settling into more of that kind of thing and more sustainable and more of an experience, rather than just going to a big department store, buying something cheap and going home and making something out of that. People are putting more time into what they're doing making nicer things for themselves and just having a different kind of our experience.

Do you have any books you would recommend?

I love Joseph Campbell and I love the Power of Myth. If there  was one book that I would just give everyone, it would be that little book because then that would lead them into all of his writings. That guy was a genius. It put everything together and made all these little neurons Connect.

Resources:

Artist Appeals - Website

Erin Sparler - LinkedIn

Sandra Evertson - Website  Facebook  Instagram

Relics & Artifacts - Instagram  Facebook

Shipstation - Website

Artist Appeals Resources - Link