We’re one week into the New Year and beginning to settle down. The first edition of the new newsletter went out last week with some glitches, but we worked on them and our crossing our fingers for this one. Change is almost always accompanied by challenges. I am still working on my goals and have allowed myself one more week to get a clear picture as to what I want from this year. I’m very much looking forward to “How to Tap Into Daily Actions to Accomplish Your Goals in the New Year” with Rachelle Disbennett-Lee tomorrow night. It’s just what I need to kick off 2007! And I hope you’ll read the blurb below and join us. If you haven’t checked out the 7-day smARTist Tele-summit, I hope you’ll do so. Joan Stewart, a publicity expert, is giving a free preview call this Thursday. I am always empowered by Joan’s newsletter and website, http://www.thepublicityhound.com . I know she’ll have powerful information to share with you. See details below. Until next week,

What Goes Into a Successful Exhibition?

Online class begins this Wednesday, January 10

Do you want to know the secret to successful exhibitions? “Exhibit Your Art: Venues to Openings” covers everything from selecting your artwork to installing it to being a terrific host(ess) at your opening. It's best to be prepared! Find out the class details and join us.

How to Tap into Daily Actions to Accomplish Your Goals in the New Year

Teleseminar, tomorrow, Tuesday, January 9, 8 p.m. EST

Kick off the New Year with a promise to make it your best ever! Coach Rachelle Disbennett-Lee, who writes a daily action-oriented newsletter, shares with us the power of consistent, focused action. Think of everything you could accomplish if you took a single step toward your goal each day. Please join this inspiring call.
 

Publicity Expert Joan Stewart

Free teleseminar for smARTist Tele-summit,
Thursday, January 11, 7 p.m. EST

Want to know how to get free publicity? Are you shy or unsure about how to approach a journalist to write a story about you? Would you like to know what mistakes to avoid when talking to the press about your art? Joan Stewart is a publicity expert extraordinaire who knows how to catch the attention of frazzled news directors, busy reporters and grumpy editors, so the world can know about your art. Sign up here.

View all upcoming classes and events.
 

FEATURE ARTICLE

Get It Out There

Where is your art being seen at this very minute? Quick! Name every place that you could tell a potential buyer to go see your work. And you only get points if it’s outside your home or studio. Okay, this isn’t really a game.

What I want to do is to encourage you to get your work where passersby and art lovers can see it. An alternative title for this topic might be “Get It Out OF There” as in “get your work out of your house and studio and where others can see it.” It’s not doing you a whole lot of good to keep it under your watchful eye, except that you know it’s safe and secure. That’s always nice to know, but you are ready to take some risks. It’s 2007 after all. You’re rarin’ to go.

You know:

The more people who see your work, the more people there are to love it, buy it, and collect it.

With this mantra, you’re filled with new energy to share your work.

Every time you show your art in public, it takes you to a new level.

As a former museum curator and educator, I am of the firm belief that viewers complete the art. Yes, art exists without viewers, but its meaning is greatly reduced. Think of all the meaning that has been added to the Mona Lisa over the centuries. Or to Picasso’s Guernica. Or Kahlo’s self-portraits. Each viewer has brought his or her own experiences to the works. You, as the artist, learn from each one. It doesn’t mean you like them all, but you learn. And you can’t help but get better as a result.

If you haven’t already done it as part of your 2007 goals, take time this week to articulate and write down where you will show your work this year. Don’t forget the virtual world and non-traditional spaces.

Art venues are hard to find with little notice, so you’ll also need to nail down spaces for your work in 2008 and beyond. Artist Lisa Call posted her exhibit goals on her art blog, http://blog.lisacall.com :

• I obtain 3 new solo shows for 2008 and beyond, targeting university/non-profit galleries and museums.

• I send out 2-4 show proposals per month to meet the above deadline.

• I enter exactly 5 high quality national juried art/craft/fiber shows.

Are you prepared to do the same?

If you’re ready to show your work or have an exhibit coming up that you want to make the most of, I hope you’ll join the “Exhibit Your Art” class this Wednesday.

Not sure you have enough work to share? I’ll tackle that problem next week.