Chances are you’re here because you’ve asked me if I have any sage words of wisdom to offer a budding artist, such as yourself. Well I really hope I can help, because it really is a fantastic passion to pursue. Everyone wants to leave their mark on the world, and the lives of the people they encounter!
Below, I’ve done my best to summarise my own experiences and offer advice that I wish I’d had during the first years of my career.
Hopefully it can help you get started, or at least prepare you for what’s involved!
- Network
- Advertise / Find exposure (digitally and in-person)
- Enter competitions / Make submissions
- Organise exhibitions / Take part in events
- Side project hustle
- Say yes to everything / Try new things
ONE: Network
It’s about *who* you know, as well as *what* you know. Find your people. Find other local artists and see what events are happening to stay in the loop. It really is easy to do this via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook etc. But it helps to visit local galleries and exhibitions and note some names to research, or even better, attend to a private view. A lot of galleries have mailing lists that let you know when such events happen. Be sure to support other artists, too. Share and like their work, it all helps in making new contacts. I’ve been surprised at how often popular social media accounts will respond/share content, especially if it’s made for them, specifically. Portraits/pet portraits are often desirable!
TWO: Advertise
Find places to share your work and projects and update it often. Show everyone your social profiles who show an interest, your hairdresser, the local barista, everyone! A cool thing about art is that there are so many branches you can cover. Something you can do is bound to appeal to someone (or someone they know). Whether it’s a person or place, an animal or even a medium you use -I once did a portrait out of beer as a gift for a brewery owner! Social media is powerful free advertisement, learn your tags and get the right people to find it. Try and be clever/ a bit different if a subject is done a lot so that yours stands out!
THREE: Competitions
Not only are competitions fun to take part in, but they draw attention to your work, help connect you to like-minded people, add to your productivity and portfolio, and will often be heavily advertised in their own right. Plus it all helps you gain success/recognition, especially if you become shortlisted, or win! Enter all sorts of events, many of them are for free, or raise money for charity.
FOUR: Exhibitions and events
If you’re unsure of a solo event, join one! You don’t just have to focus on galleries or traditional exhibition spaces. Coffee shops, shopping centres, anywhere with a waiting room and many local venues often offer their wall space up to artists. This can often be for free but they may charge a commission on sales, so check before you price things! But hiring out a gallery space is a great way to promote the variety of work you can offer, whether 2D or 3D. Take part in as much as you can so that you’re always putting your work out there, both online and physically. Inktober is a great online event every October that people are getting more creative with (again, learn your hashtags and try to stand out). But joining a monthly challenge is a great way to commit to completing new work each day, and keeping yourself creatively loose and active!
Art trails are something else I’ve had great success and fun being part of. Google events near you and join mailing lists (you might want a specific art email that you can check regularly).
FIVE: Side project hustle
If you’re anything like me, your creativity will run into your other hobbies too. I customise clothing, take part in cosplay and make props and outfits for Steampunk events. I enjoy crafting, making and customising most things I own. If you enjoy what you do, it’s hard to escape it, and that passion will come through to anyone looking to take on an artist professionally! Share whatever you end up doing, as you never know who it may inspire or where it will lead.
SIX: Say ’yes’ to everything
This is how I ended up painting huge wall murals and painting on antique bombs. Even if it’s intimidating or unusual, you never know what you’re capable of until you try it and challenge yourself. It really is how you grow as an artist. Crazy projects always make for great stories and saying ‘yes’ (despite initial reservations) has lead to some work I’m incredibly proud of.
– It may seem obvious to point out, but every artist’s journey is different and unique. It’s always worth asking for multiple perspectives, but I’m sure all will agree – success is about luck and timing as well as good skill. I’ve been lucky enough to always have support throughout my journey, and my continued success has been due to the perseverance of several people. Some days you want to give up, you get frustrated, as I imagine most freelancers do, but the successes and accomplishments really do mean the world!
I wish you the very best of luck and I hope that it brings you as much joy as it has me.
Rosie Rockets 