I found this interresting article on a website called ArtBusiness (www.artbusiness.com/), I have abbreviated it a bit though!
“Remember that fantasy art life you grew up dreaming about, where all you have to do is create away knowing that you’re now on your way to fame and fortune?
Well – that dreamtime is over. Art is an option, not a necessity and your art competes with tons of other commodities in the marketplace. First for attention and ultimately for dollars.
You have to continuously convince individuals to buy your art – no art sells itself. Capitalise on the moments when people see your art and are impressed enough to stop, look, and ask you questions about your work – in person or online.
You have to present and contextualize whatever art they’re looking at in ways they can understand and appreciate, and do whatever you can to transition them from lookers to buyers.
Let’s say Joe buys a piece of art. He invites Mary, Susie and Bill over for dinner and the four of them are eating great food and sipping fine wine, when Mary points to Joe’s art and asks,
“Is that new?”
“Yep,” answers Joe.
“Where’d you get it?” asks Mary.
Joe’s answer has to satisfy Mary, Susie, and Bill.
“Really,” says Bill. “Who’s the artist?”
Joe’s answer has to engage Bill, Mary, and Susie to the point where now they want to know more.
“That’s interesting,” says Susie. “I’ve never seen anything like it. What’s it about?”
Joe’s answer has to get Susie, Bill, and Mary even more interested and involved.
Poor Joe’s on the spot and he’s got an awful lot of explaining to do.
The artist has to inform the buyer on what they’re about to buy – simple descriptions will do, for example “My art is about trees.”
This entry-level statement is clear and easy to understand. The artist doesn’t have to say how the art is about trees, why it’s about trees, where the references to trees lie, or what the trees mean. Viewers will take those five words, apply them to the art and find the trees in there somewhere, they’ll turn to their friends and say with confidence, “The art is about trees” and proceed to tell them why.
If you’re an artist where it just happens, talk about what happens, what inspires you, how you start, your process, how you make it, what you use, how you know you’re done. Suggest; plant the seeds, the viewers will do the rest and come to their own conclusions.
Perhaps the most important key to “selling” your art, both literally and figuratively, is giving people reasons to care. Why should they care about your art? Why do you care about your art?
Use a simple sentence why people should care about your art and distill your artist’s statement down to be brief and clearl.
Gain fans and followers, and ultimately make sales.”
