Artistry,Meets,Business,Acumen business, insurance Artistry Meets Business Acumen

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Most of us tend to characterize artists as otherworldly, with brainsthat function differently than most of ours do. I've never beforeconsidered the business of being an artist. But any notions ofotherworldliness were quickly dispelled after I spent time with a groupof After 55 artists in Carefree, Ariz.There were 11 of us, all but one of a "certain age." They included Carol Matthews, a watercolorist; Sue Lewis, a jewelry artist; Margit Kagerer, an award-winning art quilt maker; Katalin Ehling, a batik expert; Ann Otis, who does magnificent etchings and monotypes; Judy Bruce,a contemporary artist; and Marty Gibson, who works in mixed media andprintmaking. The conversation was wide-ranging and lively.Their challenges are familiar: marketing, maintainingprofessional standards, and remaining fresh to themselves and to themarketplace.But there are other issues unique to artists, as I learned from the discussion.Problem: Every business needs visibility, andthat's especially true of the visual arts. Along with having an onlinepresence and distributors (e.g., galleries), these artists constantlystruggle to determine the best venues to display their work: Shouldthey do small, self-mounted exhibits? Participate in large communityexhibits? Commercial art festivals? Studio events? How many a year? Howfar apart, both in time and distance? Solution: They discussed launching a seriesof smaller exhibits, featuring no more than three artists at a time.They discussed potential venues, opening receptions and organizingcriteria. The only sticking point was who would be in charge of thevolunteers. Problem: Next is the question of how best todisplay their work. Who will be in charge of presentation? How do theyrecoup their costs? Like many women entrepreneurs, these particularartists don't rely only on their art to support themselves.Nonetheless, they are extremely accomplished.Solution: They discussed a communal website. They talked about who might build it, and considered finding a student intern to do so. Problem:Another challenge facing these women is the public's lack of knowledgeand respect for original art. Over the past 15 years, there's been anincrease in the quest for instant art, generally meaning acomputer-generated copy of original art that costs much less thanoriginal artwork but is adequate for the untrained eye. Each artist spoke sadly about people's lack of appreciationfor the process of creating art. With art education absent in mostschools, children are no longer exposed to the skills necessary forcreativity or the opportunity to explore their own creativity. How can artists educate the public to appreciate the value ofan original vs. a cheap copy of an oil painting? How can a finelycrafted piece of jewelry be compared with amateur beaded necklaces thatcater to a marketplace accustomed to disposable objects? How do artistshold their own in an extremely difficult economy where luxuries aredeferred?Solution: Several of the women already writeor teach about their area of art. They discussed the prospect ofeducating the public at their proposed exhibits. Problem: The final challenge: remainingfresh. Several of the artists I met are moving into new areas thatinterest them. For example, the batik artist is drawn to painting withacrylics. She believes that continuing to do what she has been doing isnot being true to herself and her gifts. The marketplace, however,identifies her with batik and shows little interest in the newdirection she is taking. How does she bring her clients along as sheventures down a new road?Solution: At their age, these women know whothey are, and that's who they are determined to be. Though it may beuncomfortable to challenge expectations, they agreed to accept thatchallenge.The artists' group meets for breakfast every Monday to talkabout the business issues facing them. In today's business world, thissort of group is called a Mastermind Alliance. In earlier days, itwould have been a quilting bee or a coffee klatch: simply, womenlooking at a problem together and sharing ideas and wisdom.Members of the group say they gather confidence from sittingand talking to like-minded women upon whom they have come to rely forgood advice and counsel.The challenges faced by working artists are not unfamiliar tocorporate-style business owners. The difference is that artists have toaddress each challenge through the medium of their work, which comesfrom deep within their being. It's a different kind of risk, one thatrequires a creative mind and business savvy.For the first in a three-part series on growing your pint-sized craft business into a full-time job, see "Pick a Name, Not Just Any Name."