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Feb 13, 2023
The Armada
©2023 Mary A Planding
I would rather die of passion than of boredom. – Vincent van Gogh
Not long ago I was having a conversation with a colleague who quoted a well-known artist / consultant as saying "art is the only product in search of a market." We had been discussing how to market our art, what things we were doing that worked, what didn't, and speculating as to the reasons why / why not, and what to do about it.
She was asking if that was true or not. I began laughing because in my 40+ years of marketing experience in too many industries to count, I had more clients with products in search of markets than products with ready-made markets. Marketing art is certainly not unique for that reason.
Easy marketing for me?
You'd think marketing my own art would be easy-peasy because of my long career in marketing. [Buzzer] Nope. Sooo not easier. "But Mary -- that's a piece of cake for you," many well-meaning friends have said. Thanks for your belief in me! But it's been hard work, and a lot of it. And I work at it every. single. day.
But my colleague's comment got me thinking ever more deeply about what makes buying art different / more difficult than any other consumer product or service. What makes the whole process seem so mysterious and daunting?
Relishing beauty
Most people I know enjoy visiting museums and art galleries to see art. Still others really love seeing outdoor art installations or going to wine & art festivals or art fairs. The human need to view beauty — whether Mother Nature's creation or a human's, is indisputable. Why else do we visit far flung places to experience something awe-inspiring, or buy homes with views, or set aside extraordinary expanses of our planet into national parks and sanctuaries? Science already has proven that our health improves just by viewing beauty while listening to music. The popularity of the recent Van Gogh immersion-type experiences going around the country clearly demonstrates that.
Bringing art into our personal and work spaces
Putting art in our private spaces for our pleasure is an obsession for some, and a nice-to-have for others. Filling our homes (and work spaces) with objects we find appealing — from mugs and vases to furniture — are all forms of creative expression. Some are functional, some are decorative.
What's your experience?
I haven't come to any solutions / conclusions about the challenges of marketing art, because I'm still learning. So I'm coming back to you. How do you find art that you love? When do you go looking for art (and it could be any form of art)? When was the last time you bought some art? What makes you finally say, "I want that" and buy it. Where do you buy it? What's easy about buying art? What makes buying art hard? How would you like to buy art? What would make buying art exciting? Easy? Rewarding? For whom do you buy art? Yourself? A loved one? A friend? Your company? What's the reason? A gift? A home remodel project? A space make over? Pure impulse because you can't resist it? Seriously. I would be so grateful for whatever you're willing to share about your own experience if you've bought art.
What I know so far
My observations are that buying art runs the gamut from — a casual purchase of a fine art print or gifts — to a more deliberate decision for buying an original painting — to the ultimate experience of commissioning an original work of art. Perhaps there is something else I'm missing?
When I started this journey, I knew there would be no ready-made market. It's also a crowded market with lots of "art" from hobbyists, to those selling "art" at bargain basement prices, along with tons of art curation sites, and now AI-generated art. Talk about fighting against all odds! Sometimes I think I jumped into the fire!! Any help or insight you can offer would be most welcome.
My journey continues
My journey has been extremely rewarding. As much as I enjoyed what I did before, it feels so freeing to finally be doing what I love most. As hard as it's been, it's also brought me great joy and feelings of profound gratitude. Being able to paint and give back to our oceans has been a dream I've held close for a long, long, long, time.
And on those special days and moments, whenever any of you buys one of my paintings, or a print, or a gift — I can't help but do a little happy dance because you loved my art so much you bought some for yourself or to give another. Because as welcome as the money always is, for me it has always been about the deeper connection we've created with each other through art, and helping the oceans together.
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Use your mobile device's camera to superimpose any piece of art from my site onto a wall in your home or business.
To use this feature, look for the "Live Preview AR" button below each piece of art on its dedicated page. Questions? Get in touch.
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