In the Art Marketing Minute Podcast, you’ll learn how to sell your art, how to market your paintings, and everything else you need to know in order to have a successful art career. Each episode answers questions from artists by host Eric Rhoads, author of “Make More Money Selling Your Art,” publisher of several art magazines and newsletters, and author of ArtMarketing.com. 

In this Art Marketing Minute, Eric Rhoads answers the questions: “Am I too old (or too young) to become a profession painter?” and “How long should I stay with the same gallery?”

Listen to the Art Marketing Minute Podcast: Episode 84 >

 

Submit Your Art Marketing Question:

What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.

FULL TRANSCRIPT of the Art Marketing Minute:
DISCLAIMER: The following is the output of a transcription from an audio recording of the Art Marketing Minute. Although the transcription is mostly correct, in some cases it is slightly inaccurate due to the recording and/or software transcription.

Announcer:
This is the Art Marketing Minute with Eric Rhoads, author of the Amazon best selling book, “Make More Money Selling Your Art.” In the marketing minute we answer your questions to help your art career brought to you by artmarketing.com, the place to go to learn more about marketing. Now, here’s your host, arts magazine publisher, Eric Rhoads.

Eric Rhoads:

Well, in the marketing minute I try to answer your marketing questions that you can email me [email protected]. I need more. Yes, I need more reminder just right now just take your email out. And you know any question like this one from Marion Johnson, Sandy Johnson City, Tennessee. She says Eric, I’m 65. And I’m told I’m a pretty good painter, but I’ve never sold a painting or even tried. People tell me I should. Am I too old? to become a professional painter? Mary, only you can answer that question. I don’t know your circumstances. I don’t know your health issues. So I don’t know what you’re going through. But 65 is the new 45. You know, people tend to be staying younger, stay unhealthier. As long as they’re getting out getting exercised. Outdoors painting is a good thing. I think it boils down to your state of mind your attitude how you think about it, do you think you’re too old? If you do, it’s true. If you don’t, it’s true. Some of the greatest painters of all time, were older and did some of their best work in their latter years, I hate to say senior years, because I don’t like the word senior anyway. Age In fact, might be an advantage for you. Because people assume because you’re older, you have deeper experience and wisdom. That’s a good marketing tool to remember. Anyway, a good painting is a good painting is a good painting and good painting sell. If they don’t, but they don’t sell by themselves. Right. One of the problems that some people who are older might have is they’re not willing to learn anything new. And you got to be learning new. And by the way, if you stay curious, and you’ll learn new things, and you stay engaged, you’re going to be much, much happier. And if you’re happier, you’re going to feel younger, and you feel younger, you’re going to stay younger. To become a pro though, you got to sell paintings, to sell paintings, you got to learn how to sell paintings get to learn marketing, you’re going to learn the process of running your little business, or maybe big business. And a lot of people have started late and made up great careers and made a lot of money or some people just want to start and have some extra income, it’s up to you. But you could do whatever you want to do, just gotta set your mind to it. And of course, you can’t just set your mind to it, you got to put the business into the shovel into the dirt and work at it. You know, Nothing happens without working at it. I you know, it’s really nice to imagine things and to think positive, all that stuff, that’s great. But unless you’re working it, it isn’t going to happen. You gotta work, you got to work hard, nothing. Good, is easy. Now, I have several courses on marketing, of course, my video my book, several videos, actually. But you can start for free. You know, my art marketing blog, it’s artmarketing.com, and just start reading up and study and learn about marketing. Just take it one step at a time, one little thing at a time, just try some stuff, see what sticks and don’t get frustrated. Because it doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time. And things like advertising will speed it up. But those things don’t even work overnight. Usually, you gotta put in the time, you got to put in the repetition. And you have to get known trusted people have to become aware they have to you have to stay visible, they have to know who you are. And they want to like you and that takes some time to get to know you’re just like just like life, right? So, of course you got to do some decent paintings and never hurts to find out if they’re really good. Get some opinions from people who will actually no, you know, don’t ask your friends. By the way, the same thing applies to MIT young. And the answer is, of course, only if you think you are. I was on the radio at age 14, making fairly big money on the air by 17. And people had told me it was impossible because I was too young. And they told me I had to pay my dues. I had to go through this process and I was going to have to, you know, work hard for many years before I ever got a chance to be on the radio. Well, just do it. Don’t judge anybody by age. It’s up to the individual.

The next question comes from Jody in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which happens to be my hometown. Jody, ask Eric, I’m really happy. Business is going well. I’m selling a lot of art. And I’ve been making more money than I really ever thought was possible from my art. But I’ve been with the same gallery for 20 years, and though they’re doing really, really well. I worry that they won’t do well forever. What should I do? Well, Jody first congratulations. making a living is a beautiful thing. Having a gallery is a beautiful thing. Having one for 20 years is a beautiful thing. I wouldn’t worry so much about whether or not they’re going to go out of business and if you do worry, it might not hurt to have a conversation with Is the owner and just say, hey, we’ve been together 20 years, what’s the next 20 look like? What are you doing? What happens if something happens to you, you know, you can have that conversation. And then at least you’ll have a little bit more information. You know, if they say, Well, I’m getting ready to retire and turn it over to my kid who has no experience, I’d start worrying. But even need to consider a couple other things, you’re experiencing what we call concentration risk, all your eggs in a single basket. If that gallery goes away, and you go from 1500 miles an hour to zero overnight, it’s gonna be painful. I’ve watched it happen. There was a prominent art show out in the West, it was breaking all the records because it had an aggressive and loved leader. When that leader died, the show almost died. It’s never quite been the same sense. It’s never sold as much sense. And it’s been a little rudderless. So the person behind something makes a big difference, oftentimes, unless they have really great systems in place. You know, the gallery has good systems in place and good marketing, and they, they follow certain disciplines, and they have their people well trained, that’s a lot better than being reliant on a single individual who just happens to be really charismatic. But even then, it can, it can change. So remember anything that’s based on one thing, one person, really I always oftentimes talk about the Parthenon reimagine the Parthenon with one single pillar, a car slams into that pillar, that thing comes crashing down. You know, so that one pillar is your gallery. I have friends who have patrons who buy a lot of art from this, sometimes they’ll buy, you know, 234, or five paintings a year, sometimes more. And they have a lot of their income tied up and that one patron, and I’ve seen artists who say, you know, all of a sudden, my patron who has been with me for 10 years and buying a lot of stuff stopped buying, well, you know, maybe they experienced the stock market crash or down in their business or some other thing. Maybe they just don’t have any more wall space. You never want to have more than 10 1520 25% max of your business coming from a single source. Now, some of that might be teaching or workshops might be galleries might be direct selling, it might be art shows might be other forms of income. And but you know, I think it’s a good idea in general, to have three galleries, more than three, you can do that. But you know, 20 you don’t need that probably. But that way, if something stops, you still have income.

Well, this has been the art marketing minute with me. Eric Rhoads. My goal in life is to eliminate the idea of the starving artists to help your dreams actually come true. So if you want to submit questions, simply email [email protected]. And to learn more about marketing ideas, you can visit Artmarketing.com. Thanks for listening.

How to Submit Your Art Marketing Questions: What questions do you have about selling your art? Email Eric today at [email protected] (include your name and where you’re from) to hear your question answered on an upcoming Art Marketing Minute Podcast.

> Visit EricRhoads.com (Publisher of ArtMarketing.com) to learn about opportunities for artists and art collectors, including:

  • Art retreats
  • International art trips
  • Art conventions
  • Art workshops (in person and online)
  • And more!