HELP! I AM ARTIST

Connecting with your Art Collectors

You've carefully created your art and are ready to share it with the world. It's time to get your art into the hands of your potential buyers. Your next step is to market your art.   Marketing may feel overwhelming, but promoting your work can be just as creative and satisfying as making your art. It's never been a more exciting time for artists to promote and sell their art. The online space offers you powerful opportunities to connect with audiences you may never have considered before.   Your first step in creating an effective marketing plan for your art and getting more out of your social media is to understand better who your art audience is. Who is this mysterious art buyer?  Where can you find the right audience to promote and sell your art to? You may have heard the saying: 'If you plan to reach everybody, you will invariably reach nobody.' So true, especially when it comes to selling your art.   The more defined your art audience is, the easier and more effective you'll be able to reach them. In this episode, we'll be taking a closer look at how you can start to define your potential art buyers. Find out how you can use the online space to ask, listen to & survey your audience.  There is valuable information at your fingertips that you can use to refine your posting, adjust your marketing and fine-tune your message.   P.S. As a visual artist, you know better than anyone else that it's hard to stand out & sell your art.  The good news is getting your art seen & appreciated is not rocket science you just need to know how... and I'd love to show you.   In my NEW E-Book, 10 Art Experts Share their Top Art Marketing & Selling Tips   Download your FREE Guide today if you’re ready to be more visible, get noticed & attract the right buyers   Access your copy here          

Turning Passion into a Profession

From a young age Dido had 2 big passions. Music & Art! In this episode, Dutch Artist, Dido de Beer shares her journey of how she turned these passions into a budding art profession. Dido found her niche. Take a listen and discover how getting really specific about her style helped her build her business and connect with the right art buyers. Find out what inspires her and what hot tips she has for all those creatives wanting to turn their hobby into the life of a working artist. BONUS: Dido has a special gift for all the Help I Am Artist Podcast Listeners.  Head over to https://www.sonjasmalheer.com/dido to access 2 of Dido’s favorite pop icon wallpapers which you can download as a musical background for your mobile device. 

Making Art Your Business

When his parents celebrated their wedding anniversary Ramon surprised them with a special gift. He turned a block of plaster into his very first piece of sculpture. He loved the process so much that he simply kept making and creating. After being rejected by the art academy Ramon found his way and now tests the limits of his materials in his studio in The Netherlands where he makes personalized sculptures for private & business commissions both locally and around the globe. In this episode Award-Winning Dutch Sculptor Ramon Schalkx shares more about his artist story and what motivates him to make his art. This episode is filled to the brim with practical tips and valuable insights into how artists can successfully win and complete art commissions. As promised Ramon has prepared a special worksheet for artists looking to work on commissions. In this valuable document, Ramon explains the 4 steps that you can use to turn those often nerve-racking commissions into memorable occasions.  Head over to my website to download this free special worksheet. Go to www.sonjasmalheer.com/commission Find out more about Ramon: https://www.ramonschalkx.com https://www.instagram.com/ramonschalkx/  

Interview with Contemporary Landscape Painter Rachel Teannalach

A few years ago, a mutual friend introduced me to working artist, Rachel Teannalach.  Rachel is a contemporary landscape painter based in Boise, Idaho.  In this episode, she shares more about her artistic journey.  For as long as she can remember Rachel has loved to paint. She has turned her passion for painting into daily practices that have fuelled so much of her success.  Her work is characterized by bold, gestural brushstrokes and her ability to evoke the emotional quality of the places she paints. Rachels work is guided by the belief that the observation of nature revives our recognition of beauty and restores our sense of belonging in the natural world. Her work inspires viewers to become more conscious of their surroundings and take time to stop and take notice. Besides original works, Rachel has found clever ways to turn her art into reproductions which in turn has become a major source of her income.  Her focus over the last several years has been collaborations with conservation organizations, supporting their efforts to preserve the lands she loves to paint.  Rachel is known especially for her "tinyExpanse" daily paintings, which can be purchased on Etsy, along with small works and prints. Her work also encompasses large scale landscapes and occasional cityscapes and portraiture. Find out more about Rachel in the notes of the podcast: https://www.sonjasmalheer.com/blog/039

Surviving as a Freelance Illustrator

Cristian Aluas is a Romanian-born, Canadian living in New York where he works as a full-time artist, author, and educator. In this episode, Cristian tells his artist's story of finding his way in the competitive art world. He shares tips and practical insights on how you can earn a living as an illustrator, winning commissions, and finding those precious clients to purchase your art. Cristian shares his expertise as an illustrator and art entrepreneur in online courses and he has authored a book ‘It’s a living - Surviving as a freelancer in the 21st century.’ If you have ever wondered how you can earn a living as a freelance illustrator, what steps you must take to prepare to work on commissions or how you go about getting those happy clients?  Well then stay tuned! Happy listening.