10 Reasons to Join Me at CMBXP

I think we all can agree in the importance of treating your creative endeavors like a business, especially if you want to make a living off these skills. While that doesn’t mean you need an MBA, it does require learning about business best practices. Accounting, Marketing, Legal; You wear all of these hats in your business on top of being the artistic powerhouse you are. And if you’re like most of the artists I work with, you'd rather concentrate your time in the studio, so the more efficient you can be in these other areas, the less of your creating time they’ll take up. There are tons of options out there for professional development - Books, Classes, Workshops, Facebook Groups, Blogs, Coaches - so how do you narrow down and make the best use of your time? Oh and did I forget to mention Networking? It’s exhausting to think about all of these outlets, even more so if you’re an introvert and right brain dominant. Well guess what? I have an awesome solution that will serve you no matter where you are in your business: CMBXP, a networking and professional development experience specially designed for creatives!

Do Artists Need Resumes?

As artists, many of us would like to think that our work speaks for itself in terms of experience and expertise. Why would we need to write out our education, awards, show history? Plus, who wants to brag about all of that when the real focus is making more work? There are plenty of situations in which your art alone will be the deciding factor on whether or not you are included in a show or event, but as with any other career, professional artists will have use for a resume and / or CV. But what’s the difference? What should be included in each? Let’s chat about best practices for documenting your artistic track record and giving yourself credit for work well done!

Getting Professional on Instagram

Happy June! 2018 is flying by, am I right? This month we are going to continue the conversation about Social Media, but let's switch gears to my favorite channel and arguable one of the best options for artists – Instagram! As a visual platform, it's a great place to share your work, find inspiration, ask for feedback and more. If you've already set up an account, follow Crafting Exposure so I can follow you back. If you're new to this channel and need recommendations for getting started, check out my Instagram 101. Over the course of the next few weeks, we'll be talking about best practices and opportunities. But first, let me ask you an important question: Do you have a professional presence on Instagram? This is an important step to representing yourself well so you'll be taken seriously as a creative entrepreneur.

Presenting Yourself Professionally: A Pro Portfolio

Call me biased as a millennial, but I’m a firm believer in having an online presence, no matter what business you’re in. As an artist and handmade company, the benefits are perhaps even more important because you may be small, but the internet can make you mighty when used strategically. Does that mean you need to be everywhere online? No, but at the very least I’d recommend sharing a portfolio. You don’t sell your work online you say? So this advice isn’t applicable for you, right? No, it’s still valid and I’ll explain why. The overall goal is professionalism, and a proper portfolio will do wonders for your credibility, exposure and opportunities.

Key Takeaways from Austin Art Business Summit

What an amazing weekend we had at the Austin Art Business Summit! Two days full of helpful information for everyone from the aspiring artist to the professional ready to up their game. It was such a pleasure to meet art business experts like Carolyn Edlund and Wendy Rosen, among other special guest speakers. I highly recommend looking out for the event next year when they hopefully come back to Austin. In the meantime, I'd love to share a couple key insights that I walked away with. Feel free to reach out if you have questions about what you can do continue building up your success as an artist!

Social Media Planning for the Holidays

It's almost the most wonderful time of year! For artists and makers, that usually means the busiest time as well, but holiday demand can yield the great return as long as you play your cards right! I'm so excited to see what everyone has to offer for handmade gifts this year! I also want to be sure you are armed with the tools you need to promote your business and bring in the sales you deserve. In my opinion, Social Media is one of the best ways to make the most of your holiday season! I'll highlight a few key tips below, but for all of you Austin artists that would like to meet and discuss this in person, please join me for one of two workshops I'll be hosting in November! Expert advice and cheesy holiday puns to help you plan an effective online strategy for end of year!

• Social Media 101: Holiday Edition, brought to you by Chula League
• The Art of Online Exposure, organized in partnership with Lake Travis Artists

How To: Artist Headshots & Portraits

As an artist or maker, the most important thing is getting word out about what you create. You need people to see your pieces to entice them to buy or hire you for a commission. But that doesn't mean that you as the master behind the work aren't important. People are far more likely to care about handmade when they know more of the story that you have authored. Your work exists because of you, and plenty of people will want to know you. So the question to consider is whether or not you're sharing enough about yourself with your potential supporters? They simplest way to create a personal connection in the online marketplace is a quality, representative portrait of yourself!

Art Event Applications in the Digital Age

Some of you may remember the good old days of filling out and mailing paper applications for art shows. When you hear jury photos, you probably think of slides since that was the format of choice. Thankfully, as we've made our way into the digital era, you can now apply online and with digital images. Not only does this save you the postage, but it also makes the process easier and more efficient so you can submit to a wider range of shows. Truth be told, online platforms like Zapp have streamlined applications for the artists and the organizers as well. If you aren't registered on any of these sites, I highly recommend taking a look at their events to see how they might boost your exposure. I've compiled a list to help you get started exploring these opportunities. If you know of any others that you'd recommend, I'd love to hear about it. Happy Applying!

Art Jury Photo Deep Dive

We've talked before about different types of photography artists need to promote their work. For event focused artists I would argue that jury photos are one of the most important categories. Why? Because that's often how the judges decide whether or not to include you in an event. I'd like to take this opportunity to dive deeper into the jury process and how you can be sure your images represent you in the best light.

Publicity, Good & Bad

True or False: Any publicity is good exposure for your art and your creative business? On the one hand, you're getting your name out there in front of a wider audience, and the attention will likely drive traffic to your site or social media. You can't make sales without traffic, right? And yet, more so today than ever, it's easy to see how quickly negative attention can ruin a reputation, and outlets like Facebook and Twitter give the masses the chance to say whatever they want, encouraging or slanderous. Publicity by definition is free marketing, and because you aren't paying, you have less control. For that reason, I highly recommend focusing your efforts on the positive opportunities and striving to avoid the common pitfalls that will earn you negative attention.

Do Artists Need a Website?

The real question is whether or not you need an online presence, and the answer is YES! Its up to you to choose between a website, an Etsy store, a Facebook page or all three. The important thing is that you get your name out there and have a way for people to find you. Our world has become one of constant connectivity. While you may feel more confident about relationships you develop in person and sharing your artwork face to face, there's no denying that the online sphere can bring you shoppers and supporters in a more scalable manner. Online interaction doesn't replace real world connection, but it offers a supplement to help you cast a wider net and reel in more opportunities to share your work.

#1 Takeaway - All artists need an online presence, be it a website, Facebook / Instagram or online storefront like Etsy. Make yourself easy to find and convenient to contact!