I recently spent a fascinating two days in Durham, NC attending this year's PAQA-S Spring Conference. Our speaker, Alyson Stanfield, led an extraordinary "Shameless Self-Promotion" workshop on the art of marketing art. 
Alyson, a former museum educator and curator, is the author of I'd Rather Be in the Studio (the artist's no-excuse guide to self-promotion) and has a successful career as an art business coach.
She's definitely a model of terrific marketing. Case in point, her website and blog are treasure troves of information and good reminders for artists at any stage in their marketing careers.
We began the workshop, at Alyson's urging, with the following mantra:
She's definitely a model of terrific marketing. Case in point, her website and blog are treasure troves of information and good reminders for artists at any stage in their marketing careers.
We began the workshop, at Alyson's urging, with the following mantra:
I Can't Do It All!
(Five simple words that apply not only to art marketing but to just about everything in our hectic lives.)
Not surprisingly...the workshop attendees were part of the bonus of attending the workshop. We had about 50 folks there...and not all of them fiber artists. Mixed in with the fabric-addicted were ceramic and wood artists, a good handful of painters, a children's book publisher , and, of all things, a professional Santa Claus (and yes, he really looks like that - minus the costume - in real life).
It was a lively group and Alyson's presentation was informative, fun, and engaging.
Also not surprising...we spent a lot of time on social networking --- the pleasures, the pitfalls, and the practicalities. The social networking section led to another mantra...
one that's specifically designed for blogging, Facebook, and Twitter; but it too applies to almost every area of life (ever regretted hitting the "send" button on e-mail?):
(Five simple words that apply not only to art marketing but to just about everything in our hectic lives.)
Next on the agenda...a guided tour through the steps of comprehensive, soup-to-nuts, promotional planning.
Not surprisingly...the workshop attendees were part of the bonus of attending the workshop. We had about 50 folks there...and not all of them fiber artists. Mixed in with the fabric-addicted were ceramic and wood artists, a good handful of painters, a children's book publisher , and, of all things, a professional Santa Claus (and yes, he really looks like that - minus the costume - in real life).
It was a lively group and Alyson's presentation was informative, fun, and engaging.
Also not surprising...we spent a lot of time on social networking --- the pleasures, the pitfalls, and the practicalities. The social networking section led to another mantra...
one that's specifically designed for blogging, Facebook, and Twitter; but it too applies to almost every area of life (ever regretted hitting the "send" button on e-mail?):
Be Helpful, Be Generous, Be Nice...
Words to live by....
PAQA-S Part II: a post for another day!
Cheers,
Debbie
PAQA-S Part II: a post for another day!
Cheers,
Debbie
Thanks, Deborah, for sharing your workshop experience. The 2 mantras are worth remembering. Nancy
ReplyDelete