Merchandising Your Art

"Dairy Queen"

If you have lived in Texas, you might love Blue Bell. Even our cows do.

 I hope you have considered merchandising your images. Not only is it fun to see products with your artwork on them but it is lucrative and makes a longer lasting impression of your intention and talent. It's a great gift from you, as well.

Where can you get this work created?

One artist website is Fine Art America. I let the people at Fine Art America print my images on notecards, prints of all sizes and on surfaces of all kinds. For example, tote bags are a popular item. Many folks aren't collectors of hanging art but they like color and uniqueness in other areas of their homes. Mugs are  another popular item because they are practical and inexpensive as a gift. You can include beach towels, tapestries, masks and notebook covers and more.

Pros: It doesn't cost much, (I set my own prices) and it is working behind the scenes making income for me. You can order personally from here at a discounted price.

Cons: you don't get to see the quality of the item or make contact with the client.

Vistaprint allows you to customize mugs, notecards and magnets to sell on your own.*

Where can you sell your merchandise?

Ideally, sell them at a local store. Fortunately, I have found an excellent store outlet to represent me in Austin. It is The Art Escape located on the grounds of The Oasis restaurant , a well known Austin spot that overlooks Lake Travis. We have found that small, lightweight items that fit into a suitcase are best for the visitors to Austin. And inexpensive doesn't hurt either. I display mostly Texas themed paint images on note cards and matted prints as well as magnets. Magnets have become very popular with children. Having Austin, Texas on them is also valuable.

I also have similar items available at the gift shop inside Kerr Arts Center in Kerrville. I am a member of their Art League which is housed in the famous old post office on Main Street. I have demoed for the Guadalupe Watercolor Society that meets there. You will find a wonderful display of art inside in addition to great gift items at good prices. Look for my workbooks at Lost Pines Art Center in Bastrop where I also teach.

...And then there's Etsy

I have now had my own store online for a few years, Watergirl Art. I fought this idea because I didn't want more work to do but my daughter was correct ...I've already done it and I have it in inventory. So why not? They offer yet another opportunity to move merchandise and I get to connect with my clients.

                  Collect all of My Magnets available at The Art Escape starting July 28th

               Happy merchandising!

c

Ideas from Maui ...

 It has been a month of travel for us! I brought a small tray of paints and some favorite brushes and did a little doodling on flights but for the most part, I enjoyed other artists' works. Time for my creating later. Some very clever ideas are out there if you go into galleries that feature local artists. I did that in Maui last week mostly at the Lahaina shops on Front Street. The restaurants are not bad either! Shouts out to Duckine, Mala and Star Noodle for their creativity with food and drinks. And did I mention the scenery is breathtakingly beautiful? Don't forget to take a sunset cruise...it's amazing. And soooo relaxing...

Artists on site: I was very impressed with some of the local artists' works in an especially competitive arena. Tourists were invited to cool off and shop in lovely settings with many featuring artists on hand to chat while they explained some special details about their works. This always increases the activity in the gallery and likely results in more sales for the artist who takes the time to be there.

Uniqueness: Sure, there were lots of waves, sunsets and boats as subject matter but I found some especially clever marketing, too. One crayon ( yep, crayon!) artist included a brand new crayon under the glazing that was a main color used in the making of it. I apologize for the reflection in this image but here is an example of Jeffrey Roberts' artwork:

Here is another example of how to be unique. This artist chose to create a wavy edge to all of her watercolors.All were top mounted with a double white matting surrounding each image:

Framing: If you market your artwork for sale either online or in a shop, you might consider a signature way of framing or matting that is all yours. The frames were works of art on their own but I did notice consistency looks best for displaying in an area. I'm rethinking the old rule: your frame should only be all about your particular piece, not any interior design. Instead, I'd like my followers to have a collection of at least similar frames to be able to hang in a grouping.

Prints: Not all galleries sell prints. In fact some are pretty darn snooty at the mention of a, dare we suggest....copy! But, let's be honest here, not everyone can afford originals, especially well framed originals in a gallery that takes at least a 50% cut of the profit. I did find a Printmakers gallery in Lahaina that was very classy selling not only local art prints on canvas or watercolor paper but also maps, framed and unframed. Much easier to travel home with these and also more affordable.

Pricing: Ok, painters, time to triple your prices! The crayon artist I mentioned had a price of $950 on a small (9"x12") original. The owner had the ability to bargain a little but the price actually added some esteem and value to his work. Think about it. If you don't value your time and your artistic efforts, who will? It's a difficult subject but I find "most" of us undervalue our artwork and never include our time. And don't forget shipping! That has to be considered because it must arrive safely and it is not cheap.

I am inspired to do a better and more unique job of marketing my finished products for sale. Meanwhile...

Aloha...(plumeria and hibiscus were in bloom everywhere!)

Sadly, these galleries and their artwork were all destroyed by the Lahaina fire in August 2023 along with great loss of life. I was so very glad I took the time to experience these and will hope a new Lahaina emerges.

Round Top Treasures... a lesson on painting reflections

 A funny story here...my girlfriend , Nancy Kay, might be the world's greatest Christmas enthusiast. Not only is there A LOT of stuff inside and out but it is lovingly hung just after Halloween, annually refreshed and then carefully stored ( for a short while anyway) in mid January. The traditional party mix is a baking ordeal done early and given to lucky recipients. It has so much bacon fat, its best to take an antacid before munching. The candy, the wrapped staircase, the tree, the music, the smells!!! are all at their home displaying an abundance of Christmas ambiance. This silver service is always draped with pine cones and a bow and has a place of honor in the Dining Room which is lavishly decorated , set for immediate guests or for a potential drop in by royalty.

This year , in June, ( painted in April) will be the Malone's 50th wedding anniversary so I decided to paint this "family heirloom" minus the pine cones for them and asked the "story" behind what I truly thought was a family heirloom. Well, as it turns out , this was not in the family but rather a find in Round Top at the biannual flea market. Let's call it what it is...a Round Top treasure! The story can be ours to invent or tbd.

Here are a few of my efforts as I accomplished this amazing reflective piece. I worked on my colors in the silver reflecting some pink flowers as well as its design. I stayed on the cool side but couldn't resist some artistic license. I assume it is a beverage server and does have a ship etched in it. Maybe it was at the Captain's Table. Lots of good advice came from the California family as I painted it while out there for a visit.

The Back-ground was saved for last but became darker and darker as I saw its effect.   

This is the matting and framing I selected with some help of Glenn Gobel Framing in Pacific Grove , California. It will be on dispaly and for sale at Austin Bergstrom International airport starting in January 2024. Check out Gate 17's dispaly case to the right of Amy's Ice Cream. $750

This was so very fun to paint, so very Texas treasure and so very much the Malones! Happy Anniversary...!! Keep this going.

PS And, also in April, I entered the Waterloo Watercolor Group's Spring Show juried by Soon Warren. Stay tuned for more on that and also scenes from Soon's workshop.

Let me see what you're painting....

That painting won a first!! Thank you Soon for seeing my joy..."Highway to Heaven"

Glorious Succulents come alive on paper!

 March 3 and 4 was a very fun time for 9 students and myself at the Lost Pines Art Center in Bastrop. We all recreated a complicated garden scene that included succulents of various shapes and sizes on a patterned background. We also threw in a garden hose and faucet just for fun! It was based on this original of mine titled "Low Water Crossing" , a 22'x30" painting that would take a longer time period. Instead I took sections of it and sketched these onto 140 # Strathmore watercolor paper (11x18) using a graphite transfer method.

Low Water Crossing

                                                     

3 beginners to this medium were in my class with intermediate and even advanced watercolor painters. The workshop is geared toward beginners but not kindergarden...this is a college level approach for adults who have had some experience in other genres , sketching and painting and even pastel and colored pencil. They were amazingly adept and we reached our goal of having the entire background completed on Friday so that it could dry naturally overnight. On Saturday we had 2 critiques so that we could all see each other's progress and make suggestions.  This is where I encouraged everyone to work at their own pace as we all have a little clock in us that should not be pushed to another time zone.

Background techniques included salt, alcohol, sponge and scoring among others. Each succulent offered the opportunity to vary our warm and cool colors and change values so that the principles of a good design were incorporated. I was impressed with their unique artwork and the personalities that were evident in their art. 

And here they are...

Vicki

Mary

Mary

Kay

Susan, Mary and Kathleen (in the corner)

Mary Jane 

Ellen

Bonnie 

Proof that Margaret (in the far center ) was busy painting:

Kathleen had the quiet spot...

I am hoping to share some finished paintings as they send them to me...I am giving them all the time they need so hang in there!

Thank you to these awesome painters and the Lost Pines Art Center, especially Chloe Brevelle!