Minding Your Business

Re: The Artist and the Internet

SueAndrus — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:13:36 GMT

I have been using the internet more and more lately. I began with a website mainly as a gallery of my work, but it is pretty time consuming to add to it, so I began blogging. The first couple years I did pretty well with keeping up with my blog, but not so well in the past year or so... I'm working on that. It is very interesting to look back at my old blog posts an see what I have done and how things have evolved in my work. This year I made the move to putting my blog on my website, and that was a real challenge. I am still working to move posts from the old one so things are in one place (or two, as I started a blog to keep my tutorial and how-to posts separated). Right now my main blog has mostly posts with photos from my gardens or other inspirations. I will eventually get myself back into the studio and have some more quilty posts again.

My main sales outlet in the past was at art and craft shows and festivals, and I did quite well. Thanks to some not so fun medical issues, I am no longer able to do the setting up, etc. required for them so I have turned to the internet instead. I have a shop on Etsy, and have had it for a number of years and had some sales, but a while back I moved most to Artfire for my main shops, or Studios as they are called there. I have had more sales faster at Artfire, but I also find that I need to keep promoting for things to keep going well. Life keeps throwing a few curve-balls, and I end up "dropping off the grid" at times, and then it seems I need to start the promoting all over again. I have gained a few great repeat customers, and have also had sales off the sites that don't show up in my shop stats, but are directly a result of my Artfire Studios. On Artfire, you can promote your other outlets, such as Etsy, Personal websites, Zibbet, etc. so for me that makes things easier. I have had customers find an item in one of my Artfire Studios, but prefer to deal through Etsy, so I will list the item for them there. I have been keeping my higher end Art Quilts separated from my more crafty, gifty items, so an expensive art quilt is not next to a $5 bookmark, but I have links from each to the others.

* About the Sales Tax question for Lana- My payments for sales mostly go through Paypal, and you can set up which state(s) and the % to charge from their site. I have a note for buyers when they make a purchase, that they will be charged sales tax in the states I have to collect it from (NY & PA I have licenses for both states because I have done shows in NY as well as my home state).

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Lana Book — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 00:16:18 GMT

How do you handle sales tax on Etsy? Is there a easy way to do that?

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Peggy Szasz — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 17:14:19 GMT

Etsy is a great site....I have had 14 sells which might not seem like much, but that is more than I would have had without Etsy. I keep adding more quilts and relist items in between new listings. You never know when you will get a sell.....it took me over a year to get my first, but right after that I sold the other 13. I also think that once you have a positive feedback about your product that gives buyers the confidence to buy from you. The pump is primed so to speak. Hang in there and keep listing your quilts and one day you will jump up from your computer and run through the house saying I sold a quilt on Etsy!!! Hope everyone is having a great July 4th. Peggy

Re: The Artist and the Internet

artsiehorse — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 14:48:52 GMT

I've been involved with a group of artists online who act as a support group for eachother artistically and as friends. I've not met any of them in person, but having an honest support from people who are trying to be creative as well is important. Hearing the trials and tribulations of others, as well as their triumphs is comforting.

I've been trying the Etsy route too. I don't have any sales yet... but I'm still hopeful. Mostly I think I'm just really bad at marketing! I don't have many quilts on my etsy site now, mostly other cloth and knitted things. The other quilts I had posted on there I actually sold in person to people, so I know they're ok, I just have to learn to get people looking at them!

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Peggy Szasz — Wed, 02 Jun 2010 22:30:17 GMT

HI, I have had an Etsy storefront for over a year.....first year, I sold nothing. Then I got a new contract from my gallery and they were changing the commission fee.....I had to rethink how I would do business in the future. My business is strange since I have my own designs and licenses from McKenna Ryan, Paris Bottman and Lenore Crawford. With the other designers I have to pay them a royalty fee of 10%. So, if a gallery is going to take 50% and then I pay my designers 10% that means I would be doing volunteer work for the gallery. So, I started remarketing my Etsy site....lowering the prices by 10-15% since with Etsy I don't pay a huge commission. (I had my original prices the same as I would ask at a gallery.) I reworked my website and found that over the last 4 months I have sold 14 quilts, some of them are my original designs and some are McKenna's. But, even after lowering my prices I am making more of a profit than going through a gallery. Plus, with Paypal the funds are instantly mine....whereas with a gallery you usually have to wait for the check at the close of the show. I think that Etsy is one class act, easy to use for sellers and buyers. And even though there are some really cheap items on the site, there are also some very high end items. I do not think that my quilts are being sold at a garage sale......but rather my storefront which happens to be on the internet. And my storefront is totally in my control...it is as good as I make it. Peggy

P.S. I negotiated with my gallery and still will have a 40/60 split

Re: The Artist and the Internet

artl8dy — Sun, 16 May 2010 02:03:03 GMT

Pokey,

Though this post is dated a few months ago, I wanted to respond.

As far as the internet, I've been a blogger since January 2005. I began the blog as a way to chronicle my progress and work. Through the years, I've been in contact with many like minded artists that I would never meet otherwise. As I look back on all my posts, I can see what ideas I've developed and what ideas I scrapped. I've been able to fine tune the direction of my mixed media art and share that experience online as I go. Turns out, I really do love working with fabric as well as paper. I knew the next step was etsy shop, so I had my "grand opening" this past week. I twitter and use facebook and have put some shameless plugs out to all my friends.

I think that the most popular blogs and etsy stores are the ones where the artist has published a book, or has taught classes at retreats or quilt shows. It helps to have an article published in one of the Quilting Arts publications to get the blog and etsy store "url" out to the public.

In case anyone would like to check out my online links, here they are:

Sharon at e14studio blog

ArtL8dY's tweets

Feedback would be greatly appreciated!

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Lana Book — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:02:44 GMT

I use the internet to search products, techniques and other artists. I read blogs and have my own blog but must admit Im not a great blogger, still learning. It is great to be able to put your art out there for the world to see.I haven't tried selling on any of the internet venues. I use the internet a lot to search for calls for entries also. I could use a blogging class or "blogging for dummies" book !

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Whidbey2 — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:45:40 GMT

Hi Muppin,

It has been a while since we were on the same blog. I have been a folk artist of some sort or another all my life and I have sold pieces in every endever except quilting. For me going commercial killed the creativity and fun for me and I would move on to something else. I give a lot of my quilts away and somehow that has in turn has kept the creativity flowing. If I do a chemo quilt the next project will be much better than the last.

I have been showing my latest quilts in fairs and juried international shows. This too helps keep my creative spirits up. I am now speaking at guilds which is an absolutely wonderful experience. I love surrounding my self with creative people. I realize I won't get rich speaking locally so I have started my first book. The plan is to eventually sell the book where ever I go speak. I will never get rich, I never have in anything I have done. That's why I call my husband the PATRON OF MY ARTS.

Have a wonderful creative day

whidbey

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Muppin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 02:31:34 GMT

Welcome Summer5nj! This is a great resource and hope to see you around the forum!
Thanks,

Cheryl

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Summers5nj — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:42:05 GMT

I have just read your blog and all the responses! How interesting and educational. I am new to all this"blogging", quilting, Etsy. I have been a life long sewer..clothing and personal accessories, window treatments, bedding and soft home accessories. I am actually interested in using the process of creating from fabric as a means of therapy...as a way to build self esteem. Anyway, just wanted to say thx to all of you for your thoughtful questions and answers...I look forward to more blogging!

Re: The Artist and the Internet

reginabdunn — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 02:03:39 GMT

I've only sold some very small pieces (really small...2-inch square pins and pendants) in a local fair and some small pins in our local art museum gift shop. But I use the Internet to look at artist's galleries. I belong to SAQA and at the end of a hard workday, I'll visit the site and watch the slideshow while I drink a cup of tea. I love to see the great diversity of styles. I also love to look at the photo gallery on this site (Quilting Arts). I was going to open an account on ETSY over Christmas vacation but we had a family emergency and I never had time to look into it. It is still one of my goals to do that. I'm a full time chemistry teacher so I haven't had time to develop a real business. I make my art for the love of it only and haven't gone out of my way to sell it. I belong to an art group and we are becoming more serious about getting exposure and I'm sure the Internet will play a part in that.

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Muppin — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:46:48 GMT

Felicity-

Thanks for the post, it's given me a lot to think about. Sounds like you're just as busy as I am!

Take care,

Cheryl

Re: The Artist and the Internet

honeybeensweetpea — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 01:38:10 GMT

Cheryl/Muppin

I too was a 'keeper', until all of a sudden I had no room for the quilts and nick nacks I was creating. This is actually how I got into art quilting - I felt that I could do more with my textiles than make lovely blankets to pile up, and up, and up...

And I started giving my craft items to friend as gifts, and they always kept telling me I should sell them. So while I am very new in my art quilting 'journey' (having made only three non traditional quilts versus 20 or more traditional designs), I have taken to listing my crafts on Etsy. I am always making something, so it is a way to turn my hobby into (hopefully one day) profit rather than just more 'stuff' to gather in the house!

Etsy is also a useful companion to other ventures - I exhibit some of my crafts in the local shows, and friends of friends often ask for contact details when they have seen items I make, so having a little business card with my Etsy site on it has led to some followers, and an easy way to display the variety of my wares. Etsy also has a useful function so that if you take your items to a show or fair where it may be sold, you can put it on hold on the website so that no one can purchase it - saving the embarrassment of a double sale!

A lot of artists offer prints of their originals on Etsy, across a number of media.

I too work my store around two young kids, university, and I am soon to return to full time work. At the moment it is a hobby but I hope to use what I learn from the experience to allow me to one day become a 'professional' artist and crafter... once the kids are a bit biger and I have completed my degree!

Congratulations on having your quilting recognised. I remember the first time I won recognition at a show, such a confidence booster. I was floating for weeks :)

Felicity

Re: The Artist and the Internet

Muppin — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:15:40 GMT

Felicity- That's wonderful! I'm glad to read about your experience. I have recently considered Etsy as an option for my work.

This thread and topic is all coming at a unique time for me, as one of the quilts on my blog was picked up by a major "crafting" website, and several thousand hits on my website have turned into offers for the quilt. I'm what I call a "keeper", meaning I keep what I make. I had not considered my works for sale before, and always thought I'd go on the lecture/trunk show circuit rather than sell my art. So this is a very interesting topic right now as I explore all of my options.

I am thinking of making replicas of the original and offering them through Etsy as a way to let some people shop for my work. I work full time, and I doubt these small sales would allow me to leave my job anytime soon. However, it's extremely flattering and has been a lot of fun.

Thanks for sharing your info with us! Jane, you too!!

Cheryl / Muppin

Re: The Artist and the Internet

honeybeensweetpea — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 12:08:33 GMT

HI Pokey,

My little store can be found at www.honeybeeNsweetpea.etsy.com

It is only very small as I fit it in around kids, and I am currently doing a re-vamp based on what I have learned so far. But it is lots of fun!

And I am slowly working up the confidence to put some more 'arty' things up instead of my 'crafts'!

I'm happy to share more about my experience if anyone is interested

Felicity