Selling Artwork

Have you thought about starting at craft shows? I know they charge to rent a table, and not sure how much otherwise the profit is yours. They are big this time of year in Cincinnati. I'm sorry I don't have any other information about how to get a table and such.
I have seen booths that have a lot of items there for sale, and others that have few items for sale and more on display for order. Price wise is the cost of the material + a dollar amount for labor. I am unsure how much to charge for labor.
Its merely an idea. Best of luck!

1 mom found this helpful

local schools and churches have "spring flings", bake sales, etc.. Ask whomever is in charge if you can display your work. Make some business cards on your computer to have ready when they want to purchase something. That way all their friends will know who to contact!! Good luck

People have already given some good tips but I must say that Ebay is a good place. I sell on Ebay and it is alot of fun. It is easy to get an account started and the listing fees are very minimal. Usually less than a dollar a listing. You could try locally online too and try Craigslist.com Selling stuff on there is free. Your artwork sounds really cool! Good Luck.

Hi K.!!

Congrats on following your passion. It is truly important to do so and invigorating and inspiring when you do so.

I agree with some of the other posters about Etsy.com. I think that it is a great place for the creative to post and sell their work.

I would make one recommendation though - try to take the BEST photos of work possible. I have quite a few friends that make different types of art - jewelry, ceramics, etc. and they photos and then post them. However, the photos are not that good and do not represent the work at all. If you have ever been on ebay or Etsy and have seen a bad photograph, you know what I mean. I do not want a potential client to be turned away. I am sure it is very similar in how you photograph a house to be put on the market. You definitely want the photos to represent the best of what you have to offer.

If you need any additional tips on photographing your work, please let me know. I can try to help. My background is in art and I know how important photos of one's work can be to getting into show, galleries, etc.

Good luck with your new adventure.
K. O

try ebay!!

Good luck,

L.

I agree that craft shows could be a good place to start. I am a Tupperware Consultant and I've been able to find alot of craft shows at churches and various schools. They usually charge about $25 to rent space (which may or may not include a table and chairs). If you're in the Columbus area and would like information on shows I'm working between now and early December, please contact me through Mamasource and I'll gladly share the details.

Good luck!

Hi K. - what about Ebay? I've seen many people selling original artwork there. You could set up a page very quickly with minimal expense. You could also see what other people are charging for similar paintings.

I do not know how far away you are from the Cincinnati area in Indiana, but there is a Craft Show coming up in Blue Ash on 12/6. Contact me via personal email and I will give you the coordinator's name and phone number. Cost is $25 and it is well worth the time.
Talk to independent consultants, reps. and other artists [not necessarily painters but any type of artwork] to see where and when the Church Bazaars are in your area.
Will the Realtor company let you hang them in homes for sale as 'staging'? How about your business office?
Also, I'd like to run a decorating idea past you, since you are a Realtor. Hope to hear from you soon.

K. -

Have you tried going to some privately owned businesses and asking them if they would purchase your work or take some of your things on consignment? I would love to brainstorm with you anytime. I'm always trying to find ways to get my products out there too. I live in Evansville & you can contact me if you like at ____@____.com.

Hi K. ~

I just learned about this cool online resource for selling handmade things. I do a lot of embroidery, and a friend of mine suggest it to me.

http://www.etsy.com/how_selling_works.php

You could also see if you can set up shows at local bars and restaurants that display and sell art (I know the High-Beck does this, as well as a lot of others).

One really nice thing about the online sales aspect is that if you're willing to consider it, you could offer custom portraits of people's homes or farms done in your style. How cool would that be? Then you'd be a commissioned painter. Wow! ;-D

Good luck!

Good for you!

Clintonville has an Art Guild that had a show this past weekend. Their members might be able to help you find something not so, well, crafty; something more on the art side. Make sure you charge a price fair to you for all the time you spend creating your work. I don't know how to contact them--perhaps through the Whetstone Rec. Center, where the event was just held. Or they probably have a website.

Good luck!

Hi K.,
If you have time to sell at craft shows its a good place to start. Finding craft shows are as easy as looking in your newspaper as many organizations hold them every year at the same place, same time of year.
Another source I use is:
http://www.craftlister.com/ and
http://www.EventLister.com/
Another thing you can do is ask permission to hang your art in local nursing homes, offices, hospice house etc with your business card and price on each piece. If you do this, rotate the art often to keep interest and refresh the options. This is just a drop-in-the-bucket compared to all the options open to you. There's a place for all works of art. Good luck.
D. D.

If you're interested in selling online it's worth your time to check out the Etsy shops. http://www.etsy.com/
It's an online store where people sell their handmade items. I have found some really awesome and unique things there. Good luck!

I would start by getting booths at Christmas shows that sell all types of things. You can also set up an Ebay store if you can ship them. You can sell on Craigslist for free... If you post them somewhere, let me know the link - I would like to check them out. Good luck!
L.

If no one has told you yet, you can always get a listing on etsy.com. etsy is a selling website, that you advertise your own products on...my BF's mom has an etsy for her "on-the-side" sewing business. also many websites have a free link exchange program, if you advertise them they advertise you. If you live near the Cleveland, OH area you can link exchange with me, too! my website is on my profile. take care, A.

I'm not sure where you live, but there's a small art gallery in Kent that features local artists. It's on N. Water Street where Fairchild (Graham Road) dead-ends. You could approach them. Good luck! Also, get someone to take some REALLY GOOD pictures and start a website - and let us know!

I did not read your replies so I appologize if I repeat. Etsy.com is an awesome website! As a matter of fact I may have originally heard of them from a post on here. I take photographs and everyone says I should sell them, I have thought about doing it on etsy, let me know how it goes for you if you choose them.

P.S. I also love construction! I can hang drywall with the best of them and can tile a floor like no bodys business!

What about the local Farmer's Markets? They have all kinds of things there. Find out about upcoming markets, fund raisers (you may want to donate a portion to the charity) etc.

Call your local Chamber of Commerce to find out what things are happening and planned for the future. They handle the Farmers' Markets too.

In Fort Wayne I read about an indoor craft mall that rents booths similar to a flea market or craft show, but they are open year-round. If I remember correctly, they rent booths by the month, so you can decide when you want to have it up - like only around Christmas or special events. I don't remember the specifics of it, but it sounded like a really neat way of marketing stuff (my MIL is a quilter, so I thought of her when I read the article). If you're up to something like that, you might ask around about that kind of thing in your area.

Its a bad time of year but flea markets might work. Save some up until summer and head out.
Good luck
SZ

K. - I have a friend who is also an artist. She sells her work on e-bay. I'm proud of you for following your bliss!

Try setting up at flee markets and such, they charge a fee usually but if your work is as good as your family thinks it is you will do very well. I carve stone , soap stone,alabaster, pipe stone ,what ever I can get my hands on at a decent price.It keeps me very busy and I have folks collecting my work. I also do many other native american art forms such as loom beading and loom weaving.I can make around $600. a weekend at a pow Wow, sometimes even more.Since I am disabled and Social security is so little this really helps me get those extra things I need or just want.Sadly I have to start in early spring and only go through September at the Pow Wows. All that camping and sitting and talking to new folks really wears me out.

I love to paint also, and want to make children's tables and paint the tops. I am thinking about taking a class for "starting your own business". I know ebay has a place for services, but I have not pursued that to see what it would cost to advertise on it. Good luck!

Hi K.,
I too am an artist. I teach and this sometimes generates sales. I also show at local art festivals. Since one of my mediums is painting on tiles for peoples homes I work with tile companies and designers. Maybe some of your real estate buddies would buy your work as a gift to the people who they sell to as a housewarming gift. Hope this helps some
S. J

I know, I hate all that ugly development where they remove all the trees! Your art sounds neat! Of course you can try Ebay. Talk to someone who sells on Ebay and get some help setting up a store and/or auctions. My grandma paints and belongs to the Black Swamp Arts Guild in Williams County, Ohio. They have their work on display at local places such as the Medical Center and have shows at places like the library and greenhouses/garden centers. We are very rural here, so you could probably find somewhere like this to have opportunities to display and sell your paintings, whether you are urban or rural. Try coffee shops, shops that sell arts and crafts, country stores, farmer's markets, flea markets, etc... Check with your local fairgrounds for special flea market events. Often you can rent a table or sell things on consignment. Good luck!

I have not actually checked out this site, but my sister has her own business selling candles and soaps and she really likes etsy.com

Good luck!

See if there is a retailer in your area that would be wiling o carry a sampling of your work- you can offer to sell it on consignment at first for a 30-70 or 60-40 split. I would look for a "primitives" type retailer, or someone similar. also, create a simple website and make that info available (like putting tags on the back of the art with your name and web address) so people can contact you if they are interested in more or bigger pieces. Good luck!