Art Print Issues

HDExpo Puts Art in the Hospitality Picture

Changes in the tradeshow scene regarding the art business have been frequently reported here. The traditional industry shows such as ArtExpo and Decor Expo are well off their peak years in size, as are the publications that support them. And, the total number of shows serving the industry are at lows not seen in decades. No matter what factors you use to account for the downward trend, they are sadly there and showing no signs of resurgence.

Tradeshow Woes Are a Problem Across Many Industries

It's not just art and picture framing shows that are on their heels. You needn't look hard to find evidence of contraction in all kinds of industries. Given such a multi-industry trend is surely a cause to wonder if there are alternative shows worth either attending or exhibiting for artists and publishers.

There Are Bright Spots To Be Found

One growing show growing increasingly important to many art publishers and self-representing artists is the HDExpo. It is the sister tradeshow to Hospitality Design magazine, which also is growing in size. These entities primarily serve complete design needs for hotels, restaurants and corporate centers.

Gaining traction in this market is a way to create a steady cash flow from a distribution source outside the gallery and online channels that are top of mind for most artists. Not to say the field isn't competitive. It is, but I have always maintained there is ample room in the most crowded fields for artists who bring a fresh perspective to the scene.

Hospitality Design Magazine Publishes Largest Issue Ever

As a former trade magazine rep, I drooled with lust when I saw the most recent at-show copy of Hospitality Design. At 448-pages plus cover, it resembles a mid-size city phone book. I hadn't seen a trade pub that size since the heyday of Decor magazine's show issues for New York or Atlanta many moons ago. The combination of growing importance of the HDExpo show and the size of the magazine puts an exclamation point on their momentum and the market they represent.

Las Vegas Is a Boom Town for Home Furnishings & Hospitality Design Shows

Las Vegas is also home to the World Market Center. It is the host site of the Las Vegas Market, which also is bucking the downward trend as a huge fast growing international home furnishing marketplace. The common wisdom for decades was no venue could successfully compete against the IHFC show and the concurrent shows in High Point, NC for the home furnishings market.  In just a few short years, the Las Vegas Market has proven there can be a viable alternative to the IHFC.

To Be An Effective Marketer in an Industry, You Must Be a Student of It

Effective marketing is a multi-year strategy. The first stage is to become educated about potentially lucrative markets important and new to your business. If you have your own designs on seeing your originals and reproductions used in the hospitality industry, learn all you can about the shows mentioned here and the markets they represent. You likely don't have the budget to tackle them all. But spending time studying them is a great first step towards getting your foot in the door at one of them at the appropriate time.

On the HDExpo Web site, go to Expo/Exhibitor List/Product Category Search. Start with the Artwork: Prints/Reproductions/Photography category and work your way through all the other appropriate categories for ideas on companies to approach, or to see what those exhibiting are doing on their on Web sites. It will be time well spent to study this terrific resource. And, of course, if you can actually go there, all the better. This year's May 14-17 conference and May 15 -17 exhibition dates are upon us. If it's too quick for this year, tickle it as a must for 2009.

Surtex Offers Artists Yet Another Alternative to Galleries and Selling Online

The Surtex show runs May 18 - 20 at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan. Surtex bills itself as a licensing show for original art and design and offers a different kind of distribution and income from the hospitality business. Surtex is a terrific venue for artists who want to license their work. It's a show to walk the first year and then to decide if paying for exhibit space makes sense. Many artists are able to make connections there by respectfully and tactfully approaching publishers and licensors when they are not otherwise busy in their booths. The better you prepare for these shows, the better your experience will be.

French Incent Buying Art - Guggenheim Vegas Closing - Using Whitey Ball in a Down Market - ArtExpo Vegas a Conservative Go

Signs of changing times:

• The announcement came last week the French government is so distraught over slipping in worldwide art sales, falling to third behind China, it is offering interest free loans for its citizens to buy fine art.
• It in a sad, but not completely surprising item, the Las Vegas Sun reports the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum there is scheduled to shutter next month...sigh. But, in the perfection of hindsight, looking at Vegas marketing then and now, it seems logical it would not work.

Sin City Is the Name of the Game

You may recall Las Vegas formerly tried to tout itself as a family friendly destination with water slides, the Wizard of OZ's Yellow Brick Road at the MGM, roller coasters and so forth. However, it didn't take long for the shine to wear off that idea before Vegas reverted to true form. It is, after all, called Sin City for good reason. The popular and effective "What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas" slogan that replaced the family theme has been successful because it pointedly captures the allure of Vegas.

In retrospect, the familiar saying, "You can't make a silk purse out a of a sow's ear" now seems appropriate to putting one of the most prestigious fine art museums in Vegas. As the Las Vegas Sun article points out, there were other problems, but at the heart of it, it just wasn't a good fit. The closing of the Guggenheim speaks volumes about culture, or lack thereof, in Vegas, and to a degree how specialized the interest and marketing of fine art is. The wisdom of crowds theory dictates the taste for Vegas is gambling, dining, nightclubbing, extravagant shows and forbidden fruit with not much energy or enthusiasm for fine art experiences.

In the tradeshow business, the take on destinations such as Las Vegas and San Francisco is they are great convention, but largely lousy tradeshow towns. Simply, the distractions are too powerful to keep crowds on the floor for smaller shows. Behemoths, such as Comdex, draw so many attendees they override the common wisdom. That said, it is only fair to note some small tradeshows such as the annual West Coast Art & Frame show do well there regardless. And in fairness to Vegas, there are but a a handful of cities worldwide that could sustain a Guggenheim museum.

You Can't Put Round Art into a Square Frame, No Matter How Glittery the Frame

The moral of the Guggenheim Vegas story is you can't force something where it doesn't fit. Put another way, swinging for the fences in an attempt to clear the bases with a Grand Slam homerun grandiose idea is not always a winning strategy. For art marketers, this lesson could not be more true, especially in a down economy. Looking back, the concept of an exquisite fine art museum in Vegas was a grandiose idea gone awry. The baseball analogy provides a nice segue to discuss employing a strategy called "Whitey Ball" for art marketers in a down market.

The Whitey Ball Strategy for Art Marketing in a Down Market

In the 1980s, the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team didn't have big hitting sluggers on its roster. Its huge ballpark with faraway fences didn't suit having them on the payroll. Instead, the team's wily manager, Whitey Herzog, used his creativity to build a team around speed and slap hitting singles batters. During his tenure, Herzog picked players who were fleet of foot with the ability to steal bases, move fast to plug defenses and thwart their opponent's offenses. Whitey always sought as many chances at bat he could get for his players. Essentially, he adapted his strategy to conform to what he had to work with. The results were spectacular with three National League pennants and two World Series appearances, including a World Series Championship in 1982.

Piling Up Singles in Today's Economy Is a Great Strategy

Whether you are an independent self-representing artist or a big time publisher, this is a good time to employ your version of Whitey Ball marketing. For those serious about sustaining and building their businesses, smart marketing is more crucial now than in good times. Maintaining your marketing edge now will, when the economy turns, put you far ahead of those who hunker down and do nothing.

NINE IDEAS FOR USING WHITEY BALL MARKETING WITH YOUR ART BUSINESS

1. Accurately assess your resources, opportunities and goals. Doing so serves to keep your expectations real.
2. Give your business every chance at bat it can get. Look for all the publicity and media notice you can garner - there are more opportunities than you realize. It all matters and it all adds up when you find and use them.
3. Shore up your defenses by tightening non-essential spending keeping funds available for the best opportunities.
4. Go for the single when you get to bat. The first step to getting a run is to get on base. The first step to getting repeat sales is to establish a relationship with a potential collector or gallery
5. Carefully weigh your options. When it comes to deciding how to allocate your marketing budget, employing the carpenter's credo to measure twice and cut once is a wise idea.
6. Renegotiate with your suppliers to get every discount, value added service and the lowest prices they can provide you.
7. Explore every viable means to diversify your distribution channels. Going forward, alternative, creative marketing is a fact of life no matter what the economy is doing.
8. Do whatever you must to make sure your customers are happy and your service is par excellence.
9. Don't buy into fanciful untried ideas (Or, if you must, start small and play conservatively. If it's good, you'll have time later to ratchet up your participation.)

Your Best Ideas Likely May Come From Doing Something You Were Sure You Would Never Do

To get creative, it helps to get outside your comfort zone. Try thinking about doing things differently, much differently. For instance, consider where have you not been, what have you not done and what you would never do. A marvelous brainstorming activity is to take a large sheet of paper and write down all the people, places and things you would never approach or do in your business. The harder you think about it and the more ideas you conjure up, the more likely your best out of left field (baseball pun intended) idea will come.

ArtExpo Las Vegas is a Conservative Go

Is there a correlation or lesson about the ArtExpo Las Vegas show and the closing of the Guggenheim Hermitage? Of course, especially if you believed Vegas had become an art mecca. I fell under that spell. Like many others, I was a strong proponent of the ArtExpo Vegas show last year. I devoted several encouraging posts on Art Print Issues and another on the very popular AbsoluteArts.com blog, where I contribute frequently.

My post show follow up was more sanguine. Like the folks at the Guggenheim and many others, I felt Vegas offered promise. Seeing the museum close and the ArtExpo show last year come off smaller than anyone would have hoped for and now in tougher economic times, it's hard to muster great enthusiasm for the 2008 show. Still, the industry is down to few choices for shows and this is one of them.

If you have the resources, ArtExpo Vegas can work to your advantage to exhibit there.

I met several self-representing artists who were thrilled they made the decision to go. The smartest advice is to go expecting the best, but also be prepared for something less than that. By doing so, you are poised to react to a good outcome and will negate the deflation of a bummer experience by having acknowledged the possibility of it. Exhibiting there, especially as unknown artist is akin to gambling, don't play with money you can't afford to lose. Go with a good marketing plan, use solid money management to keep losses to a minimum and play hard and smart and pray for a hot streak

What the artists with whom I met that had a great ArtExpo Vegas show had in common was they had unique well developed thematic styles that appealed to certain buyers with substantial open to buy budgets. In other words, in each case it was a single buyer that made the difference for them. This scenario is likely to happen again this year, but understand the buyers are selective. It doesn't mean your images aren't good if you don't succeed. It could be they are not right for those buyers who attend. Being able to know the difference only comes with experience. If you lack it, seek the advice of others to get an honest, if not brutal, assessment of where your art comes in.

The art print market is evolving and so are the venues and media that report on, promote and support it.

What we are witnessing is the rapid deconstruction of how things were done in the past. It is far from an art industry problem. You can find reports of all kinds of shows and media contracting from their once bulging sizes. It's harder to find where the business is going. Some to the Internet, some to targeted marketing and some to marginal players folding their tents.

To maximize your return, you need to pay close attention to help you understand how the business is evolving. Playing Whitey Ball with your marketing will help you sustain your business as you wind through the challenging times we find ourselves in today.

ArtExpo New York - The Show Must Go On

ArtExpo New York is the industry's most important show

As a marketing vehicle, ArtExpo New York (AENY) show is a blackhole that consumes vast marketing dollars, promotional energy and both artist and publisher hopes. Quite simply, it dominates the industry it defines. If you are a print artist seeking to break a career, or propel an established one to the next level, you ignore AENY at a cost. If you crave national or international recognition and sales whether as a print publisher or self-representing artist, there is no better place to plant your flag.

Despite problems and smaller size AENY delivers

The historic 30th annual ArtExpo New York show concluded March 3, 2008 with approximately 25% fewer exhibitors than last year. Despite a conspicuous absence of many major industry players, reports are the show delivered images both visually exciting and commercially viable to the international gathering of art print dealers and gallerists who rely on it as the singular source for finding and viewing the best array of both established artists and newcomers. In other words, some exhibitors came away with surprising results well beyond their modest expectations, proving AENY can deliver from back on its heels.

AENY transcends ALL constituencies that rely on it

AENY may be down on its fortunes vis-à-vis past shows. However, it remains THE SOURCE for an industry struggling to define itself and its relevance in the dawning of the 21st Century's digital age. Other shows may come and go, but the big show in the Big Apple remains the place to see and be seen if an artist or publisher seeks to expand distribution in one hugely important weekend. Observing AENY survive in hard times for the art print industry in particular and the economy in general, and with a revolving door of investment firm ownership with whom the art group has never been the primary economic engine or focus, testifies the show transcends ALL the constituencies that rely on it.

Further contractions will put the show on a slippery slope

There is no more quick fix to bring ArtExpo New York back to its former glory than there is to correct the current housing market debacle. A concerted effort from all sides is necessary. Putting the good of the industry ahead of bottom line thinking from all participants along with time to heal and adjust are required. Seeing the show contract to its sad 2008 size portends a bleak future on a slippery slope if things don't turn around.

AENY's contraction in size is beyond a show management problem

This is an industry problem that needs universal positive input to effect a change for the better. The reality every show management company faces is big old barn convention centers such as the Jacob Javits Center are specifically built to drive traffic, generate economic activity and increase tax revenue for the city. It's a cold, cold world and convention center operators only welcome shows, especially on favorable dates, so long as they deliver. Past performance will not save the day. When it comes to what shows get in and when convention centers tend to take the famous Henry Ford saying to heart, "History is bunk."

Keeping the Javits and optimal dates is not a sure thing - room nights are the coin of the realm

Getting a first class venue such as the Javits at all, much less the best dates is always purely based on  what have you done for me lately and what will you deliver for me now. For convention center operators, room nights are the coin of the realm. Once a show starts to lose critical mass in its exhibitor base, it makes it more and more difficult to deliver on the promise of room nights and enough exhibitor dollars to pay to produce the show. The trend AENY forecasts is one that could easily see it unceremoniously bounced from the Javits. There is no viable alternative in Manhattan or anywhere else that offers the same impact. Anyone who would debate this is either ill-informed or delusional.

Can you imagine our industry without AENY?

Despite its long term preeminence and good results posted by some exhibitors this year, the show appears to be cracking at the seams from the continuing loss of its constituent base of exhibitors and dealers. It is time to ask the entire industry to shake off whatever problems it has with the show and to come together to turn the tide and make the 2009 into something special. The alternative is bleak. If you think it can't happen consider this year alone AENY's owner has canceled the Spring Decor Expo show in Baltimore and the Art DC show due to lack of exhibitor support.

Show success is not based on management and exhbitor activity

If you are an attendee/buyer and think it is not important for you to participate and come open to buy at shows you like, you're dead wrong. Your support demonstrated through the strength of your pocketbook is the defining factor in any show's success. In other words, if you like the idea of the show, you have to invest in it. Your activity is the gauge exhibitors use to decide to come back and to talk it up to other exhibitors on the fence.

Tradeshows such as ArtExpo live and die on word-of-mouth - Critical mass keeps the WOM buzz going

Word-of-mouth (WOM) is a crucial component to the success of a show. Critical mass is another such component. To paraphrase Edna Ferber, "There has to be enough there there." If the trend in the past few years' decline is disappointing, the critical mass contraction we are seeing today is downright disturbing. The show has to have enough drawing power to bring in buyers and marginal exhibitors. It needs to have enough exhibitors to encourage show management to make the expensive bet to continue to sign lease agreements and take on hotel room blocks.

The industry needs to come together to reinvigorate AENY

As it has throughout its history, the collective importance of ArtExpo New York surpasses the individual needs of those who attend, exhibit, manage and own it. Imagining the industry without an ArtExpo New York show to bring together the best and brightest exhibitors, dealers and galleries is hard to comprehend. It's time for all who have a stake in the future of the art print market as markedly defined by AENY over the past 30 years to come together and make something happen for their own good, for the good of the industry.

Leadership from AENY's corporate owner is paramount

For the sake of the industry, the principals at Summit Business Media LLC, owners of AENY, need to let the industry know its plans and take to a leadership role in beginning a years long process of restoring AENY to its former glory. Should such a gesture be genuinely put forth, it should likewise be rightfully embraced by current, former and future exhibitors who stand to benefit from a renewed effort to turn the show's fortune's around. As the old show biz saying goes: "The show must go on."

Take a personal interest - get involved - it's your show and your future

If you believe and buy into the argument here, comment below, and more importantly forward this email to others who you think would be severely impacted by further decline in the fortunes of AENY. You can quickly forward this post using the Share This link just below.

Hopefully together we can generate a groundswell of interest that will lead to actions to help keep this most important of shows from failing when we can least afford for that to happen. Let any and all know what your concerns are and ask them to get involved to communicate with their contacts at SBMedia, important exhibitors and other leaders within the art print community to bring their influence to bear on the show's future fortunes.

ArtExpo 2008 vs. 2004 - An Artist's Perspective

While ArtExpo New York may not be the big dog of yore, there is still fight in the dog. Despite being smaller in size, the recently concluded ArtExpo New York delivered surprisingly strong sales for those exhibitors who came prepared for the best, yet mindful to expect the worst. In doing so, they might have made bestselling self-help author, Robert Ringer, proud.

In what may come as a surprise to some in my next post, I'll explain why it is paramount to support ArtExpo New York. Today, I turn over the blog to multi-talented artist, Tanya Dashevsky. For your enlightenment, she generously provides this insightful, informative and comparative report from an artist attendee perspective:

ArtExpo 2008. Changes from 2004

This year marked my first time at ArtExpo since 2004. To me it seemed just as large and thriving as the one I attended in that year, but this is an impression, not backed up by fact. Yet some changes, indeed did jump at me as I walked the rows of booths.

SOLO booths - artists renting small booth spaces and selling their art directly: For artists using the show to launch a career using a SOLO booth, I would say, that s/he would have to stand out either in sheer quality and talent, or have some kind of gimmick to be able to grab and sustain attention in that setting. There were a huge amount of SOLO booths, and they were located way out in left field. By the time people got to the last few rows, they were completely saturated. Therefore, I would highly suggest getting a booth as close to the center as possible, even if it means paying extra.

I didn't even make it to the last few rows, because by that time, I couldn't see straight anymore. Not to mention, a lot of artists used various gimmicks such as live music or video presentations which often were very distracting for both viewers and the unfortunate artists renting the booths next door. I'm not saying that artists shouldn't use these kinds of promotion tools, but too much of this can create a really chaotic environment in which it is hard to concentrate on viewing art, or for a prospective shopper to make a purchase. But I'm sure that these approaches generate hype and sales, if not necessarily the good graces of his/her next door neighbors.

Globalization hits Artexpo: there were a LOT of merchants -- both artists and dealers -- from Asia (China, Korea,) Eastern Europe (Romania , Russia,) as well as Latin America all renting mid-sized booths, and selling nice work at low prices. Some of this work was clearly "manufactured" -- quantities of paintings pumped out one after the other to sell in bulk. But others were of very high quality. So American artists, watch out, offshoring is here.

Missing faces: A lot of the regular players were there DelJou, Nan Miller etc. Though I did not see some of the publishers I was hoping to.  Bruce McGaw, Haddad's, Image Conscious, Wild Apple graphics were all missing. [Ed. note - Poster publishers such as this last group mentioned defected first to Decor Expo and when it went away, they never came back to ArtExpo.]

Emerging Trends: I saw a new technique emerging which involves painting on some kind of slick surface such as metal or plexiglass, then pouring a thick coating of resin onto the painting. This creates a glassy, moody yet decorative viewing experience. I saw three or four artists experimenting with this technique quite successfully. Even more interesting was that one gallery was creating giclees, attaching them to masonite, and then treating them with the same technique -- pouring on a think coating of resin -- which made the prints look just like glowing paintings. Here's an example of one artist's approach to resin coated painting.

Juicy original oil paintings: A lot of original art seemed to be moving well. High-quality naturalistic oils seemed to draw trade buyers. I saw one gallery sell six paintings to a collector in 10 minutes. The sales guy looked like he might faint from joy. But these paintings were created by a very talented painter, and from the looks of it, the buyer had some serious cash to spend. Here's a look at the work of this lucky artist.

Craftsmen and women: There were some craftspeople / artisans getting attention. One woman was making beautiful work using a quilting technique. Very high craftsmanship, great geometric designs, and subtle colors attracted a gallery to her Solo booth. I'm afraid I don't have her name.

And as usual, there was a ton of really mediocre work, some of it downright garish. But the extremely impressive high-quality and inspiring work more than made up for it.

–Tanya Dashevsky
http://www.dashdesigner.com/architecture/index.html

ArtExpo New York - The Show Must Go On is must reading for all interested in the future of the show

Sad News and Bitter Irony - Paul Karel Remembered - Tradeshows Canceled

There was sad news received today. Paul Karel, former Decor Expo (nee ABC) show manager, unexpectedly passed away over the past weekend due to complications from routine surgery. He was one of the last to retire from Commerce Publishing Company before it sold itself to Pfingsten Publishing LLC, which is now owned by Summit Business Media LLC.

We Stand On His Shoulders

Sometimes, you don't have to know someone, or even anything about them to have an appreciation for what they accomplished, and for how you benefit from those accomplishments or stand on their shoulders. Such could be said of Paul Karel. As the Show Manager for more than a decade of what were then known as Art Buyers Caravan shows, he was instrumental in helping the art print and retail framing markets to blossom at a time of tremendous growth within the industry. With his steady guidance, the shows grew and the industry around them flourished. The art and framing industry is a better place today because of those shows. He would be the first to tell you it wasn't just his efforts, but he wouldn't have been shy about admitting his talent was a major factor either.

Paul was brought in by Decor management to oversee the ABC shows as they started to grow from humble beginnings in hotel ballrooms in a couple of locations to larger venues and more locations. The success eventually led to the New York shows becoming a huge international draw and the Atlanta Decor Expo show becoming one of the largest 200 tradeshows in the country for a brief time after his departure.

His Leadership Helped Foster the Growth of an Industry

Anyone who has tried to manage a tradeshow will testify it requires a remarkable range of talent and ability to juggle multiple tasks well. A mind boggling number of tasks have to be managed to come off on time. Buyers and exhibitors need to be pacified for the myriad of issues they confront when large tradeshows convene. Away from the shows, the promotional activities to get both buyers and attendees to participate never ends and neither does the endless negotiation with vendors of all sorts.

Paul managed as many as eight successive shows in one year with a very small staff of smart dedicated people. Usually two full-timers and some part-time help was all he needed. By comparison, look at the size of the staffs of the West Coast Art & Frame show or the Decor Expo Atlanta show or ArtExpo to get an idea of how incredible it was for him to efficiently and effectively manage those shows as he did.

Paul was a tough manager and negotiator who could not be conned, but he knew how to spot up and commers who needed a boost to bring them along. For them, he would find ways to bend the rules a little to help them stretch a budget to get more exposure at a show. His prices were sacrosanct. The rampant dealing you see on booth prices today were unheard of in his time. Whether the show was setting up to be a loser or runaway winner, he always stood firm. Those who had their differences with him, and there were plenty over the years, always knew that he was consistent. If he was an SOB at times, he was a consistent SOB. But, his shows always always ran on time.

The Art Print Market Grew as Baby Boomers Domiciled

The industry's growth spurt began in the mid-80s just as the art print and retail picture framing market began a meteoric rise in sales and popularity. The poster market was rocketing as Baby Boomers were growing out of college dorms into homes and apartments. They wanted to move from taped or tacked concerts posters on their walls to real art, but still affordable. Many of them jumped into the business either as artists, retailers, framers or publishers.

The offset limited edition print market also grew out of this same rise in popularity for fine art on the walls. The growth in the business was benefited by having a strong  publication to educate retailers how to manage their businesses and the trade shows that evolved out of them were an important component of stoking the growth.

The Sad News of Paul's Passing Coincides With the Baltimore Decor Expo Being Canceled

The bitter irony in the timing on the news of Paul's passing is it comes within days of the announcement of the canceling of the Baltimore Decor Expo, which had been rebranded Spring Decor Expo. That show had morphed from the once worldwide preeminent picture framing show, Frame-o-rama, and its sister art & poster show, Galeria into a disastrous downhill slide. What is left is the Fall (Atlanta) Decor Expo show as the last remaining from an annual tradeshow schedule that at one time included New York, Los Angeles, Orlando, Dallas, Chicago, Philadelphia, Louisville and other rotating sites such as Denver and Seattle. You might say with his death, the shows have come full circle. It is sad news to know we have reached this point. In case you hadn't noticed, the Art DC show recently was also canceled. It's not been a good year for news on the art and framing tradeshow front.

Seasons Come and Go - Nothing Wrong with a Bit of Nostalgia

Things change and seasons come and go, we all get older and nothing remains the same. To accommodate the changes, we look for new ways to make our businesses grow as those things that were once stalwarts in our marketing arsenal fall away. Still, no one can be faulted for having a bit of nostalgia for what once was. There was a camaraderie that grew out of the effect of frequently throughout the year bringing together the new and old players on the scene. We all learned from each other. We went to dinner together and often many came back to the hotel bar for a night cap to recap the goings on at the show and the state of the industry. Lifelong friendships and acquaintances grew out of those shows. Their passing, which was likely inevitable, has sadly left a void in the relationships and other intangible aspects they provided as well as the access to regional markets.

Share a Memory

In his day, you could reliably find Paul kibitzing and enjoying an after dinner drink, often in the company of Marcia, his devoted wife, there to commiserate with you, to buy you a drink to celebrate your good fortune, or to strategize about how to make the shows better. Even though the sign in his office read, "Be Reasonable, Do It My Way" he usually was approachable with new ideas. He liked to make money, to be successful and for others to enjoy their own successes with the shows he managed.

It is in fond memories of those moments after a good day and a good meal in a city somewhere that I choose to remember Paul when the pleasure of his company was at its best. If you knew Paul and have fond memory of your own, why not leave it here in a comment. I'll make sure his family receives them.

Five Ways to Market Your Art Direct

We pause this blog for a little shameless self-promotion.

An artist friend who I met after he read my book, which resulted in a series of consulting sessions over the past two years, has decided to take up the offer from a publisher to join his ranks. He had long held the notion that with his considerable business expertise and decent financing he would self-publish his work. He had begun to do that and also to shop giclees of his work to galleries in his local area. Additionally, he also managed to get some of his giclees put in the gift shop of a prestigious venue in his area.

I'm being slightly cryptic here because the ink is not dry on the contract and he has what I consider a terrific idea for an approach to working a niche. If all goes well, he will have a coming out party at the upcoming 30th Annual ArtExpo New York show at the end of this month. When I can share more details,I will be happy to do so.

My friend has recently been re-reading my book, How to Profit from the Art Print Market. It was interesting for both of us to observe what he was going through with the development of his print career. In many ways, his circumstances were exactly as I described in the book. This was down to my mention of having a marketing maven full-time to help grow the business as a key component of self-publishing success for many, if not most artists. His wife is a gifted driven very successful designer in the home furnishings field. Their company has for more than a decade supplied household name brands with licensed designs of all sorts. While she would be perfect in this role, she does not have the time to put her career on hold to help his. Nor would it make financial sense for her to do so.

Left to his own devices, this artist began to realize the difficulties for an unknown artist to be both marketing maven and full-time artist. Plus, he still puts in time at the design business as needed. The bottom line is the uphill battle was starting to look overwhelming given the plausible vision he has for his art and career. As the luck most often found in the residue of hard work would have it, a contact in one of the galleries led him to perhaps the most ideal publisher for his genre and his circumstances. I'm quite happy for him things are going to work out.

What he found was in reading and re-reading my book was two years after his first reading, the basic advice from what to do, what might happen, what the commission structure offered would be and many other things were still spot on and valuable to him in his decisions and dealings with his new potential publisher. It was heartwarming validation for me the underlying advice continued to hold water even though the business continues to undergo substantial, if not monumental, upheaval and change.

More Signs of Change for the Art Print Market

The state and health of the trade magazines and tradeshows that serve the industry are as much a harbinger of how things are working out as any. In October 2006, I put 20 years of tradeshow experience on the line and predicted the Decor Expo Baltimore show would be a bust. That was harsh given the inaugural show was still six months away in April 2007. While I have no official word, I notice the February issue of Art Business News has omitted the 2008 Baltimore show from its Calendar. Not a good sign things are working out. Further, the Web site for the show has no exhibitor list. Since this is a primary tool for enlisting more exhibitors, one can only conclude the show is being quietly mothballed, or in serious trouble. I'm left wondering if another prediction of a sale for the Art and Framing Group by current owner, Summit Business Media LLC, can be far off.

ArtExpo Booth Sales Appear to Be Well Off Previous Year Figures

Meanwhile, the aforementioned 30th Annual ArtExpo New York show appears to also be struggling to bring in the same number of exhibitors as last year. A check today shows 374 companies listed as exhibitors. The list has been updated regularly over the past month with more than 100 exhibitors added to it. Nevertheless, it remains well behind the 600 exhibitors published by the show producer last month. The trade magazines that serve the business also are showing a decline in ad pages. These are pretty good indicators it's rough patch for the art print market these days. The cover story of the ABN issue was on the state of the art economy interviewing some veteran players in the market. While most found some ways to put a bit of positive spin on their outlook, none was overly optimistic.

Five Ways to Market Your Art Direct

It's a good time to review what you are trying to achieve from a business perspective for your career. I'm not talking about a year end review and goals for the coming months. I'm thinking more about what you want for your career financially and awareness. It could be like that of my friend who seeks to find an audience and appreciation for his work and to get the work to market in a way he could profit from the effort. Besides reaching a vastly larger audience, the appeal of the print market for most successful artists who embrace it is it provides them a way to generate repeat cash flow from the effort in creating an original.

I have said it before, but believe it bears repeating. Artists ought to be developing their own direct revenue streams with collectors. Easy to say, harder to do. But when you consider the traditional means are not nearly as robust as before, it provides extra impetus. Here are some ideas for how that might work:

1. Alternative spaces, such as coffee shops, restaurants, building lobbies and waiting rooms. There is a skin care salon located here in tony Paradise Valley that also offers art from local artists. The patrons are a perfect demographic for art. And, they are spending leisure time in the salon on a repeat basis. It works for the artists and the salon owner on multiple levels.

2. Create your own shows. You don't have to have a gallery to do this for you. Decide you are going to do it and follow though. You can create a show in a public space; perhaps a local community college, a church, a rented hotel room. Build some excitement around the uniqueness of the show with publicity or charitable components. Plan far enough in advance to get a good date not competitive with other activities. Enlist your family and friends to help you generate word-of-mouth.

3. Web sites and blogs. Are you selling direct from either? If not, why? Of course, you don't want to compete with any established galleries with an online site or physical location. Why not have exclusives for the galleries that are promoted on your Web site or blog along with exclusive images available only through you? eBay just announced it has new pricing. Apparently, the past year has been difficult with sellers abandoning the once juggernaut for other venues. It might be worth revisiting it for another shot in 2008.

4. Work with other artists. Get other visual artists, or musicians or poets to create a happening. Find ways to collaborate on art and promotion. The group dynamic could be very dynamic and stimulating. You can use something like Meetup that offers tremendous potential to the person with energy and a good idea and a dash of promotional verve.

5. Get in catalogs. The Guild, which is one of my most favorite for indie artists, offers a tremendous platform for sales and visibility for artists through its Artful Home catalog and Guild Sourcebook. It is by far not the only one, but if you are interested, you can act now to submit to its annual juried entry submission process. The competition runs through February 29 and is administered by Juried Art Services, which you should check out for all its offerings. A catalog or sourcebook such as this is one degree of separation, but you ship directly and you get promoted and create a relationship with your customers.

Bottom line is now more than ever, you have to think and act for yourself. The more you take your situation under your own control, the better off you will be. I'm sure there are plenty of other great ideas. If you have any and want to share, the comments section below beckons.

---

Enter your Email


Preview | Powered by FeedBlitz

David Byrne's Business Strategies for Artists

David Byrne is perhaps best known as the front man and driving force for one of the most influential bands of the 1980s, The Talking Heads. A quick look at his Web site reveals a multi-talented artist with interests and success in music, art, books, theater, performance and film. In his erudite manner, Byrne penned a concise article for the December issue of Wired magazine. 

The article is titled, David Byrne's Survival Strategies for Emerging Artists — and Megastars. Whether you have a passing interest in how the music business is changing, or an abiding interest in how the models he discusses might affect you as a visual artist, I commend it to you. As a bonus, you can hear a track from a recent recording and other recordings of conversations and thoughts from him on this topic.

The #7 point on my recent post, Ten Points to Ponder for Your Art Marketing Plans is:

If you haven't already, start making plans to set up your own distribution. This could be online sales, alternative spaces or other inventive ways you can conceive to get directly to new collectors. The future success for many artists depends on their ability to deliver directly to their customers. The sooner you comprehend and act on this concept, the better off you'll be later on.

I hope you took that thought seriously. There are opportunities opening up with more on the way, But you have to have your head up to see and figure out how to capitalize on them. There are direct correlations between what is happening in the music business and with the distribution of art in the print business. The distribution breakdown has not come as far and galleries are still more important to visual artists than record stores have become to musicians. Nevertheless, the changes wrought by the intertwined evolution of the Internet and print-on-demand technology are significant. Galleries are abandoning the print market because of the commoditizaion of the giclee process and the proliferation of prints available online. Despite monumental changes, we are still in a nascent state of evolution in how visual art is sold as reproductions. And, regardless of change, reproductions, or prints if you will, are still the best way for most artists to gain financially from their creativity.

Over the past decade, we have seen the rise of the giclee as an important exciting development that overcame initial resistance because of its techno-component and colorfast issues, to go on and become the dominant form of printing for artists in the limited edition print market. It's now gone so far that I posed the question in a post last year titled, Is Giclee Passe? It is a legitimate question to raise now that we have seen the arrival of faster and less expensive equipment with the market evolving around the development.

Giclees are made by the boatload in Asian countries just like cheap oils are these days and with very good quality to boot. What was once a pricey commodity because it was rare and expensive to make has become something that is easy and inexpensive to make. Basically, digital printing capabilities are within the grasp of just about any artist interested in producing his or her own prints. As the printing prices go down and printing speeds have gone up, the artist's ability to price garden variety giclees at premium prices is evaporating.

The rise of open edition online one-stop marketing and fulfillment operations such as Image Kind, Red Bubble and Art.com's Artist Rising, and even Cafe Press to name a few, have made it very easy for any visual artist to sell their work online. Sites such as these are wonderful and freeing for many artists. But, their development further commoditizes the giclee process. it means those visual artists with a following and a vision or desire to grow a collector base are looking for new ways, or should be, to separate themselves from the masses. It's why, in part, I have lobbied for stopping limited editions of giclees for most artists. If you have some ideas on where this is going, I invite you to share them with this audience. I will over the coming weeks weigh in with my thoughts and research on how the market is evolving and where the pitfalls and opportunities might be.

Something Old Something New Meet Myron Arndt & Sue C. Smith

SOMETHING NEW

A long time art print indutry veteran recently joined the ranks of art business bloggers. His name is Myron Arndt. With his list of accomplishments and breadth of knowledge, he is sure to add value to the conversation about how to help the art market, prints in particular, navigate the choppy waters surrounding it today.

An example of the valuable information Myron is publishing on his Art Business Thoughts blog is his recent post titled, Art Submission Tips. It provides insights for artists on how to properly present themselves to a publisher. One of his ventures is Island Art Publishers. From this vantage point he offers firsthand knowledge, wisdom and tips for artists considering working with a a publisher. Check him out, you'll be glad you did.

I would love to see more art print publishers join the ranks of bloggers. It would be good for them and great for the industry and artists to have them publishing their thoughts and sharing their treasure trove of experience as Myron has chosen to do. If you have contact with any publishers, let them know about Myron and suggest to them the notion of starting a blog for themselves. Tell them to contact me for ideas, guidance and resources to get started.

SOMETHING OLD

Sue C. Smith launched her Ancient Artist blog in May 2007. I love the concept; the subtitle is: On creating art in Oregon, starting a second career in art instead of retiring, developing an art marketing strategy, and philosophical discussions about art.

How many artists does that describe? A whole bunch is the answer. Boomers are shedding their past and searching for their futures in droves. The number turning 60 every day is astounding.

I think Sue is on to something with her approach. Her blog topics are wide ranging, but are all nonetheless interesting. Much of her Ten Things You Can Do Now dovetails perfectly with my own philosophy of developing an art career.

Best wishes to both these bloggers to keep adding to the art business and art marketing blogging conversation.

ArtExpo Las Vegas & Decor Expo Atlanta Shows Mirror the Market - Part Two

The New Millennium Brings Change and New Challenges to the Industry

The early years of the 21st century set the stage for major changes within the industry. For example, against a trend of declining trade magazine ad pages, the industry witnessed the largest shows ever. There was the demise of the PPFA (Professional Picture Framers Association) shows as stand alone entities, and the rise and success of the industry’s only regional framing and art show in the form of the West Coast Art & Frame show. 1999 brought the sale of the Commerce Publishing Company's ABC (Art Buyer's Caravan), Galeria and Frame-o-rama show and DECOR magazine to Pfingsten Publishing LLC.

The Commerce Publishing Company sale to Pfingsten Publishing LLC led to its acquisition of Advanstar Communications' ArtExpo shows, Art Business News magazine and other related media and show properties. The Pfingsten's ownership also brought the end of CPC’s regional art & framing tradeshows. Deemed marginally profitable and contracting in size, the new investment firm owner cancelled shows in California, Orlando, Dallas, Louisville and rotating shows elsewhere. The closing of these shows was an early indication of both changing market conditions and different management philosophy.

ArtExpo Las Vegas & Decor Expo Atlanta Shows Mirror the Market - Part One

The September art & framing shows, Decor Expo Atlanta and ArtExpo Las Vegas concluded with a thud. Reports from both shows were not unlike results from any casino surrounding the Vegas show. They included a small number of exhibitors who came away winners, and more whose results ran the gamut from okay to dismal. Further reflecting the state of the art print market, neither packed the punch that exciting shows get from word-of-mouth. It is an interesting dichotomy in our age of instant electronic communications and marketing that, just as with motion pictures, old-fashioned word of mouth is the chief driver to fill exhibit halls and pack movie theatres.

The Atlanta show continued its decline in size again this year, which can be construed as a direct reflection of the industry mirroring the contraction in the numbers of individually owned galleries and picture frame shops in North America. The one growing segment of exhibitors in Atlanta is Chinese oil painting companies. This is problematic for the show organizers. As these cheap oil painting outfits expand their space, they become more important to the financial health of the show making the decision to ban them altogether difficult from a bottom line perspective. Not to forget the show needs to be a certain size to warrant getting favorable dates at the Georgia World Congress Center. It's a crappy no-win Sophie's Choice situation for the show management. Keep taking the money of these oil painting companies and the problems they present, or ban them and risk losing the show's dates and venue.

Unfortunately, another distasteful aspect is the manner in which the oil painting operations show their product. Often they spread pieces on the ground, put there from the top of undraped tables which gives the show a cheap rug bazaar flea market feel. It's a far cry from the magnificent ornate booths put up by the top moulding manufacturers who want an visually stimulating upscale ambience for their art & framing tradeshow experience. As with dirt cheap imports of products in other industries, the effect is to devalue the work of American artists and publishers. It is especially egregious in this instance because it undermines a population of small businesses with few resources to fight back against cheap prices and copyright infringement.

Oil Painting Knockoffs Reach New Heights and Lows