Setting Goals as a Visual Artist

Setting Goals

In 2000, we started the full-time journey as a wildlife wood sculptor – aka Ken Newman Sculptures.  Ken was building custom homes in Truckee and Lake Tahoe (sculpting on the side since college) and I was working in management with a large resort community.  We set the course in motion over a period of two years prior to the last son graduating from high school. 1997-1999 were spent honing skills and techniques, creating sculptures, developing gallery representation, entering exhibitions and shows, planning and learning how to navigate the arts in our community.

In 2001, we realized that where we lived would not impact our art journey, so we started the migration from California to Idaho, where we had family and a lower cost of living and operating a business. When the last boy graduated in 2001, the house went on the market and we purchased a new truck and 5^th wheel and headed out to pursue the life of an artist – hence "Sculpting on the Road".

The 5 year plan was developed and put on paper in 1999.  This was a "soft" blueprint of the future, in order to define the direction of our path into the art realm. Ken wanted to create work that was significant in the realm of wildlife art and work that shared his love of nature.

These are the overall goals we focused on for the first five years:

Complete a Specific Number of Artworks

An artist needs to have inventory to sell, jury into exhibitions and put their work into galleries and shows–the body of work is important and by identifying a number per year as a goal easily identified- you might even want to define size of the works.

Identify and Apply to Sales Show

Spend time identifying your market, price point, genre, etc. We visit shows we considered a match, talked with other artists, clients and tried to identify our niche. Are you, a Van Gogh, a Warhol or somewhere in between.

Enter a Specific Number of Juried Shows

In the beginning, we made a goal of applying to at least five juried shows a year, increase the odds and you might be chosen to one.  We focus on finding shows with monetary awards, exposure and most importantly jurors that are art critics, have museum connections and credentials.  If you want to get your work seen with artists in your genre and in front of a specific curator, find which shows they are jurying? Don't jury into an abstract shows if you do representational work. Submit only your best work.

Apply for Memberships to Art/Sculpture Organizations

Engage and join your local art organizations, any regional or state organizations, then national organizations in your genre/medium or beyond...

These organizations can help support, provide insight and elevate your art in venues you can't reach otherwise.  Try not to get caught up in the vanity shows, with high entry and show fees.

Create Marketing Materials and Plan

Everyone needs to be seen, although we are not as visible as some artists, a business card and simple website are essential. Images, postcards and newsletters work via email as well as snail mail.  If you don't have a mailing list of people interested in your work, start collecting names for this list at all of your shows.

Press Releases are an essential part of the marketing formula and it is amazing how releases are picked up regionally, in state and nationally. We have a social media presence, (Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Linked In) it seems like a viable way to connect with others. If you have a bankroll, advertising consistently in your market genre can be a very effective option for some. If you can't advertise repeatedly for name/image recognition, it's probably not worth it. (We don’t have a trust fund or retirement account or Social Security either J)

Continuing Education and Residency Opportunities

Classes, seminars, organization meetings are essential to your growth as an artist.  Materials, methods, opportunities are changing rapidly and without tapping into educational opportunities you may be left behind.

Artist Residencies are a great opportunity to step away from the daily grind of sales shows and focus and experiment in a new environment-residency opportunities vary-search them out. There is nothing like spending a winter with MFA students to enlighten a self-taught artist's understanding that most artists are teachers.

Seek and Research Gallery Opportunities

Not all galleries are able to sell everyone's work. Do a little research, visit a gallery you think might be compatible – visit with the owner/sales people.  Personal verses portfolio is the way to approach a gallery – call ahead to make sure they have time. If there is a connection – be sure you have a simple contract that covers the basics. There are many sample consignment gallery contracts on-line and hints to consider before signing a contract.

Look for a proactive established gallery – not the new shingle on the street. If you find an artist run gallery, make sure there is someone running it with a business/retail background. The first thing we do is ask for a business plan -many don't have one. There are great articles on-line related to finding the right gallery for you, do your research and then be an active artist in the gallery.

Develop and Refine Business Plan

I added this at the end, because artist's just don't plan, they create, envision, explore and play…. Business people plan, evaluate, adjust, question and constantly look at the bottom line. Each artist needs a little help from someone who is looking at the bigger picture.

Find that someone to help you and your journey will be a little smoother. There are many good times, but as someone once said, real art is created during difficult times, not during times of prosperity.

Run your art operation like a business and see where it leads you.

Whether you want to be a regional or national artists, there are so many ways to gather information on the computer about art opportunities, art venues in your specific community, state or nationally or internationally.  It is important to decide what your goals are to insure you are heading in the right direction. You might note that we did not identify monetary goals, one of our weaknesses, we believe it is all about the Art.

Next blog will detail our goal setting plan for 2006.