Lesley Payne Photography

What If There Where No More Art Galleries

2011-06-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

I am a HUGE fan of Kesha Bruces blog. I could not summarize this wonderful post. So the next logical choice was to copy, paste, and link!

What if there were no art dealers, no “art reps”, and no commercial galleries to sell our work?

What if we summoned the courage to take full responsibility for our careers instead of placing our future in someone else’s hands?

What if we used our creative abilities to think up new and exciting ways to market our work?

What we embraced the very real fact that artists are entrepreneurs?

What if we stopped making excuses, and started making choices?

What if we stopped trying to find "collectors" and worked harder at building relationships with people who have shown interest in our work?

What if we were less afraid to step into the spotlight and stopped hiding behind our work?

What if we stopped expecting our art to “speak for itself” and became the passionately vocal champions of our own work?

What if we stopped worrying about accumulating lines on our resume and focused our energy on building relationships with would-be buyers?

What if we told everyone we met that we are artists and confidently invited them to see our work?

What if we stopped blaming the economy?

What if instead of spending money on entry fees, we invested in marketing classes?

What if we stopped waiting for external approval?

What if we worried less about “the art world” and focused more on creating a productive and consistent studio practice?

What if we finished what we started?

What if we stopped searching for a quick fix?

What if we developed discipline?

What if we stopped treating out profession like a hobby?

What if we talked less about what we want to do, and skipped right to the actual “doing” part?

What if we stopped apologizing for being artists?

What if we asked for help when we needed it?

What if we stopped feeling afraid/ashamed/nervous about making money?

What if we learned to price our work in a way that doesn’t under-valued our skill and experience?

What if we stopped comparing ourselves to others?

What if we were less afraid?

What if we spent just as much time marketing our work as making our work?

What if we reached out to help other artists instead of seeing them as competition?

What if we stopped waiting to be rescued?

What if we rescued ourselves?

Big Love,

-Kesha★

Purple Pin Cushion

2011-06-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

I could not resist featuring the creator of my first Market Day purchase. I love the idea of a room filled with flowers, and now I don't have to spend a fortune or worry about wilting! Ask for your custom order too!

Saturday Excitement

2011-06-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

I am very excited to be accepted back to the Market Day event for June 25, 2011. It is organized by the wonderful Cat Rocketship, Dani Ausen, and Scott Kubie. For expert art advice with a sense of humor and a dose of rambling check out their make/break podcasts.

Craft Saturday Showcase Part Two

2011-04-23T07:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 30 from 12-6 pm at 216 4th Street in Des Moines, Iowa. Get Directions!

C. Molloy Vintage

JBirdstitch

Papercake Creations

Veronica Made

Monster Fashion

Urban Ecology

Craft Saturday Showcase Part One

2011-04-17T12:10:00.000-07:00

Saturday April 30 from 12-6 pm at 216 4th Street in Des Moines, Iowa. Get Directions!

Chimes Design

Sweet William Handmade

Be Atomic Beauty

Mr. Sogs Creatures

Hard Love Apparel

Jen Lawler Designs

Daydreaming

2011-04-11T15:49:00.000-07:00

No dream comes true until you wake up and do the work. - Anonymous

Here is the dream day I am working closer to with each click of the shutter and show acceptance.

7 am: Wake up, breakfast, e-mail check, package new orders to be mailed

8:30 am: Photographing in the studio or outdoors

12 pm: Lunch, e-mail check, online updates, post office to mail orders

1:30 pm: Developing or printing pictures, matting, research new themes/subject matter

6 pm: Gym, dinner, relaxing

or spending all day wandering the streets of a new city!

Health Care for Iowa Artists

2011-02-05T13:02:00.000-08:00

I was so happy to open my February newsletter from Springboard for the Arts and find a guide to health care for Iowa artists. Information can be found on types of insurance, health care providers, low cost clinics, programs to help reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and much more. Download the reference today!

New Work

2011-01-30T11:59:00.000-08:00

http://lesleypayne.artfire.com/

http://facebook.com/lesleypaynephotography

http://twitter.com/lesleysphotos

What The Flick!

2011-01-22T18:43:00.000-08:00

I want to share a recommendation from one of my favorite blogs by Alyson Stanfield. She listed several options for artist databases and I fell in love with Flick! by Arawak. They offer an opportunity to download a fully functional trail version FREE. Who can turn down a chance to try a software program before buying?

I was sold on the ability to keep track of inventory and sales, run reports, contact list, ability to create and send newsletters, and most importantly add images, videos, and documents in multiple formats. I feel so much more organized and ready to take on the new year with it!

November Thank You

2010-12-01T05:05:00.000-08:00

I thought my thank you posts needed some color. I am now adding my favorite item from the creators store. Enjoy!

ShopHotHouse created What movie is this treasury representing?

DesignbyEmpwr created an eye-catching collection of urban delight.

Shhhhh, It's a secret by PlumValleyDesigns.

Sara John Afana supported the fine art friday team with take a picture it lasts longer.

Collecting fine art was curated by fiddleheadart.

Lillith did the holiday shopping for you and found beautiful gifts for everyone.

Black Friday Fine arts sales spotted by Furiousdreams.

Wonderful Words

2010-11-06T11:04:00.000-07:00

I love finding encouraging articles and selling tips. Etsy success newsletter and the Market Day Iowa blog pointed me to Blacksburg Belle and their articles on How to Develop Your Personalized Marketing Plan. I am finishing up my worksheet one.

Blacksburg Belle organized the 9 Creative Women Share Secrets to Succeeding with Social Media series too.

I discovered The Abundant Artist: Dispelling the Starving Artist Myth today. It is run by Cory Huff and I immediately signed up for the free e-mail course to sell more art online in ten weeks. I can feel several hours of my saturday slipping away from me as I look over the site!

October Thank You

2010-11-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

mhugg0407 included me in which way on etsy.

Silas Stubbs created shape body form.

bprdesign found the basics on etsy.

Soapsmith on artfire made a collection of city life. She made the front page of Artfire too!

ManateeDreams was inspired by love, couples and romance.

LilBritknits heard London calling.

My collections of all around, a touch of fall, sweet sixteen and photographers of etsy.

Events and Specials

2010-10-27T17:14:00.000-07:00

I found a wonderful new team on Etsy that combines a tradition from the brick and mortar stores and brings it to the online world, Art Walk Etsy Team! You can join in by shopping online the first friday of every month using search term firstfridayartwalk. Upcoming dates November 5th, December 3, and January 7, 2011.

The last regular scheduled Market day is this Saturday 8-2 in down Des Moines.

I have been offering Market Day visitors coupons for free online shipping at my store. I am extending the offer to everyone for the holiday season. Enter MARKET DAY at checkout for U.S. and Canada buyers.

New Work

2010-10-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

I saw a similar shot on Flickr of London before I went on vacation. I can't believe I found it too!

Pulteney Bridge over the Avon River in Bath, England.

Both images are available as postcards, 5x7 or 8x10 here.

I love Adwords!

2010-10-10T06:23:00.000-07:00

AdWords is Google's advertising product and main source of revenue. I do not use it for placing ads to my store. I am using it to optimize the title, descriptions, and tags of my photographs. I came across the recommendation in Artfire 45 day guide to success.

While a thesaurus can help you avoid duplicate content in your store listings. AdWords will make sure you are still getting an audience and give you even more keyword ideas. My favorite feature is being able to see what categories my keyword puts me in. I hope this helps all of us find more holiday shoppers!

September Thank You

2010-10-02T06:00:00.000-07:00

YourTime knows the sky is the limit for Artfire.

SESCo lost a little piece of.....

Alphabetmomma created a treasury from a memory of her momma entitled clothesline.

Etsy fan ayapon from Japan gathered some of her favorites in sleek.

The cupcake cousins honored their home country with britannia rules the waves.

Rewrite

2010-09-26T10:39:00.000-07:00

Artfire came out with a 45 day success guide in July and Etsy came out with a holiday boot camp last week. My excuses to ignore duplicate content flew out the window. While updating descriptions and titles I came across an article by Tony on Artfire about how the two sites market your listings differently.

For the first time I feel fully prepared (and overwhelmed) as I update my store. If you have not stopped by a store lately they both have over 80+ listings. The two most helpful sites helping me revamp are Google AdWords and a thesaurus. I will write more about how Adwords keyword search can improve your store in an upcoming post.

August Thank You Part II

2010-08-31T17:39:00.000-07:00

I had some more Etsy treasuries and Artfire collection curators to thank this month.

M2BC gathered the furry and feathered on Artfire here.

cctexan3 noticed my love of lines and included me in her Lines and Lighting.

FantasyClay gathered Shades of Gray.

EmersonStreet created A Misty Evening About Town. She is running a very generous project donating 100% of her profits to the victims of the Gulf Oil sill. Please take a moment to read more here.

glittercritter found inspiration from music with bridge over troubled water.

grahotestudio celebrated her 13th anniversary.

starvi took a tour of the dark side.

A very special thank you to everyone who attended Market Day on Aug 28th. I am very excited to particpate in September, October, and November. I will be posting new work on Etsy and Artfire so please check back!

August Thank You Part 1

2010-08-20T18:53:00.000-07:00

A two part thank you this month because it has been a busy one!

Sometimes I Swirl created a treasury called Art you such a dreamer?

Photohale created a collection called B & W.

BLaPorte used my favorite colors again in Traditional Black & White.

Hagarae rolled the dice with lucky number 7.

I inspired gothicsilver to create their own treasury with The Best 20 when I included an item in my collection called Top Ten. My first group to have 100+ views!

Call me mimi placed one of my pictures as the first item in fall down town.

Art Days

2010-07-27T17:47:00.000-07:00

Celebrating your communities visual and performing artists with organized events is a sign of a thriving urban city. Des Moines will be hosting the the third annual ArtStop. I encourage everyone to participate in similar events in there area. Who can go wrong with a day spent encouraging ones imagination?

July Thank You

2010-07-24T10:10:00.000-07:00

Listing an item every day in my stores translated into more views this month. I wanted to take a moment to thank the shops who helped.

Gilgulim sells necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry. She curated a treasury called chess.

PhotoGrunt created a feature on his blog called Tagline Roulette. Compliments from fellow photographers can be the nicest!

PhotogenicGallery curates the Photographers of Etsy blog mosasic monday.

bluebirdbylucie curated a treasury on San Francisco.

JillianReneDecor made a treasury of members of Design Style Guide around black and white items.

Worldwide Photo Walk

2010-07-15T17:18:00.000-07:00

Take a moment to get out from behind the viewfinder and meet other camera lovers on Scott Kelby's Third Annual Photo Walk. Over 1,000+ photo walks and 25,000+ walkers are registered. Des Moines has a morning and evening option. Iowans can find other photo walks during the year in the discussions of the Iowa Flickr Group.

New Work

2010-04-17T07:45:00.000-07:00

http://facebook.com/lesleypaynephotography

http://lesleypayne.artfire.com/

http://twitter.com/lesleysphotos

New Work

2010-04-12T05:49:00.000-07:00

http://lesleypayne.artfire.com/

http://facebook.com/lesleypaynephotography

http://twitter.com/lesleysphotos

Experimentation

2010-02-09T16:55:00.000-08:00

I am stumbling creatively, but I am finding new inspiration thanks to other bloggers.

Check out The Photog Formula by Nate Lawson. He has a wonderful method for developing film with coffee. It creates almost a selenium tone negative.

Elizabeth Briel is an artist and travel writer with an asian focus. She is working a lot with cyanotypes and shares her process.

Countdown?

2009-12-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

I was counting down in every way possible today. Days to work until holiday break, hours to lunch break, hours to afternoon break, minutes grumpy man was keeping me at work after my regular schedule, etc!

Complaining never gets you very far in life, so I'll share my silver lining from traceygarciadesigns. She was gracious enough to include me in her Etsy treasury. It is on display until December 22, 2009 at 1:44 pm. It is a wonder selection of photography sellers.

December Contest

2009-12-14T17:48:00.000-08:00

I found another public juried exhibition presented by Projekt30. This is an artist run arts organization dedicated to promoting emerging artists. Your work will be seen by "brick and mortar" galleries, curators, dealers, art lovers, etc.

All artwork submitted will be presented online January 15-28, 2010. Visitors to the site submit numerical ratings for each artist and can contact any participating artist with feedback or opportunities.

The deadline for submission is January 1, 2010. $40 for 10 images submitted online. $35 for 5 images submitted via mail. No commission on sales. All mediums except video or sound based media.

Note about my November contest with Art Raw 09. The deadline has been extended until January 31, 2010. It's another publicly juried contest. Good luck to all!

Quote

2009-11-05T18:59:00.000-08:00

I really didn't have much to teach. I didn't even believe in it. I felt so strongly that everybody had to find their own way. And nobody can teach you your own way.....In terms of art, the only real answer that I know of is to do it. If you don't do it, you don't know what might happen. - Harry Callahan, 1991

A few Favorites

2009-11-04T19:42:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my favorite posts from Hazel Dooney. I was busy reading her blog during the time away from mine. In no particular order:

How Much For Your Artist? Confirms my feeling checking etsy forums or artfire guilds are mindless activities. I am also haunted by ideas until the process of capturing it on film and seeing a final print bring it to life.

The Monster Within Comforting to see flashes of doubt in herself and her work turned into something constructive.

Running Out A special for readers of her blog to purchase her first large scale serial work, Yes/No stencils. I love the idea of keeping one's artwork "within the reach of those who wanted to own my work but could not afford the five-figure prices for my large enamel on timber board paintings."

Opened Up

2009-11-03T17:57:00.001-08:00

My marketing/posting/new work push is going to make me step out of my shell. I dreaded the part of Advanced Art in college where you spoke about your work in an open question answer format with professors and students. I grew out of it as the year went on. A recent visit home and interview request made it glaringly obvious speaking about my own photographs is a work in process. Writing about building new habits (and new work shortly) will help me over become the confident and articulate full time artist I want to be.

Art Every Day Month

2009-11-02T19:08:00.000-08:00

I’m not the only one trying to be more productive this month! Leah Piken Kolidas has declared every November for the last seven years Art Every Day Month. She was inspired by National Novel Writing Month and reworked it for artists. The rules are really simple and very loose. The goal is to bring more creativity into your life whether that be painting, drawing, knitting, sewing, cooking, decorating, writing, photography, clay, jewelry-making or whatever! She keeps a list of participants on her blog sidebar, so join in here. Find support on Twitter with #aedm or post your images on flickr. She has developed a survival guide if you need tips!

Light to Dark

2009-11-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

While reorganizing prints with archival papers this weekend, I came across studies I did of paper.

It's given me new ideas to explore. Here is to surviving another "work" week!

Track One Thing

2009-10-31T13:12:00.000-07:00

I've had difficulty balancing all of the "need to do" things in my life. I came across another tip from Dave Navarro's Monday Kick in the Ass newsletter. Here is an excerpt from October 26th:

So here's the antidote. Go get yourself a cheap

pocket notebook, and on the first page, write down

the goal / project that's important to you.

Then, each day, ask yourself this question:

"What did I do today to make actual progress

on making this thing happen?"

Not "thinking" about it, but making progress.

Not "brainstorming" about it, but taking action.

Not generating "inspiration", but working up

some perspiration by doing *something* real.

Ask yourself the question, and answer it.

Daily. For 30 days.

I picked up journals last weekend and I have titled the top of each page "What did I do today to make actual progress on making art full-time?" So far it's just lists about posting, but I'll switch things up on Sunday! Stay tuned

Creating an Opportunity

2009-10-30T15:38:00.000-07:00

I came across John T. Unger's messages on Twitter earlier this week about a copyright lawsuit. I wanted to pass on the information to inform and inspire. Please check out his website to see what other obstacles he has overcome to be a full time artist. Here is an overview of how the case developed.

Imitator Sues Artist to Overturn Copyright on Sculptural Art

FirePitArt.com, LLC and owner Rick Wittrig have filed suit against me in federal court seeking to overturn my formally registered copyrights in order to continue selling unlicensed knockoffs of my work. He argues that my original Artisanal Firebowls are not properly classified as sculptural artwork, despite the fact that Wittrig sells his copies at art fairs, describes himself publicly as an artist, and even uses the word art in the name of his business. When Wittrig first launched his website he offered only six designs of firepits all of which bear an uncanny resemblance to my Artisanal Firebowl sculptures. One of these even initially bore the exact same name as my Waves O' Fire. He appears to be mass-producing these designs, and is selling them at discounted prices on several of the largest internet retail sites devoted to outdoor living. Prior to the launch of his website, I have been unable to find any documentation of Wittrig making any original art.

I have gained an international reputation for my Artisanal Firebowls, unique works of art hand-crafted from 100% recycled propane tanks which I have been creating since 2005. I’ve worked hard to build a reputation for honesty, quality work, customer service and approachability. I am concerned about people confusing my art with the work of another because I have no way of insuring that they experience the same quality, attention to detail, and integrity. When Wittrig began selling his firepits which so closely resemble my work, I began seeing instances of confusion over authorship almost immediately. An artist messaged me on Twitter, believing she had met me at a Tennessee art fair. Photos of Wittrig's firepits were posted to a blog and mistakenly attributed as my own. I got an email from a landscape architect I had discussed commissions with in the past. She wrote:

I met this guy at a local festival this weekend and his work was so similar to yours I went over and introduced myself. Something was not right, but I was not sure that it was not you until I came back and checked your site... I was excited to meet (you) in person and he was aloof...? I am aggravated now knowing that he allowed me to go on and never said that I must be mistaking him for someone else.

This email was a kick in the gut on so many levels. Not only had my most popular and well known artwork been copied, but the imitator had also offended a client who might easily have continued to believe he was me.

Concerned about preserving my reputation and rapport with art buyers, I sent a Cease and Desist letter on April 30th, 2009 asking that Mr. Wittrig cease manufacturing the designs which were being confused as my own. A letter of flat refusal came back in response. In further correspondence, I explained my concerns over confusion of authorship, provided his attorney with copies of the copyright certificates as well as the original photos used to apply for copyright. I stated clearly that I have no objection to him creating original works that could share the marketplace in their own niche. Several times in the course of correspondence, I asked Wittrig to provide any evidence that his designs were original works. Given the opportunity to deny copying my designs, Wittrig did not— he only asserted that he was within his rights to continue making them on a large scale. Then he filed suit to have my copyrights removed, as well as for damages and legal fees.

By suing me first, Wittrig has created a situation where a default judgment will be entered in his favor unless I am able to finance a full defense in court. I did not initiate this lawsuit, but am defending my art, my rights, my reputation and my livelihood against attack by a manufacturer. I've already spent over $50,000 out of pocket in defense of my original designs. Seeking a judicial ruling in federal court will cost more than any small business can afford on it's own, but I fear it may be the only way to resolve this dispute. My hope is that the community which has been so supportive of my art over the years will continue to help me in this dire time.

How you can help raise money for legal defense

In an attempt to come up with an affordable work of art that could be used to finance our defense, I was inspired to create the Fire Imps. This new series of small table top sculptures is the most playful, energetic and touchable work I've done in years.

More information is available: How you can help raise money for legal defense, How you can help raise awareness, How this lawsuit affects others, How I'm working to turn disaster into opportunity

November Contest

2009-10-29T15:15:00.000-07:00

I found my November contest by searching on the Art List. Art (Raw) 09 is an international juried competition open to all subjects and media, sponsored by Ilfontis aimed at stripping art down to it's fundamental elements.

A little scary how much the last part reads like my artist statement!

Art (Raw) 09 is a carbon-friendly competition that is purely digital. The initial jurying is open to all artists, art lovers, and industry professionals who register here. Don't worry I'll remind you as it gets closer to the peer critique open December 1 ending January 15, 2010. The top 250 rated pieces will be juried by Rob Bouc, Deputy Director of Operations, Columbus Museum of Art, Scott & Barbara Hudson, Owners, Hudson Gallery, and Jason Schiller, Founder, Ilfontis. The top 30 will be selected for the online exhibition.

Digital Entry is $25 for up to 3 images of your work. Submit work here. The deadline is 11:50 pm EST November 30, 2009.

I hope I can find another contest like this for my December entry. I view this as a win -win situation because of the first round public voting!

Commit Big

2009-10-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I received my Monday kick in the ass from Dave Navarro's Stop Settling Newsletter. He wanted to push his subscribers to follow through on what they *want* to do. I don't make excuses when I *have* to go to my day job, but my lack of recent posts and new work is not going to get me anywhere. With the holiday season almost here, I don't think I could have better timing! Today I commit to a 30 day marketing push. New work, new posts, new connections!

Too Cool!

2009-10-22T15:33:00.000-07:00

I received this e-mail today. Can't think of a better way to start my three day weekend!

Dear Lesley Payne,

Art Calendar Magazine selects one member of ArtScuttlebutt.com to be our "Online Member of the Month." We would love to include you and your work in an upcoming issue. The feature includes a short artist profile as well as an photograph of you and examples of your artwork. For the feature, I need to conduct an interview by phone. If this sounds like something you'd like to do, please let me know as soon as possible. If it's convenient for you, I need to schedule an appointment to speak with you before the end of next week.

Best regards,
Assistant Editor, Art Calendar Magazine

Shipping

2009-09-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

I admit I rushed to get my store set up. I am guilty of going the easy route and setting everything up as USPS Priority shipping. Looking at other stores with similar items my shipping seemed towards the high end. After having spent time at the United States Postal Services site, I am revising my policies. I updated all Etsy and Artfire products. Mailings within the United States are now $4.50 by Certified First-Class. This is down from $4.95. The package will be received in 3-4 business days and shipping will remain a flat rate regardless of the number of photographs you order.

International orders are trickier. I tried to do First-Class mail for international orders, but I can not give an estimated delivery time. Who wants to buy something without knowing when it will arrive? International orders will arrive within 6-10 business days. Canada and Mexico are now 10.95 ($1.55 lower). Everywhere else is 12.95. Happy shopping!

Evolution of Photography and I

2009-09-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

I have written a lot about things I found on the internet to help other sellers, but I have not gone into detail about how I became to consider myself a photographer. Here goes...

I took my first photography class fall semester of my freshman year at Coe College in 2000. I was not top of the class. I didn't have the required SLR camera until week 2. I made simple mistakes of not getting close enough to properly frame an image, low contrast in my prints, miscalculating film exposure and developing. I kept trudging along; I shot so much work for my final review the Professor looked at me and said, "You'll be a photography major." She did not say it as a question. It was a statement. My nonverbal response was a shoulder shrug while thinking to myself. "Well, people say you should like what you do and this is more fun than ceramics."

I came into my own as a photographer with a one month concentrated art course followed by two semesters of advanced art. I put on my senior thesis show in December 2003. I made a profit from the body of work I spent a year developing and I was beyond excited.

This high point lead to a low point during my off-campus study in Chicago. I was hoping my interest in tonal range and light would translate into still life commercial photography. So much was wrong about this idea! I was not prepared for light ratios and set-ups I was expected to be an assistant on. I graduated confused and bouncing around Iowa.

A year after graduation I found myself in Des Moines, IA where I began taking continuing education classes at Des Moines Area Community College. It allowed me regular access to a darkroom and gave me the encourage to keep putting my work into the world. I experienced a few more ups and downs considering graduate school and selling my work at art fairs. I believe the internet will provide me the largest audience and it will give me freedom from a cubicle life!

United Artist Photography Winner

2009-09-14T17:28:00.001-07:00

I wanted to follow up on the United Artist contest I entered in August. I received a 2.0 out of 5.0 in the public poll. That translates to a "Regular" rating, but the majority of the work got less than a 2. I did not win an opportunity to exhibit, but I was amazed by the process of the photography winner, Martin Fahlen. I can't imagine the time it takes for him to complete an image.

The past few years he has not exhibited because he was perfecting a method of making his own negatives in a practical manner to achieve a 19th century photographic aesthetic. You can see more work on his site.

I have always been amazed by photographers that can do it all themselves. Time well spent Martin. Congratulations and best of luck in the future!

Featured Seller

2009-09-11T16:51:00.000-07:00

In honor of the back to school season and my new book choice, I decided to feature Artfire seller nhubs by Nancy Hubbard. She is a California based writer and editor by day. She incorporates her love for the written word into much of her work.

The bookmarks are painstakingly crafted by hand and personalized with the letter or artwork of your choice. Buyers can specify the letter they would like and each bookmark is made to order, so yours may vary slightly from the one pictured.

Nancy has you covered in the accessories department too! You can hang a charm from a 24" antiqued brass chain, on a lapel, or give your keys a classic look. The letter of your choice in ivory on a black background is magnified by glass. Pin is approximately 1 1/4" diameter.

If you are interested in following Nancy's evolution she can be found at Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Etsy.

Twitter Book Club

2009-09-09T05:04:00.000-07:00

I have never been in a book club, but I am an avid reader. In the spirit of trying new things with organization, creating artwork, and promotion I am joining a Twitter book club organized by Alyson B. Stanfield the Art Biz Coach. Her Twitter handle is @abstanfield. This months selection is Everybody Who Was Anybody: A Biography of Gertrude Stein by Janet Hobhouse starting September 14. Alyson sold me with this comment:

"Stein was intimately involved with the greatest artists and writers of the early 20th century. Stein is a critical figure in Modernism that we should all know more about."

For your convenience I copied and pasted the basics. Join us! It’s FREE! All you have to do is

1. Pick up a copy of the book (here’s my Amazon link) and join in the conversation.

2. Leave your Twitter handle in a comment at the Art Biz Coach book club to let us know you’re joining in.

3. Start reading! We’re aiming for 50 pages a week. The book is 218 pages long, but dense. Some of us will read faster and some slower.

4. Use the #gertrude hashtag in your tweet when you’re talking about something you read in the book.

5. To follow along and see what others are saying, go to search.twitter.com and enter the #gertrude hashtag. Here’s the direct link with the hashtag already entered.

There are no other rules, so don’t even ask. We make it up as we go along. C’mon! It’ll be fun!

New Seller Showcase

2009-09-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

I decided to feature new online sellers working towards their first sale too. My first store is MissMelodyMaker by Kaliee on Etsy. She is third generation self taught seller with a very large fabric collection. All patterns are self drafted. Headbands are $14.

Scarfs are $24-30. On sale through Labor Day for $19.20. Take advantage of free shipping on all orders until September 15.

Each item is a unique way to play with your wardrobe. Colors are perfect for fall and will get you through winter as well. Check out her store for more colors, styles, and care instructions. Her blog and facebook highlight upcoming handbags and her musical interests.

October Contest

2009-09-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

My October contest will be the 24th Annual International Juried Show it is being presented at the Visual Arts Center of New Jersey. Susan Kismaric, Curator, Department of Photography at the Museum of Modern Art is this years Juror. The exhibition is open to artists in all media from across the country. Here is the run down.

Two recent pieces by slide or digital media
All work must be received by October 1, 2009
Preliminary screening by juror on October 19 and notifications of those accepted to the second round of jurying the week of October 26
Cash awards totaling 1,800.00
Grand prize winner gets to have a round trip ticket to Summit, NJ and lunch with Susan Kismaric
Exhibition runs from 1/15/09 to 3/19/09

Good luck everyone!

Need some feedback?

2009-09-02T10:26:00.000-07:00

I started a thread on the Etsy Critiques Forums titled 'Need some feedback?' on August 24. I looked at a lot of different stores before I started listing my items for formatting ideas I liked. I wanted to give back to a group that has been supportive and fix some pet peeves I came across when browsing. The process helped me find areas of improvement in my own store. The five most common items of feedback were giving measurements of items, the timing of when work is listed, online presence, bouncing light in product photography, and shop announcement length.

Etsy has international sellers and buyers. I recommend all buyers list items in meters as well as inches (or yards). The United States is the only country that uses inches and yard measurement system. Clothing sellers should consider researching how other countries determine sizes. It's easy to forget about other peoples differences when Etsy lists all items in English and U.S. currency.

I like checking Etsy each morning to see the newly listed photography work. A pet peeve is when people list all at once. (I am a guilty newbie seller that has lived and learned!) The Etsy search results display by most recently listed. If you list all your items at once your going to end up on one page. Why would anyone want their work displayed on only one page? In the Quit Your Day Job Series I have read about full time sellers that list new work and re-list sold items through out the day. The more work you have recently listed the more likely browsing buyers will fall in love with your items! I understand this can be time consuming, so I also suggest pre-writing descriptions. Allowing yourself to take a step back will ensure description consistency and quality for maximum impact.

Etsy is very self-contained. They do not allow any active links to non-etsy sites, but they are not going to remove them if you do! Creating different places to showcase my work forced me to think more about the branding of my work. The best places for these links are in your "Shop Announcement" or "Profile" of your store. Popular sites are Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger, Indiepublic, WeLoveEtsy, Flickr, etc. Etsy markets Etsy above all else. Creating a more interactive online presence will develop a more personal relationship with your audience.

The most common photography problems are shadow and glare. The simple solution is white foam core. This can be found at any Wal-Mart or Target store for $5 or less. This product can provide a smooth non-reflective background to let your work pop. When shooting have a piece off to the side to bounce window light for softer shadows or redirect light to prevent glare.

A shop announcement is a good place for a brief introduction, welcome, and thank you. I can't stand it when I go to a shop home and I can't even see the featured items! How are you going to sell your work if we can't see it. Maximize the option to use the featured items for your most eye catching work to keep the buyer in your store.

This experience showed me things I need to work on and I hope it helps you too!

Flickr Groups

2009-08-23T08:24:00.000-07:00

I changed my approach to joining groups on Flickr. I started searching for anything and everything related to Etsy, Dawanda, and Artfire. I contributed a picture or two a day and would get 0-9 views. Not so exciting. I am sure all of these groups are made of sellers. Sellers are not always buyers! On August 9th I saw on my groups page Flickr has a section called "Groups we've noticed." I have gotten much more feedback and interaction with these groups:

Black and White, FlickrCentral, The World Through My Eyes, Shutterbug, Critique, Lines and Curves, Abstract Photos, Flickr Today

These more interactive groups have left at least one comment a day, invitations to other groups, and people who "friend" me. All of this has me more excited and looking forward to the stats each morning. Another reason to try new things.

SIDENOTE: KittyKent, an etsy seller, was nice enough to include me in their recent treasury. It exipres on August 24 at 4:03 pm

Traffic

2009-08-20T17:27:00.000-07:00

I posted my first ads to Craigslist this week and wanted to share my experience. I placed three ads in different states at various times on August 18. They were placed in the 'For Sale' section under the subcategory 'Arts & Crafts'. Four images were attached and the following description:

I'm a Midwest photographer working in traditional and digital mediums. If you would like

to see more work please visit http://lesleypayne.artfire.com

The only downside of Craigslist I have found is it limits you to one ad per e-mail account. I now have thee e-mail accounts to work the system! Artfire statics continued to be more encouraging than Google Analytics, but both showed an increased number of visitors. My Market hub showed click thru’s to all of my other sites. I have never seen a visit to all the sites in one day. The second milestone was breaking the 1,000 mark for studio views and total item views. Google Analytics documented triple the amount of visitors I had the day before. I was most glad to see the visitors were looking at multiple images and staying for 2-5 minutes.

Sign yourself up for an extra e-mail account and try it out for yourself. I'm glad the Etsy newsletter reminded me of this free marketing.

September Opportunity - Design Style Guide

2009-08-12T17:33:00.000-07:00

I am calling September an "opportunity" instead of a contest. Design Style Guide is a website targeting a variety of work to interior designers, decorators, and home stagers.

Their are six levels of annual membership. The basic one star membership level lets you list two images at all times with links to your store. The super star membership level has 155 listing slots, featured interview on the team blog, listed in Treasuries page, and a video on YouTube featuring your store twice a year. All images submitted must be approved by the administrator before they are seen on the website to ensure professionalism and accuracy. I went with the two star membership. It allows me to have 8 items listed at all times; I was able to place myself in a larger variety of categories. I have have not received a sale, but I have seen referrals from the website in Google Analytics and my Artfire stats. I think it will be a worthwhile investment.

I was most impressed that Design Style Guide has a separate website for members to create individual pages, teams (grouping sellers by location), forums, and links to the team blog and YouTube channel. I volunteered to be an admin of the Iowa team. I am waiting to hear back, but it means I would be working with Interior Designers and introducing them to all members of our group and any new comers that will join later. This is a market segment I had never thought about targeting and it will be another learning experience in being an online entrepreneur.

Win some lose some

2009-07-27T19:50:00.000-07:00

This is a progress update on things I've applied for and new opportunities I've found. Luckily I have a lot more good news than bad.

I completely spaced off the public voting for my August contest with United Creators. Please help emerging artists get some international exposure and rate some artwork! The top five rated artworks will have a two week exhibit at Bang & Olufsen prominent showroom galleries in late 2009, honorary mention for next top 25 on United Creators website, and priority consideration for future opportunities.

Timothy Adam Designs selected the image below as #1 for the week of July 27th for his Monday Twitter Top Ten. Every online seller should sign up for this opportunity. It's better traffic than on Etsy showcase. To date I have gotten 5 new hearts for my store and 20+ visitors per day. I highly recommend his blog or handmadology site for online selling tips.

There is still time to view an Etsy treasury created by wintergarden titled unearthly beauty. It was inspired by visioluxus Mermaid Corset. It expires on Friday July 31st at 7:21 am.

I have gotten two offers to join other websites because of my stores. I have some more checking to do on them, so I'll let you know next week.

My July contest didn't work out. You can see very small versions of what did make the cut at Center of Fine Art Photography website. I hope Flak Photo showcases the work better during the October exhibit!

I am still trying to get my first online sale but two positive, 3 maybe, and one negative result in six weeks will give me more motivation to keep going.

Pros and Cons of Selling on Dawanda

2009-07-26T10:52:00.001-07:00

Dawanda was the second major site created to buy and sell unique, customized, handmade items. It is based in Berlin, Germany. They began with German, French and recently rolled out with a beta English (UK) version. The design of the site is very similar to Etsy. I could not find any figures of how much money, active sellers or how many items are listed each month.

Pros

Use already listed item descriptions as a template for new listings
Individual item statics showing views, fans and comments
Able to list product descriptions in German, French and English

Cons

Is going to come out with a listing fee per item
5% sales commission
Drawn out selling confirmation
Everything is in Euros
VAT (value added tax added to items you buy from European sellers and bill you for later)

While Etsy, Dawanda, and Artfire each have their own positives and negatives they are also very similar.

custom URL to link directly to your store
adding tags to your items to expand search traffic
advanced search options for (color, price, size, etc)
custom orders
bookmarking items or sellers as favorites
Widgets to add on other websites
Forums for sellers to interact and latest news updates for the site
buyer feedback

SIDENOTE: Etsy seller wintergarden included me in her most recent treasury. You can check it out here. It expires on Friday July 31 at 7:21 am.

Pros and Cons of Selling on Artfire

2009-07-26T10:50:00.000-07:00

I focus most of my marketing efforts toward Artfire. It is the only store listed on my business cards. Creating these lists convinced me to upgrade to a verified account as of June 29th.

Pros

Free basic or $12 flat fee verified account (price will go up to $20)
Published timeline of new feature roll outs
One page listing process
Choose what items you want to show in your Rapid Cart application for other sites
Allows links to your outside sites (facebook, etsy store, blog)
Translates prices into other currencies
No commission on sales
No account/username needed to buy items
Reasonably priced 1-4 week advertisments

Cons

Site is still growing an audience (low sales/traffic)
Not as streamlined or easy to navigate as Etsy or Dawanda
Accuracy questions about it stats system displaying very different number than Google Analytics
Still in Beta

Pros and Cons of Selling on Etsy

2009-07-25T10:35:00.000-07:00

I am currently selling on three different handmade websites. Etsy was the first site I found when looking for new venues to sell my photographs in 2006. I have been actively selling for over a month and wanted to go over the positives and negatives of using this site.

Pros

Easy to navigate forums and site help articles
Reasonably priced showcases for one day on site advertising
12.8 million worth of goods sold during the month of June 2009*
Ability to "heart" sellers and items to go back to their store at a later time
Views per item can be seen when you click though your store

Cons

5 page listing process (every item)
All most too much traffic to be noticed (1,318,547 new items in the month of June 2009*
Admin doesn't always put sellers interests first (SEO problems in April)
Testing to improve Google analytics accuracy (keyword search and link referral)
Inaccurate tagging by sellers causes odd search results
3.5% commission on sold items
.20 cent listing fee per item
buyers have to set up a username to purchase

Don't take my list of cons as reasons not to join. Each site has it's imperfections; I am by no means giving up on Etsy!

* Etsy June 2009 Weather Report

Springboard for the Arts

2009-07-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

This post is all about Springboard for the Arts. They are a regional not-for-profit based in St. Paul, MN. Their mission is to "cultivate a vibrant arts community by connecting artists with skills, contacts, information and services they need to make a living and a life."

I came in contact with them at the Iowa Arts Council event 'No More Starving Artists II' on June 20th. The main speaker was Director of Artist Services, Kathleen Richert. She presented very helpful material on marketing and pricing your work. Some of the key points to create your marketing plan she presented are:

Specify your niche--what you stand for. Is it quality? Economy? Selection? Your niche should come shining through all your marketing materials.
Define your identity (not your image, which is a facade.) This is your company personality. It should reflect who you really are.
Who is your target audience (or audiences.)? Don't limit yourself to just one target. With several targets, you have a higher chance of hitting a bull's-eye.

I would highly suggest all artists contact this organization for the Microsoft excel spreadsheet that helps figure the price of your work using labor, materials, overhead, cost of product, and profit margin. I am tracking my hours and expenses now to create new 2010 goals.

Springboard for the Arts just finished their 2009 schedule on July 16. The website does have notes from "Becoming an Internet Phenomenon" workshop. Contact them directly to see if they workshops scheduled in your area or to arrange a low-cost consultation.

My 100 Mark

2009-07-16T19:00:00.000-07:00

I've broken the 100 followers mark after a month on Twitter and a week of advertising on Facebook for my fan page.

Those figures are a bit lacking for Twitter, but I can't justify spending time to scan junk tweets. I tried a few auto follow sites, but I kept getting people that never posted or were just spamming me with advertisements. Very annoying! I was advised it's best to try and build relationships with followers before sending links to your stores. I don't plan to send links to my stores, but my Twitter website links to my blog which links to every other website I have. My goals are clearly outlined if they want to look they can! My google analytics has shown referrals to my stores, so it is growing slowly. I have found several interesting people using Twi.Ter.Me. It is a site that shows your profile pic, location, number of followers, and most recent comment. A lot less work than scanning other peoples followers. I plan to try out "Follow Friday" for the first time today.

My Facebook fan page has done much better than I expected. I started with 'photography' as my only targeted keyword in advertisements and I reached my budget every day. I had better luck turning visitors into fans when I changed the keywords to 'art, contemporary art, modern art'.

It's encouraging to see the traffic to each site grow and see how people all over the world are looking at my artwork. Thanks for stopping by everyone!

August 2009 Contest

2009-07-12T10:46:00.000-07:00

I want anyone who comes across this blog to benefit from the information, so I will be a little ahead of schedule on my contest entries. I found this opportunity at the New York Foundation of Arts site. There is a wonderful selection of jobs and exhibitions. It's here I found the United Creators. They are having an international contest for painting, sculpture, mixed media, photography, drawing, and video art. Here is an overview of the prizes and awards.

One month digital exhibition starting Sep 1st to Sept. 30th, 2009 at exclusive luxury Bang & Olufsen showroom galleries (New York, London, Istanbul, and Frankfurt).
Winners will be included into an exclusive Zeitgeist '09 show book featuring art critics and reviews by their prominent Judges. The book will be mailed out to art professionals and collectors internationally.
Additional 2 week digitally broadcasted exhibitions in locations during 2010.
Interviews and features on UnitedCreators.com, UnitedCreatorsawards.com, Perpeptualarmachine.com and partner websites.
All Winners will be eligible to be considered for future opportunities from United Creators.

Top 5 voted Public Winners

Two week digital exhibition at Bang & Oulfsen prominent showroom galleries, late 2009.
Honorary mention for next top 25 on UnitedCreatorsaward.com and UnitedCreators.com website
Priority consideration for future opportunities.

I am entering the two images I have had success with before (see July contest). I am going to try this one for third entry.

I will let you know the outcome of all contests as I find out. I've gotten into national contests and shut out of local contests. At the end of the day it's just the opinion of someone new.

July Contest

2009-07-09T05:49:00.000-07:00

A new notice came out at work saying “internet usage is for business purposes only.” I am happy to say it included nothing about usage of Microsoft Word being used on my unpaid hour lunch to write rough drafts of my blog! I don’t have to worry about bad grammar or spelling anymore.

I wanted to highlight my July contest with the Center of Fine Art Photography.

All themes are eligible

Juror: Andy Adams of Flak Photo

Juror’s Selection: $300 and an online marketing consultation with Andy Adams, Editor of Flak Photo. The Juror’s Selection will also be included in Flak Photo’s Online Exhibition during the
month of October 2009.

Director's Selection award: $200

Gallery Visitor’s Choice Award: $100

Flak Photo’s Online Exhibition: A selection of artists will be chosen to exhibit their work in the Flak Photo Gallery during the month of October, 2009.

Two Artists’ ShowCase Online subscriptions for one year

All exhibitors are included in the Center's online gallery

I entered the following images. The first was honored in Photographers Forum Best in College Photography 2004.

The second was honored in East Village Art Coalition Citywide 2007 Online Show.

The third is a shot in the dark.

I entered the following description for each image:

This image is to be seen as only form and an exploration of how light can affect an object. The objects are divorced from their connections to the everyday. Every image is open to interpretation by the viewer. The 4 x 4 inch square format is meant to engage the viewer to take a thorough look at the object. This scale draws the viewer in and emphasizes the subtle curves of the objects.

I find out by e-mail on July 24. A little to close to my August contest due date to be helpful, but I can’t say I didn’t try!

Check out the photography showcase on Etsy. One of my images is showcased today. Feedback is always welcome.

Twitter is endlessly useful

2009-07-04T11:57:00.000-07:00

Twitter is the first social media I started participating in. After about two weeks I have 81 followers. It is definitely information overload. I found my July monthly contest I mentioned in my first blog post from the Art List. My favorite person/website on Twitter is Chris Guillebeau. I highly recommend his site. Chris found me on twitter, and he will be getting lots of traffic to his website from Des Moines, IA!

It's been suggested I write down my goals to make myself accountable. Here goes! For the rest of 2009 I will...

1. Enter an art contest once a month

2. Tweet at least 5 times a week

3. Publish 2 blogs a week

4. Show my artwork in at least one art gallery by the end of the year

5. Get traffic and SALES in Etsy and Artfire stores.

My stores are open!

2009-06-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

Hello world. I've gotten all my sites linked up over the weekend. No more empty store fronts for me. Twitter art contest lists are very helpful. I am going to try and enter a contest once a month as another way to get my name into the world. My July contest is going to be the 2009 International Exhibition of Fine Art Photography. They have cash prizes and online artist showcases so it's a win win...as long as I get accepted!

Lesley Payne Photography

What If There Where No More Art Galleries

Purple Pin Cushion

Saturday Excitement

Craft Saturday Showcase Part Two

Craft Saturday Showcase Part One

Daydreaming

Health Care for Iowa Artists

New Work

What The Flick!

November Thank You

Wonderful Words

October Thank You

Events and Specials

New Work

I love Adwords!

September Thank You

Rewrite

August Thank You Part II

August Thank You Part 1

Art Days

July Thank You

Worldwide Photo Walk

Recommended Reading

New Work

New Work

Experimentation

Countdown?

December Contest

Quote

A few Favorites

Opened Up

Art Every Day Month

Light to Dark

Track One Thing

Creating an Opportunity

Imitator Sues Artist to Overturn Copyright on Sculptural Art

How you can help raise money for legal defense

November Contest

Commit Big

Too Cool!

Shipping

Evolution of Photography and I

United Artist Photography Winner

Featured Seller

Twitter Book Club

New Seller Showcase

October Contest

Need some feedback?

Flickr Groups

Traffic

September Opportunity - Design Style Guide

Win some lose some

Pros and Cons of Selling on Dawanda

Pros and Cons of Selling on Artfire

Pros and Cons of Selling on Etsy

Springboard for the Arts

My 100 Mark

August 2009 Contest

July Contest

Twitter is endlessly useful

My stores are open!