In keeping with the theme of "transformation" are my ventures into new avenues with my work. Specifically, I'd like to expand into the giftware market, as well as develop more inroads into the fine art venue not only to diversify the studio, but to explore new possibilities with my two hands. I don't like limitations, so I figure I can apply my skills and ideas to all sorts of creative projects! But this is no easy task because I'll essentially be starting from scratch again as I build new client bases...something that's both exciting and intimidating at the same time. Being so, I'm both optimistic and somber about the prospects.
The thing is that in the equine collectible industry, an artist creating good work tends to have it easy. Simply create reliable and consistent pieces and collectors will come to your door. Consequently, such an artist doesn't necessarily have to sweat so hard to market her work, and presentation often takes a backseat to simply creating in-demand pieces. However, this equation is flipped outside of that market, which means I'll have to hustle to learn and deploy marketing tactics, and work on that almighty component to success -- presentation. The fact is that how work is presented can have more to do with its success than its quality, within the full spectrum of "buzz" to what actually ends up in the customer's hands.
So I've had a busy time researching various tactics and deciding what would work for my purposes, though I fully expect to learn mostly by trial and error. I've also been researching where to take out print and banner ads once I get my inventory built up, and I'm eager to start that stage of the process. In the meantime, I've been able to apply a few of these strategies to the collectible facet of my studio, and have found that paying more attention to packaging and presentation really does impact the perception of my work. And, ultimately, I want my collectors to have a positive experience when they open that box because so much love and care has gone into everything it contains! Indeed, things only begin once that sculpture is finished!
"I believe that what it is I have been called to do will make itself known when I have made myself ready." ~ Jan Phillips