Trafficking in Art: To Hell with Market Research.

I’m a thief. Sort of.

I stole the title. Well, part of the title- the part that says “To Hell With Marketing”. Though I suspect Havi would feel empowered to know that many others( Fitforpaper.com among them)  have embraced one of her many battle cries. Though she would probably think of it more like “working through the stucknesses that get in the way of doing your thing”…. (she’s sweet that way)

Now, why would I want to dispense with market research? I don’t really but I have to NOT listen to those voices, those confidence-stumping, mind-stomping, ego-chomping voices, those voices (especially) from those well-meaning “Find Success On Etsy” emails that say that constantly repeating harangue “Have a Unique & Quality Product” (see that repeated here )

The problem with that is I am an artist who went to art school. I spent 2 1/2 years studying art history. Nothing is new or unique. Not at this level, the trying-to-make-a-living  Etsy level.

New & Unique for me equals something thought-provoking and engaging beyond the narrow scope of my daily existence. For example, the Brazilian conceptual artist Rivane Neuenschwander created an installation “I Wish Your Wish” which invites active involvement on the part of the art-lover: “take a ribbon, wrap it around their wrists and replace a wish of their own”.

Custom Artwork for Everyone.

Honestly. That’s my complete idea. I want to embrace the individual experience of each of my clients and create something memorable for them to remember that.

Take FineArtPets.com. The thing is, because everything derives from ideas that came before me, and because there are many others doing sort of the  same thing ( here, here , and, my favorite, here ), I have held on to the belief that my idea and work wasn’t valid. Even though I enjoy doing it and my clients love the end result. This isn’t a statement about “follow your bliss” so much as most buyers are looking for something they are already familiar with, a version of the familiar that speaks to them personally.

What this isn’t.

I am not encouraging anyone to steal ideas from anyone. I am encouraging any working artist to produce work that your potential client is comfortable with. I don’t think you will find anyone shopping Etsy who would want to buy a glass container of what was purported to be the artist’s own urine.

And yet “Piss Christ” sold for $277,000

What I’m trying to say

As you build your business, slowly over time , you will refine an understanding of who your client is, and how to appeal to them, and your work will get better because you will get better. And you will find yourself in the company of people who like/want/buy your stuff.

Oh, yeah, the catch.

The catch is, oh, by the way, this success? It doesn’t come overnight.