Getting Ready for the Busy Art Season Ahead

Is it Spring yet?

This morning the temperature is -14. Really? March is 2 days away. I'm longing for my garden and the ability to spend time outside painting, digging and just breathing it all in.

But to get to that I need to look ahead and start planning for the Art Season, which for me starts in April. It takes a lot of preparation to get through all the art shows and exciting events but some simple planning and prep work can make it all run much more smooth and enjoyable.


Here is my "I can't wait for Spring" art check list.

1. List of your art goals for the years. What do you hope to achieve this year?  Mine include; new series in alcohol inks, 10 shows, 2 contest, 3 charities, small paintings in gallery up North, start teaching...

2. Update your web page. It's time to go through every page and make sure the wording is accurate and what you mean to say. (I'm in the process of doing this myself and I must say, I'm a bit surprised by some of the corrections I need to make.)

3. Apply for any of the art shows or fairs you wish to participate in this year. Many shows start accepting applications in January and several have early deadlines on or before March1st. This process is becoming much easier with the help of application sites as zapplication.com. I start by printing out the information on the shows I'm interested in and mapping it all out on a calendar with deadlines clearly marked.

4. Check your inventory. Time to frame some of your originals so they will be ready for the shows. Do you need to order more cards or prints, are frames slightly damaged etc.? Do you have enough business cards and other marketing materials? Does your booth need a fresh coat of paint or some repairs?

5. Don't forget to paint. Make sure you have enough originals for the busy season. This is always a good time to experiment with techniques. And while you're there a quick once over of your studio is good idea. Keeping the area clean and organized will help those creative ideas flowing.

6. Use your goals, show lists, inventory and and current works to inspire your social media postings. I like to get the calendar out again and make a general calendar for my blog posts for the year. This gives my a general idea of where I'm going and what I have to keep track of. Holidays, graduations, Mother's Day and Father's Day... a good time for custom artwork, portraits, vacation drawings, pet portraits etc. Just make down your marketing strategy long enough in advance to make it happen.

7. This is a great time to start those projects you have been putting off;

• start a newsletter
• learn how to make videos to post to U Tube
• expand your email list
• approach businesses you wish to hang your work in
• publish a picture book of last years paintings using one of the popular publishing sites like Shutterfly
• sew protective bags to store and transport your artwork
• approach places to teach classes at during the year

Well, that's a pretty big list. Some of these things I've already started, some I still need to get to. Wherever you are in your career, doing a few of these preparation steps will make the up coming season and those that follow much more manageable and enjoyable.

What are you doing now to prepare?

Happy Arting Everyone!