Art Print Issues by Barney Davey

How to Write a Press Release for Artists

Writing effective press releases is a learned skill. For visual artists seeking to grow their art business and sharpen their art marketing, knowing how to write press releases also is a crucial skill. Artist Tara Reed has just published a new e-book titled, How to Be a Press Friendly Artist: Get Quoted. Get Press. Get Published.

Advice from an art marketing pro

As one who spent decades in the fine art trade magazine publishing business, I can testify this press release primer is a gem! It is just what you would expect from a highly successful multi-million dollar selling artist specializing the intensely competitive art licensing field.

The knowledge in this book applies to all artists

You do not have to be working in the licensing field to take full advantage of the sound advice this book offers. You only need to have the desire to capitalize on the single best resource available to you to help you promote your art career.

Tara's advice on why it is important to utilize press releases and how to work with the press is spot on. You will find it in perfect alignment with the advice in my book How to Profit from the Art Print Market and my numerous Art Print Issues blog posts on publicity for artists here.

Real world press release experience makes the difference

Artists will find Tara's insightful coaching and specific advice offers concise real world examples of how to write press releases for their art business. She explains why artists need to be friends with the press and how to make it easy for the press to love you, the artist.

Here is a sampling of press release tools & techniques you will learn:

• How to write a Press Release with great tips on distributing your Press Releases.
• Where to find online Press Release distribution sites.
• Hand Picking the right editors for you to send Press Releases to directly.
• Build a Media Contact List.
• Create a Press eMail Signature.
• Take Advantage of Editorial Calendars.
• Digital & Physical Press Kits – When to Use Them.
• What To Include in Any Press Kit – Digital or Physical.

The appendices offer great examples of actual published press releases with step-by-step instructions on how to setup and use the free services at PRLog.org to professionally put your own publicity on the wire. 

I am a true believer in the power of the press release

Whether you have read either the first or second edition of my How to Profit from the Art Print Market, or have been a regular reader of my Art Print Issues blog here, then you already know I place a premium on the importance of effectively using the power of press releases to advance your art career.

As Tara says, "There are many ways to get the word out of course. Maybe you have a website, use social media sites like Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, exhibit in art shows, advertise, etc. The press can help you too – if they know about you and if you give them information that their readers are interested in."

The best publicity is both career boosting and free - artists learn to use it here

You cannot beat the implied third-party endorsement that comes with free publicity. The right publicity has been known to do wonders for the art careers of some visual artists. Since How to Be a Press Friendly Artist is about how to get free press not paid press, it makes the information most valuable and useful to any artist savvy enough to tap into its power.

Free press can come in the form of a quote and website mention in an article run in a newspaper, print magazine or online article. It can also be a feature story about you and what you do. Paid press is usually in the form of advertising. Order your copy today! You will be glad you did.

In addition to her successful art licensing career, Tara Reed also is an art licensing coach and a prolific writer on the subject of art licensing. Some of her other more popular titles include How to Get Started in Art Licensing and How to Find an Art Licensing Agent. Both are recommended reading for any artist seeking to break into the lucrative licensing field.

---

Visual Artists Using Fine Art Giclee Prints to Create New Markets

Long time readers know I am a strong advocate of using publicity and press releases as a key component of any art marketing strategy.

As I also believe in walking my talk, I have a press release out today with the above title. Its goal is to promote the recent release of 2nd edition of How to Profit from the Art Print Market.

Coordinating marketing efforts to create synergy is also part of what I preach. Besides scheduling a press release my book, I took part in the smARTist Telesummit MasterMind Panel this week. Click the link for a free excerpt of the Day 1 Panel. 

You also will find me on a Web Broadcast this Tuesday, January 18 with Jason Horejs of Xanadu Gallery. The subject is: Creating New Marketing Opportunities with Giclees | a Conversation with Barney Davey.

Jason is the author of the top selling book, "Starving" to Successful: The Fine Artist's Guide for Getting into Galleries. His insightful straightforward advice offers great advice for artists seeking to work with galleries.

The press release submitted via PRWeb.com is below. As an FYI, the release for the first edition has been accessed 63,000 times.

---

Visual Artists Using Fine Art Giclee Prints to Create New Markets

For visual artists and fine art photographers who want to break into the fine art giclee print market, the 2nd Edition of How to Profit from the Art Print Market will be an invaluable resource. On January 14, 2011, the book became available through online bookstores and the publisher at www.barneydavey.com.

Scottsdale, AZ (PRWEB) January 17, 2011 -- The expanded and completely revised second edition of How to Profit from the Art Print Market details how artists can use giclees to make more money, diversify portfolios, increase price points and find new buyers. Its authoritative advice arms readers with practical directions they can use to capitalize on opportunities in the changing fine art giclee print market.

Print-on-demand and other disruptive technologies have caused sweeping changes

Artists will discover how the evolution of digital fine art print-on-demand technology (aka giclees ), e-commerce, social media, and changing consumer habits are disruptive forces they can harness to create exciting new ways to sell their work. The book's clear guidance on the decision to self-publish or to work with a publisher will be welcomed by visual artists. They will learn that top selling artists have enjoyed successful print market careers with either choice.

How to Profit from the Art Print Market offers art marketing solutions for visual artists

The book sheds light on how disruptive forces have marginalized to near extinction traditionally reliable sources of new business, such as trade advertising and tradeshows. It also provides insights on how artists are finding they can sell direct to collectors without abandoning traditional marketing partners such as galleries.

Other topics include selling art online, social media marketing, art licensing, the economics and marketing of self-publishing, common traits of exemplary self-published artists, finding and working with publishers and with giclee printers, identifying trends and more. Readers will find the expanded Resources section a prized useful tool. A review of the Table of Contents reveals timely updates and four new chapters.

When it comes to the art print market, the book has no competition

Ironically, despite demonstrable upside potential, solid advice for artists on how to benefit from the print market is nonexistent among the abundance of art marketing books. The second edition of the book continues to fill the void in providing insightful, informative art print marketing education for visual artists. It demystifies an art print market that many find baffling.

The first edition of How to Profit from the Art Print Market has been a bestseller on Amazon.com's "Business of Art" category since its publication in 2005. It was excerpted in The Artist's Magazine and was a selection in the North Light Book Club.

High praise from a very successful artist

Michael Geraghty, named the nation's best equine artist by The Daily Racing Form, had this to say: "I've said it before: it's the single best 'business' book ever written for artists. What's humbling is that by the time I discovered Barney's book I had sold over a million dollars in art and thought I knew all I needed to know about the marketplace. I quickly realized "How to Profit" was a treasure chest of knowledge I did not possess. I truly regret the book wasn't available 20 years ago."

Book offers artists groups, guilds and organizations an educational fundraising opportunity

Arts organizations, artists guilds, groups, associations, societies and clubs are encouraged to use the book for educational and fund raising activities. They should visit the publisher's information page for details. Art educators are welcome to contact the publisher to learn about special educational prices.

Barney Davey, the author, is an art industry veteran who began his career in 1988. He publishes and produces books, blogs, media, workshops and seminars for visual artists. He also publishes the highly respected Art Print Issues blog. Its top page view ranking proves it to be one of the industry's most popular business blogs. Davey's newest project, www.GicleeBusiness.com, is a comprehensive giclee printer directory and art business products and services resource.

Details: Paperback: 302 pages
Publisher: Bold Star Communications (January 14, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0976960737

Contact: Barney Davey
Phone: (602) 499-7500
www.barneydavey.com

Related posts:

Publicity is a Big Deal for Visual Artists and All Small Businesses

As a Visual Artist, Are You Press Release Worthy?

What Topics Would Be Press Worthy for a Visual Artists? (Part Two)

Using Press Releases to Gain Publicity for Visual Artists (Part Three)

How to Write a Press Release for Artists

Decorating Your Home With Canvas Art Prints

By Jimmy JS Parker

Canvas art prints are an impressive way of decorating a big room. It creates an amazing impression to the on-looker because it is such a focal point in the room and is extremely eye-catching. The largest room in the house, which is probably also the most used room, will be transformed if the following decorating ideas are used in the display of a large canvas art print.

Firstly, a large print needs to be hung extremely carefully. It requires very careful leveling so the use of a spirit level would be ideal. The eye hooks need to be approximately four to six inches below the top of the frame along the sides and the wire attached to each eye hook. The correct positioning of the eye hooks will ensure the top of frame will be positioned properly against the wall at the right distance from the ceiling. If the lower ends of the wire are positioned along the sides of the frame, the top of the painting will stand away from the wall, which will not look at all aesthetic. When it is mounted the wire allows for easy adjustment and leveling once it is in position.

A large print will look fantastic above a fireplace, directly above the mantel piece. The focal point of any room, but in particular, a large room is usually the fireplace so it will only be enhanced more if a canvas art is hung directly above it. It will be a real eye-catcher and make an amazing impression on anyone when they initially walk into the room. It needs to be hung twelve to sixteen inches above the fireplace and needs to be selected carefully in order to match the colour and style of the room. Enough space needs to be left between the print and the mantel piece to allow for personal ornaments such as candles, photographs, clocks etc. to be placed. Once a blazing fire has been lit in the hearth, the whole fireplace area will look so impressive, completed with a beautiful piece of artwork to complete the total look and feel.

Any room is suitable for a these kind of prints but it is true to say that a large wall just cries out for a large display of a well-chosen canvas art print. Large areas of wall can be spoilt completely if covered with a variety of shelves, cupboards or random pictures. These can make the wall and the room look cluttered and less aesthetic. The perfect choice for a large wall area would be just one, gorgeous large canvas art print. It will look wonderful against a plain painted wall and will stand alone as an amazing piece of art work and will draw the eye of the beholder towards it. It needs to be chosen to complement the colours in the room and the style of the room and be a personal choice of the owner. Many canvas art prints can be chosen with various themes such as settings, flowers, building, places and abstracts etc.

A canvas art print would look marvelous on an empty space above a sofa and will be enhanced if placed between soft wall lighters. Two candle or other light holders fixed either side of the print will cast a beautiful glow across the canvas print and highlight the colours and hues. The canvas art print will create a fantastic focal point and add beauty within the room and it will impress everyone who uses the room. The print needs again needs to be thoughtfully chosen to match the colour and style of the room.

To sum up, large sized rooms will accommodate a large sized canvas art print admirably. It is the perfect choice to ensure style and a smart look and feel to the room. Options for choosing canvas art prints are endless but need to be chosen well to fit in with personal preference and the colours and style of the home and room generally. You will need to look around your home and make sure you choose the right space for your specially chosen canvas art print.

I hope this article will help you when printing your canvas art and in choosing beautiful canvas prints.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jimmy_JS_Parker

---

How to Use Article Marketing to Grow Your Business

Are you looking for a creative way to find new buyers for your work? If so, article marketing may be just the ticket for you. The article above is reprinted with permission from the Ezine Articles website. It is a great example for any artist who wants to use article marketing to create a new direct sales channel.

What the author has done is write an article with useful tips a homeowner could use to complement the decor in her home. While the article is informative, it is also leading the reader to click on the links at the bottom of the article that go to the retail store in the UK operated by the author.

If you are already selling direct to consumers, especially if you are providing finished art, there is no reason why you couldn't write a similar article. You could write about the benefits of using art from the same artist in a room or setting?

Ezine Articles is the leading provider of article marketing with something like 250 articles submitted daily. It has a WordPress plugin that allows the author to write a post and simultaneously submit it to Ezine Articles.

Perhaps you are not the best writer, or lack confidence in your ability. No problem. There are copywriting services that can quickly and professionally polish your prose into an article that will make you proud. One example is www.Gramlee.com. I have personal experience with its great service and recommend it without hesitation or any kind of remuneration for doing so.

Should you choose to follow this advice, please let me know. I will be happy to Tweet about it and mention it on Facebook.

 

Build an Art Market - Profit from Your Passion

I love to read stories about artists who succeed against improbable odds. The news in this post should bring hope, joy and encouragement to visual artists everywhere.

The past five years have been very difficult for artists and publishers in the art print market. The dwindling pages in trade magazines and disappearance of formerly important tradeshows serving the art print market punctuate the point.

Tough times do not mean there are no opportunities

Given current conditions, it is a wonder any artist or publisher is doing well. And, yet here is a story proving when you follow your passion and create something that touches people in a compelling way, you can grow a profitable art business in the most trying times. Such is the case of Ashley Goldberg and her partner Drew. She is an artist who draws whimsical images and turns them into prints sold on her Etsy shop.

Kudos for getting ink from Inc. Magazine!

The result of creating such work and making it available on Etsy is her site is one of the most "hearted" on all of Esty and she and her partner Drew end up as part of a cover story in Inc. magazine. The cover story title is How to Launch a Dream Career and Profit from Your Passion. The aricle within the feature about Ashley and Drew is titled Start-Ups 2010: Building a Market for Art. 

Take heart and take notice.

It's obvious not every artist reading this post is destined to be featured in a national business magazine. Nevertheless, there are unending promotional and publicity opportunities for visual artists willing to work at turning possibilities into realities. You can be one of them if you put your mind, your body and your will to it.

If you want to be noticed, do something worth noting.

I do not know if AshleyG and Drew courted the publicity directly, or if they just got "lucky." Truly, it does not matter. If it is the latter, as I suspect, I would argue their luck is the residue of the hard and dedicated work they have put into making their art print business happen.

I bet the best is yet to come and that we have not heard the last from AshleyG and Drew. What is exciting to me is I know there are many more artists out there who are breaking into the print market on their own terms and enjoying the success that comes with it. If you are one of them, I would love to hear from you.

Mid-Summer Repost Asking If You Are Pressworthy

I don't know how it got to be mid-summer already because I feel like the year just began a short time ago. Nevertheless, I find myself in the Phoenix summer heat to be unmotivated to crank out new posts.In other words, it's time for summer reposts.

I do intend to publish a final note to the series between fine artist Lori McNee and me discussing whether artists should work with a gallery, go it on their own, or do both. That post will offer tips on self-promotion. If you haven't seen the posts in the series so far, here they are:

Visual Artist’s Challenge: Should I Work with Galleries, Go Direct to Collectors or Both?

Visual Artist’s Challenge II – Balancing Self Promotion & Gallery Representation

More Thoughts on Artists and Galleries Working Together

3 Tips for Artists to Promote Themselves & Their Galleries

Are You Press Release Worthy?

The question posed above and in the title of the original post asks you to consider if you are working at things worthy of preparing and sending a press release. Since this content also is apropos to the idea of self-promotion for artists, I am running with it and its two companion pieces while I take a mid-summer break from writing new blog posts. Enjoy! And, take some time off yourself, if you can.

Stop now! Think back to what your immediate reaction to the question of whether you are press release worthy was. Examining your self-perception and reaction will be quite insightful for you. There is no wrong answer. There are just three basic ways to respond:

1. You immediately agreed you were press release worthy.
2. You stopped to assess if you were worthy.
3. You instinctively felt you were not doing anything to make you press release worthy.

How you perceive yourself is one aspect of this challenge. And, your concept of the value of a press release and what they do could easily color your decision. There is not much, if any training on how to use a press release, and not much exposure to them for many visual artists. The lack of exposure could easily cause the activity be filed away as intimidating, mysterious, or bothersome; all leading to inactivity and improper assessment in answering the question.

While you are a product of many things, your self-perception nevertheless is your choice.

If you believe you are press release worthy, good for you. It's a shows a bit of confidence and self-awareness that undoubtedly helps you in other aspects of your career. Having a healthy ego is a good thing for artists. It's much easier to convince others about the value of your work if your persona portrays confidence and self-esteem. We might root for the underdogs, but we buy the winners.

Learning from American Idol, who'da thunk it?

Last year in an admission to a guilty pleasure, I posted Art Marketing Lessons from American Idol. Visual artists should take note of the implied advice the show offers. This year, comparable examples for visual artists are obvious. British judge, Simon Cowell, continues to make the point to those who don't portray confidence that talent alone will not win the contest. Artists need to exude self-confidence. It doesn't have to be done in a swaggering braggadocio style. Confidence can be shown in many ways. Whether it is an outgoing or quiet style is irrelevant.

In social settings, we all have radar for how someone feels about themselves.The manner of how it is expressed doesn't matter. We read the person and evaluate them on the subtle clues we observe. This is why the kids with the good voices who come off as not quite believing themselves ultimately will be voted off American Idol.

There practically is no reason for any artist not be press release worthy. If you thought you weren't or were not sure, I hope to help you change that perception. It will come in learning more about how press releases work, what their real value is and how to get a good one written and submitted. Look for information on press releases in subsequent posts here soon. I believe it will be a confidence booster for you to come to realize you are press release worthy.

Related Posts:

How to Write a Press Release for Artists

Does Free Art Make Money or Sense?

Yesterday, I retweeted an article from ArtDaily.org. Its title, 50 Acclaimed Artists Give Away their Works for Free in the Last Ever Free Art Fair is a grabber. The idea gives one pause to contemplate fine art should be something greater than the product it becomes in commercial art fairs. I like the thought on any meaning you can take from it.

The show is aimed at taking art out of the commercial realm, at least for the moment, so it might be appreciated for the sheer beauty, imagination or message the artist intended rather than assigning it a dollar value. The goal, like timeless great art, is noble and is a concept all but the most cynical mercenary souls surely can value.

The Times They Are A Changing

Whatever your feelings, the notion of free, or giving something of value away, spotlights one of the fundamental, monumental paradigm shifts we, as a society of consumers, are experiencing. That is, we've come to expect, damn near demand, things be free. This is exemplified by the oft-repeated phrase, "Information wants to be free." The aphorism's genesis, pursued by Aussie scholar, Roger Clarke, makes for interesting reading on its own.

The simple truth is you can't separate art from commerce, even when you give it away. This is the point of the aforementioned paradigm shift. Artists are being shown they can give away their art and leverage the response to the offer to gain an audience and create a cash flow in some other ways. This requires getting out of one's way and accepting things are different.

Get on Board with the Band(s)

The music business offers the best example of how this works. The Grateful Dead's practice of freely allowing, even facilitating, taping of their live shows fostered the trend. Rather than destroying their business model, it nourished a steady and impressive revenue stream for the band from other sources. It has since become a path well-trod by many recording artists.

The idea, like The Grateful Dead, was radical, rebellious and well ahead of its time. The Dead's way of doing things foretold the future as their "far out" model became a widely used practice. For example, here's a paragraph from a lengthy Art Print Issues post from the fall of 2007:

We need to start looking at new ways of doing things. I had a blog post a while back titled, “Prince and the Art of Monetizing Free Stuff.” It described how he gave away 3 million copies of his new CD in England through newspaper inserts and more than made it up on concert ticket and merchandise sales.

The band, Radiohead, which currently is perhaps the best band in the business, is selling its latest album exclusively through its Web site rather than through traditional distribution channels, i.e, record companies, Wal-mart, iTunes, etc.

What make things far more interesting, the band is letting its fans choose the price they wish to pay for the download. Yep, you can pay nada, zip, zilch if you so choose. You can be sure players from every aspect of the industry are watching to see how this paradigm shift plays out. (Ed. note 9/14/09 The group abandoned the experiment after distributing millions of downloads. Whatever the cost, the publicity value had to make up for any shortfall.)

There Are Some Free Thinking Visual Artists Tossing Breadcrumbs

I recently tweeted this article: Surviving and Thriving as an Artist and I commend it to you again here. The author, Spryos Heniadis, is a visual artist who references Trent Reznor, yet another cutting edge recording artist who touts the practice of giving away high-quality mp3 downloads of music as the basis for building an audience, and thus a business. Heniadis has given the idea serious thought and has proposed a unique multi-part program to put the idea of building his own clientele by giving away his art. See if you can follow his logic, or improve upon it.

The debate over "Free" has Spilled into Business Headlines and Blogs

There is an ongoing debate about the real value of free by some notable marketing and trendspotting heavyweights. Chris Anderson is the editor of Wired magazine. He has written a book titled, Free: The Future of a Radical Price. It has spawned a debate between Seth Godin and Malcolm Gladwell who are two of the most influential authors on business and marketing these days. They don't agree at all. Just Google these three words: free godin gladwell. The results will bring you up-to-date on the debate.

I have written about how well-known visual artists such as Hazel Dooney and Banksy have been giving downloads of their art away. In an Absolute Arts guest blogger post titled Art Vs. Marketing – Making Hazel Dooney Cringe, I took Dooney to task more to make a point than pick on her. Besides that she is controversial and makes great copy, one can read her Self Vs. Self blog and know she is capable of taking and giving a jab with ease.

In this case, she took good natured umbrage at my suggestion her free downloads were smart stealth marketing with a retort titled: Google-eyed. Dooney is far from being naive, she understands it takes presence and awareness to make art important, and to sell it. To wit, she describes herself as a total media tart who takes any opportunity to promote her art and herself.

That she is smart enough to freely give her art away while taking its creation and the meaning behind with serious intent puts her full square with the organizers of the Last Free Art Fair mentioned in the first paragraph above. It also means she is understands and is running well ahead of the paradigm shift described in Free: The Future of a Radical Price. She gets it and uses it to her advantage. Bully for her.

Take Advantage of Low-cost Production & Distribution to Build Your List

As always for success, possessing the ability to create compelling art is essential. However in this new economy, compiling a sizable and viable emailing list arguably is your best asset when it comes to getting your art to market . Since Web hosting costs are nominal, it makes high quality downloads of available and previously amortized digitized art nearly free to distribute. Doing this brings to fruition visionary Marshall McLuhan's timeless maxim, The Medium is the Massage. He presciently wrote this book in 1967 and it remains a top seller and more relevant today than then.

I am not advocating giving away stuff to cost you money. I am advocating giving away stuff to make you money. If your emailing list were 10x, or 100x, or 1000x, or 10,000x larger than it is, you must agree you could leverage it to promote your art and yourself. I believe the results you would achieve would be far greater than you can imagine reading this post. 

That's What I'm Talkin' About!

Let the idea of your very own large email list marinate. Then ask yourself what is keeping you from getting your hands on one.  When you come to realize it simply is not already having employed a well-exectued plan, I trust you will be motivated to act on it.

Some things I know for certain and they are why I write posts such as this one. I know you cannot lose building a list. Repeat: You cannot lose building a large email list! Start now. Pay it forward; pass this post on.

Publicity is a Big Deal for Visual Artists and All Small Businesses

A recent newsletter from the pen of the talented Melissa Cassera, the driving force behind Cassera Communications, caught my eye. She always has great ideas and suggestions for using and getting publicity.

Melissa helps her clients get covered by print, television and other media outlets. Some of her advice may seem daunting to a visual artist who has not had exposure via these channels. But, I assure you if you have an interesting angle, you are press worthy. I'm certain Melissa would agree.

She has unselfishly offered in her newsletter useful tips for DIY (Do-It-Yourself) publicity. I am a believer that if you can afford it, you should hire the best PR person you can find to promote your art business. That's because when it comes to art marketing and art promotion activities, publicity is dollar-for-dollar best investment an artist, or any small business, can make. If the reality is it's not in your budget now, then follow her sage advice to work on PR for yourself.

If you are a regular reader, you know I've blogged extensively about publicity and included a chapter on it in my book, How to Profit from the Art Print Market. (You may have noticed over there on the right.)

Here are links to some past posts on the subject:

• Creative Publicity Pays
• As a Visual Artist, Are You Press Release Worthy (Part One)
• What Topics Would Be Press Worthy for a Visual Artists? (Part Two)
• Using Press Releases to Gain Publicity for Visual Artists (Part Three)

Reprinted here with Melissa's permission are her DIY suggestions:

Summer continues to be a busy time here at Cassera Communications! We are actively pitching the Holiday Gift Guides for our product-based clients and booking plenty of TV appearances for our roster of 'experts.'

If you're still following the DIY publicity path, I've compiled some tips to help gain better ROI from your efforts.

• Make a list of 25 outlets you want to be featured in/on. Make a list in Excel and have separate columns for outlet name, contact name, phone, email, address and pitching profile - this is to keep better track of your efforts!
• Take time to read the publication or watch the TV show you are pitching. If you're pitching Redbook, you may be able to pitch multiple sections as an expert or for a product feature. If you're pitching TV, such as Good Morning America, what hour are you pitching? Did you know the first is dedicated to hard news, the second hour a 'mix' of hard news and lifestyle, and their recently added third hour is open to lifestyle segments? Also - if you don't watch the show or read the publication, how do you know they haven't covered your topic before?
• Do not send the same pitch to a print outlet and TV show. Television pitches should be written as segments. If you don't know how to do that, watch any segment and get a a feel for how they are written. There is always a lead-in, often with a research statistic. There are typically at least five take-aways for the viewer. There are also visuals for each talking point - either product demonstrations or video footage called b-roll.
• Don't get discouraged if you send a pitch and hear nothing back. It just means you have to work harder and smarter to come up with something different. Start 'thinking in pitches.' Immerse yourself in the media and understand their format. In publicity, you get out what you put in. The greater the effort, the greater the reward.  

A quick congratulations to the following Cassera Communications clients:

• Angela Jia Kim for landing TV appearances on Better Philly, WFMZ, and Fox Connecticut as well as featured in the Wall Street Journal book releasing in December, More Magazine and AM New York Newspaper.
• Deborah Bailey featured on More Magazine.com, Bankrate.com and the Chicago Tribune blog network.
• Lilliana Vazquez of The Cheap Chica's Guide to Styleis featured in a 2-page spread in Travel Girl Magazine, The Style Network online, Better TV and will appear on Fox 45 Baltimore and in Philadelphia Style magazine next month!
• Karol Ward featured on WFMZ, NBC10 Show and ABC6.
• Patricia Green of Ginger Kids is gearing up to launch the Passport to the World Club on 9/9/09. The launch will feature 9-days of giveaways with popular mom blogs. She has also already gained the interest of Parents Magazine!
• Tanea Smith of She's Got Papers recently launched The Learner's Permit - a great back to school item with a huge buzz!

Related Posts:

How to Write a Press Release for Artists

Last Summer Repost - 52 Blog Topics for Artists - Get Started Now!

For the final summer repost, here is an oldie, but goodie, that stands the test of time. If you are ever at a wonder as to what to write about in your next blog post, the following repost will be helpful:

A Year of Blog Topics for Artists - No Reason to Hold Back Now

Perhaps you have read Why Every Artist Needs a Blog on Art Print Issues, and you are now ready to take the plunge into the blogoshpere. But, you are concerned you won't know what to write. If you think people don't want to know what you had for lunch, you're correct and win a gold star. Here then are 52 suggested blog topics designed to get you through your first year without ever mentioning peanut butter and jelly. Several topics could easily be multi-part posts:

52 blog topics for artists - Courtesy of Art Print Issues

1. Why I support xyz charity
2. The most inspiring art teacher I have known
3. How I came to know being a professional artist was my career path
4. Why I love working with xyz medium
5. What you can learn from the traveling exhibit at the abc museum
6. Four galleries I would love to carry my work and why
7. Five contemporary artists whose works inspire and inform me
8. Clues to the subtle messages in my art
9. My color palette is (nature/technology/environment) driven and why
10. Ten things they don't teach you in art school
11. How being in the business of art affects my art
12. When I paint, I like to listen to Guns n' Roses/London Philharmonic/Enya/Toby Keith
13. How the other arts influence my work, e.g., how I attempt to interpret the fluidity of a ballerina in my brush stokes
14. Here are blogs by other artists whose work I like, or whose blogs I like
15. Art retreats; although you may not get rich and famous, you can still travel and stay at wonderful places. Here are my favorites or fantasies
16. How other jobs I've had have added perspective to my art
17. Spirituality is personal, but growth in it has made me a better artist
18. Nine things I want to paint before I stop
19. Why painting en plen air is exhilarating
20. Art by other artists I bought in unusual places
21. Visually inspiring day trips around where I live
22. Museums I've visited in other cities and around home
23. Art books on my bookshelf
24. If I could only recommend one book, art or otherwise, for someone, it would be...
25. How living the creative life has uplifted my spirits and made me a better person
26. Advice for young artists
27. Why I love my local galleries and/or the local art scene
28. How blogging has stretched me as an artist
29. You can find my art online at these sites, here's why I chose to use them
30. Art magazines I like to read
31. The greatest influence on my life was...
32. Why and how parents should encourage artistic development in their children
33. Some funny experiences either colleagues or I've had at art shows
34. I still can't believe people have asked me these things
35. The five best quotes on art I've ever read
36. How the courage and creativity of some disabled artists have inspired me
37. Here are blogs I enjoy that are not about art
38. Seven ways technology has changed how I make and sell art (Some examples are: Photoshop/digital camera/digital painting/digital printing/Painter/online art sites)
39. I'm grateful because this person came in my life, or because this happened to me
40. Eight reasons I get out of bed to paint everyday are (Suggestions: Let's be honest, I need the money. I'm OCD and can't help it. It's the best job a person could have. A day without painting is like a day without sunshine. I can't stand the thought of going back to the 7-11)
41. And you heard writer's block was difficult
42. How overcoming creative obstacles has made me a better artist
43. So I went to a tradeshow/convention/workshop and the best/funniest/saddest thing happened
44. It's really hard to part with my originals; here's why
45. Five reasons you will like the giclee prints I offer
46. Flowers in my garden make me smile and make me paint
47. If I wasn't an artist, I'd be a...
48. Why faces are so difficult to paint, and hands are tough too
49. The most inspiring movie I've ever seen is...
50. How the arts organizations in my area are helping children/charities/??
51. Why you should always use a docent when you go to a museum. Here are some special things I learned at...
52. How reading the Art Print Issues blog has made me smarter, better looking, more creative and much richer

Perhaps you have read Why Every Artist Needs a Blog on Art Print Issues, and you are now ready to take the plunge into the blogoshpere. But, you are concerned you won't know what to write. If you think people don't want to know what you had for lunch, you're correct and win a gold star. Here then are 52 suggested blog topics designed to get you through your first year without ever mentioning peanut butter and jelly. Several topics could easily be multi-part posts:

52 blog topics for artists - Courtesy of Art Print Issues

1. Why I support xyz charity
2. The most inspiring art teacher I have known
3. How I came to know being a professional artist was my career path
4. Why I love working with xyz medium
5. What you can learn from the traveling exhibit at the abc museum
6. Four galleries I would love to carry my work and why
7. Five contemporary artists whose works inspire and inform me
8. Clues to the subtle messages in my art
9. My color palette is (nature/technology/environment) driven and why
10. Ten things they don't teach you in art school
11. How being in the business of art affects my art
12. When I paint, I like to listen to Guns n' Roses/London Philharmonic/Enya/Toby Keith
13. How the other arts influence my work, e.g., how I attempt to interpret the fluidity of a ballerina in my brush stokes
14. Here are blogs by other artists whose work I like, or whose blogs I like
15. Art retreats; although you may not get rich and famous, you can still travel and stay at wonderful places. Here are my favorites or fantasies
16. How other jobs I've had have added perspective to my art
17. Spirituality is personal, but growth in it has made me a better artist
18. Nine things I want to paint before I stop
19. Why painting en plen air is exhilarating
20. Art by other artists I bought in unusual places
21. Visually inspiring day trips around where I live
22. Museums I've visited in other cities and around home
23. Art books on my bookshelf
24. If I could only recommend one book, art or otherwise, for someone, it would be...
25. How living the creative life has uplifted my spirits and made me a better person
26. Advice for young artists
27. Why I love my local galleries and/or the local art scene
28. How blogging has stretched me as an artist
29. You can find my art online at these sites, here's why I chose to use them
30. Art magazines I like to read
31. The greatest influence on my life was...
32. Why and how parents should encourage artistic development in their children
33. Some funny experiences either colleagues or I've had at art shows
34. I still can't believe people have asked me these things
35. The five best quotes on art I've ever read
36. How the courage and creativity of some disabled artists have inspired me
37. Here are blogs I enjoy that are not about art
38. Seven ways technology has changed how I make and sell art (Some examples are: Photoshop/digital camera/digital painting/digital printing/Painter/online art sites)
39. I'm grateful because this person came in my life, or because this happened to me
40. Eight reasons I get out of bed to paint everyday are (Suggestions: Let's be honest, I need the money. I'm OCD and can't help it. It's the best job a person could have. A day without painting is like a day without sunshine. I can't stand the thought of going back to the 7-11)
41. And you heard writer's block was difficult
42. How overcoming creative obstacles has made me a better artist
43. So I went to a tradeshow/convention/workshop and the best/funniest/saddest thing happened
44. It's really hard to part with my originals; here's why
45. Five reasons you will like the giclee prints I offer
46. Flowers in my garden make me smile and make me paint
47. If I wasn't an artist, I'd be a...
48. Why faces are so difficult to paint, and hands are tough too
49. The most inspiring movie I've ever seen is...
50. How the arts organizations in my area are helping children/charities/??
51. Why you should always use a docent when you go to a museum. Here are some special things I learned at...
52. How reading the Art Print Issues blog has made me smarter, better looking, more creative and much richer

Art-Exchange.com Brouhaha Still Brewing

A four-year running discussion about Art-Exchange.com and its business practices has been raging on Wet Canvas, which is the largest artist discussion board on the Internet. A search for the term "art-exchange" there returns 21 results of different threads or discussions. Nearly all are started by artists asking for help, opinion and firsthand experience with the company.

The primary thread with "Art-Exchange.com...any opinions?" was started in June, 2005 and has more than 100 replies and 7500 views. This is an enormous amount of response and that it continues to stay lively nearly 4 years later shows the amount of interest and angst generated by the company's business tactics. The near universal response has been outrage and anger from the Wet Canvas art community. Discussion boards such as Wet Canvas serve a great need. The work as a communal watering hole where like-minded folks can gather and share their experiences, knowledge and shared interests.

The latest round of posts were started when a poster named David Miller, who introduced himself as the new president of Art-Exchange.com came on to try to defend the company. He was rightly disturbed by a comment that the employees there should be shot. We all know such talk is meaningless hyperbole attempting to portray the level of anger towards the company and its aggressive sales staff. But, on this point I think he has a right to be disturbed. Not so much, or not at all on reasoned explanations of how artists were treated and solicited by his sales staff.

Needless to say, the response was not pleasant to Mr. Miller's post. A request was put to him to provide artists who would come forth and tell about their positive experience with the company. A suspicious first-time newbie poster named Bill joined the conversation with a kind of passive-aggressive defense of the company. When challenged to prove he was not a shill by providing a Website or some evidence of a real art career, he lamely says he hasn't joined the 2000s yet and has no Internet exposure. He further says he is contemplating working with Art-Exchange.com. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

The discussion of this company is not isolated to just Wet Canvas. You can find strongly held opinions on www.artspan.com and www.artscuttlebutt.com. The later has unfortunately lost many of its older posts when its forum was hit with a hacker attack. It contained some lengthy posts and replies all pointing to artists who had poor experiences dealing with Art-Exchange.com.

There are lessons here. For artists, take the time to perform due diligence when being asked to put up front money for marketing assistance. For companies who have vocal constituents, don't wait years to try and correct a negative perception about the company. In this case for Art-Exchange.com, the ship has sailed and the cow left the barn. Perhaps Mr. Miller can turn the company around, but it will take a long time with an ongoing effort by the company to change its image with the artist community, especially those who participate regularly on discussion boards.

The final lesson is no matter how small or large your company may be, don't take for granted that customer satisfaction is paramount to your long term success. Caveat emptor.

Using Press Releases to Gain Publicity for Visual Artists (Part Three)

I trust you have had a chance to read Part One and Part Two of this series on press releases for artists. I'll go further and assume some of you are sufficiently motivated by them to get started using press releases in your art marketing efforts. I've said many times dollar-for-dollar and for time spent, nothing will give your art business a bigger boost than well placed publicity.

There are many things I'm pretty good at, including writing my own press releases. Here are a couple that have I've published on PRWEB.com:

How to Profit from the Art Print Market: Practical Advice for Visual Artists

Chinese Assembly Line Oil Paintings Create Concerns

Five Decades of Passionate Vision Exhibit Extended - this one I dusted up for my good friend Joella Jean Mahoney. It's not something I would normally do. but given her accomplishments and this honor, I had to lend a hand. It came out pretty good for an amateur.

Speaking of being an amateur; I have no intention of trying to tell you how to write a press release when there are so many very talented professionals who can run rings around any efforts I might put forth in that arena. Here are some helpful links to useful information I've collected:

Press Releases as Marketing Tools

PRWEB.com - the anatomy of a press release

The Publicity Hound - free articles from PR expert Joan Stewart

PRWEB Review - insight and great advice from on this service from Internet & SEO marketing guru Rae Hoffman.

How to Write a Great Press Release: A Sample Press Release Template - from publicityinsider.com

10 Essential Tips to Ensure Your Press Release Makes the News

Okay, now that you are convinced regular use of publicity should be integrated into marketing program, you are wondering how you get a press worthy release written. That is you are a lover not a fighter. Just kidding, you are an artist not a promotional writer. I can heartily recommend a great editing service for you to use. It is www.Gramlee.com. You buy words on the site. It's $9.95 for 500 words. That is about the average size for a typical press release. Its professional editors will polish your copy and turn it around in 24 hours or less. You get to bank any unused words for future editing needs.

Related Posts:

How to Write a Press Release for Artists