by Zeljka Himbele
Do you find self-marketing strategies important for today’s artists?
Definitely! I feel that the more you can market (and market smart) in today’s world, the more it provides the opportunity to take your career further, faster, and in the right direction. I feel that self-promotion is critical in today’s hyper-social, competitive world. For an artist looking to get ahead and make his/her mark, self-promotion is a survival skill; your career success depends on your ability to promote yourself correctly in any field of work, in fact.
Can you name the channels for self- marketing you find most useful?
As an artist, I would have to say by far my website. I feel that business information and visibility is critical to an artist as well as their collectors. In this era, the convenience of a website is like having an environmentally friendly, 24/7 global business at your fingertips, which is a perfect way to promote your portfolio.
I also believe my vibrant high-quality customized business cards, postcards, thank you cards and other stationary have captured the attention of a great deal of my collectors. I make it a point to use several different captivating images on each card. It’s like a pop-up exhibition anywhere I go. I always carry business cards with me. This has also been a great promotional tool; the vibrant images seem to move people. By entering competitions, I receive invaluable visibility, not only to the hosting galleries, curators and editors, but to new audiences as well. In addition to all of this, I personally do not believe that there is a better way to gain exposure further or faster than Agora. As it states on the first page of Agora Gallery’s website; “Agora connects artists with professionals, art collectors, and other artists to create an ever-growing family dedicated to the world of fine art.” I couldn’t be happier with the exposure I have and will be gaining from this experience. The staff at Agora are top notch!
How does social media, in your opinion, contribute to artwork sales?
Social media will captivate a client’s attention and lead him/ her to my website. It’s a great way to showcase your skills, brand, gain a reputation and monitor a collector’s experiences/opinions. It’s all available at my fingertips – Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Twitter, Blogging, Strategy, Instagram, Pinterest… Also, there are no deadlines or schedule demand and I can also measure my media results through statistics.
Opulent Acrylic on Canvas 60” x 48”
Have you ever been directly approached by a client or sold an artwork through social media?
I have sold artwork through postings on my Facebook page which I have set up to lead potential buyers to my website. I then have my website set up so anyone can shop at any time, pay at their convenience and their piece will be shipped within 48 hours. I could not be more proud of the sales that have come from a Limited Edition Print I am offering at this time, in the honor of my friend Carol VanderWaal. I am donating 50% of all proceeds from the Limited-Edition Prints “KEEZ,” to be donated to Hospice in her name. These prints are sold via my website.
How and when did you start thinking about approaching the corporate art market? In other words, how did it all start?
At first I had planned to reach out to interior designers knowing that their main focus is finding the perfect piece to fit their client’s decor as well as make a statement, and I feel that’s exactly what my pieces tend to do. I continue to have an interest in working with interior designers although I just recently started approaching the corporate market. Experts tell us that our opinions are formed within the first 30 seconds. First impressions can set the tone for a gathering in a home or an important meeting in an office. With our perceptions so easily influenced, I feel it is important for the decor in a business to make an impact within those 30 seconds; my pieces certainly grab your attention as soon as you walk into an office.
Is there, in your opinion, a certain medium or style which is preferred by corporate market?
Having worked in a corporate world for over 30 years, I have an understanding of what corporations and businesses are looking for. As a result, I specialize in a variety of large scale, expressive acrylic abstract paintings. My canvases feature bright and vibrant colors juxtaposed with muted earthy tones. The paintings I create are composed to be inspirational and memorable with the interpretations and meanings intentionally left wide open to the viewers. There is a degree of independence from visual reference to each viewer without discrimination – I feel that this is important in the world today.
With the advances of new technologies, there are indeed many new platforms and potentially successful ways for the artists to approach various businesses and corporations and place their works into their interiors and collections.
www.rindererabstract.com
www.Agora-Gallery.com/Artistpage/Sherry_Rinderer.aspx