3 answers
Jaydon
Student
Katy, Texas
1
Question
Updated
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How do you start a successful career as a painter?
I am currently an undergraduate fine arts student, and I just would like to know where to start for a career as a painter. Should I start with social media or should I try to find exhibitions to showcase my art?
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3 answers
Kim Matthews
Graphic Production Designer and Sculptor
77
Answers
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Updated
Kim’s Answer
Hi Jaydon,
It's not an either/or proposition. You have to try all kinds of ways to get your work out there. Social media can be very time-consuming if you want to use it most effectively, but if you use tools like Planoly to schedule posts across multiple platforms, that will help. Also, Meta has a cross-post feature for Instagram and Facebook if you want to try those.
I'd suggest looking for local opportunities like nicer coffee shops, boutiques, or libraries to show your paintings, or maybe a realtor or interior designer might be interested in using them for staging. You can also try CaFE and other call for entry sites to find calls for juried shows, but between entry fees and shipping costs, that can get expensive really fast. There are, however, virtual shows or shows that have no entry fee, entry fee only for accepted works, or stipends and awards that can soften the blow.
Take your time and be very picky about what you show. If you want to maintain a consistent social media presence and build followership, you can share images of works in progress or other things that interest you.
Use social media to follow artists whose work you like (and is simpatico with yours). Look up their CVs and see where they've exhibited or are represented. That will give you clues about how their careers developed and places you might want to apply.
Hope this gets you thinking about possibilities. If you can find a working artist or related nearby who's willing to take you on as an intern or assistant, I'd definitely do that too. Networking is really important, and a lot of us--myself included--find that the hardest part of self-promotion.
It's not an either/or proposition. You have to try all kinds of ways to get your work out there. Social media can be very time-consuming if you want to use it most effectively, but if you use tools like Planoly to schedule posts across multiple platforms, that will help. Also, Meta has a cross-post feature for Instagram and Facebook if you want to try those.
I'd suggest looking for local opportunities like nicer coffee shops, boutiques, or libraries to show your paintings, or maybe a realtor or interior designer might be interested in using them for staging. You can also try CaFE and other call for entry sites to find calls for juried shows, but between entry fees and shipping costs, that can get expensive really fast. There are, however, virtual shows or shows that have no entry fee, entry fee only for accepted works, or stipends and awards that can soften the blow.
Take your time and be very picky about what you show. If you want to maintain a consistent social media presence and build followership, you can share images of works in progress or other things that interest you.
Use social media to follow artists whose work you like (and is simpatico with yours). Look up their CVs and see where they've exhibited or are represented. That will give you clues about how their careers developed and places you might want to apply.
Hope this gets you thinking about possibilities. If you can find a working artist or related nearby who's willing to take you on as an intern or assistant, I'd definitely do that too. Networking is really important, and a lot of us--myself included--find that the hardest part of self-promotion.
Wyatt s Miles
Animator
30
Answers
Dayton, ID
Updated
Wyatt s’s Answer
Hello Jaydon,
I'm a painter as well, of sorts. I mostly paint with words, but I like to dabble with different mediums such as watercolors, ink, animation, and even pyrography (wood burning). Frankly, I'm with you here; I'm two decades plus into this now and am still wondering/wandering in the journey of art. I think that, just as it is in the world of writing and publishing, the world of visual arts has become so accessible to all of us that most everyone is taking part to some degree. That's good news because art is such a great healer and teacher, but it does also pose some challenges to those of us who are trying to make a living in that space. From what I can see, we've become so saturated with talented artists, I think the best solution is to stop trying to compete, but to work with and for one another in creative, collaborative, and heartfelt ways. True art is all about connecting, opening up the doors and the windows and letting the light in, or better yet, setting the prisoners free. Believe me, I realize that, as lovely as this sentiment is, it's far easier said than done. I'm attempting to work more this way, but collaboration is not exactly the natural flow for most people, especially under capitalism. The face of the art world is changing rapidly though, my friend, and it's going to continue accelerating. I try to imagine the world no longer run by money, but by trade, and then try to figure out what I want to have to offer that someone would trade me a chicken or even an egg fer. Once our world shifts in this way, which it is certain to, and food becomes the main commodity, art will still have value, if it can help someone feel better or put a smile on a child's face.
Sincerely,
Wyatt s Miles
I'm a painter as well, of sorts. I mostly paint with words, but I like to dabble with different mediums such as watercolors, ink, animation, and even pyrography (wood burning). Frankly, I'm with you here; I'm two decades plus into this now and am still wondering/wandering in the journey of art. I think that, just as it is in the world of writing and publishing, the world of visual arts has become so accessible to all of us that most everyone is taking part to some degree. That's good news because art is such a great healer and teacher, but it does also pose some challenges to those of us who are trying to make a living in that space. From what I can see, we've become so saturated with talented artists, I think the best solution is to stop trying to compete, but to work with and for one another in creative, collaborative, and heartfelt ways. True art is all about connecting, opening up the doors and the windows and letting the light in, or better yet, setting the prisoners free. Believe me, I realize that, as lovely as this sentiment is, it's far easier said than done. I'm attempting to work more this way, but collaboration is not exactly the natural flow for most people, especially under capitalism. The face of the art world is changing rapidly though, my friend, and it's going to continue accelerating. I try to imagine the world no longer run by money, but by trade, and then try to figure out what I want to have to offer that someone would trade me a chicken or even an egg fer. Once our world shifts in this way, which it is certain to, and food becomes the main commodity, art will still have value, if it can help someone feel better or put a smile on a child's face.
Sincerely,
Wyatt s Miles
Joseph Spirtos
Enter art contests
13
Answers
Poland, Ohio
Updated
Joseph’s Answer
Hey there!
I highly recommend entering in art contests. Such as county fairs. It's a lot of fun and it would provide valuable experience.
You could also start an instagram page that is open to the public to display your art!
I highly recommend entering in art contests. Such as county fairs. It's a lot of fun and it would provide valuable experience.
You could also start an instagram page that is open to the public to display your art!