Friday, February 3, 2012

Weaving the Web

The timing couldn't have been better with my upcoming presentation on February 8, addressing the business of the arts and successful self-promotion... entering selected juried shows, then hearing my work was accepted, is something that exemplifies building a resume, an ongoing work in progress. I used to think it was great being a big fish in a little sea (Swampscott being the little sea) but now bigger shows in Cambridge, Boston, New England, and even National shows have been more my focus.

My previous blog post announced the Best of Show I received at Lynn Arts (works on paper winter show). Yesterday the show postcard was sent and I was delighted to see my painting on the front of the card. The card was emailed and postal mailed to the entire Lynn Art Association membership and mailing list.




Once I received the pdf file I was able to forward it to the entire Swampscott Arts Association mailing list as well as post it on my Facebook page (and now on my Blog). The Lynn Arts website also has the card featured on their home page, and the publicity opportunities seem endless.

Another example of weaving in the world wide web occurred when Montserrat College of Art sent me an email to let me know they have been promoting my up coming Business of the Arts speaking engagement on their blog and throughout the community. 


Their blog post was connected to the Enterprise Center at Salem State University's blog post which was shared by several other local business blog posts, and it goes on and on...

I was reading the Marblehead Reporter (the local weekly newspaper) yesterday and was surprised to see my name along with another local artist, Claudia Kaufman, featured as the artists of the week. The Copley Society contacted all of the communities representing their new artist members and it was my good fortune that the paper decided to print the news. I had submitted work to the Copley Society's winter show, juried by David Brown of the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and Miriam Stewart of the Fogg Museum, and found out last week that my painting "Echo" was 1 of 29 pieces accepted to the show. The Copley Society has already started promoting the show on their website and will be doing more publicity once the show is up.

One of the main points I am going to make when I am speaking about self-promotion is the way we all have the ability to use the internet for free publicity. The possibilities are endless.

13 comments:

  1. Well it's one thing to speak and another to be listened to. I think that finding ways to stimulate and engage with people, as with anything, is the important thing.

    Lovely cover there. Well done on your successes!

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  2. Hopefully I will be engaging and stimulating when I am reviewing all points I plan to cover. I don't think personalities always translate well online but I can be fun, so I have been told! I may post my outline here after the talk. Thanks for the blog visit, Mark.

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  3. COngrats on being featured on the invitation! And on all your good PR opportunities. I'm sure your talk will be very interesting.

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  4. Congratulations, Robin! I love your positive voice and hearing your thoughts on self-marketing.

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  5. Definitely going to report back on how the talk goes Deborah, thanks.

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  6. Wish you were local, Sherry, hopefully I will be able to help some artists along their paths.

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  7. Your path reflects so much of optimism for your art journey.. the card looks so beautiful.. !

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  8. Congratulations on your successes, Robin! It's not just about the publicity, it's also about the quality of work and the willingness to stretch and grow. If we stay inside our own comfort zones, we'll never find the magic. You're finding the magic!

    -Don

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  9. padmaja, at the beginning of this new year I reminded myself to be open to opportunities and that optimism continuously feeds into my creative flow of energy, the results are now appearing.

    Don, when the quality in work is there only then can the publicity work begin, can't have one without the other! (I guess I better make a point of that at the beginning of my speaking engagement), thanks for your input.

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  10. Your "Treescape" looks wonderful on the Montserrat College blog. Don's right, you are finding the magic; we also know you've been sowing those magic seeds for a while. Weaving really does describe what you're doing--creating beautiful pieces; then finding the right place for them. Congratulations.

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  11. I am anxious to pick up "Treescape" from the framer, Hallie. I decided to float the painting with very little mat border and I have never tried floating a watercolor before. Everything about the painting is abstract and traditional framing didn't make sense. (I will probably submit it to a national watercolor show). Maybe "weaving" will become my mantra!

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  12. Congratulations of receiving best of show for this painting and also for getting it printed on the postcard. Great news!

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  13. Thanks for your support, Nancy.

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