8 Big Benefits of Blogging for Your Art Career
November 4, 2011 by Lisa Call
Writing -> Best Use of Art Biz Time
This week I shared the evolution of my artist statement on my artist blog.
One of my observations on this process:
I am a better writer today than I was 10 years ago. I attribute this 100% to my blogging. I believe that writing about my art every week for my blog is the #1 best use of my art business/office time. Getting better at writing my artist statement is just one of many benefits. Look for an article on makebigart.com on the benefits of blogging soon.
Many people have written about the benefits of blogging. Here is my take. It’s about thinking big about your art and your marketing.
1. Sharing Authentically in Print
Sharing our inner thoughts isn’t something that we all come to naturally. The artist statement I mentioned above is for a series of work that explores the emotional barriers we use to keep people out. It feels safe to not let people too close.
Yet there are big benefits in writing about what really matters to you. Your writing is authentic. You connect with your reader on a deeper level and that connection is the start of a relationship with a supporter interested in you and your art.
This can lead to sales, articles written about your art, gallery representation, exhibits, etc. All of these and more have resulted from my 6 years of writing authentically about my art.
2. Sharing Authentically in Person
Learning to share authentically via your blog can feed into your ability to also speak about your art. Writing about the art is practice for talking about the art.
Once you have the words down in black and white, you are less likely to be at a loss for words when speaking.
The thought of giving an artist talk was terrifying for me until I started writing about my art. Now I love giving artists talks and sharing my thoughts on my art in person. Standing up in front of a group is still scary, but at least I know I have the right words to describe what I am thinking.
3. Promotes Growth
Creating art is an evolutionary process. Usually you don’t have all the answers upfront.
Through the self reflection gained in writing about your art, you gain a greater insight into what motivates and inspires your creativity. This leads to growth as you are then able to go deeper into your subject matter.
The evolution of my artist statement shared above is an example of this evolution. Many of those deeper insights came about as a result of writing about my art on my blog.
4. Give People Words to Talk about Your Art
Writing a blog gives people words to use to describe your artwork and to talk intelligently about your processes. Your work is now much less intimidating and they are much more likely to share it with someone else.
This is extremely valuable for helping art consultants, your gallerists and the press write about your art. Providing them with the phrases and vocabulary for your art makes their jobs much easier. You are likely to get more articles written about your work if you make it easy for someone to write about you.
5. Establish Yourself as an the Artist You Want To Be
Are you a serious artist? Are you funny? Are you approachable?
By writing a blog, you can establish yourself as the artist you want to be. Helpful, knowledgeable, educated, motivated, etc. Pick any words you like. Now establish yourself as the person you want to be by writing from that frame of mind.
This is where you get to think big and then become the authority you know you are.
6. Marketing
Writing about your art and what informs it; sharing photos of your art, inspiration, studio and processes: this is art marketing.
It is often said that collectors buys the artist as much as they buy the art. You have to share who you are for many people to want to purchase your art. Blogging allows you to do this with an international market.
As a bonus, blogging provides you with instant and easy SEO (search engine optimization – ie. showing up in google at the top). Using keywords and phrases is a key part of SEO and writing about your art is a natural way to associate your art with the phrases that best describe your art.
7. Community
Yes facebook also provides a community, but I feel that the community I have created in the blogging world is more substantial. We are writing and sharing on a much deeper level. It takes more time and thought to write a blog post, so I get a more authentic view into the writer’s world.
8. Helping and Teaching Others
Many artists want to contribute to their community. Blogging is an excellent way to do that. MakeBigArt is an example of exactly that.
How do you want to contribute? Think big – and then just go do it.
Wrap Up
One of the beauties of blogging is you don’t have to ask for permission to jump it. It’s free and it’s for everyone that would like to write.
How has blogging benefited your art career?
—lisa
Thinking Big about Art
PS. I invite you to become a fan of MakeBigArt on social media where I’ll be sharing additional tips and comments.
MakeBigArt fanpage
MakeBigArt on Twitter
In addition you can also find me here:
My Blog
On Twitter
Facebook Profile
Lisa Call – Textile Paintings Fan Page
Well I don’t blog and to tell you the truth, I wonder if all my activity on the net isn’t just a waste of time. I enjoy it nevertheless, especially facebook for connecting with others but I haven’t yet made a decision to start a twitter account and I wonder how much more I would paint if I wasn’t on the computer throughout the day.
Also I do feel that being an artist like me, (quite shy) how much information to give out there. Blogging is …well a bit like writing this right now, scary to give out too much and so I don’t know if I can do it.
But I can see how writing about you art would really help when talking about it. Thanks for making me think about it.
Did I just write too much?
Mini,
I think you make an excellent observation that you would get more painting done if you spent less time on the computer. I feel that way also. I want my time online to have some return on the time invested.
That is why I like blogging – the number of benefits make it worth my time. Although it takes some discipline to not let it take up too much time.
Working through the “too much information” issue is something that each blogger has to do. Everyone has a different level of comfort.
And no – you didn’t write too much. Glad you found something to think about with this post.
—lisa
Unfortunately speaking from the heart comes too naturally to me and I don’t want to scare anyone. lol! I am going to be starting my blog, pogirlshines.com, very soon. It is an informational website about everything I know about, written to help others save money and give needed info regarding many things. I plan to have information on my art projects on there as well as various art prints will be available. Good article. Found this on facebook from Cloth Paper Scissors.
Carol,
Funny – I don’t think you’ll scare anyone! Just be authentic and imagine saying what you write out loud to your mom. That is my internal “sharing too much” meter. Replace ‘mom’ with an appropriate person that works for your comfort level.
Good luck with your new blog!
—lisa
Great article – very helpful! I have started writing again on my blog – I tend to write for awhile and then stop cuz i run out of things to talk about. i dont’ want to blog just for the sake of blogging – I want to say something that matters, or is interesting. I find it’s intimidating and scary to write from the heart. Wonder if I say something that’s too personal? Wonder if I’m boring? I could go on and on.
One thing I have noticed is that my writing informs my art and my art informs my writing – they are symbiotic. That’s very cool!
Thanks again for the article!
Kat
Kat,
I find that my blogging has cycles also. I’ve been trying to schedule blog posts to even out the posting schedule.
Writing authentically takes practice as it is very vulnerable. I think “boring” is in the ear of the listener so I’d not worry about that and trust that the people that are your real audience will find you.
—lisa
I think this is one of the best posts on the web about writing an artist’s blog Lisa. I have been writing mine for a couple of years and I have also noticed that my writing has improved, that I have a better idea of what to write about and who I am writing for. The thing I have to concentrate on now is writing it on a regular basis. I am very impressed with other artists whose blogs come out on the same day each week. Great article. Thank you.
Thank you Susanne,
Writing on a regular basis is what I’m focusing on now also. I use the editorial plugin for wordpress – that helps as I can look at a calendar view of my posts and see visually how I’m doing. It’s really great for scheduling posts in advance also. I’m not sure if blogger has something similar or not.
—lisa
PS the plugin I use: http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/editorial-calendar/
Nice post, beautifully written and authentic. I am fairly new to blogging and have been trying a couple of approaches. Still a little Leary about letting my inner crazy artist out, however after reading this I may give it a try.
Ramona,
I think playing around with different styles and approaches to blogging is great. Eventually you’ll probably find your groove. Although variety is good also.
Love your blog name! A bit of letting you inner crazy artist out already.
—lisa
Thanks for a great post Lisa!
Thank you Liza! I enjoy your blog thoughtful posts.
Very informative, Lisa. I am finding it easier to talk about my work, the more I write about it.
Great post- I shared on Facebook and twitter, too.
Stephanie,
Glad it resonated with you and thank you for sharing it on social media.
—lisa
Great information and insight. I try to blog on general life things on my website and use my cecilampaintings.blogspot.com just for posting about paintings and art observations. I’ve been challenged trying to keep up on both and my art blogs have shrunk to short desriptions of the posted painting. I love writing and the written work and for 2012, more of both.
Ceci,
Good for you for recommitting to your writing in 2012. I understand the challenges of keeping up two blogs. Good luck!
—lisa
[...] 8 Big Benefits of Blogging for Your Art Career – goes beyond most articles on why you should blog and looks at the personal benefits. [...]
hi Lisa
Your articles are making me reflect on just what I want out of my new-found art practice. I thought at first “I’ll just see where it goes.” Now I’m thinking I need a focus, something to aim for.
My blog is at http://quiltingmylife.blogspot.com/. Newly minted.
Katie,
There is nothing wrong with spending a bit of time just seeing where it goes. I did that for a few years. After I got my feet wet and I had a better understanding of my options, I figured out how to set goals and started directing my actions towards my goals.
I have to admit I didn’t really have a good idea of how to set goals for my art business at the beginning. I think it’s all a continum and the journey is fun at every step.
Your blog is a wonderful start – to explore where you and and dream about the possibilities. Once you feel ready to be more focused, which sounds like you might be, then start writing about it (maybe some in private if it feels to scary to share big dreams in public).
Thanks for sharing,
—lisa