Video from smARTist Telesummit alumni

I have been eagerly anticipating the smARTist Telesummit which starts TOMORROW, Thursday, January 21, 2010!

The free preview calls are still available for any artist who is interested. You are able to listen to the speakers for the conference all without spending any money. Last year, the preview calls are what hooked me to sign up for the full session. This year, I barely hestiated to sign up, even before the first preview. Last year's conference was amazing and I am excited to listen and take action again.

Ready to jump start your artist career but not sure how? Still not sure what all this talk about smARTist Telesummit is all about? I am here to help again. You may have read my testimonial on my blog post about last year's smARTist. Facilitator Ariane Goodwin shares a video from Artist Amadea Bailey with her smARTist video testimonial.

Embedded videos work for blogger, but will not show when this blog is imported into Facebook, so check it out through this link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYnZmpGoGQ

Feeling compelled to see more about this smARTist Telesummit and maybe take the leap and sign up? Wonderful! I will be right there with you.

Learn more about smARTist and register through my affiliate link.

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

My college classes start the same day as the smARTist Telesummit, so I am not sure how much blogging I will get to do while it is going on. However, I will be writing all about it and giving you tips that you can use. The sessions are dense with information, and I am glad this year I signed up to have the transcripts in paper format. Listening later via the internet and downloading the MP3s is the best way for me to be able to attend this conference AND still attend classes.

To your art career success!
~ Jaime Lyerly

"Starving to Successful" Author Jason Horejs at the Free smARTist Preview Call Tonight!

Last minute change to the Free smARTist Preview call that I wrote about in last week's post Twitter and smARTist 2010. Now it is focused on finding your own path to success.

See the information below about the Free Preview call tonight!

You know that success in the art world doesn't follow the same path for every artist.

And it's great to hear how other artists have figured out their path – you'll get ideas, tips, and suggestions to mix-and-match and use to smooth your own path!

Jason Horejs grew up in the art world – literally: his father is successful painter, John Horejs.

Jason owns Xanadu Gallery and is the author of Starving to Successful: How to Find and Keep the Right Gallery for Your Art, at Any Stage of Your Career. He'll be talking with Ariane Goodwin of smARtist®, tonight about three artists who have found their path to success in very different ways. And he'll be talking about why NOW is the perfect time to be looking for gallery representation.

Tonight, Tuesday, Jan 5th 7-8 pm ET (NY) 4-5 pm PT (CA)

===========================================
If you haven't signed up for the pre-events yet, click here to sign up and get the call-in & webcast details for all the Pre-events (and access to the recording afterwards):

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

* Find the sign-up box in the upper right corner of that web page * Enter your name and email * Look in your inbox for all the call-in & webcast details ===========================================
One thing Ariane makes sure of—all of her smARTist Pre-events have meat on the bone!

Registration is open for the 7-day conference which starts on January 21st, and for a limited time you can make your budget as happy as your art career by paying over 3 installments but only until midnight (PT), tonight:

Click Here > http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631 (Jaime Lyerly's affiliate link)

From a smARTist alumni from last year: ----------------------------------------------------------------------
I just want to say, I'm astounded at where my art career has led me since I partook in your course!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
When I look back at where I was when I signed up in December to where I am now ... it is truly amazing. The creativity in my work has really opened up. I am no longer afraid to take the next steps. The public art gallery (Art Gallery of Hamilton) in my city has a piece of my work and has asked that I keep them informed about any new work and what is happening with my career. WOW. I can't thank you enough for running an awesome course! - Elle How ----------------------------------------------------------------------

You shouldn't miss this FREE preview calls! There is no obligation to smARTist or myself for signing up for these. It is not a scam. Trust me on this one. And you won't be sorry that you listened.

Sure you can get this art career information other places, but why not take advantage of the fact that it is all available to online to download and listen to at your leisure (or break from the studio!)

To read more about my love of smARTist Telesummit, go to this post about my experience with the 2009 smARTist Telesummit.

Happy Art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

P.S. I am still working on typing up all the info for my art supply bartering. Don't give up on me! I will have it soon.

Join me at the 2010 smARTist Telesummit in January 2010. Take the leap to the next level in your art career!

Happy Holidays everyone!

I have been waiting to send out this information about the 2010 smARTist Telesummit until after Christmas, but the offer below is too wonderful to wait. So you will get my testimony and plug for this awesome event now while you are in the frenzy of holiday preparations. Don't worry; I won't take up too much of your time!

The 2009 smARTist Telesummit launched my art career last January. I found out about it through the Art Biz Coach, Alyson Stanfield, since she was one of the Keynote Speakers.

I had just started reading her book "I'd rather be in the Studio," and was decompressing from another long and grueling college semester. But the timing was right for me. The smARTist Telesummit is in between my Fall semester and the start of Spring semester. I would actually have time to process this information. What a better way to start of the year than to focus on the beginning of my art career?

The 2009 smARTist motto was:

Get Clear.
Make A Plan.
Inspire The World
With Your Art.

Get clear? That I needed to do. Make a plan? Yeah, I guess I need one of those...and Inspire the World with you Art- that sounds right up my alley!

I was hooked. The only obstacle was the cost. The smARTist telesummit is a hefty price for a self-supporting student and mother to afford. But smARTist offered a 100% money back guarantee. I had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

So I signed up for the smARtist Telesummit and was amazed on how much information could be crammed into these 1 hour phone call/recordings. You "attend" the conference by either calling into a special phone number during a certain time or downloading an MP3 recording and listening later. There are handouts to download and print out, and a members only discussion board where you can ask questions of Ariane (the facilitator), connect with other participates or just gush about the wonderfulness of the presentation.

After just a few days of listening to the recordings, I learned so much about social networking that I hopped right into Facebook, Twitter and Blogging. I am pretty tech-savvy so this part was easy. Plus there were handouts to tell exactly how to do it all. Then I started on the more difficult items, such as making a plan for my art business. Since this conference is meant for people of all stages of their career, there is lots of information that I am not quite ready to implement (such as getting corporate sponsors for your work). As the school year started for me again, I was prepared to maintain and enhance my sprouting artist career while tackling my classes. If you want to know all that I accomplished this year, check out my post Celebrate your Accomplishments for 2009.

Long story short - the smARTist Telesummit is amazing and worth every penny - for ANY STAGE of your Art Career.

2010 smARTist Telesummit is this motto:
Focus, Facts and Fabulous Art
Get Recognized,
Exhibited,
and Paid what you Deserve!

Check out the pre-event recordings to hear what this is all about. Right click and open this in a separate tab to check it out and then come back here to register using my affiliate link.

http://smartist.com/live-telesummit/pre-event/recordings/

Now for what would drive me to send out this information now! This is a steal! I really wish I would have paid for this upgrade last year so that I could have the transcript recordings. But if you act now, you get this upgrade for FREE! Crazy, I know.

For the next 48 hours (until midnight Dec. 24th PST/CA), or up to 50 registrations, you can get all 3 upgrades ($97 value) for the price of a standard registration for the live 7-day conference:

* A COMPLETE SET OF WRITTEN TELESUMMIT TRANSCRIPTS-all 14 Sessions

Download immediately to your computer. Print. Read. Highlight.
2 MasterMind Panel Days, and 12 Keynote Speaker Presentations.

* Ariane’s "STAY-ON-TRACK" GROUP COACHING PROGRAM

A unique 15-day, "Stay-On-Track" group coaching program, to help you get results before the dust settles. Ariane will be your personal guide to help you
1) identify the holes in your career before the event, and then
2) create your post-event action plan to fill in those holes.

* ACCESS to SPECIAL PLATINUM MEMBER'S ONLY FORUM
Enjoy special access to a Platinum Members' Only Forum where you can dialogue directly with Art Career coach, Ariane, and chat with other artists about how they are using the "Stay-on-Track" Program to get the most out of the conference.

Step 1: Click here to register (please use this link, since it is my affiliate link):
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631

Step 2: After you choose to upgrade, type (or copy/paste) this code in the Coupon Code Box and click "apply" to get all 3 upgrades immediately: 2010UPGRADE

Then, let the wild January rumpus begin, where your art career gets all the attention.

PS: Registration is open for the 7-day conference in January, and for a limited time you can choose to pay over 3 installments:

Click Here >
http://www.1shoppingcart.com/app/?af=887631

Feel free to email me with any questions you have about last year's smARTist Telesummit. It was really life changing. You owe it to yourself to at least check out this conference.

Happy Holidays! I look forward to seeing all that you can accomplish this next year! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Gratitude Time and Affirmation for Artists Video from Art Biz Coach

As the holiday season hits us, I am doing my best to stay grounded and relaxed in my highly stressful schedule. Thanksgiving is this week, and it seems to be the only time of the year that I think about the blessings in my life. Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield reminds us today in her Art Biz blog post on what she is grateful for and how to "exercise your gratitude muscle."

Here is a snip from her blog post from last year called: "Exercise your gratitude muscle"

"Taking the time to practice gratitude isn’t a bunch of hooey. It’s a must for everyone trying to build relationships and an art career. Try it.

I’ve witnessed the magic of a sincere Thank You over and over again! ( Additional resource: See Action 10 in I’d Rather Be in the Studio! for more about following up with people. )

KNOW THIS———-~> Practicing sincere gratitude opens you up to receiving even more abundance.

THINK ABOUT THIS—~> When is the last time you wrote a thank-you note?

DO THIS————~> Exercise your gratitude muscle. Identify your weak points from the four items above and decide what you will work on. Do you think maybe you could send 5 thank-you notes a week for the next month? Or write your gratitudes in your journal every day for 28 days? Challenge yourself and start right now.

Tell us how you practice sincere gratitude and listen to the podcast on the Art Biz Blog. For the last few days I’ve been posting about gratitude there and more is coming up. "

Since I am so unpracticed at exercising my "gratitude muscle," I'll give you one line about that I know is true:
I am thankful for all the wonderful and supportive artists that read my blog and interact with me on Facebook and Twitter. Sharing my art and life with you has been a joy.

Here is a gift to you from the Art Biz Coach which goes with gratitude like apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Check out the Affirmation for Artists Video: http://artbizcoach.com/affirmations/
Embedded video (will not view in Facebook, so check it out on my blog post)


Your Turn:
What are you grateful for? Are you exercising your "gratitude muscle" everyday? How about in your art career? Are you one of those amazing people who actually sends hand written Thank You notes? I am not yet... Take a quick moment to comment on this post and I will be very grateful!

Happy art making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Art Marketing tip - Facebook fan pages: what, why, and how

Studio working photo that was only on my Facebook Fan Page until now, © 2009 Jaime Lyerly

Facebook Fan Pages got you confused? You are not alone. Get all the details about Facebook Fan pages by Artist Lisa Call forwarded from the Art Biz Coach in this informative and easy to read article.

Facebook fan pages: what, why, and how

Posted using ShareThis

I have a Facebook Fan page for my own art, but as the article states, it doesn't show the notifications if anyone posts on the fan page. Therefore, I have to remember to check and see if anyone commented on my work. I have been promising pictures of my wood project as a work in progress, and now it is almost complete. I just need to add some hardware to the back of the piece, and finally call it done. So you may not get a work in progress, but you will get to see start to finish on it via pictures. I also post more pictures of studio working shots on my fan page than I do on my blog or personal Facebook page.

There are not clear and distinct lines drawn for my personal Facebook page and my Fan page. I post lots of calls to artists and art marketing tips on my personal page. My blog feeds to both pages. The reason to have a Fan page for me is that it is the only place on Facebook that is ONLY about my art and art related activities. I also run a Fan follower drawing just like I do on this blog.

I do complaining about my schedule, talking about life, silly quizzes and general chit-chatting on my personal page. I talk about my art and interact with people interested in my art on both pages. But only on my fan page to I do fan drawings and post more studio pictures. So to paraphrase the article, become my fan to learn more about my art; friend me on my personal page to see the whole me.

Your Turn:
Do you already have a Facebook Fan page? If so, how do you distinguish it from a personal page? Drawings? Special for fans only drawings? More pictures? Video? I would love to hear your ideas on what makes a Fan page special. When you have created a Facebook Fan page, send me a request to become your fan!

Until then, Happy art and Fan page making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Promoting Your Art in Today's Economy - Workshop in San Francisco by Art Biz Coach

Artists - If you are in the San Francisco area and are ready to take your art career to the next level, then this workshop by Art Biz Coach Alyson B. Stanfield is for you! Check out the details below.

PROMOTING YOUR ART IN TODAY’S ECONOMY
[ Even if You’d Rather Be in the Studio! ]

A No-Excuses Art-Marketing Workshop in San Francisco
with Alyson B. Stanfield of ArtBizCoach.com and ArtBizBlog.com

Saturday, November 14
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Sponsored by the Artists Guild of San Francisco

- - > BONUS GIFTS FOR ALL WHO REGISTER
BY OCTOBER 15 < - - Read the details and register
right now: http://artbizcoach.com/freegifts

You'll learn how to:

*Differentiate yourself with your artist statement
*Organize, expand, and use your mailing list
*Put together first-class marketing materials
*The do’s and don’ts of artist websites
*Five email secrets that produce results
*Why you need a blog and how to get started
*Approach galleries without fear

Just $75 until October 15.

A link to registration and all of the details about the workshop
and free bonus gifts can be found here:
http://artbizcoach.com/freegifts

Remember to register by October 15 to save a little
and get the bonuses.

Don't miss out on this chance!
Happy Art Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Art Marketing Action: Resist the urge to be The Fixer

I am swamped with my own projects/classes right now, and having difficulties finding time to do anything but the bare minimum for my classes, work and life in general. But again, I couldn't resist sharing these wonderful Art Marketing Action tips from the Art Biz Coach.

This one calls out to me as loudly because I admit - I am "The Fixer."

Art projects, Writing, Resumes, Blogs, Motivation, and everything in between; I will try to help. I don't even need to be asked, I WANT to help. But if the person is not ready, all it does is make me stretch my time thin and the person's life/art/whatever I am trying to "fix" stays exactly the same as it was before. So I am going to try my best to Resist the urge to be "The Fixer."

Art Marketing Action: Resist the urge to be The Fixer

Posted using ShareThis

Check out this article and let me know what you think. I promise not to try to "fix" you.

I hope to have my life balanced a little more evenly soon. Then I can get some real blog posts and in progress pictures up.

Until then, Happy Art-making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Encaustic Sculpture & Art Marketing Action: Get your art out of the studio

3-D encaustic sculpture, detail view, © 2009 Jaime Lyerly
To see more of these encaustic sculptures, click on the link.

As I face another busy day today of work, classes, art and family, I have to share this article from the Art Biz Coach that, again, reminds me to get those pieces collecting dust out of the house.

As for putting this action tip into practice, I am working on it! I just submitted to the Women Made Gallery last week for a encaustic show in November. I also am going to submit to the Conrad Wilde Gallery for their 12 X 12 inch painting show (deadline is October 1, 2009). Locally, I am working on getting a space in one of the galleries at SDSU with two fantastic and innovative artists, Debra London and Julie Kitterman, for at least a few days. We are submitting a proposal, images and a group artist statement, which will go through a committee to decide if we are gallery-worthy. Wish me luck!

The image above is for a particular set of 3-D encaustic sculptures that I would love to get out into the public eye. Unfortunately, the fact that they should be viewed in a darkened room with a strong spot light where you can see the cast shadows limits where they can be viewed. If I can get the group show that we are proposing, then they will be shown there because we will be curating the show ourselves. Other than that, I would need a solo show - which is not yet going to happen. So, these will have to collect dust for a little while longer. How about your art?

Here is the article that you need to read:

Art Marketing Action: Get your art out of the studio

Posted using ShareThis

Your Turn:
How about you? Any shows that you are applying for or places that you are arranging to show your art? Anything unconventional counts too - coffee shops, doctor's offices or friends' houses. I would love to hear it and celebrate your successes!

Happy Art-making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Art Marketing Action: Believe - from Art Biz Coach

If self-doubt about your art (and therefore yourself as an artist) plagues you frequently, check out this week's Art Marketing Action from Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield.

Art Marketing Action: Believe

Posted using ShareThis

I would love to know what you think about this article. Leave a comment here to share with us all.

Happy Art-making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

P.S. More in progress photos to come of my current projects for the college classes I am taking. One is a full sized male head in red clay and the other is carved wood. They are not anywhere close to being done, but it is fun to show you what has been happening the last two weeks in my own art world.

First 4 steps toward selling your art - from the Art Biz Coach

For those of you who not my Twitter follower or Facebook friend or fan, you may have missed all my posts about these steps. So, I present to you the Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield's "First 4 steps toward selling your art." They are wonderful and a great reminder that it takes more than just work in the studio to make it as an artist.

It is because of the Art Biz Coach's book "I'd rather be in the studio" and newsletter that I even started my blog and all this social networking. Knowing the steps and learning how to follow through with them is a must for artists at all stages of the game.

Here are the steps:

Step #1 is Devote yourself completely to a studio practice

Step #2 is Create your mailing list

Step #3 is Connect with other artists

Step #4 is Start writing about your art (and never stop)

I have steps #3 and #4 down. I love to write, blog, tweet, and connect with other artists. I write for my own blog, Art Making is a Journey and the Women's Caucus for Art Blog. It is even more fun to write about other artists than my own work. Over the past year, I have written about other artists such as Lisa Bebi, David Fobes, May-Ling Martinez, and events such as the workshops at the Escondido Municipal Gallery, the Women's History Museum's "Herstory" show, and Dance, Vocal and Drum Workshop led by Kat Fulton and Draza Jansky. Granted, most of these events I was somehow involved in, but what better way to write about something than to experience it firsthand?

Step #1 is simple, yet hard to manage. Devoted studio time. Do I have that? I spend lots of time making art, but I recently have been making art in hours of creative energy. When my college classes start again at the end of the month, I will be back on a normal routine of making art almost everyday. Then I will be back to devoted studio time.

Step #2 is the most difficult for me. I am just starting my mailing list, but am not sure which is the best service to use. I signed up for a free trial of Constant Contact email marketing service. I also have downloaded a free trial of Flick! which is a program to manage my art and my contacts in the same place (more information about software programs for artists on the Art Biz Coach Blog). I want to be able to send out art newsletters to announce my art and pass along the great information that I find on the web. If you want to be on my email list, please fill in the box on the right of blog post. Yet, I am still confused on which comes first. Do you have any tips?

So check out these first steps, and let me know what you think. If you have any tips on software programs, email programs or keeping up with studio practice, I would love to hear about it. Put it in the comments here to share with everyone.

Until then, Happy Art-Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Using Other Artists' Images on your Blog

"Ritualistic Goddess Worship" - acrylic on canvas
© 2005 Chris Miner

Alyson Stanfield's Art Biz Coach Blog gives you another golden article for anyone who promotes other artist's work (like me!) It is really hard to know where the line is between copyright infringement and promoting another artist's work by featuring in your blog, newsletter or website. Here is a link to the article:

Using other artists’ images on your blog

Posted using ShareThis

The way I usually do it depends on my relationship to the person. If I think that the person will be receptive, I write up the blog post with the low resolution pictures (taken from their website or blog), and then email the person with a link to the blog post. I let them know that I can change or delete anything that they want. If I don't really know the person well or think that they may object, I will email for permission first. I love how the article tells you to make sure you credit yourself, also. I sometimes forget that others who come across my images may not have know they come from this blog.

Your turn:
Check out the article, then come back here and let me know how you do it! Do you feature other artists on your blog or do you think it is too tricky to do? I am looking for more artists to feature, too! Are you interested? Let me know via email or in the comments here.

Happy Art-Making! ~ Jaime Lyerly

Try Twitter - for Artists

For those of you who haven't figured it out yet, I love Twitter.

Sometimes it makes me angry (like when it suspended my account for suspicious activity yesterday - all fixed now); sometimes sucks away all my time; and sometimes I wonder why I am still on it. But most of the time I find it to be a effective tool to promoting my art, blog, workshops and other art related activities. You can too!

Check out this article Try Twitter by Art Biz Coach Alyson Stanfield. While you are there you can subscribe to her weekly Art Biz Coach newsletters which come every Monday.

I know you are saying to yourself "but I already have a Facebook account, why do I need Twitter?" Facebook is wonderful, but it can be overwhelming with pictures, applications, "friends" from high school and many more things. Twitter strips it down to the bare bones. Read a "tweet" (post) or make a tweet yourself.

Sure, you can get fancy and post pictures on Twitter. But in general, it is a simple way to make connections with people who have similar interests and may be interested in your art. I have found some of the best artists and connections through Twitter - and then I found them on Facebook!

Try Twitter. It is a tool for your art. Use it.

When you get on Twitter, come follow me! Send me a tweet or question by typing @jaimelyerly I will help you make sense of it all!

Happy Art Making! Jaime Lyerly

Selling Art Online

So I have only just begun to think about really selling my art online. I tried a few years ago to sell on eBay, but mostly it was just stuff and not art.

As I look to this new bright future with my art going out into the world, I am overwhelmed by the choices available.

Here is a quick list of free or pay per sale places that I have come up with:

Etsy
Foundmyself
eBay
ArtFire
Deviant Art
Imagekind

Then there are also the pay to be a member ones:

Boundless Gallery
ArtSpan


And there are the ones where they make your art into stuff that people buy like T-shirts and coffee mugs:

Cafe Press

I am sure that there are a million more of each of these categories. This list does not even include when you sell art from your own website or Google shopping cart. So many choices!

Your Turn: Help me sort these out! Any suggestions on which one of these is worthy of my time to turn my art viewers into art buyers? I am also looking for art exposure more than quick sales if that makes a difference on which one to choose. Share your knowledge!

Overwhelmed by choices - but still Creatively yours ~ Jaime Lyerly

Selling Art Online

So I have only just begun to think about really selling my art online. I tried a few years ago to sell on eBay, but mostly it was just stuff and not art.

As I look to this new bright future with my art going out into the world, I am overwhelmed by the choices available.

Here is a quick list of free or pay per sale places that I have come up with:

Etsy
Foundmyself
eBay
ArtFire
Deviant Art
Imagekind

Then there are also the pay to be a member ones:

Boundless Gallery
ArtSpan


And there are the ones where they make your art into stuff that people buy like T-shirts and coffee mugs:

Cafe Press

I am sure that there are a million more of each of these categories. This list does not even include when you sell art from your own website or Google shopping cart. So many choices!

Your Turn: Help me sort these out! Any suggestions on which one of these is worthy of my time to turn my art viewers into art buyers? I am also looking for art exposure more than quick sales if that makes a difference on which one to choose. Share your knowledge!

Overwhelmed by choices - but still Creatively yours ~ Jaime Lyerly