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| Opening - oil on wood - by Sally Chupick - $600 |
The host, Antrese Wood, was interviewing social media wiz Jenni Waldrop. Jenni's podcast was all about selling on Etsy for artists.
Back in 2012, I had opened an Etsy shop and listed some things for sale, but it never really took off for me and I lost interest, letting it die a slow death.
So I was curious when I listened to Jenni talk about Etsy for artists on the podcast. Truthfully I was unbelieving... I had not had success with it before. AND neither had Antrese (the interviewer) as she mentioned in the podcast that she had also given it a whirl but it had never taken off for her either.
Let me just pause here to say that these next few months for me in my personal life are all over the map. I have packed up my studio and I'm not painting for a couple of months until I'm settled again permanently in our new home in Victoria, BC. I have time while not painting, to learn new skills.
I'll repeat...there were things that resonated with me as I listened to the podcast.
One of those things was how Etsy can be a platform for a completely other line of work different from your main practice. My ears perked up!
I felt like I was ahead of the game! I actually have an extensive line of tiny paintings that I create on driftwood and on cedar that is not suitable for showing in galleries or other art exhibits. Being so small that I actually call them mini's, they dont take me long to make but I enjoy them. I find them sort of like yoga for my art practice, taking me to a place of meditation when I work on them. So I already have a line of work different from my main practice.
Another thing that Jenni mentioned in the interview is that Etsy's platform brings a wider audience to those artists that wish to sell art prints from their work. My ears perked up again!
I have always sold art prints of of Kingston, and done really well with them while living here in our hometown. I realize not everybody can afford an original painting, but many are willing to buy a print of an original, for whatever reason.
So I thought...maybe there are other people who would buy prints of other paintings? People who do not know my work yet. People who live far away. People who might not come to my website to find my work or go into a gallery. The thing Etsy has is people. Customers. Etsy has a pretty big reach. It dawned on me that I could use some Etsy help.
Long story short...I signed up with Jenni for an online course about Etsy selling. There is a ton of stuff I didn't know, that I've already learned, that I had no clue about before.
CottageBeachArt is my new Etsy shop! The focus is on cottage and beach 'art treasures'. Everything in the shop has this vibe goin' on! I sell my art prints and home decor, as well as my line of cedar and driftwood mini original paintings. Although it is my shop I collaborate with daughter Holly and hubby Jeff. They make beach jewelry and beach decor. We all enjoy creating; launching a shop of treasures seems right. Although the shop has a variety of niche's, I'm hoping they tie together with my theme, COTTAGE - BEACH...we'll see how it all goes!
It's been fun learning. And, I'm noticing a little jump in sales. It's a time sucker for sure, but at the moment I have time, as I can't paint while moving! Ugh! Moving house is a pain. It feels like it's been going on forever, as we've moved twice in the past 2 years already! This move to Victoria is our final destination, and we are really looking forward to completing it, and living there full time!
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| Mr. Whale |
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| Pacific Pebbles earrings |
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| Morning Garden art print |
