A boost in confidence could be all that you need to take the leap to showing your art. Here’s how.
I was sitting in my windowless office. It was the same institutional yellow walls that I’ve been looking at for decades. I had just finished another highly-technical teleconference and I had found myself completely uninspired by my surroundings.
It occurred to me that my yellow walls were not contributing to my productivity, but rather were draining my creative soul.
I went home and ordered some prints of my favorite photos that I had taken and hung them in my office. I figured, it was my art; it would be in my office, just for me.
But by hanging my art on my office walls, I had made a choice – to put my art “out there.” And it was life changing.
People noticed. People commented and they wanted to see more. My walls became the office Instagram of my art and so it began, and I’ve never turned back.
Below are some of the confidence hacks I found that helped me get my art “out there.”
1. Realize that your art will speak to YOUR niche
Art is so subjective and when you ask 100 people’s opinions about a piece you will get 100 different answers. In truth, your niche will find you and your art will speak right to them.
You will not need to worry about pleasing the masses. There is no right or wrong group to show your art to. Your niche, your fans will find you.
That can only happen, though, if you put your art out for the world to see. And that leads me to my next point.
2. Display your art constantly and consistently
Your niche audience will want to hear from you! Your artistic voice will matter to them. They will want to know what is going on in your artistic world.
The only way to do that is to put your work out in the world often. This could mean using social media or participating in a local art fair or gallery co-op.
Your audience will want to know what you are creating because your work speaks to them. To your niche, your work is impressive.
3. Enter your work in calls to entry
This is a toughie. Hear me out. There is nothing more empowering than getting accepted to a show.
Trust me on this, it will happen. It may not happen with the first piece you enter or the 50th. Keep on entering your art and it will happen. Watch the pieces that do get accepted. What do they have that is different than your piece? Maybe it wasn’t the right show for you?
Whatever you do, keep at it. Remember number 1, you will find your niche! And when you do, getting accepted to a show, seeing your work on a wall and people enjoying your art will feed your artistic heart and mind.
Think for just a second … how can you be out there if you’re art is not seen at all?
–Beth Sheridan is a fine art photographer and author based in Houston, Texas. Sign up for her free art newsletter via her website and get 20% off your first fine art purchase.