Becoming a successful artist is no easy feat, as most are familiar with the phrase “starving artist.” But for those who do make it, success can be rewarding.
Back in 2004 marked the start of Megan Duncanson’s art career, where she began selling on eBay, and today she has millions of fans, published in major magazines and sold in retailers around the country.
Here are a few tips of how one female artist made a name for herself despite the odds.
1) Don’t Limit Yourself- “The more styles you have and more options you offer, the wider you audience will be. I have so many different styles, from tropical, political, abstract, and more. This allows me to offer a piece to almost anyone,” said Duncanson.
2) Keep Going- “It can be easy to give up and compare yourself to others. But no great artist has made it overnight. I’ve been a professional artist for 15 years now, and I still have so much more I want to accomplish and I know it can’t happen overnight.”
3) Think About Licensing Your Art- “Licensing is one of the best things that has happened for me as an artist. I used to attend all of the big art conventions, like SURTEX in NYC, to get myself out there and build a contact list of potential licensing contracts. Being able to have your art sold on art.com, greatbigcanvas, denydesingns.com and others, is a great way to build awareness of your brand. All of these licensing deals have allowed me to have my art sold in major retailers like Nordstrom, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond, and so many more.”
4) Make Sure You Always Love What You Do- “I have been creating since I was a kid, it’s apart of who I am. But it’s important to make sure you love creating and making art. Art is such a personal creation, that you always want to make sure your heart is in the right place. As with any career, you should always love what you do and do it for the right reasons.”
Special Thanks to Megan Duncanson with MADART Studios. www.madartdesigns.com