Whenever a new idea is born it is often greeted with awe, disdain or simply, ‘What?’

When the synapses in my brain aligned to create a class on artist empowerment and prosperity, it was crystal clear as to the concept and worth of what I was manifesting. However, the idea of Artist As Brand is so unique to any education taught in any school, college or university out there, so it's understandable that there are some questions about what it is I teach exactly. This post is going to clarify the principles/manifesto of this course (some call it a movement) and exactly what value you will receive from your time and $295 investment.

What is Artist As Brand?

The goal of Artist As Brand is to connect the individual to their purpose, art and prosperity. Connecting your art deeply with your truth creates a mark that is so authentic and profound it embodies a unique power. Align this vision with your individual collectors through targeted marketing techniques and you begin to build a one-of-a-kind art empire that can sustain you financially for the rest of your life.

ARTIST art·ist [ahr-tist]–noun 1. A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria. 2. A person who practices one of the fine arts. 3. A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc… A commercial artist. 4. A person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer. 5. A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.

BRAND [brand]–noun and verb 1. Kind, grade or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark or the like. 2. A mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc… 3. A kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic. 4. To impress indelibly. 5. A brand name.

The essence of these two words together can be defined thus: A creator who has made their mark!

Some fine artists scoff at the word brand. Whether you like the word or not, all visionary creators throughout time who have made their mark on humanity are brands. They are remembered for their impact on the collective consciousness of the planet and many are household names. I call the Artist As Brand workshop an artist boot camp because it is highly focused with the intention of aligning and defining (in some instances re-aligning and re-defining) the purpose and direction of an individual's career path. We start deep in the heart and move outwards connecting your talent to your marketing, patrons and collectors so there is perfect alignment.

The knowledge for this workshop is derived from 28+ years working as a professional artist inside and outside of the publishing, film and gallery industries as well as teaching higher education.

The following is an outline of the course and what students will learn and come away with. This is an evergreen online course. Students get lifetime access to the course including all future updates and resources.

MODULE ONE: DECLARE YOUR PURPOSE: You will learn your Core Virtue. Knowing your core virtue is the first step to establishing a foundation which your career is built upon. This intimate part of yourself is a driving force in your life. It goes deeper than your art. Declaring your core purpose aligns your heart with your art in a profound manner.

Design a Personal Logo/Heraldic Shield: You will create a simple image that will represent what you just learned about yourself. It will represent your Core Virtue.

Design a Vision Board: This template is defined by everything you love in your life—what turns you on and keeps you motivated as a unique individual. The Vision Board represents the niche markets that will be your domain and will make up your one-of-a-kind art empire.

Practice The Art of The Blurb: You will learn how to introduce and represent yourself to people. Most artists do not have a clue how to speak with others about who they are and what they do. This exercise is designed to increase your confidence and generate interest in who you are and what you have to offer.

Every workshop includes special lectures by esteemed individuals who encompass the Indie Art Spirit. Guests include art writer Peter Clothier, licensing expert Maria Brophy, social media master and botanical perfumer Roxana Villa.

MODULE TWO: PLAN YOUR BRAND: You will learn to design your art and product line. We will look at artists who are successful in this area and discuss new approaches to making income from your art. We will define what art and products can manifest from your Vision Board.

Create An Innovative Marketing Blueprint: You will learn to create a marketing blueprint that integrates high tech and high touch medias. We look at these two very different but synergistic marketing models. You learn how to best utilize these promotional mediums.

Learn The Simple Yet Powerful Art of Business and Commerce: Are you an art hobbyist or an art professional? This is a short lecture on straight up, common sense business practices. If you are selling art, you are a business. Start acting like one.

Connect With Artist Entrepreneur Leaders: Learn to create a community and hook up with those who are successful in order to keep yourself inspired and in the company of great people.

MODULE THREE: EMPOWER YOUR PROSPERITY: Commit to sustainability. You will design a five-year marketing strategy that takes a serious look at your finances, living situation and overall goals personally and professionally. What is possible? Connecting to your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).

Recognize the Potential of Team Building and The Power of a Mastermind: Your peers can be some of your greatest assets from a personal, professional and moral support capacity. You will start this process right in the class!

Conceptualize a Product Ready for Manufacture: We begin to look at the details of what it’s going to cost in labor, time and materials to create a product from start to finish.

Review: In addition participants will have access to other career enhancing promotional opportunities only available to Artist As Brand students! Some of these details can be found on the ABOUT page. Now you are ready to create your own Art Empire!

I hope this information helped to clarify the purpose and design of my class. Come on and join the Indie Art Revolution! Sign up today! Lifetime access is included and you may complete the class online at your own pace.

See what participants are saying.

To Your Artist Empowerment and Prosperity,

—Greg

In a recent post I celebrated Sean Fitzgibbon who finished the Artist As Brand Workshop, embraced the principles and then reaped the benefits. When he finished his graphic novel grand opus, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel” I was curious about the evolution of the story and comic, but also how he managed to fund such a beautifully printed, high end, hard cover book with a slip cover.

Sean shared that he had crowd funded the project through Kickstarter and pulled in almost $29,000. I asked him if I could interview him about the process and he graciously agreed. His responses were a gold mine of crowd funding knowledge! Below are a few excerpts from the interview.

Sign up for the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and access the entire interview!

-Tell us a bit about the journey of creating the story for your graphic novel, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel.” What piqued your interest in this particular story?

When I was a kid my family would visit Eureka Springs, AR. I was always intrigued by its charming, Queen Anne dwellings perched on limestone bluffs, steep elevations, and serpentine roads that don’t intersect.  However, the most compelling and mysterious feature to me has always been the 1886 Crescent Hotel with its bizarre, dark and varied history. Years later I stayed at the hotel and went on the ghost tour.  What lingered with me was the story of the fraudulent medical practitioner that transformed the hotel into an abnormal hospital. Elements of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Stephen King’s The Shining left me morbidly intrigued.  Who was he and how could something like this have happened?  After conducting extensive research, I learned of his assorted and controversial past.   

-As you wrote the story and worked out the panels of the comic, did you decide to roll out the comic as a series, or was the goal to premier the final product as a finished graphic novel? What was your strategy?

This was my first attempt at a full-page graphic nonfiction book, so the process was all new to me. I always envisioned the book as a standalone piece.  If I were putting together the book today I probably would have broken it up into smaller segments and combined them as a way to build up interest in the project as I’m working on it. However, when I was working on this book I was working on many other art projects as well so the release of various segments or chapters of the book would have been irregular. Nowadays, I’m focusing primarily on my “What Follows is True” series of books so when I’m working on larger books, I can release small segments in regular intervals and then combine them into a nice hardcover edition. 

-After you decided to produce a series or a finished graphic novel was the plan to find a publisher or did you decide to go another route and self publish?

 My original plan was to find a publisher once the book was completed so I submitted to literary agents but was unable to stir up any interest. Just as I decided to search for publishers on my own, I was contacted by a literary agent who is also a working graphic novelist. He represents both graphic novelists and children’s book authors. He submitted my book to major publishers for one year and despite the praise the book received from many publishers, none decided to take a chance on the book. Publishers have become extremely risk adverse to unfamiliar projects and authors whose work they feel doesn’t fit into a specific niche. Nonfiction books are common but graphic nonfiction books are not as well known. 

 After careful consideration I decided a crowd funding platform to fund the printing costs of my book would be the best option. I then had to figure out which platform was right for my project. After researching the various platforms, I chose Kickstarter because it’s a major platform that focuses on creative projects like art, music, film, and it is well curated with quality products and the fees are reasonable.  

-After you decided to crowd fund the project what was your promotion strategy at this point?

Most of my promotion at this point was from my website and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I find online platforms to be a decent way to promote your work but it’s also passive and I prefer to connect with people directly, so I knew I had to come up with a more effective way to reach potential backers. 

-I understand that there is much preparation and organization for the Kickstarter campaign. Can you share some of the highlights and main points for pulling it together?

 Once I decided on using Kickstarter for my campaign I began learning as much as I could about how the platform works and how to run a successful campaign. I read various books about the platform and listened to a very insightful podcast called Comix Launch.I also had to think about budget and printing costs, production, shipping etc. and I’d use this information to set my funding goal.  

 Another important factor to consider when preparing a Kickstarter campaign is the readability and design of your Kickstarter page. I researched similar projects on Kickstarter that were successful to understand how they built their page. I made sure that not only was the site well organized and user friendly but also that the overall aesthetic worked well with my book and overall brand. Videos are also a very effective way to engage potential backers and tell them about the project, so I created a trailer for my book utilizing iMovie with images from my project. 

 Also, Kickstarter is more than a platform, it’s a community, and before launching my campaign I made sure to support other Kickstarter campaigns that were similar to mine. Potential backers see that you’ve supported other projects, and you get to see how the process works from the backer’s standpoint. Most importantly it makes you feel good to invest in the success of another project.

Thank you Sean, for sharing your process!

Sign up for the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and access the entire interview. After reading it you will be informed and inspired to create your own successful crowd funded project.

I like to celebrate individuals who finished the Artist As Brand Workshop, embraced the principles and then reaped the benefits. Sean Fitzgibbon is one of those people. He attended my live class years ago, and then slowly finished his graphic novel grand opus, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel.”

Sean crowd funded the project through Kickstarter and pulled in almost $29,000. He has since then been promoting the book at different venues to great effect. “I learned more about the business and marketing aspects of being an artist from Artist As Brand® than I did in both undergraduate and graduate school.”

Sean recently reviewed the new Online Workshop and remarked, “I find it so inspiring and invigorating! I can't tell you how many times I've recommended your course to various students over the years. In fact I was giving a lecture to students at the University of AR at Monticello on Wednesday and I mentioned Artist As Brand in my lecture as being one of my biggest influences in building my career as an artist.”

“I loved visiting the new additions to the course workbook such as the updated videos, artist examples and interviews. Also, the updated use of social media applications and Google Analytics and other statistics services. I also was unaware of Funnel Software. I found this extremely helpful as well. “

Sean is such an inspiration that I intend to interview him in the near future to share more of his experience. I have hundreds of success stories like this that I will be sharing throughout the months.

Take one step into the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and your art career will never be the same.

Grow a voice- by Roxana Villa

Out of the box solutions for selling art and promoting it, get people’s attention. One suggestion is to start an Art Block Party. Gather all your neighbors who have some talent to share (artists, musicians, chefs, etc.), go to the city to get a permit to close down your street to traffic, then send out flyers promoting your amazing outdoor event to showcase the talent of the community. Now you have an outdoor gallery!

Betsy McDermott Altheimer, associate director for an artist service organization called Springboard for the Arts, located in the Twin Cities had another great idea for selling art. She was inspired by community-supported agriculture (CSA), where consumers receive a monthly lot of produce through purchasing shares in a farm. She thought if it works for farmers it could work for artists. “We should just do a CSA! Only this time, the ‘a’ would stand for ‘art.’”

Altheimer believes that food systems are the perfect metaphor in the reality of today’s art scene. “People have this mythical notion of what a farmer does. In reality, there is a lot of risk. You can’t guarantee every crop will be successful,” says Altheimer. “Likewise, an artist can’t guarantee that everything they do will be great. But he can ask people to invest in the value of what they do.”

Each season, nine artists participate. By signing up for a $300 share, a patron receives nine original works, plus admittance to three parties where the artists will be in attendance. Of course where the program seems a little less than ideal is the artist’s commission — for producing 50 pieces, he or she will only receive $1,000. But it’s up to the artist to create small, sensible works with a budgetary restriction in mind. Limited Edition prints might be a way to go.

The hope is that the artists will pick up new fans and patrons who will continue to follow and collect their work beyond the CSA share. “Our version of success is when the relationship continues beyond us,” affirms Altheimer. Check out her interview and then start your own CSA. If you have other ideas let me know and I will share them in a post.

What does Artist As Brand mean?

ARTIST art·ist [ahr-tist]–noun

1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2. a person who practices one of the fine arts.

3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill

BRAND [brand]–noun and verb

1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like.

2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.

3. a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

4. to impress indelibly.

5. a brand name.

What do Michelangelo, Beeple, Geogia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Tom Cruise, Auguste Rodin, Apple, Beyonce, Frida Kahlo, Porsche, Picasso, Damien Hirst, Mark Ryden, Annie Leibovitz, James Jean, Greenpeace, Maxfield Parrish, Ray Bradbury, Joseph Beuys, and Emily Blunt, all have in common? They are all brands. A brand is a purpose transformed into a product or service that connects to people, the planet, and beyond.

The key word here is purpose, and specifically your purpose. This is where the heart of your essence resides, where your most potent art manifests, and the strength of your perseverance matures. The purpose inside you aligned with your personal vision is the foundation of your creative power. When your heart is joined with your art, a vital one of a kind signature is formed. This brand is unique to you and your intimate product.

The word “brand” is derived from the Old Norse brandr, meaning “to burn.” It refers to the practice of burning a mark (or brand) onto a products.

The artist’s mark is unique to its owner even if its a copy of something else. However the ambition of most artists is to make a mark that touches their so audience deeply, it burns this symbol into memory. The lifetime of a creative mind can burn a series of meaningful marks into the mindset of a generation, but if their passion is great its possible to start a fire that contributes a brighter light to the world.

Sign up for the October, Online Group Workshop. Your art, life and prosperity will never be the same!

ARTISTart·ist [ahr-tist]–noun1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2. a person who practices one of the fine arts.

3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill

BRAND[brand]–noun and verb1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like.

2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.

3. a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

4. to impress indelibly.

5. a brand name.

What do Michelangelo, Ralph Lauren, Geogia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Clint Eastwood, Auguste Rodin, Apple, Sting, Frida Kahlo, Porsche, Picasso, Damien Hirst, Mark Ryden, Annie Leibovitz, Henry Moore, Greenpeace, Maxfield Parrish, Ray Bradbury, Joseph Beuys, and Elizabeth Taylor, all have in common? They are all brands.

A brand is a purpose transformed into a product or service that connects to people, the planet, and beyond. The key word here is purpose, and specifically your purpose. This is where the heart of your essence resides, where your most potent art manifests, and the strength of your perseverance matures. The purpose inside you aligned with your personal vision is the foundation of your creative power. When your heart is joined with your art, a vital one of a kind signature is formed. This brand is unique to you and your intimate product.

The word “brand” is derived from the Old Norse brandr, meaning “to burn.” It refers to the practice of producers burning their mark (or brand) onto their products. In the beginning, before multi-national corporations, before boards of directors and proxy fights, before mergers and franchises and takeovers, there were family businesses founded on individual enterprise or invention. Before the corporate image or the company logo, there was the individual name stamped on a product, a service, a laborsaving device, or a form of entertainment, usually because it was the proud handiwork of one individual.

The artist’s mark is unique to its owner even if its a copy of something else. However the ambition of most artists is to make a mark that touches their so audience deeply, it burns this symbol into memory. The lifetime of a creative mind can burn a series of meaningful marks into the mindset of a generation, but if their passion is great its possible to start a fire that contributes a brighter light to the world.

Peace and passion, Greg Spalenka

I am creating an Artist As Brand® Online Class. This comprehensive course will be akin to my college level classes, but entirely online. Posts for this website are on hold until the course is available, which is slated for early 2018.The AAB website will return with a new design and purpose. I will still be available for consultations and one on one workshops during this time. I shall be updating the progress over the next few months.Keep living in your art spirit!

Christine Brown

One of the best parts of teaching, lecturing and presenting workshops for higher education is the people I meet. I love connecting with all the talented, passionate individuals who enjoy teaching and inspiring others to greatness. Some of these special people work in the Career and Professional Development departments. Recently, I lectured at the AICAD and CIAD conferences at Ringling College of Art and Design and learned much about this group of professionals who guide students toward career opportunities.

Let's celebrate one of them!

Christine Brown is the Director of Career and Professional Development at Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University.

GS: Tell us about your journey to becoming a Director for Career and Professional Development at Kendall.

CB: Like most people it was not a straight and narrow path but more like a bouncing balloon. It was a journey of learning about myself. I started out in college studying biology and chemistry, then becoming very interested in law and finally graduating with a Business and a Paralegal degree. There was something common in my choices of the various majors and it became more apparent when I began to volunteer at the local Women's Resource Center. I wanted to empower people. I discovered that whatever occupation I chose, working with people to improve their quality of life had to be a big component of the job. Whether graduating with a law degree and working for children's and women's right's or becoming a health care provider I wanted to make a difference.I had a couple of wonderful mentors who saw my passion. They provided me with the opportunity and training to work and volunteer helping students in a college environment as well as at the Women's Center. You cannot help but grow and flourish when you are doing what is your passion. I worked in Career Services at the business college where I received my degree, then asked to interview for the Director of the Career Office at Kendall in 1998. I have been here since and enjoy coming to work everyday.

Besides the paycheck, the real pay off is the box of letters and thank you notes I receive from people who feel that I made a difference.

.GS: It is wonderful when your work is aligned with what you love. What do you feel is the most important and fulfilling facets of what you do?

CB: That I have the opportunity to meet so many students, alumni, and people in the business community, then bringing these constituents together.GS: After returning from the AICAD and CIAD conferences it was apparent that much of the career councilors work is gathering statistics for government funding, fulfilling accreditation requirements, and seeking out job openings for graduates. The amount of bureaucracy you must wade through is immense. How do you prioritize these responsibilities and how does the student fit in?CB: We have had to be smarter in the way we work. Technology has become and important part of the equation in delivering services and information to our students and alumni. I am a one person office with an assistant which I share with another director. When I started enrollment was 550. We are now at an enrollment of 1400 so I have to be creative. I believe my mission is to prepare these students to be self-sufficient and resourceful. I still meet with students one-on-one, but the traffic is down due to the technology we have implemented. Students today like having 24/7 access online to services.GS: Self-sufficiancy is vitally important to sustainability. How do you learn the needs, and ambitions of your individual students?CB: Shut-up, Listen and Observe!GS: Sounds like good advice!It appears that the success of much higher education today is determined by its job placement capabilities. Preparing and plugging graduates into industry positions is a priority. I have never seen curriculum that focuses on creating an industry around an individual's talent and vision. Any thoughts on this?CB: I do not place people in jobs. I provide them with the skills to manage their careers whether it is job searching or starting their own business. Many of our alumni who come to the college and share their stories with our students are running their own consultancies. I personally would like to see more business-related classes geared towards artists and designers. West Michigan has some great support resources for anyone wanting to start a business. Just by the nature of art and design, most artists/designers should be prepared to negotiate contracts, work with clients, price their work, understand their markets and create new markets.GS: It has been my experience especially over the last decade that more and more students as well as professional artists are looking for ways to create a living from their own creations and stories. Have you noticed this shift at Kendall?

Yes, entrepreneurialism is on the rise.

.With the all the new community resources, business education and venture capitalists in West Michigan, I see more people making that leap. It is great to see how many of our graduates have opened their own design studios, art businesses and galleries. I recently met with our new college President who asked me what ideas I see in the future for Kendall. My response was to develop an entrepreneurial center/incubator for artists and designers. Guess what? He liked the idea and said he was sure there were grants and funding for this type of endeavor.

GS: Wow, that is awesome. Go to the top when you want to get something done!  The entrepreneurial center/incubator for crowd funding etc. are ideas all colleges/universities can implement now.You were instrumental in bringing me to Kendall last year to present an Artist As Brand workshop, and are now having me return again this November. What has been the feedback of the students, faculty and alumni?CB: I had students and alum who attended the weekend session call or stop by my office to thank Nancy and myself for sponsoring your visit. It was a great success and attendees felt they were connecting the dots of their life, aspirations and their work. There was excitement in the room because they felt like they had a focus and a direction. It was always there inside of them, but you gave them the window to look inside and discovery it themselves.

Artist As Brand Workshop at Kendall 2011

GS: That is wonderful to hear, thank you. I look forward to returning! One of the goals in the workshop is to bring clarity to an artist's personal vision, then connect that to a plan of action. I find that there is tremendous empowerment when tapping into ones own volition and seeing success rise from it. How do you define success?

Success to me is living the best life you can and becoming an inspiration to others.

GS: Sounds like a Heart Virtue to me!Art is like fashion, it changes and morphs throughout the years. Any suggestions for an artist’s sustainability and final pearls of wisdom?

CB: Stay connected with your art community and do whatever it takes to remain inspired to create.

1.  If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks, that means you're not going anywhere. 2. Don't be afraid to ask for help! 3. Trust yourself.

Inspiration is the word! Thank you Christine for sharing your journey, and insight into the world of Career & Professional Development! See you soon!And thank you to all the Career Service professionals who are beacons of light for students everywhere.

The Artist As Brand Gang in Kansas City.

May 15-20 in Kansas City, MO was a special week indeed. Not only did I have a rocking group of talented artists who ranged from student to professional, coming from eight states for the Artist As Brand workshop, but Spectrum Fantastic Art Live opened a door to the future of art career sustainability. We had Alex Ruiz from California, David Frizell- Kansas, Tyler Davis-Utah,  Sue Cornelison and Paul Micich- Iowa, John Wagenman- Texas, Tara Chang- Washington, Sean Fitzgibbon- Arkansas, Julio Morales and student Jake Gorman- Missouri.

This was an awesome opportunity for the participants to see how what they learned in the workshop could be applied in an event like Spectrum Live. Arnie and Cathy Fenner did a great job with the convention for its grand opening even though the crowds were on the light side. The future is bright for this event. See more here.

Paul shot video from his iPhone of everyone voicing their core purpose. Your innate purpose, truth, virtue, is the foundation of your being and an attribute we align with in the workshop. It is beautiful and profound.

One of my goals with this work is to bring clarity to your career path. For instance Tyler had difficulty making a decision between teaching full time or focusing on creating his art. He just sent me this email, "I decided to put off large scale teaching until I have a few more years of experience and am going to sell my art products to build my empire!"

Right on brother! Go for it. I am with you!

In July 2010 I met a young artist name Ray Sumser selling a poster of his art in front of the San Diego convention center during Comic Con. I included him in an article I wrote about street artists called Artist As Brand Grassroots. At the end of last year I noticed he had started a Kickstarter funding event that did very well.For those who are not familiar with Kickstarter.com it is the world's largest funding platform for creative projects. Every week, tens of thousands of amazing people pledge millions of dollars to projects from the worlds of music, film, art, technology, design, food, publishing and other creative fields. It is a new form of commerce and patronage. This is not about investment or lending. Project creators keep 100% ownership and control over their work.It is such hit that sponsors will curate pages. Even colleges like SVA and RISD have gotten into the action supporting their alumni and students.

What's amazing is the amount of money some projects acquire. How about Joshua Harker's, Crania Anatomica Filigre sculpture which pulled in $77,271. Or the comic The Order of the Stick which pulled in a whopping $1,254,120! What?! You heard right, check it out.

Bottom line is if you have a great idea Kickstarter can help you start funding it.

Grow a voice

Art by Roxana Villa

I am huge fan of out of the box solutions for selling art and promoting it. One of my suggestions is to start an Art Block Party. Gather all your neighbors who have some talent to share (artists, musicians, chefs, etc.), go to the city to get a permit to close down your street to traffic, then send out flyers promoting your amazing outdoor event to showcase the talent of the community. Now you have an outdoor gallery!Betsy McDermott Altheimer, associate director for an artist service organization called Springboard for the Arts, located in the Twin Cities had another great idea for selling art. She was inspired by community-supported agriculture (CSA), where consumers receive a monthly lot of produce through purchasing shares in a farm. She thought if it works for farmers it could work for artists. “We should just do a CSA!” she exclaimed in an interview with American Craft Magazine. “Only this time, the ‘a’ would stand for ‘art.’”Altheimer believes that food systems are the perfect metaphor in the reality of today’s art scene. “People have this mythical notion of what a farmer does. In reality, there is a lot of risk. You can’t guarantee every crop will be successful,” says Altheimer. “Likewise, an artist can’t guarantee that everything he does will be great. But he can ask people to invest in the value of what he does.” Each season, nine artists participate. By signing up for a $300 share, a patron receives nine original works, plus admittance to three parties where the artists will be in attendance. Of course where the program seems a little less than ideal is the artist’s commission — for producing 50 pieces, he or she will only receive $1,000. But it’s up to the artist to create small, sensible works with a budgetary restriction in mind. The hope is that the artists will pick up new fans and patrons who will continue to follow and collect their work beyond the CSA share. “Our version of success is when the relationship continues beyond us,” affirms Altheimer.Check out her interview and then start your own CSA. If you have other ideas let me know and I will share them in a post.PeaceGreg

Sign Up deadline is May 6th.

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! and Artist As Brand are aligning to bring creative empowerment and prosperity to artists in Kansas City, May, 2012.

Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is a natural extension of the eighteen-year success of the award-winning Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art annual.The Spectrum book has come to symbolize the vibrancy, diversity, and overall excellence of this international art community. Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is an art fair in which creators will be able to sell originals and prints while promoting their work to patrons, collectors, and potential clients. Whereas the ubiquitous comic con focuses on all facets of popular art culture, Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! focuses on the artist and their sales.

This focus makes it a perfect fit with Artist As Brand! I will be presenting a workshop three days before the event. It is open to all serious artists, students and professionals. Learn the secrets of connecting the power of your essence with your art, to your collectors, and see how these principles can be applied at an event like Spectrum Live.

All participants will receive free access to all three days of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live. The workshop is held at the Historic Aladdin Holiday Inn Hotel, just blocks from the convention center.

Learn more about the workshop on theABOUT page.Read the REGISTER page before signing up.See what art professors, professionals, and college students are saying on the RESULTS page.

Register Here

Kendall Students

I presented an Artist As Brand workshop at Kendall College of Art and Design this past weekend and wow, these students were on fire! They were already formulating ideas for a multimedia community art event to be held at the school next year. I was impressed with the strong independent art spirits in this group. Go Kendall!The amazing life coach Greg Montana was Skyped into our session pumping up the group. Twenty eight students, alumni and faculty stuck it out for the three ten hour days. You could feel the love! See more pics here.

Artist As Brand was a complete success!!! 3 day illustration boot camp, followed by a lovely dinner with the amazing illustrator that created it!... I have had the best weekend ever!! I mean ever!!.... priceless.-Amanda Schaub

I am going for what I want in life. I'm getting my mind, body, and soul together and failure is a foreign word now.-La'kenya Shauray TerrellI can't thank Greg enough for sharing his wealth of knowledge and more importantly, touching my heart. -Kirbi FaganSweet! I will be back next year.Thank you also to Christine Brown, Nancy Hart, and Jon Mcdonald for introducing me to such an awesome school.PeaceGreg

Interested in worldwide exposure? Here is one way to do it. The Sketchbook Project encourages artists to create singular sketchbooks, which are then exhibited in locations around the world. In the words of the Sketchbook Project team, “It’s like a concert tour, but with sketchbooks.”

Create an event that will spark other people's creativity.  Manifesting a team of like minded individuals can start with as little as two artists. In this instance it involves hundreds. If you can produce a concept that it timeless and timely it can become the spark for something much larger than yourself.

To your empowerment,

Greg

REGISTRATION CLOSED

I am honored to be presenting a workshop at the historic Westbeth in NYC.Located in West Greenwich Village, Westbeth has provided affordable living and working spaces for artists and their families since 1970. The workshop is open to all artists. I guarantee that any participant that faithfully applies the principles learned in the class will sell more art in the coming year than they did the year before or I will refund their registration fee.

$295

$150 For Westbeth residents!

Westbeth (Community Room) 55 Bethune Street New York City, 10014 212- 691-1500

Read the REGISTER page before signing up.

Learn more about the workshop on the

ABOUT

page. See what art professors, professionals, and college students are saying

here.

When you finish this seminar you will be empowered to take any success you have now to another level. See you soon!

Greg Spalenka

I am honored to be presenting a workshop at the historic Westbeth in NYC.Located in West Greenwich Village, Westbeth has provided affordable living and working spaces for artists and their families since 1970. The workshop is open to all artists. I guarantee that any participant that faithfully applies the principles learned in the class  will sell more art in the coming year than they did the year before or I will refund their registration fee.

$295

$150 For Westbeth residents!

REGISTRATION CLOSED

REGISTER BY LEAVING YOUR NAME AND CONTACT INFORMATIONHERE.

Westbeth (Community Room) 55 Bethune Street New York City, 10014 212- 691-1500

Read the REGISTER page before signing up.

Learn more about the workshop on the

ABOUT

page.See what art professors, professionals, and college students are saying

here.

When you finish this seminar you will be empowered to take any success you have now to another level.See you soon!

Greg Spalenka

This Saturday August 6 at 10:00

Free! Artist As Brand LectureSponsored by the Alameda Writer’s GroupGlendale Library222 E. Harvard St.Glendale, CA 91205818.548.2030

CHAMPION OF THE CREATIVE PROFESSIONAL

Ilise Benun has been a champion of promotion and sound business practices for creative professionals since 1988. Her website and blog at Marketing Mentor, offers insightful commentary on the freelance world. She has written seven books including,“The Designer’s Guide to Marketing and Pricing", “Stop Pushing Me Around: A Workplace Guide for the Timid, Shy and Less Assertive”, “The Art of Self Promotion” "Self-Promotion Online" and "Designing Web Sites for Every Audience".Her new book, The Creative Professional's Guide to Money is a straight up look at how we think about, talk about, and manage money.Ilise conducts workshops, and lectures around the country. She has been self-employed for all but 3 years of her working life! I have met Ilise on a few occasions and I can tell you she knows her stuff. Today we interview a master of promotion.Greg: How do you define success? Please share one of your favorite success stories as a mentor.Ilise-I think success is defined by freedom and responsibility. The freedom and responsibility to do the work I want to do with the people I want to do it with, when I want to do it. And in a way that has a positive impact on other people.One of my favorite success stories is Jennifer Neal from K9 Design Co. Thanks in great part to very targeted and consistent marketing, her firm’s revenue was up 30% in the middle of a recession after choosing a very narrow target market (magazine publishing in Canada) that was supposedly dying. I feel proud to have been instrumental in the 3-year process that led toward that growth.G: I love hearing success stories. You offer consulting services and have written many books yourself and in collaboration with others. I emphasize to my students the importance of creating alignments with like minded individuals. What have been some of your favorite collaborations?I:I have benefited from long term collaborations over the years, whether it’s been one individual or many at a company. My favorite collaborations have been those with HOW Magazine and F&W Media –and all the people who work for them and with whom I interact, especially in producing the Creative Freelancer Conference. I was lucky enough to find one of these collaborators very early on in my career, Bryn Mooth. This relationship has continued for more than 15 years and has grown into so many satisfying projects. I’d say when looking for collaborative relationships, look for people who are smart, who will challenge you, and who will complement what you have to offer.

G: Now our relationship to money can be a challenging one. One of the thing that struck me most about reading, The Creative Professional's Guide to Money was how money has such an intimidating power over people.I: There is an important shift in mindset that needs to happen so that money isn’t so overwhelming and fear-inducing. Especially for creatives, it’s easy to take money personally since the work we do can be so personal to us. But a successful relationship with money has to do with seeing yourself as a business … and seeing money a part of doing business.Here’s a short excerpt from The Creative Professional’s Guide to Money on that topic:See Yourself as a Business.Many creative professionals hang out their shingles or open their doors for business, then proceed to wait and hope: hoping clients will find them, hoping they’ll get enough work, hoping the client will pay the bill, hoping the checks add up at the end of the month so all the bills get paid. If you think about it, it’s a very passive position, taking what comes along instead of deciding what you want and pursuing it.There is an alternative, and it is within your reach. You can replace the passive mind-set with planning and action. The first step is to re-envision yourself as a business. But what exactly does that mean?At the core, it’s a shift in the way you see yourself, a small shift that can affect every little detail about how you do your work and especially how far you go.Be Objective About Your WorkTaking your business seriously also means being as objective as possible. But as a creative, your work is more than a “job.”You are probably emotionally attached to the work you do. You may even pour your heart and soul into it.This can present a problem. According to Jon Weiman, designer and adjunct professor at Pratt Institute, “Creative professionals have trouble because they tie their ego and self-worth to the work in a way that is not businesslike. It becomes too personal.”

G: Much of your emphasis is on promotion and managing your business. I recommend my students read the book you wrote with Peleg Top, "The Designer's Guide to Marketing and Pricing." It has some great information on writing a business plan which I also recommend they do.I: Everybody needs a business plan, whether they’re independent or an employed artist. A business plan is simply a clear idea of where you are going and what you’re trying to achieve in your work. Business plans can be intimidating the image is of a thick document, but it could just be 3 sentences or even a mind map of where you’re going. Without it, you won’t get there.G: I love the mind map concept. I have been talking about the electronic book for many years. Now the iPad it really is putting pressure on the ancient technology of paper books. What are you doing to make the paper book less obsolete for your editions?I: I think information should be delivered in the way that people want to receive it. Whether tangible or electronic, my 7 books are my best marketing tools. So while I do earn royalties, it’s not something I do for the money. As for how I promote the books, that’s a whole other interview but here’s the short list: blog posts, articles, speaking engagements, podcasts, webinars, social media and email marketing.

G: The online world is vitally important for an artist's visibility. A website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter are the norm now. The technology is always changing. What do you see as the next big online promotional vehicle?I: I see video becoming even more popular and being further disseminated through and integrated into all of these channels.G: I believe it is going that way too. What is the smartest promotion artists can utilize today?I: Relationships. The smartest promotion happens by focusing on the people, not the work. The focus has to move from the self to the market so that you can give the market what it wants. You get that information through the relationships you develop with the people in the marketplace. G: Most art colleges focus on teaching conceptual and technical image making skill sets with an eye on preparing artists for the publishing, gallery, and entertainment industries. Have you seen alternatives to these corporate models? I: A few forward looking schools are starting to commit resources to teaching students about the business side of art—and I think it’s about time. (I’ve been giving talks called, “Do You Have What it Takes to Be Self Employed?) at these schools, and I’ve really enjoyed being part of this preparation.) Many artists are jumping right into their own business after graduation or having one or two jobs while freelancing on the side, and I see that growing. There will be fewer jobs available for artists, so they have to know the business side.

Marketing Mentor Blog

G: Art is like fashion, it changes and morphs throughout the years. Any suggestions for an artist's sustainability? I:Evolution. Changing with the market. I do think that the artists who succeed are the ones who stay in touch with the market (the world, the industry, the place where the money comes from) and evolve instead of hiding out in their studios and producing work. Keeping your finger on the pulse of how the world, technology, and the marketplace is changing and adapting accordingly, is the key to sustainability.G: I like that– an evolving balance. You balance business and a family. What is the biggest challenge with that?I:Learning to say no to the things that don’t align with my business plan.G: Lastly, please offer some pearls of wisdom for artists and creative souls everywhere.I:Don’t take things personally. When people don’t separate themselves from the business, it can get in the way of the marketing.Yes! Keep it in perspective my friends!Thank you tremendously for your time and expertise, Ilise. You can learn more by visiting her atMarketing Mentor, sign up for her Quick Tips Newsletter (I have been getting to for years), and lastly garner more confidence in your financial affairs by picking up her new book, "The Creative Professional's Guide to Money."To your empowerment and prosperity,Greg

EXPERIENCE THE ARTIST AS BRAND WORKSHOP RIGHT NOW ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD!

The Artist As Brand™ Online Workshop is up!  Now you can work with me in the comfort of your home and experience what Sandra Chang-Adair says is "probably the most helpful and important class I have taken in my life.” Whereas the three day workshop is an artist bootcamp, the online version allows you to learn at your own pace, on your own time. The class will motivate and inspire, so expect an infusion of desire to build your art empire.

*Reservations for individual consultations per month is limited, so don't delay.

Go to ONLINE CLASS and reserve your spot today!

To your art spirit and prosperity,Greg

Mel Odom

BEFORE

I am presenting an AAB Workshop at the NYC Society of Illustrators this weekend with a group of talented art professionals and college students. I want to share someof the artist's BEFORE feelings about the workshop. The amazing Mel Odom, Matthew Wachnicki a recent graduate of SVA,  illustrator Kari Christensen, and FIT student, Ramomar answer some questions about what they expect from this weekend. Next week we will hear the AFTER workshop feedback.

Matthew Wachnicki

The art world is changing all around us at a rapid rate of speed. How do you see these changes affecting you?Mel: Clearly I have to function within the current art world.  Currently I’m dealing with a gallery in London and working on a toy project that I think would be huge in Japan.  One must now think in an international scope for one thing.  Also new media constantly expands the limits of how art can be used and misused.Matthew: I hear many scary things about the state of the illustration business today.  Our field is shrinking, paint and canvas are being replaced by a stylus and Cintiq tablet, stock illustration is the devil, and the current economy is making it harder for Art Directors to spend money on illustrations.  I've had a very hard time finding work up to this point and I can only assume that all of these factors are contributing to scarce opportunities. Kari:Digital tools have changed the way I create my work. These tools are helpful but they are also sometimes limited compared to traditional tools. Also there many outlets online for showing work. That is great until I find myself working on social media or fixing my website- when I would rather be painting and improving my work.Ramomar:The changes I see in the art World is similar to what I see happening to the music industry, you can't depend on the Record labels anymore, you have to go digital meaning CD sales are down. Most musicians make their money on tours now. It would be same for artists, you can no longer depend on a gallery, you have to put your self on tour to sell yourself. You have to have a online following as well as people you meet that support your work.

Kari Christensen

You are about to embark on the Artist As Brand Workshop this coming weekend. What do you feel the workshop is about and what do you expect from it?Mel: I’m hoping it’ll give me a better sense of how to function within this new, expanding (exploding) art world.  I’m very good at the creative, right brain part of it all, just not so good at the other side.Matthew:I learned about this workshop on the Society of Illustrators website and I'm very eager to experience it first hand.  I'm hoping to be able to set specific realistic goals for myself as far as which markets I should be targeting and the ways in which I should be approaching art directors.  Also any advice regarding my painting and the development of an individual look would be extremely helpful. Kari:I feel like the workshop is about focusing my vision and business plan and I hope to learn how to do that.Ramomar:I feel the workshop is a great way to listen to someone who had a long run in their art career with the ups and downs they experienced, and how they got out of it so you can prepare yourself for your own ups and downs too.

Ramomar

Do you have any specific goals you feel the workshop will help accomplish?Mel: Perhaps look at my body of work from a different, broader perspective.  Sometimes seeing one’s self and one’s strengths is difficult.Kari:Hopefully it will really help the struggle of focusing my vision. The workshop would be worth gold to me if I can discover a path that can bring these different artistic visions together or at least prioritize them in some way.  From there I want to map out a business plan for that vision.Matthew: I graduated from the School of Visual Arts last May.  Since then the majority of clients I've worked with have wanted me to emulate very specific styles and I've found myself trying to replicate specific looks (Edward Gorey, Frank Frazetta, etc.)  which don't necessarily look anything like my 'normal' work.  Like most young illustrators I'm very 'style conscious' and while I don't feel that my work has a definitive look or style to it yet I'm confident that I'll find my true voice eventually.  What I'm really hoping to get out of this workshop is a better idea of how to define myself to potential clients in the mean time.Were you familiar with Greg Spalenka before the workshop? Why do you believe he is qualified to teach anything?!Mel:I know of your name and work and I’m just taking a chance in an effort to expand myself.Matthew:I was first exposed to Greg's work my freshman year of college while flipping through one of the Spectrum books.  What immediately stood out to me was the vibrancy of the colors.  I also very much enjoy the subtle layering in the work which in some cases reminds me of collage.  I have absolutely no reason to think he wouldn't be qualified to teach, and the stellar reviews on the artist as brand website seem to back up that assumption.Kari: I have always enjoyed Spalenka's illustration work and I have heard from others that he is an inspiring teacher. He has made a career out of a unique mystical and personal vision and that by itself is inspiring to me.Ramomar:I really didn't know about Greg Spalenka until my mentor Karen Santry mentioned him and I check out his works and liked them, so it's good to listen to someone who has long experience selling their artwork.Did you face resistance from anyone about taking the workshop? Was it a tough decision? Did you confront any of your own fears before committing to it?Mel:No tough decision, snap decision.Matthew:There was absolutely no resistance in deciding to take this workshop.  After researching it a bit and reading the reviews on the website it seemed like it would be a great opportunity and I didn't hesitate.Kari: The workshop was recommended to me so I felt I would be missing out if I didn't take it. Now that I have read Greg's bio online, I realize he knows what I'm thinking about and I could have used this years ago. I am really excited.Ramomar:I was advised to take this workshop. This would be the first time I took one.Thank you Mel, Matthew, Kari and Ramomar for your responses! We will see you soon! I will return next week with the AFTER feedback.To peace, art, prosperity,Greg