Save the Date - July 14th from 5 - 8:30 pm, www.AnnArborSummerFestival.com 

"Creative Connections" has a tent at the Townie Street Party!

Creative connections is an event put on monthly by Ann Arbor's Arts Alliance. There are going to be lots of people out at Top of the Park that evening, and to celebrate the Townie party which is always the Monday before the Ann Arbor Art Fair. I've been asked to participate in the Creative Connections event and will have a table set up under their tent. I let you know later what great marketing opportunities I'll have available for all come and see me down there.  So, grab a friend and any business cards and marketing materials you have available. There is going to be a table set up to represent our artist community.

I look forward to seeing ya all there....

Peace-Love-Art

Is your web site working for you?? Take a look at your web site and see if it fully represents you and your works. Are the theme and colors a good choice? Does it show your current available works? Is your artist statement clearly shown and does it still represent you well?  

If you answered "no" or "what web site"... then keep reading. 

Your web site is a professional interface tool for you to use with your current clients.. and your prospective clients as well. I'm sure that you can see why keeping it updated is so important.. though it isn't always easy. I'm sure that most of you would rather be in the studio than updating your sites or blogs, but they really are must have tools for the Twenty First century. 

Schedule your week so that you are spending 10 - 15 mins. 5 out of 7 days a week on you blog, and then give yourself some time once a week to check on your website. 

Update it if you need to, or if everything looks good... then just tell yourself "Good Job!"

Peace-Love-Art

Now that your blog is going... because you read my last entry.. keep it going and get noticed! Spend 15 mins each day adding an entry. It doesn't have to be profound (use this as an example..) but look for a way to connect with your readers, clients, art professionals... whoever. 

While you're connecting, use lots of key words that you think someone might but in a search engine. Words like: Art, paintings, photographs, selling art, your name, or whatever your message has to offer that someone will be searching for. Doing this will help to get your blog listed on the searches.  Search engines love Blogs... why not love yours.

Peace-Love-Art

Continuing from the talk that I gave on Tuesday, and since I've already talked about Press Releases.. I'm going to go over the power of "The Blog" now.

  

I see that we are off to a good start.. because if you are reading this than you know about blogs. There are Blogs that discuss Every topic that you can think of.... (thinking.. thinking.. yep, there is a blog for that topic too, just search). In our cases, we want to use it as an interface with clients to build a relationship between our work, ourselves and with clients. 

If you use the link I have posted along the right hand side "Set up your blog here" it will take you to a start up page.. and everything is free. (so there is no excuse not to get started!) Use your blog to post pictures of your art, something that inspires you, link to other sites that you like (like this one), write about a show you are in, or a gallery opening that you went to..... or anything else that helps others be able to relate to you and your artworks.

Just like in your art, create a story, a journey, and then take us along with you. When you've made your blog.. or if you want some feedback on it....  just post a comment here on my site and I'll take a look.  no charge or obligation!.. of course  :-)

Ann Arbor's Summer Festival...

Ann Arbor has so much to offer... Art, culture, history, local shops, and a great community.  Another world class offering is happening downtown over the next few weeks. Check out www.AnnArborSummerFestival.org  and see what you can get down there to enjoy. I'll be down there tonight.. as well as many others. Grab your family and friends and I'll see ya there...

Here is a great video to watch... now go and make yours...

I loved this studio view and I loved hearing her story.... :-)  Now I want to hear what yours is too!! (Thanks to Kay Yourist for doing this!) My Business: Yourist Studio Gallery Kay Yourist Owner, Yourist Studio Gallery

Let's keep moving..

Take your art seriously, develop it and share it with others. We talked about this the other night during the 'Market your Art, Market Yourself" chat. You don't have to operate as an island... get together with a group of friends and other artists. Talk about ways to market.. reach new people and to Build Relationships in the community.. and beyond. If you don't have a local group, get involved in an online one. There are lots available and you can find them just be doing a search at www.google.com . Also, another key method to building relationships... and this was also discussed at the chat the other night... Start Your Own Blog!  :-)  Link up with this one and attract all kinds of viewers to you as well. As artists, you are experts in your field... and there are people interested in connecting with you. Stay in touch and let me know if I can help... I do have some links on my site to help get ya started but let me know if you think there are others I should add.

Peace-Love-Art

 

Just 15 Minutes...

Wow.. we went over lots of great information last night. Thanks so much again to everyone that came and to Shay Brown and Rachael Zuppke for their great contributions. We went over so much information... over the next few days I'll try to get most of it posted to this blog.... so check your notes, and keep checking back. I've also updated my Web site links to include ones that we talked about last night. They are along the right hand side.... just scrool down towards the bottom and you'll find them.

1... Press Releases... don't make them longer than 500 words, Use key words in the headlines and then over again in the first 150 words... you can also include between 4 - 5 other web addresses or connections to other bits of information (also called links).  Here are 10 things to write a press release about Today!! Write about 1-new art work you are releasing 2- a contribution that you have made to a charity 3-a calendar listing  4-an article that was written about you (Google Alerts can help here), 5 - a local angle on a national story 6- helpful tips that you want to pass along 7-appointment to a board or committee that you are involved with 8- an article written By you 9- shows that you are going to be in 10- About the Amazing talk that you experienced last night..  :-)   .... well, that is my 15 mins here so I'm off now

Peace-Love-Art

Samantha

Hopefully you got the chance to read through the latest Arts Alliance news letter. (if you're not on their mailing list yet, and you would like to be... just let me know. It has some great info.) The newsletter lists the talk that I'm going to be giving at the Ann Arbor downtown public library on Tuesday (June 10th from 7 - 8:30). It will be a great talk for artists at every level. Shary Brown, the executive director of the Original Ann Arbor Street Art Fair will be there too with some valuable information about how to take your art to galleries and get the most out of shows and fairs. Be sure to be there! :-)

ART BUSINESS WORKSHOP - Ann Arbor, MI

ART: Marketing Yourself, Marketing your Art

Date: June 10, 2008 from 7-8:30 p.m.

A talk at the Downtown Ann Arbor Library will be held to share tools with artists that will help them to strengthen their Art Business and implement some new marketing tools. Shary Brown, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, the Original and Samantha Misiak, local business owner and artist will conduct the session. Contact Samantha at Samantha@a2artsalon.com for more information.

Welcome to A2 Art Salon blog launch..  This is a place for artists to connect and share happenings. If you have an event that you would like more people to know about, or looking to connect with another artist over a collaboration or even try to find a solution to an artist problem... send me your info and I'll get it posted for others to benefit from and/or comment back on. Let's unite and strengthen together.

Peace-Love-Art...

Samantha J.