You may extremely talented and detailed when it comes to creating your art; however, if you fail to be efficient in other areas as an art professional, your art career could suffer from painful and irreversible consequences. One quality you want to have is being efficient. The simple truth is, being an efficient artist improves your art career success. If you admit that isn’t your greatest strength, you’re not alone. I know a lot of artists who need help in this area. The good news is, it’s never too late to improve your efficiency skills. This article could have also been titled “How to Avoid Self-Sabotage and Rejection”.
The Signs of An Efficient Artist
1. You carefully read and follow all instructions on a juried competition entry form or grant application to make sure you understand them. Before you submit the materials requested you review them several times. You know that failure to do so can result in immediate rejection.
2. You write your artist’s biography and artist’s statement with a desire to provide thorough information and clarity. You avoid misspelled words, names, and grammatical errors. You keep both documents up to date. You maintain high professional standards when writing them because you know that you will be judged on their merits. Ignoring these requirements will prevent you from achieving your fullest potential.
3. You make sure that important information is easy to find on your art website so that a prospective buyer or gallery owner will learn at a glance the titles, mediums and dimensions of your artwork. If they have to search for essential information they may likely lose interest and hop to another artist’s website.
4. You have created an art business plan and review it periodically and make alterations as you progress. You know that if you leave your art business to chance and serendipity you will not achieve your art career and financial goals.
5. When you design a proposal for a commissioned art project you do so with utmost precision. You calculate the financial figures. You also consider all contingencies. You are accurate and you include all costs involved because you don’t want to suffer financial repercussions.
6. You keep a detailed schedule within easy reach where you maintain appointments and deadline dates. Otherwise, forgetting important events — such as when to deliver your art work to a gallery may permanently sever the relationship, or neglecting to submit an important application — may kill the opportunity.
7. When you send emails and other forms of correspondence to an influential art professional or important collector you find out the correct person and their title and spelling of their names. You know this is simple and proper etiquette and an oversight could cause the recipient to deduct points, dismiss or delay your request.
8. Your motto is exercise good time management skills, and be prepared for success, because you know opportunity may knock on your door at any moment. You don’t procrastinate.
How to Improve Your Level of Efficiency
Your goal as a professional artist should be to take as much care and precision with the business aspects as you do with creating your art. Here are some tips to help you be a more efficient artist.
1. Keep detailed records of all business matters.
2. Use organizational tools designed to improve task and time management.
3. Focus yourself mentally on one detailed task at a time. Avoid multi-tasking.
4. Don’t be in a rush. Slow down. Set aside ample time for the job at hand.
5. Limit distractions. Put your phone on silent until you finish an important project.
6. Get sufficient sleep and adequate nutrition to optimize brain function.
7. Don’t be afraid to ask a detailed person to help you and try to learn from observing their methods.
As a professional artist you don’t want to suffer because you don’t follow instructions and acquire necessary professional skills. Don’t make excuses and don’t expect to get the sympathy of busy gallery owners, art consultants and jurying committees who have a lot of other artists from which to choose.
As a professional artist, every step you take is the result of a conscious decision to either pay attention to details or ignore them. Choose to advance your skills in this area and you’ll achieve your fullest potential. If you need work in this area, do the best you can and strive to improve with each step.
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Thanks for the specifics in this article, Renee. Being a business person is part of being a financially successful artist: so many do not understand this or actually fight against this aspect of identity. Your tips are realistic and not always mentioned in art school!
Thank you Masa. That’s true. When an artist decides they want to sell their art, the reality of being in business should set in, and a commitment to learning as much as they can to be successful. I’m delighted to be in a position to teach artists those skills as a writer and career coach, because, as you wrote, they are not always mentioned in art school or taught to all art teachers. All the best to you, Renee