Post 437: Organize Your Art, Art Group, Art Business Emails and Tips

Tips to Organize Your Art, Art Group, Art Business Emails

The only way to avoid an Inbox nightmare is to organize your email inbox. Everyone needs to do this including artists. If you are in an art group, another reason for organization as they mix with your personal and other art emails too. Here are some tips and tricks to help organizing that email.

Inbox Organizing

And here we thought being an artist was just painting all day...

 

Photo by Mikaela Wiedenhoff on Unsplash 

Sure, artists use every email service out there including Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo, etc., but many of them use some of the same features (with different names) to help organize, label, flag, tag, archive, create a Rule, and to filter your inbox. You need to find what will work best to manage your emails in a way that makes sense for you.

There are much easier ways to keep all of your email accounts - personal, business, and art group emails separated, yet within the same inbox - which is not all that difficult to do. Google Search or YouTube the topic and follow the directions or ask your computer savvy 14 year old (kidding but you know its true).

Here are samples: Add an Email Account to Outlook or for Gmail: Merge Multiple Gmail Accounts Into One Inbox: A Step-by-Step Guide

Decide how you need to separate your emails by: Personal, Work, Clients, Bills, Art Suppliers, Art Group(s), etc. These could be the folders, labels or categories and way the emails will be coming in and landing.

__________________________________________________________________

Tip: Look for more recently dated articles on "How To" information. An article posted 3-4 years ago could be outdated for the email service you currently have and as you know, things on the internet are always being updated and settings steps can move around.

__________________________________________________________________

Outlook

A few notes about using Outlook:

Microsoft Outlook integrates with Office - so Word, Excel, Powerpoint, SharePoint, OneDrive and Teams may be on the radar if you have Outlook.

Outlook uses Folders and Subfolders. There are many options like sorting alphabetically, priority, etc.

Automating where emails land is set up with creating a Rule, then running that rule. So instead of all emails coming in and landing in a generic Inbox, you can direct emails from specific entities or people to the properly labeled Folder.

Hence, mostly all of my PWAS member or group emails land in my PWAS Folder.

7 Microsoft Outlook Tips and Tricks for Better Email Management

Gmail

Gmail is free for personal use although premium plans for business are available. The productivity tools include Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Drive, and Meet.

Gmail uses Labels

Tabs: Primary +

How to Organize Your Gmail Inbox in 15 Minutes (17 Tips + Examples)

Art Email Tips

• Combine email accounts (learn how) when possible. 
• Although I will say that one thing I do, because I need to use my personal and art business in Outlook AND I have this PWAS account in Gmail, I keep those separated on my computer. My computer monitor is large enough to accommodate a Google browser for Outlook (always on the left) and a Mozilla browser for Gmail (on the right). For me, this helps to keep the two worlds separated when they need to be as well as separate social email accounts, with different logins so that my worlds do not collide.
  
• Always check your Spam or Junk Emails to ensure important emails are not lost. Move the email from that folder to the correct one to help prevent losing them. Create a rule if needed.
  
• When replying to your art group especially, stick to the SUBJECT of the original email. If you are introducing a NEW topic, create a different email thread with that subject line. When someone is searching for an email or topic, a search for that subject line helps to filter to better results. For example: if a person sends out an email for your art group on Grants, all the responses to that email should be about Grants. The same for Calls for Art or any other topic. In other words, create a NEW email or find the original topic email and just don't reply because you need to ask or create a different request to the sender. I hope that makes sense!
  
• Reply and Reply All - this is the bane of many an art group member, too many emails. In email etiquette, ONLY use the Reply All IF, I mean IF the response is extremely important to every single person ON that email. The pet peeve for everyone is an email congratulating an artist for an award, acknowledgement etc. and someone does a Reply All with "Congratulations!" Sure, nice comment but congratulate the artist directly. In other words, use Reply All sparingly!
• CC Email (Carbon Copy): whomever you input into this TO field receives a copy of the email and can see that they are included. Its best use is to expand the conversation if the CC'd person can add valuable input to the thread. They don't necessarily need to respond if they can't add value, but its important that they are aware of the subject.
  
• BCC Email (Blind Carbon Copy): whomever is input in BCC receives a copy of the email but cannot see who else received the email (protecting privacy), nor receive replies to the email thread.
  
• Go to the Source! Direct your emails to the right groups or person. The PWAS Website has ALL of the important emails to direct your question, expression or suggestion. See About > Board and Contacts in the menu navigation of the PWAS website. https://princewilliamartsociety.com
  
• Clean out the Inbox. If you have emails from the beginning of time, I mean YEARS ago and they aren't important any more, delete them.
• Unsubscribe to anything if they are so piled up you will never read them. https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/board
• Periodically check if your email structure is working for you as you intended. Do you need to filter more? Adjust your categories as needed.
  
• DO set up an email signature. Create a professional Email Sig with your full name, website link(s), I believe its just good procedure. Occasionally, I will get an email from someone with initials or a first name only - usually its straightforward who it came from (the email address may be the clue), but if you have several Sams in your group, Sam who?  
• Too many emails? Can or does your art group have a Facebook group that could be set at private so only the art group members can join and chat? Many emails end up being discussions with an email thread that goes on forever. Much easier in a FB group. PWAS has just such a group. Current PWAS Members only. You'll need to be on Facebook though!
  

__________________________________________________________________

Donna Tip: Yes, I have access to the PWAS member emails so I can send out PWAS group emails. If you want me to email the entire membership - when its important to do so - send me exactly what you want posted, in full. Even if you sent the info out a week or two ago. I should NOT have to look for your info or assume what you are referring to.

__________________________________________________________________

For the techie artists, do you have any other suggestions about email? How about a link to a video you have found that helped? Drop a comment below!

For Further Reading:

How to Organize Your Emails: 11 Management Tools

How to Organize Emails and Manage Your Inbox

Organize Your Inbox in Outlook for Windows 

How to Organize Yahoo Mail Inbox Quickly in 2024

Outlook vs Gmail in 2023: Which is Better for You?

And I have NEVER used a Mac, but several of our artist members do. Most everything is only a YouTube video away. 

 

Photo by Alexander Grey on Unsplash 

Art Need to Know Etiquette Posts

Email Etiquette and Organizing - There are definitely do's and don'ts when it comes to email! Everyone needs to learn the proper use of emails.

Artist Etiquette - Art show do's and don'ts, pickup and drop off and more.

Not Necessarily Art Notes, but... - Art Etiquette for emails, art shows, volunteering and more.

Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show Exhibit - Some great advice and what was learned while at an art show. A good read for BEFORE you go to a show.

---

Author: Donna Liguria
Artistry Spin Blogmaster and an artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA, specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Esty site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.

---

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!

Post 428: The Art of Artist Etiquette

The Art of Artist Etiquette

There comes a time when an artist must understand the Art of Artist Etiquette while in a gallery, at an art event, or getting their art to or from an event. Artists have a responsibility to be on time and always be professional - to the gallery, art group, art show, and to their fellow artists to know and show good manners. That is what it all comes down to, right?

Art Do's and Art Do Nots, and No, You Di'int

There are do's and do nots for everything, I suppose. As they say, people are people are people...and artists are artists are artists that are people. Occasionally artists are very different people, but that could be another blog post. I look at that as we are all human; people are gonna do what people are gonna do; we all make mistakes - but we can all learn from our mistakes. 

I am going to hash out some of the often nonspoken, Artist Etiquette here (and hopefully in a mildly humorously way) because on occasion, we all forget the unwritten rules, including me. You may not feel like you should have to say some of these, but yeah, you do.

 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash 

Check and Recheck Your Art for the Show

Make sure your art is hung the way the show expects it to be hung. The Calls for Art sends or has guidelines, and those are very important. While checking in art at various shows over time, I do believe we've seen it all. 

• No wire? How are we supposed to hang it? We aren't setting it on the floor.
  
• No, it is not up to the show people to wire it for you. Seriously.
  
• Didn't create a label or sign your artwork? That's on you, you mysterious artist, you. I wonder who will get the check if it sells?
• Forgot your inventory list or other expected documents? Oops, get to writing.
  
• Didn't finish the edges? I guess someone missed reading the directions. 
• Be very aware of copyright infringement. <- That's a very serious and important one folks.
  

Art Pickup and Art Drop Off

When the dates are set for art pickup and drop off, the show will send those dates and times out along with a reminder just prior to them. It is up to the artist to abide by those dates and times, mark their calendars, create an alert or to contact a friend or family member to help them if they cannot do that date or time PRIOR to the schedule. Most venues typically suggest that if the artist has no one else to handle the incoming or outgoing art and to sign in or out that art, to let the volunteers that are handling the event know - or contact one of your fellow artists and make arrangements with them PRIOR to that date.

• Most galleries and art groups state in their documents that if a time or day do not work for you, to contact them in advance and they would be happy to accomodate you.
  

When artwork is juried into a show - especially with limited space - the coordinators for that show are EXPECTING your work to be there, possibly even having measured a layout for your art to fit a space. If the venue knows they can only accept X amount of art and yours was selected to show, and you don't show up...you have potentially blocked someone else from being in that show.

If you have a change of mind about showing, let the coordinators know PRIOR to the event. Someone may already have created labels or other expectations in your art's acceptance.

• Several times, I've been on hanging committees and we started or had the art pretty far along (OR have left for the day) in the hanging process and an artist shows up to drop off art HOURS after the deadline. Not cool. Not acceptable.
  

Volunteers are often helping to coordinate the art on display and they are doing this FOR the art group, art venue, and each every artist in that show. Even more often, they do not get paid for the time and effort they are putting in. From email announcements, blog posts, website updates, Facebook posts, creating art labels, to using their vehicles to drive to the space, spending HOURS at the space, and on and on - so the expectation is that our fellow artists to have the decency to cooperate with set times and dates - no matter where you are potentially showing your art.

Artists must remember that it is not the gallery or the showing space's responsibility to store your artwork after the show (there may not even be space for it), nor is it the responsibility of the volunteers that are spending their time and effort to handle your art any more than they are already volunteering time to hang or take down your art. We have lives the same as you.

• Besides, that monster canvas of yours will not fit in my car or in my house!
  

There is also a consideration of "abandoned art" if art is left for a period of time and not picked up. I've seen this one happen where MONTHS went by without hearing from the artist. The gallery or group can just sell or donate art at a certain point, with no regard of a cut to the artist. The other part of this is your art could potentially be ruined when its abandoned because of someone having to shove the abandoned art in a corner somewhere. And don't expect the venue to wrap it up for you.

It is about respect - for yourself, your work, and your fellow artists.

At an Exhibit, Art Reception or Art Show

• If you know an art exhibit coming up and one of your fellow artists would be a great fit for it, share the knowledge. 
• It is not a competition, even if it is a competition. What I mean is that you aren't competing with other artists even though a juror may be judging a specific art show and handing out ribbons or cash prizes. That part is out of your hands really. Just as someone may purchase one painting of the Washington Monument but not the one you did. Your job is to create YOUR art, the best it can be, and presenting it correctly.
  
• Think about it, if you are in an echo-y gallery, maybe at an art reception and someone is talking loudly or negatively about a piece of art - or even about YOUR art. Gasp!! Not cool. But you stay cool. And the loud speaker needs to tone it down some notches. This is the place to use your "indoor voice" and be respectful of everyone's art.
• If it isn't your event, you shouldn't be promoting your stuff.
  
• Divas are a pain in everyone's butt. It usually is not all about YOU, especially if you're in a group's art show - or even if it is your solo show. 
  
• Know if the gallery allows nudes, political, or controversial" art or not. It might be very well done art, but family friendly isn't expecting their child to see it all hanging out there.
  
• It is always a good idea to ASK before taking photos at an event (unless you are the photographer for the event).
• Make sure access ways are not blocked by you or your fan club, I mean, the people that are talking to you. This is something you see happen at group art shows when multiple artists are showing in a tent, and someone is blocking the aisle to get through. Which means that a fellow artist's work was prevented from being seen. (Insert here, "STAY OUT OF THE TENT!")
  
• Sold something, AWESOME! Well, I certainly hope you know that the gallery or show venue is taking their cut first before they send you the check. KNOW what the venue's cut is too! Most of the galleries around Northern Virginia that I have seen take 25% to 35% of the sale, but it CAN be higher. As they say, know before you go and I hope you priced it accordingly. Also, understand the time frame of when checks are sent out as it is usually in writing somewhere.
  
• I've had and seen this happen: I'm speaking to someone that is asking ME about my art, and another artist nearby hears a keyword and butts in and says, "I've got some artwork with that!" And leads my potential client/fan away to show that piece. Grrrrr.....I did consider biting the artist's ankle.
  
• Learn, grow, get a book, take a class - never stop learning, especially when it comes to art basics and fundamentals. Correct Proportions in art work is a pet peeve...unless its done intentionally.
  
• Keep your pricing consistent offline and online.
  
• There is no space for negativity or self-doubt about your own art. Don't talk your own artwork down. Be proud, be bold.
• If you say you are going to do something, DO IT.
• If you join an art group, actually BE a part of the art group. Join a committee. Be active. You'll be in the KNOW and be able to help others when they have questions. The rewards are worth it.
  
• Dress appropriately for the venue and occasion.
  
• Do be professional, that is paramount.
  

Do you have other ideas for the Art of Artist Etiquette or stories to add? Drop a comment below. 

For further reading:

Dos and Don'ts for Artists and Photographers

The Artist Statement: 5 Dos and Don'ts

The Do's and Don'ts of Gallery and Art Show Etiquette

Art Need to Know Etiquette Posts

Email Etiquette and Organizing - There are definitely do's and don'ts when it comes to email! Everyone needs to learn the proper use of emails.

Artist Etiquette - Art show do's and don'ts, pickup and drop off and more.

Not Necessarily Art Notes, but... - Art Etiquette for emails, art shows, volunteering and more.

Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show Exhibit - Some great advice and what was learned while at an art show. A good read for BEFORE you go to a show.

---

Author: Donna Liguria
Artistry Spin Blogmaster and an artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA, specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at DonnaLiguriaArt.com, her Donna's Esty site and her Blog at Donna’s Cave Paintings.

---

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50+-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia. Visit us at any of our local art shows or join us for our monthly meetings - held on the 4th Monday of the month at the Tall Oaks Community Center at 12298 Cotton Mill Dr, Woodbridge, VA at 7:30pm

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Have an idea for a blog post? Are you a writer and want to help with the blog? Let me know! Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!

Post 285: Not Necessarily Art Notes, but...

Not Necessarily Art Notes, but...

Artists and art groups are interesting things. Art groups are typically made up of a variety of people from all walks of life. Some of the members have been artists since forever, perhaps retired, possibly some are still in school, or there's a family member that wants to get out of the house and brush elbows with eclectic people, someone wants to learn more about art, and maybe there are those that periodically only dabble in the arts. 

Hobbyist to art educated, art groups are made of people that love being creative in some form. Artists are every age and they are green, blue, and purple-haired to gray-haired, with every strand in between. A palette of colors and blends make up an art group, and so it should be.

The Good, the Bad and the Artiquette

People are people are people. Nothing more, nothing less - we all have our quirks, our greatness, our talents, our fine points and our not so fine points. Wouldn't the world be so boring if we were all created exactly the same? Golly, I don't think we would have ever gotten past cave paintings!

This blog post is aimed at a few of the not so fine points of occasionally being a part of any art group anywhere - perhaps behavioral points or concerns that might affect other group members. We all are learning, and I'm sure we've all run into a few of these things at some point.

Email Etiquette

Not every artist is computer savvy. That's fine. We may not be creating our own websites necessarily, but there are some things we do need to know about computers.

I recently ran into someone that did not know the difference between Reply and Reply All. In this day and age of spamozoid emails, many people don't want their mailboxes filled with superfluousness emails that really don't need to be there. They want LESS email NOT more.

One item that is brought up in talking with fellow artists is the use of Reply All. If someone sends an email with the gallery stats of how many visitors and sales were made at the gallery - good email. Inquiring minds want to know. If one or several members hit Reply All and send back "congratulations!" or "way to go!", well that is not an important email for the entire membership to get - bad email.

Optional Reply: You could congratulate the individual artist(s) if you like. If you need to ask the sender which of your art pieces sold, simply hit Reply, not Reply All. The point here is Reply All sends to EVERY person on your group's email list, where Reply only sends it to whomever sent it.

If I send an email to the membership for blog ideas, "What's on your Easel?", etc, if you hit Reply All and send me your feedback, there is no need for me to build a blog post as you have already shared yours. 

Absolutely, we've ALL done hit Reply All when we probably didn't need to - just TRY to check it before you hit send.

I'm going to add this little nugget here too. If you send me something to post here on the blog - awesome! I love to have pictures or news to add to this blog. But if I didn't attend the event, or its "news to me" (I don't know what it is), give me the background of the who, what, when, where, how, why - details of what you want posted. I never did develop that mind reading trick.

Social Media Clicking

Again, with the computers...Are you on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, YouTube or some other platform? Many say you should be. Why sell artwork to only those in your neighborhood when you can sell to the world? Or at least anywhere in the USA! What if someone sees your art somewhere and wants to learn more about you? Maybe contact you? An online presence of some sort does help in that regard these days.

These platforms and this blog work by clicking. A lot of point and clicking. The more clicks the better. Which means, you help the artist, the blog, the group, the thing you are clicking on to be noticed and seen MORE... by clicking on Like, making a comment, sharing, tweeting, DOING something! Google et al LOVES clicking! I've always seen it that it is everyone in the art group's duty - if you use a computer, to SHARE your artist member's posts, your art groups posts. Click AWAY!! The reach of the things posted go much further the more attention it gets on the internet.

You don't have to be on everything, but you probably should be on at least a few things and manage your time with them so that you are comfortably posting and reposting consistently - whether for your own art work and/or your art group, gallery info, art shows, events, etc. That is how word spreads more than if only one person is doing it.

Showing Artwork

What an exciting time - getting to show your artwork at an art exhibit. Part of getting your art up on the wall is knowing how its supposed to hang on the wall for that particular place. Not all art galleries use the same kind of hanging system and most have definite RULES on how they want things displayed. That goes for paintings, drawings, watercolors, whatever it is you do. It is up to you to read the directions to know the best presentation for your style of work. 

I've posted it before but at Open Space Arts, we have had newbie artists bring their artwork in without a wire to hang it. AND it is not up to the gallery to have the tools there for you to do it. So the basic theme here is to learn the basics!

Displaying Your Artwork

Another good read, but not about artwork display is Artists Rights 101 on copyrights,  rights of publicity and more.

Volunteering Etiquette

Greeting the gallery visitors and telling them about the art show is the best part of being at the gallery. Sure, its wonderful to have your art up, but its the visitors coming in and enjoying their experience browsing all of the artwork (and yours)  that might become a purchaser of the art being shown that is the total cat's meow.

Signup Genius, which we use to volunteer at the gallery is a fantastic organizational tool for everyone in the art group to sign up for gallery shifts (or other functions). The application sends out an email reminder for the shift you volunteered for a couple of days in advance. Be sure and load your smart phones with your gallery shifts each month too, and set it up with notifications alerts as well.

The bad part of volunteering comes when someone doesn't show up for a shift. Our preference is to have at least 2 persons per shift. A few notes about what to do when someone doesn't show up...

• Contact the person that should be with you on that shift. See the contact list in the artist inventory book and contact the missing volunteer. Text, call, send smoke signals - whatever works. I'm not posting the Signup Genius link here for security reasons, but it is a GREAT idea to know who you are working with that day. Use the View List view instead of Calendar View to see the details for each day.
  
• Contact the appropriate art group member that manages the Signup Genius app. The manager of the volunteers tracks if this is an ongoing characteristic of this person. Continuous no shows may run the risk of having their artwork removed. A part of being able to show art in the gallery is to also volunteer AT the gallery. No show up, no art up. Standard procedure.

Visitors at the art gallery love to watch artists doing their art at the gallery too. Not only does it help the artist do "double duty" while volunteering, but the visitors enjoy it. But DO remember that main reason you are volunteering there is to greet and tell them about the art show, answer questions they might have, and thank them for visiting. The desire here is for visitors to have an enjoyable experience and see the artwork - at each show - each month.

Another good point on volunteering at a gallery or being at any art show is you meeting and interacting with the visitors admiring your art as well as the entire art group's art. Building relationships with people goes a long way in the decision of whether that artwork gets purchased.

Art Show Etiquette

I don't know about you but I have attended art shows where I am speaking to a potential customer that is interested in MY art and I've had another artist butt into my conversation when they heard a keyword that triggered an art piece that THEY wanted to sell, then proceeded to pull the person over to see his/her art. Where's a bucket of paint when you need one? I'm kidding about the bucket of paint of course, but the thought crosses your mind...

 

Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash 

Art group art shows means that everyone shares in the costs, equipment, setup, managing, sales, breakdown, loading of an art show in some degree or another. Keywords here are SHARES the work. There is the loading of the tents, art wall stands, tables, getting artwork hung and tons of other things to do on the front end and back end of an art show. Ever been to a show where someone shows up at the last second, sets up their work and leaves as soon as its over? 'Nuff said?

And again, if there are flyers, brochures, online or in print - EVERYONE in the show, or in the group should try to spread the word about the art event, as best they can.

Art Gallery Etiquette

The list of art gallery etiquette do's and don'ts can be pretty extensive. Do a search and you will find a ton of them. I'm just going to highlight a few things in this section.

While visiting an art gallery or other art exhibit, it is very proper for visitors to ask before taking pictures. Often, there is a no photo policy.

Being in an art gallery is not a competition. You don't have to compare your art to anyone else's, you be you, and be the best you.

One of our artist members loves to learn something about every artist on display, so that when visitors arrive and they want to chat, he can offer a bit of detail about the artist and his or her artwork that they may find interesting.

10 Rules Every Artist Should Live By

Art Group Rewards

Being in an art group and meeting, getting to know the artist members has been rewarding - honestly, more than rewarding. I've made good friends. I hope I've been a good friend to them too. I've learned a TON about being an artist, being a better artist, and how other people do their thing too. I've learned really cool tips, inspirational ideas, fabulous tools and fascinating techniques. I've had more opportunities than I probably would have ever discovered on my own. 

I hope you have enjoyed the Not Necessarily Art Notes, but... that I noted here. How has being in your art group, wherever you are, benefited you? Do you have any interesting stories to share?

Art Need to Know Etiquette Posts

Email Etiquette and Organizing - There are definitely do's and don'ts when it comes to email! Everyone needs to learn the proper use of emails.

Artist Etiquette - Art show do's and don'ts, pickup and drop off and more.

Not Necessarily Art Notes, but... - Art Etiquette for emails, art shows, volunteering and more.

Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show Exhibit - Some great advice and what was learned while at an art show. A good read for BEFORE you go to a show.

---

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of several art groups in Prince William County, VA specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Website at https://DonnaLiguriaArt.com & her Blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/.

---

Local Art: The Prince William Art Society is a 50-year-old non-profit art group in PWC for the appreciation of fine art throughout the county and Northern Virginia.

Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!

Post 29: Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show

Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show Exhibit

Last UPDATED May 5, 2024

Whether you have done your own art shows or have displayed your artwork with a group, or even if this is your first show, there are TONS of things to be aware of. This list is by no means complete, but it should give you a starting point and for a group of artists, some things to be aware of no matter if you're a newbie or not.

Learn the Do's and the Don'ts from other Artists for a Great Show

The Prince William Art Society has been around for 50 years this year. So that's a LOT of art being shown at a lot of different art events over the years, both indoors and out. The purpose of this post is to help the entire group and especially the newer folks to be aware of the etiquette that isn't exactly ever explained but certainly helps the whole group to have, at least hopefully, a very successful show.

1. GREET everyone. Tell them who the group is and how many artists are displaying work and of course, answer any questions.
2. Very important especially for group art shows: Stay OUT of tent, aisles, doorways, as much as possible. If a guest enters tent and is in an aisle, it is important to ensure THEY have the right of way and you do not block the guest from seeing all of the artwork of all the artists showing in the tent. It is important you talk to the guests, but as much as possible, try to ensure the aisles are clear for other visitors entering, and steer the guest you are talking to -as needed- to an out of the way area.
3. Use your painting tags correctly. 1 tag attached to back of work, 1 tag attached facing out at bottom of painting. Wind can blow your tags away and/or the visitor pulls the painting off the wall to purchase it and there is no tag with it. Someone then has to go back to try to find it.
   
   One tag showing toward the front of the piece 
    
   

    

   The Second Tag attached to the BACK of the piece. Also note, the back of the art is also signed, title of work, medium, year (I also did the frame).
   

   
   
   
   
4. Do NOT tape your tags to the (metal or cover) panel. Wind gust, they are GONE. (see above)
5. Sign your artwork. We saw paintings with NOTHING on the back. As an artist, you want ALL of your work easily identifiable. See Blog Post https://artistryspin.blogspot.com/2021/09/post-16-how-do-you-sign-your-artwork.html
6. Before the show, ask what sells so you perhaps have a better chance TO sell. Part of doing specific art events is knowing who your audience is especially if you really want to do sales. True, miracles can happen and your artwork is still seen, but think ahead of time and have prints made of the more expensive artwork for better pricing options for the visitors.
7. If participants have a chance, remember to bring extra change for a twenty at a minimum - JUST IN CASE. Ones, Fives may help.
8. Have tiered, good looking displays, easier to go UP on a table for appearance and space than to bunch things up. Ensure your displays are sturdy enough for the merchandise being displayed though.
9. All artists should have something on a display table especially near the Sales Area for any last minute purchases.
   
10. Be aware of each person carrying a "just in case bag". Extra business cards, PWAS cards/inventory cards, pens (and red pens), scissors, tape, screwdriver, zip ties, etc. Maybe each person should have one or designate a few people to have one and KNOW where they are! Everyone scurried for ALL of these supplies at some point.
11. Send out a person to "mingle" especially with other artists in other tents - share PWAS cards, brochures. Not necessarily to send or to sell at booth but to recruit for PWAS - gently. Occoquan had rules about “getting people in your booth” but there can be a way to do things -gently.
12. Suggestion: Strategize the PWAS Discount coupons prior to show: Booth coupon to target all artists discount, or a PWAS discount of some sort. Avoid people thinking that it works on any artwork from that booth when the coupon states for ONE artist. Make it clearer to the guest. Perhaps give the discount after a certain point in the shows day. Put an Expiration Date on the coupon. Something to discuss with the group before the show.
    
13. Suggestion: A sign up for information list...blog follow, social media follow. Gather emails for a Purpose
14. A map to Open Space Arts (or whatever gallery PWAS is showing at). Possible brochure and coupon display to hold our paperwork would be a good idea for neatness and wind gusts.
15. Suggestion: Options for raising money for the scholarship program by winning small paintings or prints donated by artists. Name a painting, Guess who painted it, come up with a game. Basically, come up with contests where people can win an artwork prize.
16. Wrapped candy in a dish for visitors (all bring a bag)
17. Make your own painting covers with felt to protect them especially during transitions, moving.
    
18. Take the wind to account or a change in the weather and have ALL walls anchored, plastic bags ready, tent walls easily accessible JUST IN CASE. Nearly had a total disaster one afternoon with a rogue gust of wind.
19. USE social media to advertise that PWAS and YOU will be at the event. Something that worked for me was a Facebook post that said I’ll be in Occoquan with THIS particular artwork, and listed several of them.
20. Get those great shots for social media but do make sure guests can move through the tent.
    
21. ENSURE – check, double check – payment options are enabled through several people or methods with needed apps, passwords and any access to internet etc, well in advance of the show.
    
22. Bags, wrapping, right sizes and types for the works being sold. PWAS stamp on bag? Specific place to purchase and wrap artwork.
    
23. DO have someone doing real time artwork if possible but the access in, out, around can NEVER be blocked. A crowded tent or aisle is not the place definitely.
24. Do not undersell yourself. State your price and DO NOT haggle. Be confident in your pricing.
25. Do not oversell yourself. True, you are getting your name out there but is nothing ever selling? Perhaps an adjustment to pricing may be needed especially if the true interest is there but not the sale. Up to you.
    
26. When to put it on sale and how. Perhaps try in a red pen marking out the original price and marking the new price so the viewer SEES the deal!
    
27. Make sure you photograph your artwork before you have put it up for sale. Once sold, you may never see it again. You should have at least ONE print of all of your artwork.
28. Make sure your artwork is suitably ready to hang and is properly wired. Don’t make the wire too tight. Several of us can attest how hard it is to hang a tightly wired painting on a curtain hook on a gridwall panel. It's a challenge!
    
29. Certificates of Authenticity, rubber stamp to use with the certificate could be useful.
    
30. Ensure the hooks are exactly what you need for all the options available to have paintings/artwork hung on.
31. Designate a Holding area for art pickup later. Get the buyer's cell phone number and Tape the Yellow invoice to their bag. Take off Yellow invoice when picked up. The customer will have the White invoice when purchased
    
32. Commissions, signup, requests for anyone - how to handle this for the entire group or individuals, discuss prior to event.
    
33. Vary your pricing options to appeal to more guests.
34. Offer local shipping or pickup at the gallery options.
35. Do you really want to see that piece of artwork go? Some artists are extremely attached to certain pieces of their work and there is nothing wrong with that. Some are thinking, “if it sells, it sells”. Others price up so that it will not sell. When it boils down, yes, it is your work, priced where you want it. Perhaps have prints made and sell those instead, in the meantime displaying the original. Again, up to you.
    
36. If your artwork has one price on it and the Inventory List has another, the lower price most likely will have to be taken. 
37. Have a section of ONE panel wall for PWAS info - for hanging business cards, brochure, even individual artist brochures, Scholarship Program, coupons, Open Space Arts gallery etc. Have all the loose paperwork corralled and out of the wind.
    
38. Suggestion: The PWAS inventory list, should be standardized. Make it easier for our sales person(s) if its alphabetically listed and the Name of the Artwork is the same Name as on the Inventory List. We need to update the Inventory List and offer one online so PWAS can better list their work. We were spending a lot of time trying to match up a tag to a the inventory list. Would this work?
    

#	Name of Art	Size	What?	Price	Inv.	Sold?	optional
1	A Painting of my Cat	12x12	Painting		1
2	Print of A Painting of my Cat	8x10	Print		3
3	Whale in the Ocean Mini	3x4	Mini w Easel		1

 

 Additionally:

1. I am not big on eating in front of customers but at times/places, there may be limited other options. When possible, eat elsewhere. AND absolutely, no yelling.
   
2. Do get business cards. People asked for them from artists that did not have any.
   
3. Have your Sales Area set up as soon as you arrive even if its EARLY! Or even leave it set up for a bit of time for those last minute sales. This has happened! 
4. It's everyone's responsibility to keep an eye on the Sales Area and to know what to do to make the sale. Card Reader, Invoice, Inventory List, Change Box, Wrapping and Bagging - all of those things.
5. The Double Tent was awesome and the layout was for the most part really good at this recent show. The two tables worked well and the number of print racks was ok. We were lucky to be able to put our chairs up on the side walk outside of the tent. This would have been tougher if it had been raining.
6. Speaking of raining, would it be feasible to have tent sides semi attached in designated areas in case a storm comes up? Or at least KNOW where they are!
   
7. The extra standing rack at the back table blocked an exit in/out.
8. If special packaging, bagging, something comes with the sale, make it easier for whomever is making the sale to include the extras, otherwise...
   
9. When we have limited space and a lot of artists, we need to be very aware of not infringing on each others space with extra items. I do think that if spaces are starting to look bare because of sales, we SHOULD rearrange the art to spread out for a better appearance though. Several people remarked how great the tent looked even on Day 2.
   
10. I was especially happy about the artist's names with their art. Thank you to Ken for those and we should do that at all shows!
11. Do periodically go through the tent and straighten up the artwork. Things can get wonky and as things sell, get the bare hooks off the wall.
    
12. Remember: Things can and will happen. Adjust the issue as quickly as possible and continue with the event - AND HAVE FUN! Break out the wine slushies!
    

 All of us have done the do's and the don'ts. We are all learning and every show is different. As a team, really we do all work -and work hard- at making each show a success. Lessons Learned after a show is a great way to make things even better the next time.

Now its your turn. What would you add to this list?

Art Need to Know Etiquette Posts

Email Etiquette and Organizing - There are definitely do's and don'ts when it comes to email! Everyone needs to learn the proper use of emails.

Artist Etiquette - Art show do's and don'ts, pickup and drop off and more.

Not Necessarily Art Notes, but... - Art Etiquette for emails, art shows, volunteering and more.

Lessons Learned at an Outdoor Art Show Exhibit - Some great advice and what was learned while at an art show. A good read for BEFORE you go to a show.

---

Local Art: Visit us at Clearbrook Center of the Arts at Tackett's Mill in Lake Ridge, VA on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 – it’s free to see the artwork! Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!

---

Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/.

 

Photography/Video Credits:
Artwork and Photos by Donna Liguria