highlight those aspects of your cultural background that make you and your work unique, with bonus points if you can tie your life experiences to your artwork.
Your answer should be more introspective than simply what inspires you. Instead, you should frame your answer in a manner that explains how these inspirations are warped to form a cohesive narrative that sparks a dialogue about your work.
It’s important to remember that some of the most revered artistic work always plays a deeper role in the transformation of societies.
Every artist has a handful of other artists they look to for inspiration and guidance. Maybe there’s a particular artist that inspired you to become an artist in the first place, or perhaps there is a palette of artists’ works that you look to for your influences.
Contrary to popular belief, ‘making it’ in the art world isn’t merely a game of luck: It takes a calculated and determined effort and requires you to consider the steps you need to take in order to ensure your sustained viability and success as an artist.
Be specific about the way you’ve sourced and approached new opportunities to display or showcase your work. Do you frequently research potential galleries, and send portfolios to your top picks on a weekly or monthly basis? Do you frequently invite visitors to your studio? Do you have any dedicated marketing efforts, such as maintaining a newsletter that alerts your subscribers to what you’re working on?
Any potential gallery, collector, or store will want to know how you seek out new opportunities to sell your work. Do you participate in art fairs? Attend local events that allow you to show your work? Frequently reach out to local art world players to invite them to your studio? Sell your work online?
Feel free to approach this question with plenty of transparency. Tell us about the challenges you've faced in bringing your work to new audiences, and address some of the ways you've chosen to engage in the art world.
Calculate the costs of your materials, the size of your artwork, the hours it takes you to build a piece, and your hourly rate. Then, once you’ve calculated all these elements, assign a price to your work, and determine how far you’re willing to negotiate.
A large part of being a successful artist is having a deep understanding of the market. By following the art-making and buying trends currently dominating the industry you're likely to sell more and gain more recognition as an artist.
