Have you Sold Art and How are you Selling?

The artist spotlight has been very successful here, with over 90 artists featured in just a few months. In this spotlight, we ask artists a few questions about their art and life. One of the questions is “Have you sold many of your artworks, and if so, how?”

The point of this question is to find out how certain artists are selling their artworks. This is actually very useful information to know, especially for struggling artists who create similar work.

This is a list of 10 recently featured artists, and their answers to this popular question.

Candace Byington

USA

Mediums: Acrylic, print making, colored pencil, oil pastel

Themes: Myth, death, magic

Style: Surreal, illustrative

Have you sold any artworks?

”Not yet. I make my living off of my graphic artist skills.”
Betsy Frahm

USA

Mediums: Oil paint, colored pencil

Themes: Reflections, glass, texture

Style: Realism with a twist

Do you earn any money from your art?

One way or another I have always earned money painting. I did murals, faux finishing, and basically I would paint any surface that would hold paint. I have finally come to a point in my life where my time is my own, I'm no longer raising a family, and can focus on my art career. I am really still getting my portfolio together but have been doing a lot of networking. I have several galleries waiting for me to submit everything to them, and appear interested in showing my work. So I hope to be earning money shortly and am working feverishly towards that goal.
Cathy Moothart

Oregon, USA

Mediums: Acrylic paint, vintage wine labels

Themes: Pets

Style: Expressionism, Impressionism

Do you make a living with your art?

No, not yet! I've sold a few pieces, given some away to family members, even traded a painting for dental work! I just recently got my website up and hope to see results from that! My husband refurbs and flips houses, so that's our main way of making a living now. No office-work life for either of us.
Sharon Guy

South-Eastern USA

Mediums: Watercolors, acrylics

Themes: Nature, wildlife, birds, horses, dogs

Style: Contemporary representational

How many artworks have you sold?

I've sold about 43 paintings. Most of my sales were from Internet websites, but I am currently starting to get involved in more local shows in Southwest Florida.
Peyton Rack

Chicago, USA

Mediums: Oil paint

Themes: old 50s pin-up drawings, sentimental objects, etc.

Style: collage, contemporary

How do you sell your art?

I have had the most success with selling artworks by having a solo exhibition. Getting in touch with interested buyers after a show or previous purchase is key, because if you are making quality work and it is sincere and time-invested, people will want to buy work from you. This depends on so many things, how well you market yourself, what people want to buy, and how commissioners or buyers want to spend.
Cathy McClelland

Queensland, Australia

Mediums: acrylic, mixed media

Themes: landscape, scenery, wildlife

Style: contemporary realism

How many artworks are you selling?

“I have sold hundreds by recommendation, exhibitions and commissions.”
Tom Henderson Smith

Cornwall, England

Mediums: Acrylics, charcoal

Themes: Landscape, people

Style: realism, abstraction

Have you had success at selling your art?

”Yes, I've sold pieces fairly regularly over the past 12 years - from my studio, at exhibitions and online.”
Dan Cope

Maryville, Tennessee, USA

Mediums: Acrylic paint

Themes: “edge”

Style: combining abstract and concrete

Do you sell much of your art?

”Most of my work has been stolen. Some I have given away and some I sold. I paid my rent for half a year with my work. That keeps me going.”
Vera Cauwenberghs

Flanders, Belgium

Mediums: Oil on linen

Themes: Nature, wildlife, people, etc.

Style: Realism, impressionism
Bhagvati Nath

Goa, India

Mediums: Watercolour, etc.

Themes: Nature, wildlife

Style: Realism, impressionistic

How many of your paintings have you sold?

Impossible to say how many - with clothes, signs etc. I sell prints, cards & postcards, which sell well. I do several commissions a year, often with no photo record (due to lack of cameras and photocopiers)

Reputation - Goa is an international centre with a wide and varied 'market'. I was in local markets some years, (and items with my artwork on are always in the market) and in local art exhibitions. Last year I had 2 solo exhibitions, in Austria and Delhi, where I sold and was good publicity. I have held a raffle the last 2 years - prize, an original. This was excellent publicity, covered the price of one or 2 paintings and gave me at least 10 sales.