Thank you Faux Paws
Celebrate! Great opportunity with business endorsement from a local family-owned store owner. The pet portraits are getting front counter promotion compliments of Walt Talbott at Faux Paws. His shop is located in the courtyard by the city gates, next to the St. George Inn.
I’d like to take a moment to reinforce the power of networking. Thank you to my artistic peers on Twitter: @ChrisOatley, @marcscheff who are both professional illustrators and sent a quick nod/wink my way for endorsement.
Social networking can be a great tool when utilized with etiquette and good intention. With a couple weeks to focus completely on my artwork, I have noticed a sort of pattern. I get up at 6:30, grab a coffee and share some jokes with a few other early birds. Next, head to a locally owned coffee shop for Wi-Fi blogging, Twitter checks, and webpage updates with photos. Support your local stores, neighborhood grocery and they will support you. Learn names, engage in meaningful conversation. Spend the afternoon getting the painting done but invest in your people…flip the day around if your rhythm is different. But…invest in the people.
Communication is crucial with building relationships. Do you want a relationship built on mistrust? Didn’t think so. One could spend all day throwing metaphorical hooks into the digital world but if you don’t get out and have some face time it’s no better than speed dating with a computer. Chemistry is only evident in real time.
Chemistry is everything, and trust. You want to get an intuitive feel about the people who might promote you and your artwork. Maybe we can’t pick our genetic family, but we can pick our business family. I can’t reinforce this enough. Word of mouth is just as powerful as the virtual realm of communication.
example: This morning a lady bought coffee while I was typing this blog. She was with her dog, which happened to be a pure bred Brusse’ls Griffin. I had a chance to take a photo of the breed and get a sense of it’s character…very cute and mischievous. I am building a portfolio of photos for different breeds. As an artist it is good to know what your bread and butter is.
