Three ways lockdown and a global pandemic has impacted my art business
Waiting for the clouds
To give some indication
Of when this will pass
It goes without saying that this past year of living throughout various lockdowns during a global pandemic has affected us all differently and taken a toll on our physical and mental health, relationships and finances. I’m incredibly thankful that no-one close to me has suffered with COVID-19 and this blog post is an insight into how I have found the business side of things over the last 12 months.
1) My sales have increased.
With exhibitions and art fairs either cancelled or held virtually, buyers and collectors were forced to move online and with many of us spending a lot more time at home, people want something beautiful to look at.
This, coupled with the fact we weren’t going to be seeing our loved ones for a while meant that my card sales increased over this past year with this pack in particular doing well. I have really enjoyed sending out my colourful bundles and even handwriting some cards with messages of love for your family and friends.
I noticed my smaller paintings sold better than larger paintings which may be due to people not wanting to invest in bigger, pricier artworks when they can’t see them in the flesh before purchase.
I will continue to paint larger works and post stories and videos of my process and finished paintings which is as close as we can get to seeing them in real life for now.
2) I have learned to embrace boredom.
Said no-one ever, right?
As artists, we may think that we need to be inspired by going to new places, meeting new people and trying new things. Being told to stay home for a year would kill anyone’s creativity, right?
Hold that thought. Throughout 2020 I created two lockdown collections inspired by the views of my many walks and runs around Edinburgh, having more time to work on pieces and get lost in them without working to any deadline. I also collaborated with Alba Media on a short for their video series, Scotland By Artists about where I find my inspiration.
But once this work was done and we found ourselves in yet another lockdown? Monotony, restlessness, boredom.
And it’s all too easy to simply revert to picking up the phone to connect with the online world and numb out these feelings. We need to disconnect to reconnect with ourselves and sit with these feelings as it is only then that we get the answers; for me, it tells me to paint what I want.
3) Think beyond social media.
I tend to get more sales when I am active on social media and it is a great space to foster community but what if it disappeared tomorrow?
It’s actually quite a daunting thought for a business whose main presence is on Instagram. So, over the past year I’ve been building this website while maintaining my Etsy shop, updating my wholesale catalogue to send to potential stockists and entering open calls for exhibitions and competitions. I tend to forget I have a newsletter so that’s the next thing to focus on.
Taking a moment to think about the processes within my business, from allowing creativity in right through to marketing and selling has helped me see what my values are and how I can continue to align with them long-term.
What a year it has been!
Wishing you lots of colour and calm,
Beth