The Rule of Thirds
Balancing Your Roles As An Artist

By Renée Phillips

Renée Phillips is the Director of Manhattan Arts International, an author of several books, and a public speaker. She is known as "The Artrepreneur Coach" and provides empowering life and career strategies for creative individuals.

As an Artrepreneur you will essentially have three roles: creator of the art; manager of marketing and promotion; and administrator. These three essential roles will not always be equally divided but if you want your career to soar try at first for every hour you spend creating art, spend one hour managing your career and another caring for the administrative tasks - much of which can be delegated, which in turn will give you more time for creativity.

CLIENT SCENARIO
Lisa, a coaching client of mine, was determined to become a full-time artist and had accumulated a large inventory of paintings in three years. Her work depicted Native American history based on old murals on edifices that were about to be destroyed and replaced by luxury buildings. She had very little business and administrative experience but she had a solid, inspiring body of work with human-interest value.

I suggested that she spend the next few months focusing on the marketing phase of her career, which meant sacrificing some studio time. At first she gasped but then she realized the effort required to attain her financial goals would be worth the short-term sacrifice.

To have ideas is to gather flowers. To think is to weave them into garlands. ~ Anne-Sophie Swetchine

First we determined her budget and made an itemized list of expenses. Then we compiled a database of appropriate market leads, consisting of organizations, galleries, institutions, cultural groups, libraries, museums, private individuals and corporations that would be interested in her work. In addition to galleries and museums our list included writers, publications, news directors and station managers, who would be interested in the story behind her work.

We then created a small brochure and wrote cover letters and press releases that explained the significance of her project.

HOT LIST AND COLD LIST
We separated our prospects into two lists - hot (those we knew) and cold (those we didn't know.) We began with the "Hot List" first and made phone calls before mailing the brochure to find out if they wanted more materials. She recruited some volunteers among her family members and friends.

Armed with a financial plan, a targeted market, and a large dose of persistence, in about four months Lisa acquired three gallery exhibitions, one museum exhibition, five sales and several commissions. As a result of the publicity efforts, she was profiled in several local and national publications and on the TV news.

In Lisa's situation, "The Rule of Thirds" consisted of three years as the creator and only four months working as the manager and administrator. Not bad, at all! She earned the freedom to return to her studio full time and had the resources to hire an assistant to handle the administrative details and some of the manager's duties.

Renée Phillips, The Artrepreneur Coach, counsels artists worldwide. Learn more about her private consulting services available in person or by phone.


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