The internet may appear to hold limitless opportunities for artists to promote themselves to the world, but you should always treat it with caution. This month we take a look at how the internet can help you and what precautions you should take when using it.

The rules

If you want to maintain your reputation and further your career there are two rules to remember when using the internet? The first is that anything that goes onto the internet stays there. Private emails are also subject to this, since they remain on people’s computers and you never can tell where they might turn up. Avoid conflict on the internet exactly the same as you would in real life, and avoid using the real names of people and companies on internet forums.

The second rule is that you should never consider yourself anonymous, even if you hide behind a pseudonym. This warning may sound excessive, but if you believe you can get away with vituperative abuse because the internet is anonymous you will be in for a harsh surprise down the line.

Social Networks

Over the last few years the growth of social networks has been immense. There is an astonishing range of networks to choose from, including MySpace, Twitter and Facebook. These social networks are an excellent place to engage in conversations and to offer information about yourself and your work. You can also display your artwork to potential patrons once you establish a relationship.  It’s important to use social networks the right way, by listening to the web community and engaging in dialogue with people who share your interests.  Social networking allows you to be transparent; show your personality and artistic views.

Social networks are about connecting with people and not marketing or selling your products or services outright. They are also a great way to find people who are interested in your type of art, and if they find value will then share your work with their friends on Facebook or followers on Twitter.  Your approach to social networking should always be one-on-one, so that the dialogue and information can spread from one-to-many.

Internet forums

There is an overlap here since many social networks also have forums, but the advantage of forums dedicated to art is that the people on them tend to be real working artists rather than just people interested in art. Forums are therefore an excellent way of getting advice, inspiration and support from other artists.

Forums offer few promotional opportunities, but there is always the chance that you might get into discussion with people who can help your career. However, going onto discussion boards and promoting your own work is frowned upon, so your safest bet is to use them to discuss art.

Online galleries

There are many online galleries that offer you gallery space and promotion for a fixed fee. Free art galleries usually offer free gallery space but take a commission for processing the transaction. These are tempting and many artists claim success from them, but you should do a bit of research first. Find other artists exhibiting on the site, search for them via Google, and then email them to ask their advice.

The best use of online galleries is to see what sort of prices similar artists to you are selling for, but if you do decide to exhibit make sure to read the terms and conditions carefully. There are opportunities here that should not be ignored, particularly if your work is of the type and price that it could be an impulse buy, but for the most part people will not pay serious money for art without seeing it first or knowing the artist’s reputation.

Ebay

Many artists offer work in auctions on ebay, though they rarely sell for high prices. However, if you have lots of old work lying around the studio that you have no intention of using, you should consider auctioning it off as a way to clear space and make a little money. Make sure, though, that you take into consideration how the art will be sent to the buyer.

Copyright on the internet

Copyright is almost non-existent on the internet, but this shouldn’t worry you. All publicity is good publicity, so if your work is displayed somewhere you did not give permission, accept it as a sign that people like your work. If you make sure to superimpose your name and website address on all your digital images then it can even be a good way of gaining interest.

Finally

The opportunities of the internet for artists are far greater than we can deal with here, but it should not be considered a substitute for real world promotion. Use it as a tool for meeting people, researching and gaining interest in your work, but don’t expect miracles.

Also See: Using “Twitter” to Promote Yourself

PART II

Tell us a little about yourself.
Hmm … that’s a loaded question to pose to someone like me that rambles so easily. I have always been one that boxed myself into a corner based on being a people pleaser. I hate conflict. I want everyone to be happy. As I’ve gotten older, I am learning to look more inward to figure out what makes me happy. Over the past three years I started a lot of self-reflection, which led to an outpouring of expression, which led to more discovery and so forth. It’s all sort of snowballed for me and led to completely changing gears in respecting who I am and what I want and need. I am learning to look out more for myself and worry less how others perceive it. I’ve come a long way from the painfully shy perfectionist I used to be.

Unfortunately, that also meant a shift away from the only family and way of life I’d ever known. My children and I are starting over. A newer me, a fresh start. Of course, like my painting, I am a work in progress.

What are your near and long term goals as an artist?
Of course, at some point, I would love to be recognized as a creative success by my peers and be able to earn even a modest living simply doing what I love to do. But, for now I am content to pay my dues, walk through it, apply to various galleries and exhibitions, and keep painting for my own enjoyment.

Describe your creative process.
I get a lot of my ideas when I am doing something else rote and relatively mundane like driving the car or taking a shower and getting ready for work. For whatever reason, an idea will pop into my head, and I’ll begin working out a sketch as the imagery of that idea takes shape. I’ll get it down in pencil, pen, and colored pencil on paper and then work toward giving birth to it on canvas on a larger scale. Once the basic image is penciled in on the canvas, the colors start to block in like a dance and the journey has officially begun.

What inspires you to paint and how do you keep motivated when things get tough in the studio?

I haven’t actually ever felt things get “tough” in the studio yet. Once I am really involved in a painting, it is the most amazing thing. My kids think I’m insane, but it’s like a party I have all by myself. I lock myself in, I’ve got my iPod turned all the way up and I am singing along and dancing and moving around the canvas. It’s a complete emotional release and yet I get so wired at the same time. There have been times I am so keyed my hand trembles too much to continue and I have to literally force myself to back away from it until I can settle down a bit. It’s a very passionate experience and so addicting that it’s usually only a few days now between when I finish one piece and then start “jonesing” to begin a new one. The hardest part is balancing how much I want to paint full time with the very real obligations of my family and my career in healthcare.

Unfortunately, the bills don’t get paid and the kids don’t eat dinner and do their homework fueled by my desire to create. I can dream and play in my own world, but I have to be practical and reasonable in the real world I exist in.

What do you think is the hardest aspect of being an artist?
For me, I think it’s the vulnerability I still feel when someone sees my work. It’s not easy to be that naked in front of strangers and share something that is so intensely personal. I think that’s why I’ve been so hesitant in showing my work until now. Now, it feels like I have given birth to these paintings in a way that is nearly as physical and emotional as with my own children. I have to let them stand up on their own and just see what happens.

What advice would you give to an artist just starting out?
Well, that’s weird for me to answer since I am really just starting out myself, but I guess if I have any advice at all I would say to not take it so seriously that you feel imprisoned by what you think it’s supposed to be. I think its better to back off and let your work take on a life of its own, being true to your soul.

Part 1 of Jennifer’s Interview

Who and what are your influences ( ie other artists, friends, family, a tragedy) ?
One of my favorite paintings is Duchamps’ Nude Descending a Staircase. I am fascinated with trying to not just capture the light as in impressionism, or emotion as in abstract expressionism, but the fluidity of movement and the quality of the line as it defines a space. I am influenced by the stained glass windows I remember walking past in church every Sunday and the depth of emotion I felt in tracing the stations of the cross. I wanted to take that feel of the sharp edges of colored glass and humanize it with more depth and warmth. I paint as a form of self-healing. It is self discovery at its finest. I often don’t even realize I am dwelling on something until I recognize it in one of the paintings.

You use the female figure in many of your paintings, what draws you to this subject?
Again, a lot of this has to do with the quality of the line, the curves, and the fluidity of movement. Plus, I think there is probably a deeper obvious connection in portraying myself as I’ve moved though this journey in my life.

What was your inspiration for “Freedom Dancing”?
Freedom Dancing is one of my happiest pieces. I started this just as I was falling in love with someone new. Yes, there is a sense of music and dance, movement and wonder, but under that is all that excitement you get in a new relationship. It’s almost like a sense of euphoria.

What are you working on currently?
I just finished “Walls And Windows” a couple weeks ago. Usually, I only work on one piece at a time. I get so absorbed in how I feel with that one particular piece. I couldn’t imagine moving onto something else. It would be similar to having an affair in a committed relationship. I know that probably sounds insane, but I really get very emotionally involved in a lot of my work. I’m still in the infancy stages of a new sketch that will eventually be transformed into a painting I know I will call “Just Driving Through.”

Where did you learn to draw and to paint?
I’ve always drawn, always. I think my parents paid for private lessons when I was in grade school and middle school. Then, I went to a magnet high school where I majored in Fine Art and I briefly went to Ringling School Of Art and Design. All of that said, I’m learning a lot now just from experimenting with my own work and pushing myself in different directions. I really want to experiment more with textures and try to expand into much larger pieces. Each one fuels the next.

What do you do when you’re not creating art?
I work in a skilled nursing facility in the rehab department near Jacksonville and I am doing the best I can to raise my three children as a single parent. It’s always a juggle, and there’s never enough time in the day, but I paint for me because I have to. I need it as much as I need food and shelter and human connections.

What is your favorite subject to draw or paint?
Even though a lot of my work showcases human figures, the work itself is really more about following myself along my path of emotions and beliefs. The most important visual imagery has to do with the line, color, and composition. The reference to physical beings is secondary to the message.

What do you like most about the art you create?
I like the boldness and spiritual freedom I feel in a lot of the pieces. It’s really important to me that there is movement across the canvas. It is absolutely a process of self-discovery. I guess what I’m saying is the part I like the most is in the act of the creation itself.

Where can patrons see and purchase your artwork?
Right now my work is back home with me and can be seen and purchased through the web. My work is currently on display through http://www.getartexposed.com. I also often set up a few pieces to exhibit at the Jacksonville Artwalk, which is held on the first Wednesday of every month in Hemming Plaza, in downtown Jacksonville. Since I have only recently considered getting my work out there, I am now applying to other art exhibits in the area. I have my fingers crossed.

Jennifer’s Artist Page on Art eXposed