Holy Smokes. So thrilled to be sharing this conversation I had with Alicia Puig. She is the CEO and co-founder of PxP Contemporary, Director of Business Operations for Create! Magazine, an arts writer, and an author and sometimes host of Art and Cocktails podcast. so thankful for all the great advice she shared about how to be an artist in this day and age. Lots of practical advice for making and sharing your best work, how to sell your work, advice for working with a gallery, making nourishing connections to others and starting a gallery if that is on your bucket list. Tons of great advice to up your instagram game and also there are some great exhibition and publication opportunities we discuss too! Be sure to check out PXP contemporary gallery, Create Magazine and the Art and Cocktails podcast.
PxP Contemporary is an online platform that connects collectors with high-quality, affordable artworks. We believe in transparent pricing, building meaningful relationships with our clients, providing exceptional customer service and above all, supporting the talented artists who we work with and represent. CEO & co-founder Alicia Puig and co-founder Ekaterina Popova, with a combined 15+ years of experience working in the arts, launched PxP to challenge the traditional gallery model and make the process of buying art a more accessible, digital-friendly experience. Art lovers, whether looking to add to an already established collection or acquiring their very first piece, can browse our curated selection of art with fixed prices up to $2,500 by contemporary artists from around the globe.
Ooh and I am hosting a giveaway. Never done this before but offering a piece of pottery to a special someone! It’s a cup I made this year and perfect for a little sip of water, wine or tea.
Just
1.go follow@ thymeinthestudio on instagram
2. Tag 3 friends on the giveaway post
3. Go to thymeinthestudio.com and sign up for my newsletter
And for a bonus entry share your favorite episode to your instagram stories and be sure to tag me so I can shout you out!
So excited to share with you the conversation I had with Alicia Puig.
Links:
https://www.pxpcontemporary.com/
https://www.instagram.com/pxpcontemporary/
https://www.instagram.com/createmagazine/
https://www.instagram.com/artandcocktails/
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/reimagining-the-art-world-with-jerry-saltz/id1390128131?i=1000475300146
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/612484/how-to-be-an-artist-by-jerry-saltz/
https://www.instagram.com/crafting_the_future/
Thyme in the Studio links:
https://www.patreon.com/thymeinthestudio
https://www.instagram.com/thymeinthestudiopodcast/
https://www.instagram.com/aida.zea.arts/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/403582056803336/
www.thymeinthestudio.com
https://www.aidazea.com
Contact me: sara@aidazea.com
Music by komiku
Topics Discussed:
Parents from science background but always supported her vision to work in the arts
Feeling a calling to hold space for artists as a gallery
Went to school in Kudstown and studied painting and printmaking
All jobs led to now
Innovative gallery platform
Online art
Affordable art
Emerging artists
The Smartest Guide
The Complete Smartest Guide
Make your best work
Business and emotional aspects of being an artist
Photography is crucial!
Lighting, cropping, context
Get images up to par as that is how your work is being seen!
Don’t wait for people to come to you
Follow up
Curate
Put yourself out there
Balancing art and gallery and business careers
Printmaking professor
Being in a bubble
Push yourself
Artist residencies
What doesn’t work out is sometimes a blessing and creates the space for the thing that is right for you
Apply
Apply to things you don’t feel ready for
Create quality work
Take good photos
Don’t wait for anything to come to you
Printmaking
It’s ok to take a break
Life happens
CV is often scanned but your work is most important thing
Cool to be self taught
An art degree is not needed
Quality of work
Develop a series
Consider exploring a concept, medium or style in an in depth manner
We are allowed to be human
Process as a writer
How to create words for images
Writing is a challenge
The blank page is overwhelming
Shock over writing a book and creating multiple chapters each week
Create a deadline for yourself
Don’t edit until after the words are on the page and give time and space to reflect
Writing about art
Live interviews are super helpful
Gather as much information as possible
Give the artist the opportunity to edit prior to publication
Have an in depth experience with the work and the artist before writing about something not seen in person
Don’t overcomplicate it
Keep your writing simple
Use objective terms
Cut out subjective words from writing
Cut out anything that doesn’t make sense
Don’t try to create an elevated sense of what the work is
Radical vulnerability
Be Honest
Strip the work and ideas and experience down to the core
Selling in galleries versus selling independently
Independent sales
Create your own platform and be your own marketing machine
Build your own audience
Instagram
Facebook
Pinterest
Mailing List
PxP can help an artist expand their audience
All about connections
Pros and Cons of a gallery connection
Do research to make sure a gallery is the right fit for you
Maybe not a match if they have a high commission or they are not expanding your audience
Mutual respect and trust
Pricing needs to be transparent
Great when it is the right fit for each other
Enticing to galleries if you are good at selling your own work
You have power too
Ask questions
Negotiate
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket
Social Media tips-
be authentic
Share your story
Write in your voice
Share images in your voice
Share your face once in a while
Don’t hide behind the work or the brand
Artists are often introverted
Tough to be vulnerable but people connect much more and are more drawn to your work when you share yourself
Videos never hurt
Be consistent
Most recent 6-9 blocks should give a glimpse of what you are doing
Make it easy for others to want to reshare your work and do you justice
Always have something near the top of your feed that is easy and representative of you to share
Make it easy to contact you
Be honest
Be yourself
Full images of the work edge to edge
Persistence
Organization
Follow Up
Things don’t come to fruition without the extra call or email
We are all human, get busy and get overwhelmed
The art of following up
Put out the good vibes and like keep doing your thing. And people will come back.
Create Magazine
Fresh paint Magazine
Ekaterina Papova
Art and Cocktails podcast
Created her own platform as she didn’t find one that fit for her
Innovative
Entrepreneur
International Arts publication
Juried section
Curated by Contemporary Arts professionals
Call for Art
Jealous Curator
In depth interviews with contemporary artists
No ads
All art content
Small profiles of artists
Sharing about practice, business and tips to thrive
Fun to be part of the create magazine progression
Creating so much online content
Created the book because of so much interest in career resources
High traffic
Resources section on the blog
Please apply to the call for art
How to balance all the hats and juggle responsibilities
How to stay organized and focused
Set a timer for instagram
Use a calendar
Be aware of time zone
Running to do list
Check in daily as a word doc
Satisfaction of crossing something off the list
Do the bigger tasks first thing
Avoid procrastination
“If your job is to eat a frog, eat it in the morning. If your job is to eat 2 frogs, eat the big one first.”
Anyway to keep yourself organized is a win
If someone wants to start a gallery
Work with a partner
Singular genius and visionary is usually a myth
Most people thrive in a team and with collaboration
Develop curatorial eye
You must love the work to sell it
Work with artists who you love and who are good people
Represent artists who you want to see thrive
Having a gallery sounds glamoraous but is an immense amount of work
Huge commitment
Rewarding to work for oneself
Be an eternal student
Go to you tube university
Learn to DIY
Put in the work
Don’t expect too much of yourself right now
Dream big
Stretch your visions to be more expansive
Patience for age
Jerry Saltz-didn’t start his art writing career till later in life
Age is just a number
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