AndyKnillArt news update 09 March
If you are a regular follower of the Facebook page – use link(s) above, then you will know of recent progress already. I hope that this blog and possibly an e-commerce website to follow (so many decisions) will keep everyone interested up to date.
Ok, on 31 January I said that any art selling would be a validation of the points friends had made about my art previously. This has clearly been the case already and very quickly too. Using some updating of previous sketches the card collection has been ordered, proof read and printed. I am now the proud owner of a box of 360 greetings cards.
Before the cards had even been collected I had earnt my first client – Swanage Tourist Office. Their order helped surprise my printer James at Art2card when I ordered an additional set of 100 cards. The canvas print idea was researched thoroughly but based on a small commercial order the price point I could have A4 canvases supplied at would make them too expensive for the client, as I had suspected.
On collection of the cards and one mounted fine art print of the now popular beach huts scene (Shore Road beach huts on Swanage sea front) I now had stock. I posted the fine art print on Facebook that evening and within 15 seconds I had a buyer, they liked the idea of a reminder of the English seaside while they work in the Middle East. So I was now a commercial artist and an international one to boot.
I and the Tourist office have both sold further copies of the beach huts card. The print has been posted to the Middle East. I designed more designs of Swanage for the Tourist Office. This was a good learning meeting on my second visit as I delivered the cards. Some aspects of designs were liked but others were not. I have since amended the pieces and three new orders have been made for cards, so my collection will be in the White House office on the seafront from April. It will be great to go in and see my work up for sale too.
I am currently researching possibilities of an e-commerce website to allow direct sales from me and a mobile form of point of sale handset to allow card payments as well as cash when I am selling at events. My first public sales event will be a local Craft Fair in St Edwards church hall, Rempstone Road, Swanage on 1st April.
This is the craft fair page on Facebook – I may be attending future fairs as well, booked one to start.
I am also working towards being able to make sales from my Open Studio during PAW (Purbeck Arts Week) from May 27 to June 11 (open everyday from 10-4). When the brochure comes out I will be Studio 22 on a beautiful path to the coast that will allow visitors to see the surroundings that are inspiring my art.
Recent photographs of local wildlife with my new camera are introducing a range of wildlife photo based cards (release date tbc) that show the animals I encounter most days around our home.
All card designs can be ordered as fine art prints in a mount and cellophane envelope. I will publish a table of costs for these in a range of sizes with posting & packaging quoted individually based on customer location. Currently sales are in cash or by BACS. I am investigating a range of canvas prints of some of my photographs in addition (release date tbc).
I have a pen and ink piece based on a local waller’s work on a new drystone wall as part of the Artcubed exhibition at L’Artishe gallery in High Street, Swanage. The original is up for sale at the exhibition.
For those blog visitors who are not on Facebook I will be setting up pages on this blog to show my art and photography work and prices. Feedback is gratefully received on here or to andy.knill@gmail.com (please use subject AndyKnillArt blog in subject).
Thanks for reading.
Andy
Fabulous news Andy! Shout if I can help get the word out there!
Julia your help would be most welcome. Ideas on informal marketing – Ian. Using the. Networking skills I have gained in education and online and now gaining the courage to make the personal link face to face first.
Brilliant news. Go for it Andy (: