August ends and the studio is now 3 years old
What a great feeling knowing that I started my own independent studio/shop and run it successfully for 3 years now. When this journey started my biggest aim was to have a home for the ‘art for fun’ initiative alongside selling my work.
Three things how characterise what I offer:
Sales of my artwork
Encouraging others to try drawing in a safe space
Supporting other artists to display their work with the Guest Artist spot.
Art sales
I have had my three most successful years of sales since I opened AndyKnillArt Studio. Focusing on my own work helps things, an increased following of some very loyal customers.
2022/23 was my most successful year with the sale of the South side of Swanage Bay piece at £500 and also the ‘Flooding Swanage with Art’ art trail project which brought in £1000 (far in excess of my expectations but worth it for hand drawing 13.45m of art).
I do need to review how different products sell and I do a lot more smaller pieces now to allow for the cost of living impact on spending ability.
Art for Fun
The run away success and something that I had done before but on a much smaller and infrequent scale. In three years the annual total of sessions has gone from 1041 to 1276 to 1332. Currently 3649 art sessions since I opened the studio with an age range of 5 to 1207 months. Yet to receive any complaints and only one child has ever had a tantrum at the table.
This is why I wanted my own space and I look forward to how it develops going forwards with three additions this year.
- A permanent table space allocated inside the studio all year round
- Being the activity at the PAW young artists launch in May
- Being an official programme activity during Swanage Carnival Week
Guest artist spot
This has now led to me giving space to about 12 artists. The structure of the programme is still developing so my own sales are a focus at some times of the year, quieter periods aren’t used either. Some artists have had two slots as friends whose work I want to support. Sales vary as my own do.
Conclusion
My art is still fun for me. Offering an opportunity to others especially for the Art for Fun is what I love to do and uses my skills from teaching and love of working with both children and adults. So 7 years and 7 months into this adventure of setting myself up as an artist that sells their work I still want to o tinge with it. There are lower days where sitting in a quiet shop is hard but it is something I want to keep working at.
Many thanks to family, friends and customers who have supported the last three years and the 4 years before it to get to this point. Your support is greatly valued.
Andy
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