Dear You: I can't help you if you don't make the first move. Love, The Universe
Last week I led a workshop for artists at the Omega Institute in upstate New York. One of the things we talked about was finding the confidence to do the simple but important things that help an artist’s career.
One woman in the workshop had been producing art ceramics for a long time but hadn’t quite found the confidence to market them. I suggested to her that she visit the Omega Institute bookstore and gift shop, just a few paces from where we were, and ask if they took art on consignment.
It was a new idea to her and she replied that it sounded like a great idea but that she wouldn’t know what to say or who to ask or what terms to suggest. Therefore she wasn’t ready to do such a thing.
At lunchtime I walked the few paces to the bookstore, walked up to the fellow behind the counter, and said, “What are your guidelines for taking art on consignment?” He immediately pulled out a printed sheet with their guidelines. He added that the person in charge of consignments did her deciding in the winter and that therefore that was the best time to approach her. I thanked him and left.
At the beginning of the afternoon session I handed the ceramic artist the sheet of instructions and let her know about contacting the buyer in the winter. She could hardly believe that it had been that simple. In her mind, she thought that she would have to explain and maybe even defend her work—that, in short, it was going to be a charged, dramatic interaction.
“They have a sheet of instructions!” she exclaimed. “I had no idea!”
Try not to over-dramatize the difficulties of marketplace interactions. Very often they are as simple as asking, “What are you guidelines?” Find the confidence to put your work out there—otherwise, it won’t be moving anywhere.
Eric Maisel, Ph.D., is widely regarded as one of America’s foremost creativity coaches. His most recent book is Brainstorm: Harnessing the Power of Productive Obsessions. To learn more about Dr. Maisel, visit www.ericmaisel.com
