Hi friends!
As we enter the final quarter of the year, I’ve been putting some deep thought into how I can continue to create art and expand my little business gradually - in a way that is sustainable. I’m usually a full-steam-ahead, give-it-your-all, 100%-or-why-are-you-even-doing-this. That’s great but often leads to ~*~BURN OUT, BABY~*~.
I’d like to continue loving what I’m doing, rather than it becoming a burden. So for now, I’m plugging away at a few small goals that are realistic, attainable, and measurable. I’ve set five small goals that I’m working to meet by the end of the calendar year. I’d love to share them with you!
GOAL 1: 1k Followers on Instagram
| For some people attaining followers on social media is a vanity thing. With my relocation cross-country, I’m looking to increase local and online exposure. For me, I’m hoping this is a means to continue to connect with people near and far. Since the establishment of my website, I’ve also found a seamless connection between Shopify and Instagram. |
GOAL 2: 100 Email Subscribers
| At some point I realized that Instagram isn’t enough. What if the site crashes? What about my non-Instagram users? I’ve been enjoying the functionality of the email subscriber portion of my new site. I can share out previews, discounts, and whatever else with minimal effort. In the same vein as goal 1, I’m hoping that the expansion of email subscribers will continue to build connections. |
GOAL 3: Consistent $100 Weeks
| I’ve been working on tracking profits and expenditures. With the new addition of studio time, the cost of running a website, purchasing of materials, and market fees - its looking like I should be netting $100 weeks or $400 months. Is it going to pay my rent? Nah! But that’s not the point right now. |
GOAL 4: Weekly Blogs
| Blogging wasn’t something that initially interested me. As an educator and graduate student, I was writing and reading and was burnt the heck out. I wasn’t writing for the enjoyment of it. I think the more casual and laid-back blog is something I can use to continue to connect to my writing, iron thoughts out, and share details with my people. |
GOAL 5: 5 Art Markets
| One of my favorite ways to meet people in the past has been at art markets. I’ve been hesitant to hop into the art market scene in Seattle because it is SO INTENSE! We’ve been slowly wading through markets to check out the vibe. Now it’s time to JUMP IN! I’ve purchased a new 10x10 tent since the theft of my van and previous tent this past July. I’m now working on building up inventory and re-envisioning displays. Peep my events page to see when I’ll be making my debut. |
HOW YOU CAN HELP SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS WITH THEIR GOALS?
The first and foremost thought that comes to mind is buying art. Sure, you can buy art like original works and prints. I know that this can be pricy and inaccessible to many art consumers. However, there are plenty of other LOW and NO cost options to support your favorite artists.
Some artists share exclusive details and products on private platforms like Patreon. Purchasing a membership might give you behind-the-scenes looks at the creation of work or first dibs on products. Each artist is creative in what they do with their private platforms. Additional platforms like Buy Me a Coffee or Venmo are great for donations to artists. I like to include a “buy me a coffee” alternative on my site as well.
Stickers are one of my favorite options with costs ranging around $3-6 depending on size and quality. This is an awesome way to display affordable art. My water bottles are shrines to local artists and also feature some of my own work.
Money isn’t always everything and there are also plenty of NO-cost options. Even simply popping on social media to like, follow, subscribe, and/or comment can help drive traffic to artists’ work. This helps configure the algorithm in favor of your favorite artists. Share their art, posts, and accounts with your friends to continue to drum up activity on their pages.
So I’m curious… What are YOUR goals right now? How can people support YOU in your endeavors? What are you doing to help support others in theirs? Did any of my goals help you? Let me know!
Make art and have fun!
Ally Mabardy