We love TED talks and these two are very fitting with what we encourage here at Spark Box – thinking outside the box, being creative and getting people interested in the things you make. We have been pouring our collected knowledge into our two guide sites: The Emerging Artist Guide and The Art School Guide that are meant to help artists at all stages of their career.

I found the Cameron Herold video on the site Etsy.com and at first his talk sounded a bit too business for me. With all his references to accounting, market research, revenue, etc. I didn’t see where an artist like myself could relate. But after watching it again I started seeing myself in many of his stories.  I started selling my art outside my house when I was 10, I created a handmade dog biscuit business and had pet stores selling them when I was in my last year of high school, I saw that kids had nothing to do in my small town so I convinced a local bar to have a Youth Party night where we could dance until 11 PM when I was 13. Sure I may not be doing all of these things now but my parents always stood behind me, helped me out and encouraged me to pursue my dreams. This has helped me immensely as an artist.

I struggle with seeing myself as a business person on a pretty regular basis. I worry about the typical issues of “selling out”. But the reality is artists make things and they want galleries, people, etc. to show these things or buy them. Even if you make art that isn’t for sale you still need to get galleries interested in showing them. No matter how you try to swing it artists are entrepreneurs. So embrace this notion and find the resources out there that will help you get people to see the awesome things you are making!