One of the hardest lessons I’ve had to learn as an artist and small business owner is this:you can’t do everything — not all the time, and not without consequences. Commission work is a core part of what we do. Clients come to us because they want their ideas brought to life, and there’s something …
Recently at BZ FurFur, we put out a prompt on social media asking our friends to share their thoughts on creating art: Do you make art that you love, or art that you think will sell? The responses were thoughtful and inspiring, and I’d love to share a few highlights. Walking the Line @flirtynerdgirl shared: …
“An artist is not paid for his labor but for his vision.” – James McNeill Whistler As artists, there are days when we feel pressured to justify our prices. But remember—your art is not just the hours it took to create a piece. It reflects so much more: If you ever doubt your pricing—or if …
A misfit is someone who does something or says something that sets them apart from others in a conspicuous way. A lot of artists consider themselves misfits. Whether it is because they didn’t play sports in high school, or because they didn’t hang out with the “cool kids”, we often consider ourselves outsiders looking in. …
One of my goals this year was to participate in juried art shows. The past weekend, that goal was accomplished. BZ FurFur participated in the King’s Drive Art Walk in Charlotte, NC. It was a long road of self-discovery to get there. Year 1 Over the years, I have been trying to grow as an …
Contrary to what you may think most successful artists do not wake up one day and suddenly find themselves with flourishing careers. Gaining the respect and notoriety that comes with being an artist doesn’t simply happen. It takes time, effort, and patience. Starting my business I would not have considered myself an artist (although I …
As a fairly new Pyrography Artist (and it’s taken me some time to call myself an artist) I’ve been searching for my “style”. Finding your Muse All artists have a unique way that they create their art. It takes time, however, to find that style and, as a result, every artist starts as a copycat …
Fellow Guild of Charlotte Artists (@guildofcharlotteartists) member Jill Melyssa (@jillmelyssa) had the opportunity to showcase her couture jewelry in The Sound of Fashion. She asked me to be her assistant and I was thrilled to have the opportunity. A Dream Not Realized Little known Zona fact: After doing a testimonial published in a print ad …
This is part two of a series of blog posts. Part One can be found here. I spent years in retail selling other people’s products in big box stores and, to be honest, I was pretty good at it. Promoting the things other people create was “easy” for me. This was especially true if I …
It is natural to want to stick to things you know. As artists, we practice our craft over and over again, so much so that it becomes second nature. We become comfortable with techniques, ideas, practices – they become “muscle memory”. But also as artists, we need to be creative. Creativity can mean many things …
