Tag: Art Business

March 2026 – My Attempts at Adapting as an Artist in Impossible Times

It’s been awhile since I posted a more personal update, but I wanted to give a sign of life! It’s been quiet around here while I’ve been shaking up the formula with how I do things as an artist and working on commissions for private clients.

A collage of art featuring various character portraits, including a young man holding an oni mask, April and Casey from TMNT, and an insectoid warrior holding a lotus.

[Above: A peek at some of my recent private commission work.]

I have taken on as much private work as I can without overloading myself to help us stay afloat, but it’s been tough, meticulous work and I haven’t had as much free time as I’d like to work on the passion projects, like my fan cover for Cassiel’s Servant I’ve been documenting here on Patreon.

A gal’s got to eat, so hopefully Joscelin can be patient just a little longer! Here’s a little peek to tide us over. Hello, gorgeous! I have been trapped rendering and re-rendering the face trying to get it perfect, I admit.

[Above: A peek at a work-in-progress of finalizing Joscelin’s facial features.]

Thinking Outside Conventions

As I’ve mentioned, I’ve been about pivoting! I cannot run Kickstarters (my biggest money-makers) while tariffs make planning expenses unpredictable. Meanwhile, my Etsy sales have crashed even further due to being overrun with generated AI slop making it that much harder to be found and seen on the marketplace.

Social media website algorithms remain hostile to creatives unless you make videos and rage bait. Convention table and booth prices have majorly increased while everyone vies for these marketplaces that have mostly banned AI, making the chances of getting into conventions lower than they used to be, just as the hostility of social media also drives people to seek in-person venues, also upping competition for these spaces.

So what’s an artist to do?

I honestly, I thought about giving up this year, or at least temporarily shuttering everything on the art biz side of my life. However, as the ‘real day job’ opportunities aren’t calling me back either, somehow, Art has become the only option I have. (The irony!)

The answer thus far has been turning back to my local community where we can meet face to face and support one another. I’ve been looking at the galleries and markets in my town to see if focusing down on them might be a better path to reach people. You may spot me in local fairs, markets, etc. if you’re down south of ATL!

[Above: Me doing my best try at human socialization after working from home for a very long time! From my Meet the Artist event at the Staffords Arts &Craft Gallery in Fayetteville, GA.]

The Grand Return to the Art Scene (Take Two)

While last year’s attemps to work the convention circuit were a bust, I worked my first Art Fair in over 10 years! I had done this briefly before, but decided to focus on indoor shows instead because Georgia weather can be brutal. Now, I’m greeting the sun once more and not bursting into flames!

My old tent had a small hole in it and we forgot everything about how to set it up. One of my tables and a sticker display is already broken after just two events, but so far, so good! I’ve been able to make a small profit I hope to grow as I get better and faster at this.

I feel a bit like a sore thumb at these markets right now because my work is more fantastical and strange, but perhaps this will help me stand out in a good way? Time will tell! I’ve also spied a comic book shop’s market that I hope will help me meet my nerdy kind of people who might like my sword & sorcery/TTRPG work!

Returning to the Changeling Artist Collective

You may have also noticed I’ve also been taking part in the Changeling Artist Collective’s monthly auctions when I can! The Collective was on hiatus for awhile, but we’ve been back since December with monthly thematic creations for auction. We hope that people are seeking connections with real artists, enjoying an online exhibition of themed work each month, while also knowing their support is a salve for these hard-working creators who are all combining their forces to fight the algorithm.

I’ve sold two masks and a limited edition print in this month’s auction and I’m so thankful for that! Definitely follow the Collective on Facebook, Instagram, and our email newsletter if you don’t want to miss out on seeing our art and perchance supporting any of our talented member artists.

[Above: A collage of my original and limited edition art from this month’s Changeling auction.]

Hang in There!

I know times are tough all around and things are uncertain right now. Make moves where you can and remember what the light feels like. Fellow artists/creatives, stay tough! Art brings people solace in dark times and nurtures the soul in unseen ways, even if the world would try to trick us into thinking otherwise.

See you around, maybe?

♥ Ang

Con Report – Multiverse Convention 2025

It’s been a long time since I did a con report! Ah friends, it felt really good to be back on the circuit. The small, chill show that was Multiverse Convention was the perfect event for me to make a convention comeback! This year, I came representing my Birthstone Goddesses since I was the most prepared with inventory for this spread, but I’m hoping next year I can apply with my Dark Fantasy/TTRPG work instead.

Multiverse was small enough to not be too stressful and right on our doorstep as a local event, which made it also doubly amazing for being an easy setup and for getting to network with other creative types in my area.

I was so thrilled to reconnect with other artist friends like Ariel Burgess, Rachel Rieckenberg Becker, and Amy Brewer-Davenport and to meet new friends in-person like Emily and Lauren Brown! Lauren and I, in particular, have been admiring each other’s work for years, so it was one of my biggest joys of the con to have our parallel Art Nouveau worlds finally collide!

Meeting a few writers at the con also energized me to start indulging that side of my artistic spirit again. It’s been difficult to start for many reasons, but seeing other people passionate and motivated infects me with their spark.

PANELS! I also worked 4 panels over the course of con! I got to geek out about video game adaptations, chat references and figure drawing, and sketch costumed con-goers.
(Did you attend one of the panels I was on? Say hi in the comments!)

Who knew that the gentleman tv would be my fave sketch of the figure drawing panel?

My Bestsellers

Unsurprisingly for the down economy we’re currently in, most of my sales were of small items. I tried to keep most of my items $25 and under, with the exception of things like my original paintings and masks that were pricier, none of which sold from my booth or the Art Show. Most people bought:

  • Stickers (that 3 sticker deal was popular for gifting)

  • Enamel Pins

  • Drawstring Pouches

  • Coloring Books

If I could ever get organized to do a tote bag Birthday gift set for each of my Birthstone Goddesses, I think that would be really popular, but I’m still brainstorming how to present that at in-person events and how to present them in a shiny and unique way.

My Convention Display

I always take a picture of my display for future improvements! I have to say that this year I was very satisfied with my display and how the crowd interacted with it. Beyond a few minor fixes, I don’t have any major improvements I’d make.

Most of my nitpicks would be related to the space for the booth not being consistent with what was advertised by the vendor info. We were supposed to have an 8×8 ft space with a 7.5 ft table, but ended up with more of an 8x10x8 space with a table that was too large for an 8×8, which is the reason for the gap in the back. Thankfully, my vendor neighbors were forgiving and the staff assigned me against the wall where I had more flexibility after discussing my carpet walls with them.

Otherwise, I’m so pleased with how the new Lady of November standee worked out! She’ll be perching in my studio till the next event.

I’ve already gotten a few questions about where I got my displays, which I’ll share in a dedicated post with a list of the equipment in the near future!

The Verdict

We made a small profit after making back the fees, but the true gift of con was finding my kindred spirits again. I hope to come back next year with more writing under my belt so I can also experience the Writing tracks of the con that I missed this time around.

I also have a list of local art shows and figure drawing to check out since this con was so close to home, which is an awesome bonus.

This might be my last con again for awhile till life and medical chaos calms down, but I’m so grateful for my time there, for the awesome people, and for the chill atmosphere.

Catch you all again next year, hopefully!

♥ Ang

Giving Thanks 2024 Edition – How Patrons Have Helped Me + Artist Tools List

Every year, I like to share how much of a difference that you, my dear Patrons, have made in my life. My earnings here may seem like only a trifling amount to most folks, but when you’re a one-person biz/artist, that little amount can be used for a lot!

Your support has meant so much especially during this tough year when my husband and I have had a rough time with industry layoffs. I also wanted to pay homage to all the invisible ways your support is used that may not otherwise be known to most.

Here’s a list of all the things that your Patronage has helped me with this year, with referral links to where you can find them, should they help you or others out as well.

Shelving for my Studio

One of the most subtle, but amazing upgrades you guys helped me to afford this year! When we first moved in to our new house (and first home) a couple of years back, the move went in a hurry and my would-be studio space was turned into the catch-all overflow storage of the house. It was a paralyzing space to try and work in!

Every other month or so, I’ve been snagging shelving like this one to help me organize my space and especially my art and frames, which will get damaged if I stack it the wrong way. It’s helped give me peace of mind in my workspace!

(I’ll have to do a full studio tour with a breakdown of my studio makeover in a later entry once the makeover is more complete!)

DaVinci Resolve Premium

This year, I’ve started taking steps to leave Adobe’s ecosystem due to its predatory practices, which has been a challenge for me because it’s meant taking the time to learn all-new software. I’ve chosen DaVinci Resolve as a free option for editing my videos. I was finally able to take the step to upgrade it during all the good sales this holiday season thanks to your support. Having the premium version gives me access to more transitions, the auto-captioning tool, and more!

Ads for my Etsy shop

One of the more invisible things I do with your support. In this economy with so much competition in the online space, it’s been helpful to be able to afford ads on Etsy and Facebook, especially during my big art/product launches. Ads are always a gamble though because they’re not guaranteed to work, so not being scared to spend that money really helps me out!

Artist’s Hand Model

As soon as I saw the articulation on this model, I knew I had to have it! Hands are some of the most difficult things to draw, especially at odd angles. This is going to prove so useful. These models often go out of stock so I’m happy I was able to snap it up before it got rare and expensive!

Artist’s Models

Much like the hand model, these lil guys help me understand foreshortening I can’t otherwise find in reference packs. I have the TOA Heavy Industries Synthetic 1/12th type. I’ve used 3D programs to help me figure out poses before, but I prefer to set up my poses more quickly with a physical figure I can quickly manipulate.

(The artists models and posable hand in action!)

Artist’s Reference Packs

Finally, one of the most useful tools in my repertiore that extra funds facilitates. I always prefer to have a real model to work from because anatomy is difficult and quality reference photos are worth their weight in gold.

Thankfully, we have amazing stock providers like Grafit, Satine Zillah, Obscura 29, and Mels Mneyan, who are my go-tos with amazing reference packs and affordable prices! Gone are the days where I’d have to pay for limited run stock from istock or similar services. Most of these packs come with extremely artist-friendly unlimited licensing for one user.

(A concept art pose pack from Grafit with really handy character poses.)

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Thanks so much for those of you who continue to support me here! A little goes a long way and it means a lot when you choose to continue your support when there’s so much stress and uncertainty in the world right now.

Here’s to another year of art, creativity, and feeling the love!

Thanks from the bottom of my heart,
<3 Ang

Share the Work Challenge Day 1 – Clarify Your Vision & Why Your Work Matters

It’s been a strange time for me right now. Over the past few years, I’ve created an amazing amount of work for my Birthstone Goddesses project, but now I’m in a place where I feel overwhelmed by the prospect of getting all that work out into the world in a meaningful way!  I’ve been learning as I go along using my background in Arts Admin to fly by the seat of my pants, but as far as knowing anything about fine art marketing, I don’t feel my knowledge is adequate.

And that’s why Emily Jefford‘s Making Art Work course has piqued my interest of late!  Emily’s name has floated to me over the past couple years as someone who has mentored some amazingly talented folks I know, like Naomi VanDoren, Emily Hare, and Kiri Leonard, to name a few.  Her course focuses on fine art marketing from the ground up, from exploring your motivations as a creator to how you can build a sustainable business out of your art.  It sounds perfect for helping me feel just a little less crushed beneath the weight of my unorganized ambitions!

As such, I’m hopping on Emily’s free preview course Share the Work 2021, which challenges you to 5 days of prompts that help you explore some basic thought processes for getting your business and your art organized for success.  I’ll be sharing my progress here as I complete each worksheet!  Enjoy this rip-roaring ride because I’m starting a little late.  Share the Work goes away on the 25th (in 6 days)! 

Feel free to take the mini-course with me and share your thoughts here in the comments (or on my Discord).

First Impressions

I gotta be honest, guys.  All these questions about why I create art and what meaning my art has for others proved really difficult!  I’ve never tried to dive too much deeper into why I do what I do, except when I’ve been forced to for school assignments and artist’s statements.  I’ve always loved making art.  It’s been second nature for so long that I’ve not really questioned it! 

Was there any deeper meaning than ‘because I like doing it’?  More particularly, I started creating my Birthstone Goddesses because I love Mucha and wanted to create something that channeled that sense of awe and beauty I get from my favorite Art Nouveau pieces.  What more meaning did I need than “because I enjoy doing it and maybe other people might like it too?”.  The answers I found through this closer examination intrigued me!

Day 1 Challenge Worksheet

Why do you create? What keeps you coming back to the process?

The joy of realizing ideas for things I love and want to see more of in the world.  The happiness that comes from mastering a skill.  The joy of learning new things.

What meaning does your creative work bring to your life?

Creating images, characters, and stories that resonate and teach people how to be people be better people brings me joy.  Spreading an appreciation of nature, beauty, and stories also fulfills me.

How does it benefit others?
Try to go a little deeper than “it’s pretty” — though that totally counts!

I hope that sharing my art helps others gain a similar appreciation that I feel from stories and imagery that teach and empower others.  My goddesses, in particular, provide aspirational magic and beauty to empower those individuals whose months each goddess represents.

What messages do you convey through your art?

My Birthstone Goddesses convey a respect for the primal waxing and waning of life and death, the cycle of human festivals of life, love, and death.  They pay homage to the cycle of the year that reflect human existence, while also empowering women, the unseen, and underappreciated.

Why does this message matter to you?

I see a lack of the kind of stories about empathy and complex morality in the world and I want to explore them.  I also want to see more people who look like my multiracial family.  I want to normalize different types of human beauty and to empower myself and others by telling stories that relate to them and motivate them towards positive change.

Conclusions

I was very surprised to see many of my answers leading back to the idea of female empowerment and personal empowerment, though it made sense once I dove deep and connected the dots to the things I personally love, like the history of historical women and other underappreciated figures.  It was not an accident that my Birthstone Goddesses span a more diverse range of races, which represent my own colorful family, starting with my olive-skinned Latina mother for December. 

These answers also reinforce what I’ve seen at conventions in the past.  For example, many folks would pick up the Lady of September (my most popular print), because they liked that she represented an interesting depiction of their personal birth month.  She empowered them in a way that other depictions of September by other artists haven’t.

I’m also realizing I’ve been marketing my Birthstone Goddesses more as an illustrator would.  I’ve been very focused on the fantastical lore I’ve come up for their function as goddesses.  Fine Art, from what I’m gathering from the lectures thus far, is more focused on what a buyer sees of themselves in a piece of work or what that art says about them if they display it.

Hopefully, I can figure out how best to combine both of these approaches!  I love telling fantastical stories and I’d love for people to feel empowered and awed by my goddesses without requiring them to necessarily read their lore write-ups.

Tomorrow’s challenge is Sharing Your Vision With Your Audience, which asks probing questions about inspiration and our ideal customers.  Should be fun!