Chat with Tamra Sundboom Voigt - Masterpiece Studios

Hey Everyone!

Quick post letting you know Tamra Sundboom Voigt with Masterpiece Studios will be chatting with us at the upcoming "2nd Thursdays" text chat group on ArtlicensingShow.com (for paid members).

This is open to anyone interested in Art Licensing: Manufacturers, Art Directors, Retailers, Agents, and Artists :-D . Sept. 8th 2016, 6:30 pm CST USA/Chicago time.

http://www.worldtimebuddy.com/

Send questions to me! info@AnnGraphics.com. I will post them here a day or so before we chat. 

BIG THANKS to Tami for joining us for a fun hour of chatting!

Artist Spotlight - Cherish Flieder, artist and designer of Something to Cherish® and founder of ArtLicensingShow.com®

 

Hi Annie! Thanks for the opportunity to be in the spotlight. It’s a honor to be here and share with you and your readers. - My absolute pleasure! (Annie)

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?

I have been “self-teaching” since before I can remember. I grew up creating art and little gift products to give and sell to friends and family. My parents were very supportive and encouraged me to take some extra art classes, and enrolling me at University of Colorado when I was 16 years old to study painting and life drawing during the summer break. I won numerous awards for my art and enough scholarships to put me through a few different degree programs in college. I took classes in ALL the art majors and as many non-art electives as possible at a total of 4 colleges! In 4 years, I had earned the equivalent of a triple BFA in Illustration, Graphic Design and Fine Art with a minor in Leadership and emphases in French and Biblical Studies. You can probably tell by now that I LOVE to learn. I have never stopped taking classes in areas of the arts, business and marketing. Every job I do and every person I meet is an opportunity to learn something new. I feel very blessed for all the teachers, bosses, and clients that influenced me. I also follow current artists/designers of many disciplines, including the many greats that came before us. There is so much out there to explore and learn if you make a point to do it.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?

Combining and mixing media tends to be the best method for me. Water based media like watercolor, gouache and acrylics, are just fabulous for the way I like to create. Inks are also a favorite to add to the mix. Colored pencils, pastels, markers, and even 3D elements like paper collage, fabric, and embroidery have made their way into my works over the years. Working digitally is also easy for me. I enjoy using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, but prefer the handmade look and feel of traditional artwork. I’m always looking for a new way to approach a medium and add it to my art making toolbox. Recently, I have been exploring gold and silver leafing. Someday, I wish to do some more encaustic painting, as well.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?

Thinking and problem solving is what I do most, thus an idea can come from just about anywhere. Nature, especially florals, and COLOR are a great influence on me. Experiences that I’ve had or idealized experiences and stories can be a great jumping off point for a new collection. Traveling is very influential when I get the chance. My hard drive is over-stuffed with thousands upon thousands of photos of my curious explorations from Canada to Mexico and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and everywhere in between.

What are you working on now?

All kinds of things! I just finished teaching an intensive 8-week class on Illustration Marketing that I developed for Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design. I’m working on some 3-D garden decor pieces, stationery items, repeats for fabric and home accessory items. We just signed a deal for stamps to go with our Something to Cherish® stencils. I can’t wait to get some to play with! I’ll be posting about these projects and more on my blog (www.SomethingtoCherish.com/blog) and on Instagram (www.Instagram.com/cherishart) and Facebook (www.Facebook.com/SomethingToCherish) in the coming months. Stay tuned!

I am also excited to be co-leading an art retreat called ArtBizJam this fall (www.ArtBizJam.com). It’s the perfect 3-day getaway for any art licensing artist who wants to re-energize their creativity and level-up their business. I’m honored to be teaching my top art marketing tips and tools alongside of very talented artists Lori Siebert and Phyllis Dobbs who will be teaching from their areas of creativity, product design and licensing expertise. The best part is that we have a marvelous guest speaker, Susan January, art director VP at Leanin’ Tree. She will be sharing her expertise about the greeting card industry all 3-days, looking at portfolios and answering questions of all the attendees. It’s going to be a marvelous opportunity to learn even more about the world of social expressions in a small classroom environment.

However, the project that takes up most of my time that I’m super excited about is the ArtLicensingShow.com. It’s thrilling to hear back from so many artists who have signed deals by using the site. The art directors are loving how easy it is to login and see lots of FRESH, NEW art for licensing. It’s free for art directors/manufacturers who license art to join (similar to joining LinkedIn for example, once you are in, you can connect with the artists). Any pro in the business is also invited to sign up for a free listing in the Ultimate Art Licensing Directory (artists, agents, attorneys, vendors, coaches etc…). You never know who will be looking for you! Also, for artists who are super serious about both protecting their art online AND submitting it to key art directors at the same time, this is the place to be. There are several affordable membership levels that allow you to upload and privately share your work with the people you want to work with most. Best of all, you keep 100% of your profits from any deal you sign from using the site. It really is a virtual art licensing show. We have many things in the works for our upcoming 1 year anniversary! It’s an exciting time.

Of course, you know all about it Annie, since you lead our most popular group on Art Licensing Show called 2nd Thursdays (http://artlicensingshow.com/groups/2nd-thursdays/) Thanks for asking me to share a little update. ;)

Are you an early riser? or night owl?

Night owl is my original nature, but lately with the winter cold, I’ve enjoyed getting up early to enjoy more warm sunlight in my studio.

What is your favorite food?

Chocolate, of course! I especially like the dark kind with a fruity pairing like orange, cherry or raspberry. I also drink a lot of herbal tea. :)

Any great advice for our readers?

Do whatever it takes to find the courage to follow your dreams. It’s not easy, but life is short and precious. It’s worth facing the fears, it’s worth the sacrifices, and it’s worth the extra measure of forgiveness to have an open heart and free mind to focus on your passionate callings. Take every opportunity you can and MAKE even more opportunities to be the person you are created to be.

Anything else you would like to share with us?

I just want to say that I’m profoundly grateful for all the incredible people in our vibrant art licensing community. When I exhibited at my first international licensing show, I knew that I had finally met “my people.” Having been in and around people in this business for so long, I know for a fact that the creatives who make it in this business are the hardest working artists on the planet. They are extraordinarily passionate about making a contribution to the world. They are incredibly dedicated to do all that is required and they are always willing to lend a helping hand to someone on the way up. Hats off to ALL of you! May your generosity and kindness be rewarded and your creativity never fade.

You can find Cherish online at:

Something to Cherish® http://somethingtocherish.com

This is the place to find my blog, art boutique, craft DIYs, and links to all my social media. <3

ArtLicensingShow.com®: http://artlicensingshow.com/members/somethingtocherish/profile/

Learn more about Art Licensing Show at www.RedCarpet.ArtLicensingShow.com

Thanks so much Cherish for shouting out my "2nd Thursdays" group and for letting us get a peek into your very busy world. I am inspired!

Do you want to be spotlighted? email me info@AnnGraphics.com. Make my day and follow this blog! Leave your thoughts and reactions in the comments below - thanks :-D 

 

Don't Delay! It is time for Art Licensing Academy!

Starts March 9th, 2016

Here is a blurb from the Art Licensing Info website:

Art Licensing Academy

Do you want to make money doing what you love? Do you want to learn about the world of art licensing? Do you enjoying learning in group sessions?

Next session starts on March 9th!

While each artist’s path to earning an income in art licensing will be as unique as their art, there are disciplines and business strategies that can be taught to help shorten your learning curve.

Our ART LICENSING ACADEMY is a group coaching program that allows artists access to information, support, and inspiration in their quest for knowledge about the art licensing industry.

Click here and I will make a couple bucks to help support this blog! THANKS! Sign up for ALA -- this is an affiliate link.

Not interested in supporting my blog. That's cool. I want you to get the info you need regardless. click here http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/art-licensing-academy/

These guys KNOW their stuff!

John Mavrakis

John draws on his deep executive expertise with brand titans Hallmark, American Greetings, Discovery Channel, The Body Shop, Intl., Kathy Davis Studios, Mary Engelbreit Studios, and The Gap/Banana Republic to strategize and execute the mission of ideaologie.

 

Melissa Schulz

Melissa’s vast experience as a Creative Leader, associated with leading brands such as Hallmark, Hard Rock, American Greetings, and Kathy Davis to name a few. With 20 years of experience in the art licensing and product development fields, Melissa has strategically led creative teams through transitional, successful and growth periods. Charged with entrepreneurial spirit, she has spent years helping artists and companies strategize their business growth path. Most recently, Melissa has devoted much time building the Kathy Davis brand online through social media marketing, as well as great success in traditional marketing channels.  Through the process of building her own jewelry line, she has proven her “hands on” capabilities in all aspects of the business. Finally, she is an optimist, a relationship builder and a brand ambassador – all things that have helped season her for her latest challenge to strategize and execute the mission of ideaologie.

let me know if you sign up and keep me posted on how the class goes for you.

 

Marketing 101 for Artists - Starts TOMORROW!

Howdy Everyone!
Just wanted to pop in to let you know Marketing 101 for Artists starts tomorrow! These guys know their stuff!

Also for this class only they are including an Individualized Website and Social Media Critique.

This is an affiliate link below to sign up - I will make a few dollars if you sign up by clicking this link which I REALLY appreciate you supporting this blog and all the awesome experts that have taken the time to share what they know with us - thanks!

More info https://jb155.isrefer.com/go/Mrkt101-February2016/anntroe/

A bit about them from their website:

John Mavrakis

John draws on his deep executive expertise with brand titans Hallmark, American Greetings, Discovery Channel, The Body Shop, Intl., Kathy Davis Studios, Mary Engelbreit Studios, and The Gap/Banana Republic to strategize and execute the mission of ideaologie.

Melissa Schulz

Melissa’s vast experience as a Creative Leader, associated with leading brands such as Hallmark, Hard Rock, American Greetings, and Kathy Davis to name a few. With 20 years of experience in the art licensing and product development fields, Melissa has strategically led creative teams through transitional, successful and growth periods. Charged with entrepreneurial spirit, she has spent years helping artists and companies strategize their business growth path. Most recently, Melissa has devoted much time building the Kathy Davis brand online through social media marketing, as well as great success in traditional marketing channels.  Through the process of building her own jewelry line, she has proven her “hands on” capabilities in all aspects of the business. Finally, she is an optimist, a relationship builder and a brand ambassador – all things that have helped season her for her latest challenge to strategize and execute the mission of ideaologie.

let me know if you sign up and keep me posted on how the class goes for you.

Artist Spotlight - Tara Reed

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
No art school for me!  I’ve just always loved to create.  I grew up watching my dad – who was a college Astronomy professor – drawing cartoons and aspired to be as good as him. I remember coveting his art board on his desk and sitting in his home office with him drawing. Now that he has Alzheimer’s, he can no longer draw and has no idea who we all are, it’s a fond memory I can hold onto.

I actually have a degree in Marketing from Penn State and went into sales after college.  That business education and experience, combined with a love of creating, turned out to be a great combination when I discovered the world of art licensing in 2004. Art licensing is, after all, the marriage of art and business with the end goal of selling products.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
When I started I primarily worked in watercolor combined with pen & ink. As the years have passed, my computer skills have improved and I now do quite a bit of designing in Photoshop and Illustrator, depending on both what I am inspired to do and what my clients are looking for.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
The creative challenge of designing new collections that will work for products keeps me going.  Again – playing with the link between art & business.  I love working with manufacturers or coming up with an idea on my own and then figuring out who to pitch it to. 

I am also inspired to do what I do so I can have the lifestyle I want.  I was basically a single mom for 8+ years and wanted to be at home with my son – licensing my art has allowed me to work from home and have a lot of flexibility with my time.  There is definitely a trade off between having a more traditional job and being self-employed.  I provide my own benefits and never really “punch the clock” and leave the job.   But for me, the trade offs are worth it and I enjoy the challenges that come with it.

Now that my son is about to graduate from college, I don’t need to work from home to be with him but I don’t think I could ever go back to a traditional job. The time and location flexibility (when and where I work) is important to me and I like the freedom to follow my interests and passions and see where they can take me.

For example, last summer I sold my Art Licensing Info business that I had built from an idea to a leading source of education for artists about how this business works. It was a 7 year passion but with some personal things that have been going on – my passion and focus in my writing and teaching was itching to shift.

What are you working on now?
Selling ArtLicensingInfo.com was a really hard decision but one I felt I had to do at the core of my being. For the past few years we have been dealing with my dad’s decline into dementia and Alzheimer’s. It is devastating to a family and incredibly stressful and hard to figure out what to do and to figure out how to stay happy while going through it. There is so much information out there but much of it felt disjointed as well as conflicting.

I started a new website, PivotToHappy.com, at first with the intention of sharing the many skills I’ve learned to pivot my perspective to lead a happier life. I wanted to help other people do that too – everyone has some sort of adversity. Now it has pivoted to focus primarily on supporting people with a loved one with dementia or Alzheimer’s. I’ve written a book, blog and have a free webinar to help. I’m sharing the roadmap I created for my family through a program so that people are making decisions outside of the emotion of a crisis, planning ahead and decreasing their stress levels so they can enjoy the time they do have.

I think my “sweet spot” is helping those who’s parent or loved one has had a recent diagnosis – that’s when things come to a head and you truly don’t know which way to turn, what to do or who to trust.  I’ve been through this and we are now dealing with everything the severe stage of dementia brings. My goal is to help people feel some control in the chaos and more peace than I had in my journey.

If any of your readers or anyone they know are facing this – please tell them about my site – PivotToHappy.com

I released a coloring book last year – Color Yourself Happy – that is available through Amazon and is doing well. In addition to pretty pictures it has some “seek and find” elements in it – the word HAPPY is in every design and there are three arrows to find too – to remind you that no matter what is happening, you can always PIVOT your perspective to find a happier way of looking at things. 

I’m also adding more lined journals to my line on Amazon – people can see everything available on my author page at http://amazon.com/author/tarareed

Of course I’m always working on new art for licensing too! This will be the first year in 12 that I won’t have a booth at SURTEX because my son will be graduating from college the same weekend and I wanted to give all my energy to that once-in-a-lifetime event! So my work will be to stay on the radar and let everyone know that I’m not gone, just gone for this year. ☺

Any great advice for our readers? Enjoy the process and don’t take anything for granted. I have learned so many lesson through the journey with my dad’s Alzheimer’s but the biggest one is that no one is guaranteed the time to do what we want to do. If you are inspired to try something – figure it out and go for it!

Also make sure you make time to take care of yourself, have fun and make wonderful memories with the people you love. When you work for yourself it is often easy to get on the hamster wheel of work and assume you can “take that vacation, have that adventure, etc” later… but you never know.

BALANCE and the pursuit of happiness – that is the key to living well.

Anything else you would like to share with us? 
There is a saying I love, “Life is what happens while you are making other plans”.  I’m a big planner and will admit to having some “control issues”. I like to know how things will turn out if I take certain actions but if life has taught me anything it’s that your plans don’t always lead you where you think you are heading.

My life has been full of pivots – many that were painful and hard to recover from - divorce, my dad’s diagnosis, business disappointments, crazy dating experiences…  But looking back I know that they all lead to where I am today and taught me to trust my intuition even when everyone else thought I was crazy to follow the path I chose.

Some thought I was crazy to try and start a business when I was getting divorced – and an ART business at that! Many thought I was crazy to spend any time trying to build an online business teaching about the art business I created… then when it was a success and I decided to sell it? You can imagine how crazy people thought that was!  And those are just a few of the art related examples…

Be willing to go for it and know that it’s ok if it doesn’t work out. Some things will, others won’t – just always look for the next adventure!

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
Early riser. To be honest, it is rare that my head isn’t on a pillow by 11 pm unless I’m swept up in a project and the creativity is flowing.  Even then, 12:30 or 1 pm is pretty much my limit.

What is your favorite food?
Chocolate. Although it’s catching up with me so I’m trying to find a vegetable that can take its place as my favorite. In honor of this post going live on February 5th, I’ll give a shout-out to Nutella – LOVE IT!  (Did you know today is National Nutella Day?) A warm crepe filled with Nutella – now that is a dream come true!

You can find Tara:

ABOUT ART:
TaraReed.com
Facebook.com/TaraReedDesigns
Twitter.com/ArtistTaraReed
Instagram.com/ArtistTaraReed

ABOUT HAPPINESS & ALZHEIMER’S:
PivotToHappy.com
Facebook.com/PivotToHappy
Twitter.com/PivotToHappy
Instagram.com/PivotToHappy

Thanks so much Tara :-) Leave your thoughts about all the insights Tara shared below - can't wait to hear from you!

Do you want to be spotlighted? Send me an email: info@AnnGraphics.com

Make my day and follow this blog :-D Don't want to miss the good stuff? Sign up for my newsletter ;-)

 

10 Things You Don't Know About Me

1. Hired a PR firm to market my graphic design business.
Many of you know I have an agent :-) I used to do it all on my own and I really like having such talented help! PR firm: http://www.rljgroup.com  Agent: http://artsdg.com

2. Mashed potatoes and gravy is/are my favorite food!
Since I have a mild chocolate addiction - I best mention chocolate is also my favorite food.

3. Always have a couple of running to-do lists.
Usually just two list. One work, one personal. They help keep me on track AND are a good way to remember things. It empties my spinning head :-) I never get all the way through a list because there is usually something new to add. That is OK, it is job security! I re-write my work to-do list every couple of days or so - it gets messy.

4. Own TWO Volkswagen Beetles...
When my daughter (19 yrs.) turned 16, I gave her my beloved red VW bug and purchased a newer used yellow VW bug - you can click the photo if you need it larger for reading. Yes! we get looks when people see two bugs in the driveway/garage... My daughter and I are like Ketchup and Mustard ;-)

5. Like to use paint out of the tube.
I know you palette mixers are cringing right about now. It is practicle. No mixing or a lot less mixing of color. Easy to pick up later, I don't have to try to save mixed paint. And, I like the bright colors right out of the tube.

6. Exercise every day Monday - Friday.
Why?! I think part of it is just that I have been doing it so long. Also, I can sit/stand alone in my office for long periods of time and it gets me out of the office. I played a lot of sports growing up and like to move.

7. Make jumping frogs and stars when I am scanning in a collection.
The frogs are a half of a post-it note. The stars are cut strips of paper 1/2" x 11". I scan really large and it takes a few minutes to scan an image in. My son (23 yrs). Is a graphic designer for Big Frog Custom T-shirts and More. He took a half gallon mason jar to work full of frogs! They hand them out to kids and adults :-)

8. Spelling is a stuggle for me - I leave out words too. (struggle ;-)
Just always has been a challenge. No clue why - I will see (later) a post of mine on social media with a type-o or an oops. There are worse things in life. When spell check came out - I was THRILLED!

9. My cat Freckles fetches paper wads.
I had another cat that did this too. It just happens over time. I throw a small paper wad an they attack it. Over time, they figure out if they bring it back, I will throw it again.

10. Need to call the copyright office - again.
I have a collection that has been on the copyright site for 13 months. They must be busy.

Whatcha think? Any questions for me? :-) Anything you want to share?
Thank you for stopping by the blog - always fun to see you.

Art Licensing Academy is Open - Register by 9/20/14 Get 3 FREE Books!

 

Quick post to let you know

Hey Doodlebugerz,
For those of you who are interested in Art Licensing Academy there is a GREAT FREE bonus if you register by September 20, 2014. Yup, it is the 3 books in the photo above! I am reading The Big Leap right now and The War of Art is on my to do list. I think I better ad the 3rd book to my to do list too :-)

This link is an affiliate link - if you click on it and purchase, I get a small fee as an affiliate that helps support my blog. THANK YOU! Art Licensing Academy

If you don't want me to get the fee - here is a non-affiliate link. No worries. I would rather you get the info! Art Licensing Academy

Staycation Update:

On a whim I tossed out into the internet if anyone would be interested in a group text chat to talk about Tara's free Staycation Audios. 15 of you signed up and I am thrilled how well the first group chat went! My fingers were sore from trying to type fast ;-) I really enjoyed chatting with other creative souls.

Be sure to stay connected with me :-D

FREE Audio Series! Starts August 4, 2014

 

I just signed up! Did you?! If you want, we can group email chat about what we get out of it each week. 

 

This is kind of like Tara's Ask Calls - delivered to your inbox every Monday in August!

I really enjoy Tara's Ask Calls for two reasons. 1. I am listening to people who get artists! 2. I ALWAYS pick up wonderful nuggets of information :-)

Even if you have been in the business for quite awhile - hearing another person perspective can give you just the insight or idea that you needed. SO, I would appreciate it if you click the image above to sign up - It is FREE, I won't make any $$ from it. It does let Tara know you heard it from me which I really do appreciate!

Here is the gist of the audios that arrive in your inbox every Monday in August - more info on Tara's site CLICK HERE.

WEEK 1. The basics of art licensing

WEEK 2. How to "package" your art to appeal to licensees (the manufacturers and retailers who license art)

WEEK 3. How your beliefs and mindsets can support or sabotage your success

WEEK 4. Tips to let the right people know that you have art for licensing

I am interested in weeks 2 - 4. If you want to group email chat with me, leave your email in the comments below. OR if you are worried about spammers picking up your email, send it to me directly at anntroe@cox.net.

Looking forward to connecting with you!