Artist Spotlight - Cathy Braffet Richardson

 

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
Art to me: The constant appreciation of visual awareness is something that inspires me every day... whether working on a freelance project, creating my own line of designs, hosting a workshop or collaborating with my kids on an art project or dreaming about starting a creative business with my daughter Melissa, art and the creative process is part of my soul.

Looking back to my drawings and paintings as a kid, I have always loved bright color, whimsical line and bold shapes.​ ​From a very young age I remember creating art.... when ever I could. I vividly remember how I felt looking at colors in the sky at different times of the day, and the negative space/composition looking up into the sky through canopy of leaves in a tree. Nature’s lessons shaping my passion of graphic arts and design before I even knew what that was. I believe my creative connection with others, a relationship with nature and a spiritual trust have all built my foundation as an artist.

I received my BFA from Syracuse University's School of Visual Art, where I learned creative discipline and confidence that I could be one day be successful doing what I love. THIS, and supportive parents were the key to the start of my professional life as an artist. After college I studied abroad in Europe through a post graduate semester at Parsons and found my passion of printed fabric and architecture. Both geometric, and organic forms and the repetition in both design disciplines have also shaped my style and visual presence. During my early 20s I lived and worked in NYC. My first graphic design position was at Kick Design where I learned what licensed character art "was". The impact of how the design process of licensed consumer goods was a field I would eternally be connected to. In the mid 90s I was hired by The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles as a staff designer at Disney Consumer Products​. ​This to me was an artist's dream come true.​  ​
Learning about licensing, design in consumer markets from my mentors during this time of my life helped me build confidence in own art style and brought me to where I am today. My licensing agents, Paul and Marcy at Creatif have been wonderful helping me grow as an illustrator. My clients help me to grow professionally but also allow me to keep current in market trends and ​in​ technology.
​Most importantly, ​​my family teaches and supports me daily with creative balance and bless my life. This is an art of itself.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?​  ​
​On a daily basis I work in Adobe Illustrator and have a love affair with vector points for sure. That​ said, it is my natural joy to paint and draw in a mixed medium format with acrylics/dyes/pens brushes and textures in my sketch books. Creating art with others in either a one-on-one or workshop format “fills my cup! And gets the creative juices flowing”.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?​ 
I find inspiration from my kids; their interests, their lifestyle markets in apparel, home goods, social media trends, music and actually their dreams and desires. I also have always found inspiration through color palettes in fashion and in nature, amazing visual artists, activists and yogis and of course our beautiful Texas Sky....

How did you start licensing your art?​ 
Throughout my career I have worked with entertainment licenses ie Disney etc, designing art for a license OR designing art-product for a licensee. I thought for many years, if flowers I create for Minnie Mouse can sell and be admired, "MY" Flowers for Cathy B. can sell too! Creatif, my agents and I found each other at a perfect time and the story moves on and up from there :)

What are you working on now?​
Currently I am freelancing for The Disney Stores and saving up my pennies to start a creative business with my daughter Melissa. We are so excited to create & sell "our art line" on t shirts and other products! Its WIP and very exciting!!!! I am also working on a line of baby prints in a watercolor style which is sort of new for me.

Any great advice for our readers?
My advice to any creative person, is DON'T GIVE UP! And to ​have an ​open mind to see and hear others in a creative process. I have learned there are MANY ways and many directions to take something and always areas to grow - a project, a career direction and a dream. Knowing or experiencing what you "don't like" is just as important as knowing what you LOVE.  Don't be scared ​professionally ​to share your art with others. Supporting other artists, trusting in creative collaboration is amazing! Respect, have gratitude and embrace the "art" of communication and connection with others, with your art and with your creative environment.

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I would love to ask the reader a question, What is your life purpose and what is your mission with your art? This is something I have been working on personally for the past few years and has been extremely important to me in my creative and professional journey. What I have come up with is this: AND I LOVE it. It have brought a deeper purpose into my art and my direction.

care. create. communicate 
This is my mission and my creative purpose.

Gosh, I'd love for you all to check out my website. In the new year, it will be updated with some really fun new and current projects​ as well as a link to "our store" My daughter and I are opening up a very special little business!  www.cathybdesign.com ​

Are you an early riser? or night owl? 
I am a total night owl and some of my best work comes from working all nighters and sometimes even last minute deadlines! (shhh!) :) ​Finding your groove with sleep patterns/creative process for sure helps​ with starting and or finishing a project! Now that took years to figure out.....

What is your favorite food?​  ​
Dark chocolate, my daughter's chocolate chip cookies, "The Fountain" veggie juice from Juice Land​ and yellow tail sushi.

You can find Cathy Braffet Richardson: 
www.cathybdesign.com ​

I also have a little word of mouth local"ish" side business creating personalized gifts​ ​that might be worth checking out: http://www.facebook.com/cathybdesign

Creatif Licensing: http://www.creatifusa.com/

Lastly, I want to thank Annie for connecting with me through linked in, this is such a powerful networking​ platform. Used correctly with a little elbow grease and communication skills, connecting with professionals here has been very successful. https://www.linkedin.com/in/cathybdesign

 

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Agent Spotlight - Laurie High - Creative Connection, Inc.

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?

Parker Fulton, an artist herself, started this business with two others in 1991.  After they secured 50 artists to represent very quickly, one of the partners dropped out almost immediately leaving a large work load for 2 people.  They asked me to join, and that began my journey into this business.  Not long after, the other partner dropped as well.  Parker (who is also my mother) and I have been running Creative Connection, Inc. ever since. So, I kind of fell into this, but quickly learned the ins and outs of the business including marketing, bookkeeping, contracts etc.  My college education and jobs prior to Creative Connection, Inc. did help prepare me for my roles in this business, however.

  
Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?  

Almost every year including 1991, Creative Connection, Inc. has had a booth at Surtex.   In the beginning, for several years, we also had a booth at The Licensing Show.  We secured many of our clients through those two shows.  We've walked shows and exhibited elsewhere, but Surtex has always benefited us the most, until recently.  We stopped showing at Surtex a couple of years ago and changed our tactics, due to the lessoned show traffic.  We signed up for ArtLicensingShow.com in the beta stage, and we now focus most of our attention on face-to-face meetings where our clients are located or at our office.  This seems to be working, but we won't rule out Surtex in the future.  I also spend time surfing the Internet to find clients, reading blogs, watching videos and reading newsletters, etc.  The clients who license from us the most include puzzle, needlepoint, fabric, greeting card, stained glass, and garden flag manufacturers, however there are so many other products that our designs are licensed for throughout any given year.

Do you have employees/help? 

No, we don't have any employees currently and haven't since the Internet took off so dramatically making our marketing efforts easier and faster.  I occasionally hire a graphic designer to manipulate artwork or help me create marketing materials. Some of our artists provide their art, ready to market, on promo sheets like Jessica Sporn has done with her Wildflower Collection below.  If you scroll further, you will see another promo sheet that Karen Rossi has created - Winter in the Mountains. 

How do you market artists? 

Email is the main way that we market our artists.  If appropriate for the client and seasonal needs etc., artwork is sent to clients almost immediately upon receipt. I create promo sheets on a regular basis to email or post on our web site.  Some of our artists provide their artwork, ready to show, on promo sheets which aids in getting art before the clients quickly.  In addition, I regularly update our website, send out a monthly newsletter, advertise in at least one printed publication per year and utilize Social Media.  As stated above, we have taken a two-year break from Surtex and have been meeting with clients either where they are located or on Gibson Island where we are located.  This is working for now, but it is important to remain open to trying new things, and we are.

What do you look for in an Artist?  

First and foremost, really great art, so if an artist is sending through something that is not their best, then I'm likely to say no before delving any further.  Something different is important, because I am not doing my artists any favors if I bring on someone doing the same thing.  Available artwork is important also because most clients are in such a hurry that they cannot wait to commission a design.  And, finally something that compliments what we do have because this is the kind of art our clients seek from us. We are always willing to review an artist's portfolio according to the guidelines on our website, however, we are full and have been for most of the 25 years we've been in business.

How much work do you expect an artist to create? 

This depends on the artist and the style and what's currently happening in their lives.  Ideally, I'd like to see new artwork every week, but that is not always possible, especially with the highly detailed designs.  I do send periodic requests to our artists of needed designs and trends so that they always have something to work on or towards.

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?

Marketing has completely changed and really is much easier now for several reasons - very few color copies or mailings are needed now, high res files can be instantly sent to the clients instead of original artwork for scanning, Photoshop allows for quick manipulation of images to suit various products, and the Ipad allows for complete portfolios of our 20 artists to be carried in a brief case or shoulder bag.

Any advice or information you would like to share?

Always show your best.  Always paint what you love to paint.  Be yourself, but also grow yourself.  Read "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert which is about utilizing your creative energy to the max! 

You can find Creative Connection, Inc:

View our portfolios: www.cciart.com

Connect with us on FB: www.fb.com/creative.connection.inc
Connect with us on Instagram: artful_inspiration

See us on artlicensingshow.com: https://artlicensingshow.com/members/creativeconnection/profile/

 

Make my day! and Buy me a cup of coffee (PayPal Link in right side bar, you don't need a PayPal acct.).

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Agent Spotlight - TSB & Co., Karen Hacker

 

 

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?
My business partner, Lisa Alhanati, and I were introduced to the Art Licensing world in 2000 when a cousin and successful licensed artist in Australia asked Lisa if she would be interested in promoting her artwork in the United States. At the time, Lisa and I had put our careers on hold to raise our families, but had both talked about wanting to do something where we could contribute monetarily to the family, yet enjoy the flexibility of working our own hours from home. Lisa contacted me to see if I might be interested in working together to represent  her cousin and we both thought something like this could be the perfect answer.  We could work “part time” from home promoting this Australian artist…it sounded intriguing and very glamorous! I have a degree in Art and Business and Lisa has degrees in Political Science and History. I had been involved in marketing and sales in the telecommunication and real estate industries and Lisa was a National Marketing Manager for a Marketing Firm in Australia. Very quickly, we found the licensing world to be one we absolutely loved! We researched what was involved in art licensing, went to local trade shows, contacted manufactures and trade publications to learn as much as we possibly could about the licensing industry. People in the licensing community were extremely willing to help, and we were on our way! What we thought we would do “part time” quickly turned into “full time” and more. We put together 25 license agreements that first year and landed a large order through one of our licensees for a ceramic tabletop collection at Target.  It was our first large deal, a million dollar sale! Various trade magazines began to feature our story in a variety of publications and we began to gain attention by other artists seeking representation. As a result, Lisa and I decided to create our own agency in 2005 called T.S.B. & Co., which actually stands for Two Smart Blondes.  As a “Boutique” agency, we are tremendously selective with the artists we represent, which currently includes 6 extremely talented artists; Sapna, Denise Sullivan, Jennifer Van Pelt, Janet White, Pam Layton York and newly signed artist, Jessica Mundo, along with publishing house, GS Gallery.  This past year, we also signed renowned photographer, William Carr.  We work very closely with our artists and licensees…they become like family and we feel a very strong responsibility to put the best deals together for them as possible. We prefer to keep our agency small and personal, and would choose to put 20+ deals together for each artist in a year rather than only 2 or 3 deals per year if we had 40 - 50 artists to represent.  

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?
We work with a wide variety of manufactures who produce products that range from flags, to bath and home accessories, to cards and giftware. When we first started out, Lisa and I would go to local retailers and look at the back of products to find out who the manufacturer was, and we would contact them. At that time, it was very easy to find who the manufacturers were, but now with so many private label products it is harder to find out who the actual manufacturer is for certain products. Entering the licensing world in the early 2000’s enabled us to learn who the “players” were in the industry and we have kept those contacts over the years. There are however new companies that come on the scene each year, which we discover mainly through trade publications and trade shows. 

Do you have employees/help?
We don’t have any additional full time help, but have used interns in the past to update our website, contact lists and social media. Lisa and I work very well together as a team…I handle working daily with the “front end” things such as marketing and sales, working with the artists and their artwork, contacting and working with manufactures, attending shows, putting deals together and contract negotiations and Lisa handles the back end of things…accounting, royalty reports, invoices, royalty check disbursement, developing marketing materials, and general administrative duties.    

How do you market artists? 
With being in the industry for so many years, we have been able to compile a substantial customer and contact list which we use continuously. Our artists send in new art collections regularly, which we immediately send out to our contacts depending if the artwork makes sense for their products. We also attend many of the major shows throughout the year, send out mass e-mails about our new collections, as well as use social media to share news about new artwork, products, upcoming events, etc.

 

What do you look for in an Artist?
We tend to work with licensees who market to the mass market, so we look for artists whose artwork has mass market appeal. Our ideal artist is one with an extensive library of artwork, is trend forward and has the ability to adapt and change styles as the trends change. Artists with the ability to reinvent themselves and adapt to current trends are the ones who sustain longevity in the licensing industry.  Since we work very closely with our licensees, we know what type of artwork they would be most interested in to license for their products. This industry has evolved to where there are expectations of artists to be able to manipulate their artwork in various shapes and sizes very quickly and if an artist doesn’t have the computer skills to work this way, it becomes very limiting for the artist as well as the artist’s agent to be successful.  It is essential for artists to have strong computer skills in the licensing world today. This industry works on very quick turn-around times, so flexibility and availability is very important. More and more, our licensing partners are requesting artwork to be modified to fit their customer needs, so the ability to have the computer skills to make those changes quickly is something our artists must be able to do. It is also nice for an artist to have a unique style that will differentiate themselves from other artists. They need to be able to keep up with the trends but keep to a style that is uniquely their own.  

How much work do you expect an artists to create?
Thankfully our artists are quite prolific, so besides working on the various submission requests we receive each week, our artists tend to send us at least 1 to 2 new collections each month with a collection being 4 to 10 images along with patterns, borders and mock ups.  We have all learned that the more artwork we receive and send out, the more chance of getting artwork placed and the more successful the artist becomes.

Any advice or information you would like to share?
The licensing world is one of a “hurry up and wait” mentality. Patience is definitely a virtue in this industry.  Often times we receive calls for artwork to be sent and/or modified within 24 hours, which thankfully most of the time our artists can do, but once the artwork is sent, it can take months to find out if a design is picked up. This is not an industry where monetary success is seen quickly. Once a new collection of artwork is created, it can take 1, 2 or sometimes 3 years for an artist to see royalties start coming in and see their artwork on products in stores because of the long lead times necessary for decisions to be made, product development, the sampling process, shipping and delivery. It can sometimes take 5 to 10 years for an artist to truly be able to say they are “making a living” in this business. Since entering the licensing business in 2000, there have been a lot of changes in the industry, but we feel we have adapted well.  The art licensing industry was hit hard and is still feeling effects of the 2008 recession. Long gone are the days of nice advances and guarantees being the standard when entering into an agreement.  With the way things have changed in the industry and constant requests for “new” artwork, we have had to make changes in the way we do things. A life lesson we have learned and have put into practice is that we all learn and grow the most through the most difficult times.  Thankfully we have seen a comeback in the economy over the past couple of years and we anticipate things to continue moving in a positive direction for the art licensing world.

Although there are some drawbacks to the licensing world with quick deadlines, a constant need for coming up with new trend forward artwork and long lead times before seeing monetary results, it is always worth it when we walk into a retailer and see our artist’s artwork on products being sold. We have found the licensing industry to be a community of professional artists, agents and manufactures who are willing to work together and share with one another. Besides being able to work in this exciting and rewarding industry, we have been able to create many friendships along the way.  We love what we do and look forward to being a part of the licensing world for many years to come!

TSB & Co. will be in New York in May and showing new artwork by appointment only, so call or email to schedule a meeting as soon as possible.

You can find TSB & Co:
Karen Hacker
(949) 215-2840
Karen@TSBandCo.com
www.TSBandCo.com

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Agent Spotlight - Suzanne Cruise, Cruise Creative Services, Inc.

I first ran into Suzanne Cruise, cruisecreative.com after I posted a question in an art licensing group. She contacted me directly with information that was SO helpful! Read on to get her perspective on art licensing. (click images to view larger).

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?
I started as an in house artist at Hallmark Cards (they are headquartered here in Kansas City) around 1980, I quit a few years later to freelance. There were so many companies that needed vast amounts of art I figured my income potential would go up, which it did. At the time, there were fewer than 50 artists skilled at what Hallmark had taught me, so I came to see that I was extremely fortunate to be in the right place at the right time. I had so much work, I was at my drawing board 7 days a week. I had to take time to sleep and eat, other wise, I would have taken on even more work. By 1990 I had become fried, burned out...and wondered why no one was representing the work of an artist like me. I knew that with an agent I would have more time to create art. There was no one I could find repping us, so I decided to  become a rep myself for product artists. I put the word out and w/ in 2 weeks, 25 people had contacted me. In less than a year I was paying over 150 artists, and still turning away work.

For several years, very very few companies were licensing art, they wanted to retain all copyrights. Around 1995 it swept thru the creative community that the artists were no longer willing to sell their copyrights out right, so I gradually moved all of us into that realm. We were doing a tremendous amount of book illustration at the time, the fad back then was to illustrate the Bible for the kids market. Since we had been illustrating huge numbers of children's books, I submitted samples to a number of religious publishers and ended up doing 4 out of the 7 Bibles that eventually came out in the market. Unbeknownst to me, one of them was done on a licensing basis. I was so new to licensing that I signed all the papers w/out thinking or knowing what I was doing....little did I know that, that contract would totally change the course of my direction as an agent. Once the quarterly royalties started coming in, I knew that art licensing was where I needed to take us. It was a tough sell at first, but in time, manufacturers realized that licensing paid off for them, and gradually it became the standard. As manufacturers started down sizing their creative in house staffs  (freelancers were  now readily available), the demand for art was climbing rapidly to its peak. I believe the peak hit in 2006, a year before the recession began to show it's ugly economic head. Prior to 2007, those years were the salad days in licensing.

I survived the recession, and in 2010 realized I was writing a lot more contracts than I had written in the prior 2 years. And while licensing income has not quite reached what it had been in the salad days, I no longer feel like the wolf has the door wide open and I am face to face w/ his full set of teeth!!! Retail and the dynamics of retail have shifted, and to remain successful, we have shifted with it.

Do you have help/employees?
Yes, I have two other, highly experienced and successful licensing agents, Ellen Seay (who was Paul Brent's sole agent for years) and Hong Campbell  (who worked many years with a large agency in the east). I also have 4 part time people, 3 are tech people (my senior tech guy has totally rewritten and developed a new, state of the art, highly efficient business tracking system, the guts of my business, actually). Two manage the libraries..... cataloguing, categorizing and numbering art, sending out hi res once it is licensed, and the last person is my book keeper and contract manager. I also have two 20 something tech/digital guys who are developing and building an exciting, entirely new and proficient web site for our agency. This should be live before C'mas.

Who are the manufacturers you work a lot with?
I work with manufacturers who produce almost every product category there is to license artwork on to. The only reason we are not in a few given categories is because we do not have the right art for those manufacturers. I am fortunate to have not only terrific and highly skilled people who work in two dimensional graphic illustration/design, I also rep quite a few artists who specialize in three dimensional product design and development, a niche that is highly sought after.

How do you market artists? Who pays for this? Anything  different for new artists?
Once we take on an artist, their library is numbered and catalogued in our system, they will be put up on the web site as a "new artist", and will be labeled as such for 4/6 weeks. Then, each of the three of the agents shoot samples to all of their clients (we each have our own categories that we divide, that way, the artists will probably work w/ all of us at one point or another). We put together several digital post cards featuring the art/artist that are then sent out to all our clients in an email blast. If we have any art calls that we are working on, the work that is appropriate is sent to answer those art calls. Of course, the library is loaded onto our iPads, and when we exhibit at the trade shows, the art is shown to attending manufacturers, both existing clients and potential clients. We walk most of the major trade shows, the work is shown to clients at each of these shows. We also schedule a lot of on site appointments with our licensees, again, taking our iPads and showing any work that is  a potential license for that manufacturer on a one on one, person to person basis.
As is standard in this business, we work on a 50/50 split, we cover all expenses (travel, food, transportation, promotion, in house services, etc.). The only thing the artist takes care of financially is copyrighting their work.

What do you look for in an artist?
Several things: the breadth of the library (how many images are in it), the color palette, the technique and the style the artist is using, how trend savvy the art/artist is, how familiar the artist is with licensing and what sort of art gets licensed onto product, any background they may have (if any) in licensing (do they have prior experience licensing their work and/or working w/ an agent prior to coming to me). If they are new to the biz, how flexible are they in taking art direction, how quickly do they turn out new art, how much or little hand holding do they require from me or the other agents. Their ability to evolve their art as they move forward in licensing is beyond critical, it is the key to their long term survival.

They must be a team player, I will not take on a prima donna, or I will drop them if they turn out to be a diva, or the male equivalent, thereof. Do they take the time at least once a quarter to get out into retail to see what is on the shelves, what products are being offered and what sort of art that is on them? Do they look at and try to analyze who are the shoppers, their approximate ages, family sizes, possible income level, what they are putting in their baskets, trying to perform a very unscientific study of the people/women who are supporting the artists' licensing efforts? Do they window shop on sites such as Etsy and Pinterest to see what is being offered, what seems to be trending there and how would that relate to the artists' work and techniques?

Do you feel an artist needs an online presence?
Yes, any supporting marketing efforts the artist has in effect only helps us to do our job, so a web presence is invaluable. Any activity the artist exerts in social media is a huge help in our making money for the artist, and for us, as well.

How much art do you expect and artist to create in a year?
That is like asking how high is up. Some artists do highly detailed, complex images, so they will be a lot less prolific than an artist who employs a simpler approach to their look and style. While an artist must continually feed the licensing machine, I much prefer quality over quantity any day, week or month. With the exception of times where the artist has to deal w/ personal and/or medical issues, which naturally subvert all creative urges, or the times where the artist just hits the creative wall and needs to take time away to regroup, an artist should be working on art every day, or night if they are a night owl. The artist is running a business, and while the majority of the people I rep are consummate professionals,  it has thrown me when a few of them have shown the laissez faire side of their personalities. If you are not willing to make a serious commitment to building and restocking your library, you are not licensing material.

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?
The recession changed just about everything in the art licensing world. 
95% of the products that art is licensed on to are bought by women who represent a variety of  demographics. When the recession hit its peak, very few women were in retail, shopping, much less spending their money. I saw sales grind to almost a virtual halt in early 2008. Between the lay offs, the home foreclosures and the banking crises, a lot of us were almost done in. Women were not buying. Banks were no longer lending money to manufacturers, not even to the old, well established companies. Many went belly up in less than 48 hours. As did many of my colleagues, we had to really scramble to earn enough money to keep our doors open. I am not sure how we did it, but we made it thru the eye of the needle. I tell people I do not have the slimmest hips in the world, so it took me longer, and a whole lot of work to finally wiggle thru.....but I did it!!!!!
I am grateful for our ability to hang on, many of my associates had to throw in the towel.

Any advice or other information you would like to share? 
Yes, do your homework before you attempt to jump into licensing, then do it again. Educate your self as to all of the mechanics of licensing. Whether you want to go it alone, or if you are wanting an agent to do the biz for you, know that licensing is an undertaking that is not for the weak of heart, regardless of who is looking for and then doing the deals. This is very much a relationship business, it can be a formidable task to get a toe hold in with a manufacturer. I often suggest that artists new to licensing should spend time repping themselves, one of the best ways to really understand at least the basic mechanics of this biz. Once you get your feet wet, you will have a much better appreciation as to how hard an agents job is and how hard we have to work in order to make a living for you and for the agency.

Understand it takes, on average, 18 to 24 months before any money begins to come in. That is quite a dry spell, and many artists are not ready for it. Prepare your self well if you want to pursue this field. Don't ask your friends or your mother what they think of your work, most have no idea what is good, licensable art is all about...what that looks like, what products it could truly go on, who would want to purchase that product w/ that art on it. If you do not have a professional colleague who can give you the naked truth, ask a few of the agents if you can pay them to critique the work. Some will not have the time, some will make the time. But asking them and being told no, well....that's one more part of that learning curve.

There are so many incredibly useful blogs out there written by artists who have cut their teeth in licensing....subscribe to them, follow them, ask the bloggers questions. Many are a wealth of information, and it may all be free. The other artists who share on those blogs offer an incredible array of information you will be able to get nowhere else.

If your art ultimately ends up not cutting the licensing mustard, there are other creative positions you can possibly hold, creative jobs you can apply for, that come with a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction, not to mention a steadier paycheck.

You have to be tough, determined, a little stubborn, a bit pig headed at times, patient as a saint, and possess an open mind and an open heart if you are going to succeed in licensing, with or without an agent! Most of all, you have to have the right talent and often times be in the right place at the right time, otherwise, while licensing can be incredibly rewarding, it can also be a dog eat dog endeavor.

You can find Suzanne:
Website: www.cruisecreative.com
Email: artagent@cruisecreative.com
Phone: 913-648-2190


I REALLY appreciate all of you that help spread the word about my blog <3

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

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Agent Spotlight - Carol White, Artworks! Licensing

I am friends with several of Artworks! Licensing artists and very much admire the talent this agency has. So, you can imagine how thrilled I am that Carol is sharing her perspective on art licensing. --Click images to view larger.

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?
I have been in the Art Directing/Art Licensing field for over 25 years. Initially I worked for a direct-mail greeting card company and expanded their stable of freelance artists so that resources of new art came from a variety of sources including art publishers and national greeting card companies. It was during this period of over ten years that I came across so many talented artists across the country, most of whom didn’t have a clue about marketing and promoting their art, that I decided to set off on my own and establish a licensing agency that would help new artists become established. The licensing industry was just taking off and more companies were becoming open to the idea of licensing art for their product lines. I consulted for a national art publisher for a few years, helping to build their licensing department and then eventually decided to give a 100% of my efforts to start Artworks! Licensing. 

Do you have help/employees?
Most of the relationships that are established with customers come through my connections in the industry.  One very important element in any successful business is the solid relationships that are formed with not only customers, but also artists. I have the pleasure of working with artists who are able to format their own designs avoiding the need for a staff designer.

Who are the manufacturers you work a lot with? 
Our customers consist of a wide variety of manufacturers in both the home décor and gift markets such as Carson, burton&BURTON, Creative Converting, The Manual Woodworkers & Weavers, Conimar Corporation, C.R. Gibson, E.K. Success, Ravensburger Puzzles, KayDee Designs, etc.

How do you market artists? Who pays for this? (Anything  different for new artists?)
We market artists through social media, websites, emailing, trade magazines, attending gift markets, and by exhibiting at licensing shows such as the New York SURTEX.  We take full responsibility of covering all costs for the advertising regardless of the medium.

What do you look for in an artist?
It’s important that artists have a sense of who they are as an “artist” or “designer” and create a portfolio consistent with collections in various themes.  We look for artists that have on-trend designs and who are familiar with some form of digital application such as Photoshop. In most licensing venues, manufacturers seek to license art that has been created in layered files so that the image can be applied to a variety of product types.  We are always open to looking at an artist’s portfolio; however, we make it a point not to have significant overlap in our artists portfolios.  It’s important that each artist feel they are unique, rather than competing, within the agency.

Do you feel an artist needs an online presence?
Yes, particularly now more than ever.  With access to the Internet and Social Media, it is important for an artist to have a strong presence online which could be a website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc. All of these mediums help support the promotional and advertising efforts that the agent provides for the artist.

How much art do you expect and artist to create in a year?
We select artists who have an existing group of images in their portfolio asking that the they continue to submit their new work as they complete it. Rather than expect an artist to create a certain number of designs in a year, we encourage the artists to add designs that may create a more well-rounded portfolio to appeal to more customers. For example, if an artist is very prolific but focuses more on Spring and Garden designs, we would suggest that they add Fall and Holiday designs to their portfolio. This creates a broader balance for customers because many times if a customer likes a particular artist’s style or that style sells well for them, they will want to consider a variety of seasonal designs for their product lines rather than limiting to one.

Any advice or other information you would like to share? 
One bit of advice I would give any artist attempting to get into the licensing industry, is “don’t be afraid to be you”. Researching the market for trends and styles is a great means of staying current; however, it’s important to stay true to your own unique style rather than try to emulate other artists.  Manufacturers look for art/artists that offer a fresh approach to a classic or ongoing themes.  Competition is tough in today’s licensing world.  More and more artists are entering the business, yet manufacturers are limiting the amount of licensing and outsourcing of art they acquire on a yearly basis. So, do your research, stay on trend, and look for agencies that may benefit from your unique style rather than agencies that already represent several artists like you.

You can find Carol:
Website: www.artworkslicensing.com
Email: carol@artworkslicensing.com
Phone:  (561) 253-8100

THANK YOU for stopping by my blog and all the social media shares and support! I look forwards to your comments.

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Artist Spotlight - Varda Livney

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
I went to school at the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. I studied Industrial Design,  Graphic Design and Illustration. After School, I worked in an Ad Agency, in a Fashion Company (which was odd, being that I wear mostly overalls), and then moved to a kibbutz and started my own studio. I love my work.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
I am drawn to lines. I still use rapidographs, as in the kind you have to fill with ink. there is nothing that compares with the quality of a rapidograph line, although there’s the tradeoff of possible drips and smudges. I also use watercolors. And a lot of tweaking in Photoshop with my trusty wacom tablet. Not a fan of the new subscription method Adobe has come up with, though.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
Keith Haring, Maurice Sendak, pinterest, my kids and other people’s gardens (because mine is a disaster).

You have licensed on several products including over 400 greeting cards. What would you say your secret to success in licensing is?
Personally, I enjoy having a couple of good clients who I can focus on and sink my teeth into. And trust. (I’m not much of a hustler.) Also, I enjoy trying out different styles, something that I think is generally more acceptable if you are working long term with a client- (If you are trying to get new clients, it makes more sense to stick to the same style, so they will remember you and know what to expect when they request designs). If that makes sense.

What are you working on now?
This week I’m working on a Valentine’s day card for Recycled Paper Greetings, on a coloring book that I am hoping to get published (any publishers out there?) and on kids’ room art. Samples of the coloring book are at http://varda7.wix.com/coloringbook and on my etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/vardaart

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
Early riser. I can work on a piece of art at night, preferably while listening to an audiobook, but morning, with a cup of coffee, is my time for thinking up the ideas.

What is your favorite food?
Hot hummus with lemon and garlic and a pita to dip in it.

You can find Varda at:
http://www.vardaart.com

THANK YOU for stopping by my blog!

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Hot Summer Updates from ArtLicensingShow.com!

I am excited about ArtLicensingShow.com (ALSC). I had a manufacturer find me through the site
already! I didn’t do a thing other than join. It is a brand NEW only-one-of-its-kind website for everyone in the art licensing business. I asked the Founder and CEO Cherish Flieder to tell us about what is new and exciting about ALSC.

What’s New?

ArtLicensingShow.com is fully up-and-running. We have heard many stories of artists and agents connecting, working on projects together and signing deals! It’s wonderful to hear that the Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies are enjoying using the site to see art and it is a huge relief to artists as well. Now licensors can take back control of who exactly is seeing their art licensing portfolios online. (Most of the deals are top secret, so we can’t tell you details until the products are on the market next year.)

This summer, I flew all over the country to New York (Stationery Show/Surtex), Las Vegas (Licensing Expo) and Atlanta (Summer Gift Mart) connecting with members and potential members of the site. There was a very high level of enthusiasm in the air and we are very optimistic for things to come! Members are giving very useful feedback and are an important part of making this website an excellent place to network and show art online. Art Directors tell us that they are eager to see more art on the site from a variety of art and photography styles!

Our development team continues to develop the features of the site to run smoothly and securely in the background. Since we launched, we have added a vetting process for new Artists/Agents and Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies to join the site. It’s a difficult thing to do sometimes, but adding this step in the registration process actually has attracted a more professional level of Artist/Agent as well as Licensee Companies. Overall, we are very happy with the progress.

We are getting social…
Art Licensing Show is now on Pinterest & Instagram!
In effort to give our members more opportunities to get their names out there, we have decided to partner with these highly visual social media platforms.

Art Directors are always using these networks to look for art. They can find out about a new artist they like on Instagram or Pinterest and click through to the site to see their private portfolios on ALSC.

Follow ALSC on Instagram: https://instagram.com/artlicensingshow/
Follow ALSC on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/artoflicensing/

ALSC portfolio members can find out the steps to get featured here!
(http://artlicensingshow.com/instagram-opportunities/)

…and even more social!
ALSC has recently added social links to the portfolio enabled profile pages. Artists/Agents can share their links to: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Ello, Pinterest, Tumblr, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, Dribbble, Blogger, RSS, Email, Vine, Spoonflower, Etsy, and Behance.

 

What’s Coming Up Next?

More notifications:
The ALSC development team has been adding new ways for members to know what’s going on within the site including notifications for trigger behaviors and email updates from groups. Settings can be managed in the notifications section. We hope to provide more helpful notifications in the future based on member feedback.

Re-ordering collections:
We are in the finishing stages on a new feature that will allow Artists/Agents to re-order how their collections will appear on the page. (It sounds simple, but the way the portfolios are set up to give specific permissions, it’s much more complicated in the code than one would imagine). We are happy to announce that this long-awaited feature should be up and running by next month. We have hundreds of ideas in queue that we are working on with our development team. Members are encouraged to contact ALSC with feedback and ideas. (http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/contact/)

There are so many things you can do at ArtLicensingShow.com, but there are also MANY lesser known strategies that will help you out. Cherish and I brainstormed on some tips that have come up in recent discussions. Hope you find them beneficial.

Tips & Tricks for Artists/Agents

• Mark each image with your name so if an Art Director saves the image on their computer, they will know it is yours when they come across it in their files later.

• Upload tear sheets/portfolio pages rather than individual art. It will save you time! You can edit the crop if you want to zoom in on a portion of it for the preview image.

• Get connected with industry leaders. Join a group that interests you. There are 20 specialty groups, so far, such as Greeting Cards, Trends, Home Décor, Art Marketing, Tech Talk, Character Design, Art for Kids, Bi-Weekly Art Challenge, and Call for Submissions. Of course, Annie Troe’s “2nd Thursdays” group is very popular and a great way to get plugged into our community.

• Take time to add tags, keywords and descriptions. When an art director is in your portfolio and does a search (or clicks on a tag on your profile page) it is searching only within YOUR portfolio. Adding more art will make these searches more productive for them, which will give you more opportunities to license your art.

• Remember, this is YOUR private portfolio; you can invite any credible licensee to the site to come see it. They only need to register once and then they will be able to login and out with ease. (Invitation & art sharing steps: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/invitation-and-portfolio-sharing-process-infographic/)

• Sharing your art is VERY simple, but it’s not automatic. Login often to share your art with current and new Art Director contacts. Remember, you have 100% control of who sees your art. All you do is click the check box next to their name and it is instantly shared with them (no “save” button needed). (More info on sharing: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/share-collections-pieces-art-directors/)

Tips & Tricks for Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies

• Click on the “My Activity” link to see an archive of everything that has been shared with you. There is a thumbnail for each share that will take you in to see the full collection or piece at your leisure.

• Feel free to request Artists/Agents to submit to you though the site. It’s very easy for them to share work this way (since they have already uploaded their art, they only have to press the button next to your name, this means you get to see it even faster!). (Info on how to request specific art “shares” :
http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/art-directors-ask-see-hidden-portfolio-collections/)

• All the portfolios are searchable, so you can find what you need at a moment’s notice. You can search within an Artist/Agent’s portfolio or the whole site if you go to the “Portfolio Tab”. In both cases, you will only see art that is specifically shared with you. (How to request art shares: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/art-directors-ask-see-hidden-portfolio-collections/ )

• Post your art needs in the “Call for Submissions” group if you are looking for licensors to submit specifically themed images with your ALSC account. Don’t worry, submissions via ALSC won’t bog down your email with attachments. You can login to the site when you are ready to review fresh new art. (Ask to join the group here: https://artlicensingshow.com/groups/call-for-submissions/)

Note: You can join ALSC today and by setting up a free, enhanced “yellow pages” type listing for your business while getting a feel for the site. Also, if you want to learn more about the tools and resources available to you with the premium account options check out our knowledge base site at:
http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/.

THANK you Cherish for writing the majority of this post. Love the "Call for Submissions" group - what a great idea! I can't imagine the amount of time (years!) you have spent researching and setting up this amazing new site. I REALLY appreciate it and I find it is worth every penny.

Everyone - let me know if you found this post helpful and feel free to post comments below or email me info@AnnGraphic.com. Thank you for stopping by!

Related posts: Why I am on Art Licensing Show http://annietroe.blogspot.com/2015/03/why-i-am-on-art-licensing-show-com.html

Artists: See how your profile page looks to Art Directors/Manufacturers : http://annietroe.blogspot.com/2015/02/peek-into-artlicensingshowcom-next.html

Orphan Works - Sample letter to Copyright office

August 24, 2015: Initial comments have been posted http://copyright.gov/policy/visualworks/comments/ sometimes the site is down for weekend maintenance

IMPORTANT: Please feel free to paraphrase my letter! :-)  But if we all send the same letter, our efforts will loose its effect. You don't need to be an artist for "The Next Great Copyright Act" to affect you.

click image to view larger

Hi everyone! Posting early this week because I thought if you are like me, your first few thoughts about writing a letter to the U.S. Copyright office might be filled with questions! Lots of chatter online about this topic. ALSO I wanted to show you my letter isn't grammatically correct or perfect. The idea is to be heard and to be heard in numbers. Save your letter, you may want to send it to your representatives later down the road. My thought is seeing someone's letter may make it easier for you to write. - Let me know if this was helpful :-) info@AnnGraphics.com

Let me back up a bit.

 

This issue has come up a couple times in the past. There are people who know more about it than I do!
Joan Beiriger has a fantastic blog post that talks about this issue - click here.

I used this blog post to help me write my letter http://ipaorphanworks.blogspot.com/ It talks about what you might want to say if you are an artist and if you are not an artist :-)

Scroll down, this link has several letter starter phrases http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Artists-Alert--The-Return-of-Orphan-Works-Part-2---ARTISTS--LETTERS.html?soid=1102063090742&aid=DEeIBiwWgJ4

There are many posts about this, here are a couple more: http://www.theinformedillustrator.com/2015/07/urgent-orphan-works-alert.html And/or you might like this one http://www.drawger.com/holland/index.php?section=articles&article_id=15400
 
Video with Brad Holland talking about the copyright issues

Thoughts: I think it is important to mention that copyrights are our source of income. The other point I found important is that publishing doesn't devalue our work. I don't think you need to live in the United States to be concerned, we have a global economy.

Here are hightlights of what you might want to say from Brad Holland's Post (link above).
So when writing, please remember:
– It's important that you make your letter personal and truthful.
– Keep it professional and respectful.
– Explain that you're an artist and have been one for x number of years.
– Briefly list your educational background, publications, awards etc.
– Indicate the field(s) you work in.
– Explain clearly and forcefully that for you, copyright law is not an abstract legal issue, but the basis on which your business rests.
– Our copyrights are the products we license.
– This means that infringing our work is no different than stealing our money.
– It's important to our businesses that we remain able to determine voluntarily how and by whom our work is used.
– Stress that your work does NOT lose its value upon publication.
– Instead, everything you create becomes part of your business inventory.
– In the digital era, inventory is more valuable to artists than ever before."

Deadline is July 23rd, 2015

Submit it here - it was easy http://copyright.gov/policy/visualworks/comment-form/

I sent a PDF, The link above list the file types they will accept at the bottom of the gray box.
Note: a PDF will be searchable unless you convert the type to outlines. Not sure about your PDF?,  just save your letter as a Word doc, RTF or ASCII file format.

Thanks for your time! Let me know if seeing my not-so-perfect letter made it easier for you.

Artist Spotlight - Kellie Lewis

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
Yes; I attended The Columbus College of Art and Design and I majored in Illustration.  However, I ended up going into animation as a clay animator for Will Vinton Studios and then traditional 2D animation for The Walt Disney Studios.  I spent the bulk of my professional animation career between the Disney Florida studios and California studio working on feature films such as Lion King, Mulan, Lilo and Stitch and The Princess and the Frog. Disney abandoned 2D animation right after Princess and the Frog so I explored the world of children's book illustration and illustrated several titles like "When the Leaf Blew In" and "Wake up Rooster". I also produced an online cartoon strip called Wild Unknown for a couple years before my current strip Kicky Brand.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
I learned art the old school way, but I have transitioned almost entirely to digital for it's ease and time saving capabilities. I do sculpt, and I am interested in learning more about 3D printers. If I work traditionally it's with ink and dyes.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
I love animals and have plenty of them around me.  I remember falling in love with figure drawing once I began looking at how the anatomy of my dog was put together.  A light went off for me and it translated instantly into understanding the human form.  Afterwards I took four and a half years of figure drawing just because it felt so good.  Today I have a pit bull/mastiff mix named Orem.  He is a perfect example of athletic perfection and it's easy to see the blocky shapes that make up his anatomy (he has the coolest feet).  I am inspired by other artists that I have had the privilege to work with like Chris Sanders, (Lilo and Stitch) Aaron Blaise, (Brother Bear) and Byron Howard, (Zootopia, a film I helped develop and sell the early concept for) from my time at Disney and many I have discovered online like Florian Satzinger, Goro Fujita, Hyperbole and a Half and Tumbleleaf by Bix Pix Entertainment.

Mostly though I love humor and cute, I spend most of my brain time there. 

What are you working on now?
I am trying my hand at licensing.  I think it's what I always wanted to do but, only I just became aware of it in the past couple of years.  Like everyone else, I am busy creating collections while I try and navigate the learning curve.  One of my collections centers around my studio Kicky Brand which started out as an online cartoon about horses. Those cartoons and other horse art I've created migrated onto t-shirts, I then took the next logical step and became a "company" that helps people show their love of horses through design.  I hope to grow it into a recognizable brand in the equine world.  I just licensed some work with Leanin Tree - a personal goal of mine made possible by being part of The Art Licensing Show. ArtLicensingShow.com

You can find Kicky Brand it on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/Kickybrand   I have an evolving online storefront: www.kickybrand.com  and I also have some prints on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/people/kellielewisart that are of mixed subject matter.

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I have had (and am grateful for) a professional career that dreams are made of, oddly however, I have only just now found real creative happiness by following this path of licensing.  My only regret is that I didn't know it was possible sooner.  Now I just need to become more technically savvy.

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
I tend to get up early (mostly because I have animals to care for) because I think I am at my most creative at that time,  and I am generally drinking hot chocolate and that my friends, is my real muse. 

What is your favorite food?
(Just one?!) Hot chocolate... the real answer is probably sugar in the form of hot chocolate.

You can find Kellie:

KickyBrand@gmail.com
(747)200-5425
https://instagram.com/kickybrand
https://instagram.com/thekellieLewis
https://www.facebook.com/Kickybrand

THANK YOU for stopping by my blog!

Do you want to be spotlighted? Send me an email: anntroe@cox.net

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Artist Spotlight - Jyotsna Warikoo

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
I am a textile/ surface pattern designer based in Seattle, WA. I own a design studio called “Jyotsna Warikoo Designs” that offers unique and contemporary designs for a variety of industries. I grew up in India and graduated in Textile Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
I have been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember. I love working with pencils, charcoal, water colors, watercolor pencils and Acrylic paints. I also like to digitally manipulate my drawings and patterns using tools like Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
I draw a lot of inspiration from the multicultural mix, craftsmanship and textiles of my East Indian roots. I love pop and modern art for its optimism and work to combine my love for modern aesthetics with the beauty of folk design…..modern meets folk, trendy meets beautiful.  I also draw a lot of inspiration from nature and birds have a very special place in my heart.

What are you working on now?
I am currently working on building collections for art licensing especially targeted towards the gift and stationery industry. Besides this, I am also working on creating modern print collections targeted towards the kids/ baby product market. I am planning to exhibit my work at Surtex 2016 and would love to connect with like-minded designers to collaborate and work together as a collective.

Anything else you would like to share with us? 
I have been working in the industry for many years now however I consider myself new to the world of art licensing. As I start to make inroads, I really appreciate the support and feedback from the design community. It is wonderful to be part of such a warm hearted and supportive group of creative souls. A very special thanks to you Ann for including me in your blog as well.

Are you an early riser? or night owl? 

I love early mornings…the smell of fresh air, the soft chirping of the birds and the beautiful dim light at dawn. And I equally enjoy the quiet and calmness of working at night. When I am working on something that really excites me, time just flies.

What is your favorite food?
I love to cook and eat. I am a vegetarian and love eating fresh organic fruits and vegetables. If it’s good for me, it will taste good to me too ☺

You can find Jyotsna:
Email: jyotsnawarikoo@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JyotsnaWarikooDesigns
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jyotsna-warikoo/22/629/b41
Guildery: http://www.guildery.com/designer/jyotsna-warikoo-designs.htmlv
Society 6: http://society6.com/jyotsnawarikoodesigns
The print community: http://www.theprintscommunity.com/index.php/brands/jyotsna-warikoo.html

THANK YOU for stopping by my blog!

Do you want to be spotlighted? Send me an email: anntroe@cox.net

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