Ive been invited to answer a members question How do I sell my painting? Some members will be new to this, so Ill approach it from the beginning.

Firstly, be sure that you feel right about your art going out to the public with a price tag. Art is very personal and you can be so attached to your creation that you cant see the wood for the trees. This is the time to pause, request a critique and soak up the constructive comments.

A Caf Exhibition

Once you are ready to hit the world, the fun way to start selling is to find a friendly caf that allows exhibitions. Dont just bowl up, hang your paintings and wait for them to sell. This is your debut, so plan an opening function. This is as much fun as planning a wedding but heaps easier as you dont have to invite your partners family if you dont want to. A caf exhibition will give you valuable experience in the following:

Marketing :
Youll learn how to get your art out there. There are many good books to help you with this. www.artistsalliance.org.nz has very good online guides.

Planning and completing new artworks:
It can be an exciting challenge to build up a body of your own work.

Starting your own VIP invitation database:
This willbecome one of your most valuable business assets.

Enjoying yourself:
What better excuse to have a hooley and get your friends together, particularly ones you havent seen for ages.
Make it a fun evening for all to remember. Invite a musician friend to play for a glass of wine, ask Nana and your sisters to prepare nibbles and your friends to drink the wine and share the fun.

How to price your paintings

Dont compare your first paintings to those of established artists. At your first exhibition, price your paintings so they will be snapped up by your friends and family. This will ensure that the exhibition looks successful and starts building a following for you. You will enjoy seeing your painting on the wall when you visit your family and friends. They will spread the word about you as an emerging artist and they will watch with interest as the price of your paintings ramps up over subsequent exhibitions.

How can you sell better at a solo or group exhibition?

Ensure all paintings are clearly priced. If there is one that you dont want to part with, list it as NFS - artists collection - but one is enough.

Have a Visitors Book available for signing with space for email address and a tick-box to be advised of my next exhibition. Add them to your VIP database.

Have business cards to hand out and a notebook to record enquires about commissioning an artwork. An exhibition often has more spin-offs than sales of artwork.

Be prepared for moments like these:
~When a visitor says "I would have bought that painting if it was still for sale". Have a clever response that leads to the sale of another original that is just like it.
~When you need to cut short a conversation with an old mate, because you notice someone politely waiting for your attention, you can say Meet me after the opening and Ill shout you a beer. Theyll understand.
~When you see someone interested in a painting and you need to use your selling skills, be brave, introduce yourself and in a non-pushy way see if you can increase their interest.

Be prepared to offer a sweetener if it will help close the sale. Rather than drop the price, offer something that doesnt cost i.e. a service such as delivery or hanging the artwork in their home. Or offer another product, like a complimentary greeting card. You could say I notice you are interested in my art. Would you like to be kept informed of future exhibitions that I might have?

At a group exhibition, if you spot someone interested in the work of another artist, say Would you like to meet the artist? More than often not they say yes.

The next step - a gallery

After a few caf exhibitions its time for the next step on the ladder - a gallery.
Gallery Managers are constantly approached by cold-calling artists and can sometimes lose their patience. If you are lucky you may be shoulder-tapped by a Gallery owner who has been watching your progress. Otherwise, do your homework first and choose a gallery that suits your style.

What other opportunities might help you sell?

1. Support your local art society and enter as many of their exhibitions as possible.

2. Dont put opportunities into the "too hard" basket. Seize them and make the most of them.

3. Get a portfolio of your work online, starting with Watercolour NZ Artists' Directory , a group such as ArtTrails , or get a personal website from a web company that specializes in websites for artists such as anuko.com

4. Join the Watercolour New Zealand artists who paint on Wellington harbour waterfront.
The committee can supply you with a permit allowing you to paint and sell on the waterfront.

5. Look at other ways to promote yourself e.g. offer your artwork in different formats such as post cards, greeting cards, calendars or large and small prints of your artworks; submit artworks to the Watercolour New Zealand annual 'Splash' exhibition; apply to exhibit at the New Zealand Artshow; and enter art competitions.

Hope this helps. Good luck, happy painting.

Alfred Memelink