Twenty years before I became an artist, I had a career in marketing. Some of the things I learned from that life have been a huge help to my art career. I try to pass on what I've learned with other creatives, as it helps our industry grow and flourish.
-Shannon Fannin
MARKETING TIPS FOR CREATIVES
by Shannon Fannin
YOU AT WORK: From time to time, take a photo of yourself at work while creating. A photo that shows you creating what you do (i.e. painting, drawing, writing music, writing a book, bead/textile work, etc.). Let it show the real you, even the messy hair and paint overalls. You can easily achieve a photo with your phone and a timer app. Keep these digital images in a file for future use.
KEEP IT UPDATED: Ask someone to take a photo of you with your work at art events (exhibition, charity event, with a commission client, a booth at festival/convention, etc.). Update your professional profile photo every year.
THE REAL YOU: Having these photos available will come in handy for articles written about you, press releases, adding to social media to bring you followers, promotions you run, and on your art website. Readers and followers want to not only see your art, but they want to see YOU creating it. Showing your creative side to your readers/followers gives them a glimpse into your world. It makes you approachable and human.
About Shannon Fannin
Shannon was born in Long Beach, California. She earned a college scholarship to pursue an art teaching degree for teaching special needs children. However, life had other plans. She put becoming an artist on hold for marriage, a career in marketing, and raising a family. Using her portfolio for a resume, she taught elementary school art for two years through a private academy.
After a 25 year hiatus from an art career, Shannon returned to school to refresh her abilities. She took a handful of courses to reacquaint herself with mediums and started to build on her expressionistic style. Being a great fan of color, Shannon prefers working largely in many media including pastel, charcoal, watercolor, gouache, ink, and acrylic and usually combines many of them in mixed media pieces. She enjoys bringing chrome and carbon fiber alive through her vehicle paintings, conveying the human form and imagined still lifes. Her eclectic nature allows her to create work that simply makes her happy. She lives in Austin with her husband of 26 years and their college student son.
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