Sharing the story behind your art can help make an emotional connection with buyers. So, how do you share your story and some insights into a particular work?
I'll focus on how to tell your story through social media and your website since they are your largest communications channel. Of course, meeting with buyers in real life and engaging in conversation is likely the most impactful method for most artists.
One simple way is to add a caption that shares some insights behind the work. Talk about what inspired you, the emotions you poured in, and the message you want to convey.
Some artists sometimes shy away from writing about their work because they want the viewer to react on their own. But, I think sharing key insights can provide information to help viewers go a little deeper into the work.
Another method is to take a video of your work and talk about it in the way you might if you were standing beside the viewer at an exhibition of your work. You can talk about what inspired the work. Maybe challenges you faced in the creation with the media and how you overcame them. Each piece of work has a story about what you are saying and a story about the process.
It's really helpful to add captions to your videos. Take the video referenced above, upload it to Instagram as a video, and turn on captions. Instagram will automatically create text as captions for the video. The final step is to download this post for repeated use. I use Repost for Instagram app for this.
Another idea? Blogging! Write short, snappy articles (around 200-300 words, on your website. Break down each artwork's backstory. Explain the journey from idea to canvas, and how your art fits into the bigger picture of your creative journey. Just as with the video narration, you may take a slightly different approach to each work.
I know not all visual artists consider themselves writers, but if you're inclined to try this and find it works, it's a good idea to do it consistently. Ideally once per week.
Virtual art shows or live meet-ups on social media can be very effective. Host an online event where you can go live and chat with your audience; which may be potential buyers, people just interested in art, or maybe other artists. Take them through your studio, show them works in progress, and dive into the juicy details about the work and your process.
On the topic of your process; videos that show you at work on a piece provide great insights. You'll need to work on your video and editing methods with your demos, but they can help build value in your work by showing your techniques and artistic approach.
Remember, sharing your art's purpose is like sharing a piece of your soul. Be authentic and be yourself.
Comments