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Art + Audience
Ep. 36: Madison Phipps on Side Hustling, Print Clubs & Speaking Dreams Out Loud
00:36:36
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Not available in all states. You know when I really want something, speak it out loud. But be a bit thoughtful about the things that I say because sometimes you don't know what you're putting out there. All the repercussions that could come back. It might look like the ideal perfect situation. And then when you get into contracts or details or personalities, things don't always work out.
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Wouldn't it be nice if your art business loved you back? Hi, I'm Stacey Bloomfield. After years of trial and error and.
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Late night doodling, I went from being.
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A coffee shop manager to running a vibrant seven figure art business that I love. And now I'm on a mission to help more artists come create an art.
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Business that they love too.
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So I invite you to find a cozy spot, pull out your favorite sketchbook and listen in. It's never too late to chase your creative dreams. Welcome to the Art plus Audience podcast. Hello Art plus Audience podcast listeners. I'm so excited that today I have in our guest seat Madison Phipps of Madison Phipps Studio. A brilliant artist has a tiny print club that she's growing in the margins of life, selling her products and designing and collaborating with other major brands and doing it all while what, having a full time career and having a kiddo. Hi Madison.
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B
Hi. Thanks for having me.
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A
I'm so excited that you're here. So real quick, I was checking out your social media Madison right before this and I stumbled upon a really great TikTok post where you told people to think about like what's the best that could happen if you just take the step. And it turns out that you wanting to be on this podcast was a step for you. Like you pitched us and you were wanting to be on this podcast and we said yes. And then you actually made a TikTok about it and I just shared it with my team and I'm like, oh my gosh, we're that podcast. Do you realize that? And so like we are just feeling full circle. Super happy to have you here, Madison. Thank you for sending me that email.
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B
Of course, I'm super excited. So it's something I've tried to incorporate the last year or two into both my mindset and my practice and I listen to your podcast all the time I commute twice a week, about an hour. So I just throw your podcast on. And one day I was driving home and I just thought, I would really like to be on this podcast. I think I'd be perfect. And fired off that email. So thank you for having me. I'm glad it worked out the way it did. It was kind of a little leap of faith to send the email. So a lot of times, you know, you just don't hear back. And so I was thrilled that this materialized.
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A
You know, there's something incredibly beautiful about this because that's how I have tended to live my life and my creative career for the past 16 years. Like, if you just try and you just. Whatever the thing is, it could be small and it can be big. Like, what's the worst that could happen? But I like your spin on it. What's the best that can happen? I'm a little bit of a peppy pessimist is what I would call myself. So I like your optimism, Madison. Can you tell everyone just a little bit about who you are and your backstory story?
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B
Yeah, absolutely. So I'm a mom to a 2 year old and that keeps me pretty busy. And then on top of that, I do work a day job and normal nine to five jobs. And so I'm squeezing the artwork in the margins. At my old position, I was doing it during my lunch breaks and then now it's looking like a little bit more of late night, early morning, nap time on the weekend kind of thing. But it's been amazing because my time is so limited. It forces me to focus and I feel like I'm actually able to get quite a bit done knowing I only have 45 minutes. Minutes or I've only got two hours. And so I've taken my art journey pretty seriously the last year, year and a half. So I've pursued in reaching out cold, pitching myself, and then also sharing my journey on social media, primarily TikTok a little bit on Instagram too. And it's been amazing to see, kind of when I've been able to set aside the fear of judgment or how I'm perceived or it flopping, how much is actually materialized from the effort that I've been able to put forth. So I'm having a lot of fun with it.
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A
That's such an encouraging story. I'm glad that you're having fun. And you know, I think there's something about having limited time that forces you to get really good at decision making and knowing what's worth your Time and what isn't. But I don't feel like people like know why that is. Like people ask me all the time, how do you make the best decisions if you have limited time with what to pursue? So I'd love your take. With your limited time, how have you decided what exactly to pursue? How long have you pursued it before you pivoted? Spill the beans, if you don't mind. Madison, people want to hear this.
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I've tried a little bit of everything and I would say I'm very much still in the messy middle. So currently I'm doing the whole gamut from selling my original work on consignment through a local boutique. I've got my little print shop on my website that I cobbled together myself in the Etsy store that it's running. And then I recently started a little print print club where it's like a monthly subscription and I'll send out an art print once a month. We're at about 100 members and I think three months in. So that's been kind of fun to connect a little bit more tangibly with my audience. And then I've tried to share as much as I can on social media and I know it gets a bad rap for being a time suck, but I found if my thought with the social media thing is if I create more than I consume, then it's worth it. And there's a lot of good dialogue happening in my comments. And so trying to focus my energy on the content creators more than the consuming scrolling bit has actually been a really big way to get my work out into the world because they don't have time to pursue. How do I say this? Like I haven't had the network or the opportunity to meet like a professional galleries and this sort of thing. So it's been great to connect with people on there. And so I guess the answer to your question is I'm still figuring it out. It's part way what's working and what's what people are responding to. Well, part way what I enjoy the most doing and just hodgepodging the rest of it in the late nights.
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See, that's the thing, building an organic audience, which is essentially what you're doing and you're not waiting for someone to kind of make it happen for you means that you're having way more success with the time that you're putting in. I see a lot of times, you know, people are looking for the magic formula with social media. What do I need to create X, Y and Z in order to get people to join my email list. But the truth is like so many people are following that same formula now that what is standing out is real time sharing what's happening in your life and authenticity. And in turn now you're like growing this recurring revenue. A subscription, which I love subscriptions. I have this tea towel club with like 3,000 subscribers and it is just like the most stabilizing thing ever. Those 100 subscribers that you've gotten in three months to your tiny print club, did most of them find you from TikTok?
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B
Yes, most of them found me through TikTok. And then I found it's been a little bit word of mouth as people have received the artwork they shared and then people have signed up saying, oh, so and so sent me here. So that's been fun. I niched down my print club to I call it the Coastal keeps, like coastal keepsakes. So it's all coastal themed artwork. And that was hard to find like one theme. But I just thought I wanted to give people something that they could expect. And it's been kind of a fun creative exercise because what I do mostly in my, the rest of my practice is all botanicals. And so it's kind of a fun way to stretch my illustration skills and keep those up to date as well. But I would say like, I know everyone says niche down, niche down. But I think when before you're so established, I think it's okay to play and to find what works for, for you and again, what people are responding to, what brings you joy. So it's been funny with the more high end art consignment original artwork, the botanicals have gone super well. And then with the low end prints, it's more these like illustration styles. So it's kind of like one big Rubik's cube puzzle that I'm figuring out. But it's fun to see which people respond to what work and what price point. And it's kind of all a big game.
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A
So here's the thing about what you said with the niching down for the print club space specifically. So you don't know this, but I have been meticulously reverse engineering what seems to be working with tiny print clubs right now. It's like it's really impressive because it's a subscription, but it's completely personal artist brand based. Do you know what I'm saying? And it seems to be growing organically, especially with TikTok artists. But I am noticing the more successful subscriptions do niche down so that it's really Easy to talk about over and over again. And so I think you're right for the Tiny print club, for now at least, to be focusing on the coastal theme. Why did you decide on coastal?
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It's just something that I love. I grew up on the water, you know, river, ocean, everything. And I fell in love with my husband and I followed him to Houston. So that's part of the thing that I miss most is the geography of home. And so I just thought, oh, it's kind of a little homage to family vacations and where I'd aspire to take my family. And then a little bit where some things I grew up, like did my first little art print was a lobster illustration. And my parents go boating still every year in the summer and they set their little lobster traps. So that was kind of a little nod to them, but so half aspirational of what I wish my life looked like, although I'm grateful to be here, but also just things that I miss. And. And so I've got a personal connection to it and things I would like to, you know, do with my daughter one day. So that's been a fun little project.
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See, if I started a tiny print club about my dream aspirational life, it would all be Scotland themed. And I don't know how Scottish natives would actually take to that 40something woman from Arkansas, like, living her best imaginary Scottish life. But maybe you never know.
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B
You just never know.
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A
You know, you said illustration style versus your, like fine art commissions, but you're not a digital artist. I want to be really clear, like you're using traditional mediums, right?
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B
Yes. Yeah. So it's a gouache is what. What I primarily use for that. Which in this season with the busy toddler has been a bit easier because when I break out, you know, my other acrylic paints, they dry so fast and I can't get the color back when I'm trying to do those botanicals. So that's been an easy one that I can work on it during nap time, set it away, come back after she goes to bed. So that one's been fun and a different practice. And then my husband's very patient with me because when I am painting the botanicals, I don't have an art studio. And so it just kind of spreads out across the house. He's like, oh, here we go. But it's been fun to try to incorporate it in the margins.
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A
Yeah. But the thing is, it looks like what you've done so beautifully is the dream for so many creatives. Who want to create part time income but don't necessarily want to make it the full time career. It's like an expression of your creative self. It is a way to contribute to your household income, but it's also like an identity builder because like you said, you are documenting this entire process on social media, like your commutes. You get back into the parking garage or wherever your car is and then you'll put your phone up real quick and talk about things that you're doing and document it. I think that that takes so much pressure off being able to just embrace the side hustle and then have fun with this thing because like, you know, when you put too much pressure on something to try to make it succeed and be profitable, I think sometimes you squeeze the creative magic out of it. So I feel you've like let the magic flow, so to speak. Do you feel that or is that just like what it looks like on the outside?
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No. Yeah, it's been fun. I feel like TikTok as a medium has allowed that a little bit more freedom there because on Instagram and I love it and it can use it as a digital gallery, but it's maybe a little bit more curated in feed. And so it's been fun to share my journey on TikTok and I found people respond to it well because it's relatable. They're also working a full time job. They also have dreams and passions and there's something beautiful about, about working the full time job because it allows the creative freedom because you're not financially dependent on the income that the artwork is there for. So it alleviates some financial pressure and allows me to pursue it more freely and try different things like the Print Club. Another thing that I did. I don't know if you've ever heard of the Round Top Antique show if you don't know what it is. The Round Top Antique show is like 11 to 20 miles of antiques in Round Top, Texas, Warrington, Texas, which is about an hour and a half, two hours away from me. And you can find everything there from antique furniture to fashion like western get up to artwork to jewelry, to just a little bit of everything. And I had gone there with my girlfriends probably for the last five or six years just to visit and admire and purchase little things, knickknacks here and there. And I was walking into Barnell at Blue Hills which is one of the venues. And there's an artist there named Blakeney McKee if you want to look her up. And I just saw all her beautiful Artwork. And she was standing there talking about it. And I just asked her, how do you do this? I would love to be on the other side of this one day. And she was so generous with her information, but I kind of picked her brain and I just said, okay, I don't know when, but I'm gonna come back here one day. I don't know if this is the season for it. And I gave her my contact information. She connected me with the owner of that section of the barn. And then last spring, six days before the spring show, they got in touch with me and they're like, someone dropped out last minute. We remember that you were interested. Is there any way you could fill the spot? That was just like total chaos, but also really incredible. And I rallied all my girlfriends. I mean, I didn't have a six foot table. I didn't have anything. So we were. I was painting late into the night for a week. My boss allowed me to have, I think that Thursday, Friday off. And we made it happen. Just the last few days of the show.
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A
No one does it alone. That's the thing. Like, no one really is able to pull these things off alone. And I think a lot of creatives put a lot of pressure on themselves to be like, I can't even mention I'm interested in something until I'm ready. I, you know, what if they say yes? So you had a conversation where you were just genuinely like sharing what was on your heart with someone. And I'm a huge believer that these conversations that we have that are not necessarily like outcome oriented, but just saying out loud what you want, you never know who's going to hear it and what it could lead to next. It's like, what is the best that could happen? Which I love that mantra that you have. You know, you're a young mom and you're building this life, but it seems like when you say that you want something, it kind of is happening. So have you seen that happen in your life prior to kind of pursuing this side hustle as a creative in other areas? I'm just curious.
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Yeah, a little bit. Faith is something that is important to me. And so it kind of intermixes maybe with my prayer life a little bit. But I do think, you know, there's power in your speech and it says that in the Bible. And, you know, when I really want something, speak it out loud, but be a bit thoughtful about the things that I say because sometimes you don't know what you're putting out there. All the repercussions that could come back. It might look like the ideal perfect situation. And then when you get into contracts or details or personalities, things don't always work out. So when I'm praying about the things that I'm saying out loud and striving towards, I always like, say like, lord, what's not for me? Let it pass me over. And what is for me? Just open the door wide open. And so that's been, you know, moving to Houston was a huge scary thing. I was so in love with my husband, but I didn't know anyone else in the city and we weren't engaged yet and all this stuff. And so I was saying out loud, oh, I just, I want to be with him. And I think this is the one and all this stuff, but I wasn't sure. And so I think for me personally, being prayerful has helped with some discretion and knowing if it's in alignment with all the other things in my life.
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A
What we say, our brain believes. And for anyone who's listening, if you're not spiritual or religious, let me just tell you, this is gold and it's scientifically backed. Like there's research about what you say out loud and the thoughts that you think, what it actually does to like your nervous system. And so whether you are prayer oriented or journaling, meditation oriented, or maybe you just are a positive person and you're just speaking life all over the place and you don't even realize it. Like what you say about yourself and about what's possible for yourself can be a gate that swings wide open or it can be something that closes shut. And we sometimes this is just me going off of my own soapbox. So often I see people talking about the external factors that are keeping us from what we want. Do you know what I mean? And we're not all powerful beings. That's not what I'm saying. But there are so few things that we actually do have control over in our lives and how we speak and getting control over how we think about ourselves and what's possible. Like that is maybe the most important thing anyone can do. Whether it's a creative side hustle, whether it's in your full time job, whether it's with relationships. And I've just seen that time and time again this through line for people who I see like making the things happen, they're very intentional. So I just want to applaud your intention, Madison. And I, I just hope that it encourages other people. Like just be aware of the words that are coming out of your mouth because you could start a tiny print club. If you're listening, you could do it. You could get on TikTok and document your. Your day to day. You don't have to be all fancy to do these things. People are craving connection and realness, and I take that a hundred times over. Someone taking an hour and a half to take make one tiny video. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, I would take that authenticity any day. So thank you for being authentic.
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B
Of course. Yeah. And I think pairing that too, like, what you're talking about, saying things out loud with what has been key for me, like, we keep saying, what's the best that could happen is because, like, I might have intentions to go to Round Top. And then the way I'm wired and created is like, I naturally start thinking, well, I don't have a website. I don't have connections. I don't have enough artwork. I don't go that route. So for me, like, trying to intentionally fuse that, well, what's the best that can happen? Hey, I met this person. She figured it out. How did she do it? Oh, she made her own website. I can make my own website. How do I get enough work together in time? Like, allowing myself to envision the best then gives me a roadmap to get there instead of getting hung up on things or, like, the areas that you might lack.
- [19:18]
A
Oh, man, this is good. I hope everyone's listening. Because if you're out there right now and you've been pounding the pavement trying to bring your art career to life, maybe it's not so much that you need to change your style or that you need to, you know, change your medium or even that you're talking to the wrong people. Maybe you just need to start saying out loud what you would like to have happen and be brave enough to ask those questions. You know, Madison, when I would go to Quilt Market as a vendor and people would come to my booth and come talk to me, like Madison, you did with that person in Round Top. Those conversations are my favorite because we are all just there. I'm on one side of a booth, just doing my best. The people coming over talking to me, we're just doing our best. And I've had conversations that I don't even realize have helped someone on the other side, where people are just asking me, like, well, how did you get into this? Like, did you learn from anybody? You know, what's your background? And I'll tell them these things, and then later they'll email me and be like, stacy, what you Told me, helped me, and I was able to have this breakthrough or I made this connection. And so don't overthink talking to people and asking them just questions about their journey because you might find yourself in a few months at a having your own table at Round Top, Texas. Like you, Madison. So I just love your tenacity. So awesome. Everyone wants to know about mediums. Like, you're working in gouache. What paint do you use? What's your favorite brushes? What's your favorite paper that you paint on? Give it to me.
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B
Yeah, when I use the acrylic paint for the botanicals, I love golden. And back in the day, I used to. I feel like they used to be better, but I used to clip all the coupons for Michael's and they'd have like 50 off one item. So I go in and get one paint too. This is back in college. And so that has been my favorite paint for the acrylics. And then gouache, I used, I think, is it. Oh, I should know. Newton and Winton and Newton. Something like that. I know what I'm talking about. Yeah, I might be getting that backwards. And then, you know what, to be honest, I go really cheap on my paintbrushes because I don't take the best care of them. I take great care of everything else. But I just tend. They tend to dissolve and flake and all this stuff. And so. Or maybe that's because I'm buying the cheap ones. But anyways, I don't invest in the high quality paint brushes too much. And then what else? I prefer painting on the gallery wrapped canvases. Same thing at Michael's. Any craft store you can coupon, and they do buy one, get one free all the time. And then cold press water, paper. I've got this collection of art supplies that some. It continues to grow out of our guest room into our common spaces. So I'm trying to wrangle it back there, but I. Speaking of saying things out loud, one thing on my list that hasn't materialized yet, I'm like, one day I'm gonna have a studio space and everything's gonna be organized, and I won't be taking up the breakfast room table anymore. But it is a sweet season to be pushing apart my art supplies to make breakfast for my daughter. And it's just such a snapshot of where I am right now.
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A
Oh, and thank goodness you're documenting it, because, honestly, in a few years, like, you're already inspiring people. But I just have a sneaky suspicion that your journey is just beginning when it comes to being a creative with impact. And having these photographs and videos at this time of your life is going to help so many people see that it's normal and okay to work from your dining room kitchen or move things around because someone's coming over, have to shove all the art supplies in the closet because your mother in law's coming to sleep on the guest room. And so thank you for your honesty about that. And I, and I'm very encouraged. Let me ask you this. What is the very first piece of art that you made money from?
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B
One of my mom's girlfriends commissioned me to do a huge like 30 by 40 foot painting. And I remember so unprepared, I had no idea what I was doing. And I struggled with procrastination at the time because I had the free time to be able to struggle with that. And I just kept putting it off and repainting it. But it was such a gift of her to invest in my work. And I remember feeling so much pressure to deliver. And that was the first big original piece of artwork that I sold. And I'll be totally transparent with you. Sometimes I still get nervous to price and figure out my original work because it's easy to say, okay, $30 for a print replication. Anyone could squeeze that. But I have to remember, okay, I'm not my target audience with my original work. Someone out there is willing to pay more than, you know, maybe I would in this season, but that was my first one and I'm so grateful for her for pushing me. I was just painting at school, you know, in high school at the time. So it was a big confidence boost to think like, wow, someone believes in me enough to purchase a piece of artwork.
- [24:05]
A
That's why for me, whenever I see like a beginning artist at a show and I notice that maybe they have gotten brave. Like I just went to, my daughter had a craft show at her school like two weeks ago and she sold handmade items. But there was like a person or two who didn't have people like buying from them yet. And I could tell they were trying to figure it out. So I always like to go invest, so to speak, in a creative's like earlier sales because sometimes you just need that one person who believes in you and will give you money for you to believe that it's possible that other people might want to pay you as well. So yay to your mom's friend for being a part of your story. I, I applaud that. I want to shift gears, Madison, for A second, because for the remainder of this episode, I'd really love to get into the nitty gritty of the tiny print club. And if you're willing to spill the beans on how you set it up, how it's running for you, because that's the number one question I'm getting right now. People like Stacy teach me how to run a tiny print club and I said, I don't have a tiny print club. So, Madison, will you share with us the way it's set up?
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B
How are you selling it so in full transparency? I am most profitable in my selling my original work through consignment, so we can dive into that later. But the print club has been a great way to get my work out there and there's not as much margin there, you know, because we're doing it for less. So the perk, I guess if you buy an art print off of my website or my Etsy shop, I think we're at anywhere from like 29 to $35 or so for 5 by 7 size. And so I've scaled it back for the print club. Incentive for the subscription based model is I'm running mine at $14 now there. I've seen some other people who are doing theirs for like seven or eight dollars. And to be totally transparent, I don't know where they're, where they're making the money. And this is one other bit of the risk of the print club is I just do on stamps. So that's one way to keep your costs down is I'm not paying for tracking in a big cardboard envelope with the backer and all this. It's just going in an envelope and I anticipate there'll be a few every month. It's usps that don't make it all the way there. So I built my website myself off of Squarespace, which if I had any advice, I think I might use a different platform. I might use Shopify if I was setting it up. I just think there's maybe a little bit more freedom on the back end of things. But Squarespace is friendly for new users and beautiful in its design. So they have the option to set up a subscription model. Threw that on there, described the whole thing, my terms and conditions, my artwork, and then I used primarily TikTok to market it. I have a little bit more of my people who are interested in investing in original work on Instagram, so I'm trying to figure out the balance. I don't want to dilute the money maker with the fun project if you will. So I market it more on TikTok and it's been really fun to see people respond to it. And even people have made their own videos opening it. So that's really exciting to see. So my cost are the stamp, 79 cents a stamp, the envelopes that you buy in bulk. I wrap them in a little tissue paper. You could do a little plastic sleeve or whatever. And then I write a little newsletter every month that just explains the inspiration behind the scenes, what's going on in my life, what my hopes for them in the new month. And then the art print itself. Yeah, it's been a really fun way to kind of tangibly connect with my audience. It's been fun to take the digital, make it physical. Like I. I have a few taglines that I always try to say, like little luxury in your mailbox. Something that's not a bill, something to look forward to that I try to repeat so people can get excited with me on it. And it's been fun. In this season, I actually don't want mine to grow exponentially big because I'm working, you know, 9 to 5:30 or so. And then I. I don't like cutting into my time with my daughter with my art stuff. So I'm with her from after work till bedtime, which you have children, so you know, the bedtime somehow we read more books every night. It feels like it keeps getting pushed back. And then from like 8:39 to midnight or so is my toggles between quality time with my husband in the art stuff. So at the end of the month, I'm always stuffing and stamping envelopes or we'll turn on a movie and I'll have him help me. It is pretty labor intensive is my fair warning. So if you have the time, go for it. If you don't, you know, you could still do it. But like, for me, it's more of a fun way to connect with my audience than like something I'm trying to scale really huge to take over just because of my time constraints.
- [28:41]
A
Well, the thing though is that if you're someone who doesn't have a relationship with an audience yet and you've been pounding the pavement for a while, like even keeping it small, your intention of just getting to know people and updating them and writing letters and engaging on social media, those people will probably still purchase from you 10 years down the road if you do it right. Because I still have people who bought from me 17 years ago who are still coming to me no matter what. I'm creating because they remember early days with me when it was small and I was staying up late, packaging and my husband was driving back and forth to the post office, dropping things off and you know, there's something incredibly special about beginnings, you know, really enjoy.
- [29:24]
B
And I think people crave that. Yes, the tangible and the, the early stages.
- [29:29]
A
And you know, I also. Maybe it's just me being a little cynical, but I think right now what I'm seeing across the board with E commerce and sales, whether you're an artist or not, is, you know, I built a brand called Gingerbread and that's what everyone was doing for a very long time. But in the past two years, especially this year, the rise of the personal artist brand where it's anti perfect marketing and it's anti all the things that people think you have to do to be like shiny and perfect. You know, it's more about the story of the artist, the creation of the work and just the willingness to invite people in to share it with you. And people are championing individual artists all over the world right now, especially through TikTok. And I think like, what a lovely little corner of the world to be a part of right now, to be a part of helping creatives get their businesses off the ground or create recurring income. So it's like a little community both from the buyers and the artists, right?
- [30:29]
B
No, it's such a gift to be pursuing artwork, you know, at this time where the barrier to entry is so low. Like I know social media gets a bad rap, but it's free marketing. You don't, you, you don't need to have the network connections to get into like a, a high gallery or whatever to get your artwork out into the world or have like necessarily the credentials of a degree or something. And so I think it's such a gift that you're able to share your work just by opening your phone. And you know, it can be a time suck but if you use it wisely and to all its potential and in the same stroke that's how I found use. There's so much information available to figure it out. And like I love listening to your podcasts and everyone that you have on because it's just like, how did you do it? How does everyone that you talk to do it? And it's such a a gift to have access to that information or you know, I use YouTube all the time. Where are other people printing stuff? How do you do this? Like, so yeah, I think it's great. I'm really, really grateful to be pursuing it at this time with all this readily available.
- [31:29]
A
So, Madison, you mentioned about the more profitable side of your business, which is the. Is it the commissions or. Tell me a little bit about that.
- [31:39]
B
Yeah, so this is something that I steered a little bit away from because I didn't feel qualified for a long, like, you know, I saw other people putting these collections of work on their website for hundreds or thousands of dollars, and, you know, they'd sell up really quick. And I'm like, oh, my gosh. First of all, how do they find those people? And second of all, like, I didn't have the confidence that someone would purchase my original artwork at a high price point. And so that's how I, for a while, pigeonholed myself into Etsy and prints and the smaller things, which has been wonderful, and I'm super grateful for it, too. At some point, I started painting more just for myself and our home. And when we moved and I had more, wal was creating more of these botanical works. My mom is someone who has always had flowers in her home growing up and has created such a wonderful, warm, homey space, like, with such beauty. And so I wanted to recreate that in my home. So I was painting all these flowers. I'm like, oh, hey, some of these aren't bad. And sharing them on Instagram and such. And I took them to Round Top when I was, you know, in six days. I'm like, what can I paint really fast? A bunch of botanicals? Anyways, once. Once, I then had these pictures of these flowers up on my wall. I thought, I don't have the audience yet. Everything that I've built up is for people who are used to paying $35 to $45 for artwork. I don't know how to pivot this just to ask, hey, now would you pay $425 for my artwork? But I thought, someone out there will. I just don't know where they are. And so I was following all these other artists who are further along in their journey, and I noticed that one of the places that they were selling was actually local to me in Houston. It's a interior home boutique store called Paloma and Company, and it's spearheaded by this, like, incredible interior designer. So she has had, you know, all her experience and then poured into this shop is like, another one of her projects. And so I took my best photographs that I had. And at the time, I didn't have a website, so it was like a huge stretch in what's the best that it could happen for me? Because I was totally counting myself out. Like, you don't have a website you've never sold at this price point. No one knows who you are outside of Etsy and Small Prints. And I pitched myself to them via email and I totally talked myself up. I remember rereading it to my husband before I sent it. Like, I'm not sure. And I just said, like, hey, I think the aesthetic of my work would align perfectly with your customer base. I'm local, I can drop off, I can meet, you can touch and see in person. Here's what I have. Would you give me the opportunity to show you my work? And I just said, a website that works. We'll pass that along when I have it. Because I thought I can't link my Etsy. So I sent them that email and it was like, said a prayer. I'm like, I don't know. And they got back to me the next day and they were like, we love it. Like, when can you drop it off? And I was like, oh my gosh. So they do their work through an artist consignment program, which means they take like a heavy percentage. But the benefit of that is they have the clientele, they market it, they ship it. And so for me at the time was just dipping my toe. I'm like, I'm happy to give you, you know, X percentage because those are things that I don't have in my repertoire yet. So it's been a good thing. And so they launched the first collection, sold out. They requested a second one, the second one sold out, and I'm just working on my third right now. And so because they're able to sell to a prior higher price point, even though you know that they do take a percentage there, it's been a bigger chunk than I've seen from Etsy. You know, it's a bit sporadic. I, you know, send out my newsletter or post or whatever and I'll get a few sales and then it dies off and then I try and do it again. And so it's been interesting to try to work in a different way with like painting a whole collection and all this stuff. And then I can kind of anticipate the numbers a little bit better than when I'm throwing something out on Etsy, my website, like, I hope people find it, you know.
- [35:31]
A
Well, you've just done such a beautiful job balancing a part time, you know, art career and having essentially multiple income streams and being willing to explore different ways to create income and to do it your way, not, not waiting for someone to, you know, bring you the perfect idea. You're seeing stuff and you're trying stuff and you're, you're just making it happen. I think that you are setting yourself up incredibly well to continue to scale this part of your business. So well done, Madison. Thank you so much for your time and for sending my team that email. It's been a delight and I can't wait for everyone to get to know you more and hopefully maybe subscribe to your tiny print club. All right, everybody, that's it for today's episode. Have a great day. And you can order my book about side hustles by visiting the artistsidehustle.com available in bookstores and retailers everywhere. All right, bye. Thanks so much for tuning in.
- [36:29]
B
Hey, could you do me a favor?
- [36:31]
A
Could you subscribe to this podcast and then share it with one of your best art friends? I'd really appreciate it. And then head on over to Instagram and follow me at the Leverage your art account and you can keep up with all of our future episodes. Thank you so much for your support. It means everything to have you here listening and learning.
- [36:50]
B
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