Artists...It's Time to Share Your Stories So Your Audience Can Find You - Here's How

Today I want to encourage you and prove to you that sharing your story is a powerful thing, and will help you gain customers. And I’ll share some simple techniques to help you get started too. 

Telling stories gets people to draw near, sit down and listen like a cozy campfire does for campers on a fall night.     

You could share a story about what lead you to unfurl your artistic wings. Or a story about why you paint certain styles of landscapes or people.  

It’s obvious when an artist creates something that is near and dear to them for others to see. When artists manifest what is close to them, to share with others...the result is inspiring.    

And a big added bonus is to know the story behind you - why you became an artist - and why you created that particular piece.  

Who were the people that influenced you? When did you start your art career? When was the moment when you stopped what you were doing, looked around and started creating? What prompted that?

How and when did the muse arrive...   

We Know the Stories of Famous Artists

So often, I see the stories revealed about artists from the past. There will be a continuous banner highlighting events in their lives next to each painting. All the dots are put together.  

That makes their artwork richer and more engaging.  

It’s more unusual to see the stories about the artwork of living artists.  

I’m suggesting you give it a try. And not just the idea behind the artwork but also your story - the human being behind your artwork.    

Let’s Try a Story About a Living Artist

See if this story about an interview I did helps illustrate this point.  

I dialed Charisse’s number.    

We’ve been friends since we met while working in Glacier National Park... twenty some years ago.         

Hi Charisse, how’s your week been? 

Busy...Scott’s away. His mom’s not doing well.  

Oh that’s rough.  

I know. He flies home tonight... I’m excited to see him!  

That’s good. So do you have time to answer a few questions?  

Absolutely. 

Oh good - so when did you start painting?  

Ummm, it was either the end of 2002 or the beginning of 2003.  

Oh, I thought you grew up painting.  

Well, I grew up drawing and maybe did a painting in a highschool art class but that was about it.  

Interesting... so who inspired you to start painting then? If I do the math... we were 29? 

It was Scott (her husband) who really got me started. After I’d been selling real estate for 6 or 7 months and not enjoying it...Scott said I should take a break and paint. I had made one really good sale with a chunk of change. But it was hard to spend money on paints and canvases. I’d always lived paycheck to paycheck.  

So Scott got paints and brushes for me and made it happen. It felt great - thriving really, to start painting and tap into it.

And a huge benefit for those of us that get to enjoy your paintings. Are oils your favorite medium ?

Yeah, I like acrylics too but I love the way oils work on the canvas. And the smell of the oils brings back the joy of tapping into that creativity. Oils...they smell like creativity.     

I get it…your scent of inspiration. Do you have a particular artist that inspires you?

 In the beginning Georgia O’Keefe… I love her flowers. And the detail she captures with something normally so small but she gives a different perspective. Like the viewer is a bee, up close, nestling into the flower. And the softness of her landscapes are also so appealing.  

VanGogh too...he’s such a fascinating person. How he went from depressing black and whites and then was in large part responsible for the impressionism movement. His art is so unique because it looks real but in a fantasy sort of exaggerated way.  

 VanGogh is one of my favorites too. So what helps you create...do you light a scented candle or anything like that?

This might sound silly but sometimes I put feathers in my hair.  

Not at all...I put some kind of a hat on sometimes, when I write. My witch hat is my favorite.   

Really ? (Charisse asks giggling) Why is that ?

Helps me sit still and think.  

Oh that’s funny. I also have a mobile in my studio with driftwood, coral shaped hearts and glass rocks. Sometimes the cats go after the feathers.  

Of course they do. So how do you pick the subjects to paint ?

Actually, I start out with color. And then I paint mountains, animals, flowers… there’s a wide variety in my Gemini mind. Right now I’m looking at my latest painting with mustard yellow, hot pink, white and a lighter pink. Colors that my eyes want to eat.  

Colors are so powerful on moods. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists ?

Yes. Don’t be too hard on yourself. Let go. Painting abstracts allows for freedom. You don’t have to worry about making a mistake. It’s cathartic... FEEL free. Paint with no expectations. Go nuts and have fun! Whether it’s splatting paint all over the place - just clear out the cobwebs.    

 Before she opened her shop, Charisse’s guest room was like a gallery. And it cleared out the cobwebs in my mind. Walking up the stairs to their guest room / gallery always felt like the best get away or hide away ever.   

Her paintings of family portraits, tropical flowers, birch trees, ginko leaves, mountains, ocean horizons, irises, cherry trees in pink blossom and more...   

Which leads me back to my point.  

Do you want to see Charisse’s paintings now? They are beautiful, soothing and reminders of hope, just like she is. 

Getting Started

Step 1: Here are a few brainstorming techniques for your stories:    

1. Think about who inspired you to start your artwork and how they accomplished that.  
2. Is there an artist that inspired you? Why? 
3. Remember the sequence of events in your artistic evolution.       
4. What’s your favorite medium? Why?
5. What helps you create?
6. What are your favorite subjects to paint?
7. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Step 2: Now take your answers and organize them into a story. 

You can pick from a variety of storytelling techniques but the top three I suggest are: The Monomyth, The Nested Loops and The Petal Structure.  

1. The Monomyth is the classic hero’s journey. Like the underdog in a Disney movie running into an adventure that leads to unexpected victory. One benefit to this style is showing that it’s important to take risks.  

2. The Nested Loops style keeps people guessing...like at the end of a Hardy Boys chapter. What’s going to happen next ?! Then you start another scene. But by the end, the main idea is resolved. With this style you can share about an important person that inspired you and the wisdom that they taught you.  

3. The Petal Structure allows you to include different characters or stories that all support one main idea without leaving your audience guessing. The center of the flower is the one important idea or message that you want to share. Each petal, or seperate story, supports the center of the flower...the main idea. This approach can have a strong emotional impact on your audience.   

Step 3: Use it!

You can use this story in a brochure, on your website, on LinkedIn or other social media, in a gallery, at an event (on a poster with a picture of you)...there are so many ways your story can help you sell your artwork.

So highlight your art by sharing your story. Or contact me to interview you.    

Alison Downey is a freelance copywriter for Fine Arts & Collectibles. She’s traveled and hiked on five continents to learn about art, culture and nature. She lives in rural Connecticut. Alison and her husband enjoy hiking with their dogs and gardening on their mini farm. Feel free to contact her on Linkedin or at: [email protected]