Tag Archives: business

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This is a very quick update because I'm meant to be packing. My son and I are heading up to Scotland this evening to visit my folks.

Firstly, the talk went well on Thursday. I was quite pleased with the Powerpoint that I put together - only having a week to master the software made for a bit of a steep learning curve and a lot of late nights but I managed to put a simple presentation together. The talk itself was very well attended & the organiser said there was a good response to it. I think that I did OK, although my mouth was so dry from nerves that I got through two bottles of water in quick succession! But apparently I didn't look or sound too nervous, which was good. I had practised at home a lot, which definitely helped. I also watched this long but fantastic video by Garr Reynolds on how to structure Powerpoint & do presentations, which helped immensely. If you've got a talk coming up, I thoroughly recommend watching it - it'll be time well spent.

There was so much that I wanted to put in but had to leave out - 20-30 minutes isn't nearly long enough to give a good overview of blogging - so I may do some basic intro posts about the subject in the next week or two.

Secondly, I'm taking my laptop up to Scotland with the aim of writing 5 blog posts. I want to take my blogging up to the next level this year and my first priority is increasing the frequency of my blogging. I've been blogging 'hand to mouth' for far too long. I need to get a good backlog of posts written so that my blogging is not dependant on my dodgy health. So, if you've got any burning issues that you'd like to see me address, please let me know and I'll try to write about it. On a related note, if there's anything that drives you nuts about my site, please do let me know and I'll see if it can be fixed.

Lastly, congratulations to Gwen from Murphy Grace Home who won the Gary Vaynerchuk Crush It! giveaway. Thanks to everyone who commented. I wish you could all have won.

Right, I must go and pack, I'm just procrastinating now!

Edited to add:
Oops, I forgot this bit of news. I've changed a whole bunch of my photos over to the Creative Commons license. I'm retaining full copyright on my art photos but the more documentary ones are now available to use. The only restriction is that you can't take them and sell them. I would appreciate a Flickr comment if you do use them but it's not obligatory.

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I am not an entrepreneur, in fact, having spent the last seven years pretty much failing to make any money at my art, I'm kind of the opposite of an entrepreneur! Yet I loved Crush It! by Gary Vaynerchuk.

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I'll say upfront that I'm a fan of Vaynerchuk - I find his enthusiasm completely infectious - and I liked this book. He is someone who tends to divide opinion but even if you normally find him a bit 'over the top', I'd recommend giving this book a go because his natural exuberance is somewhat restrained in print format. You could also read this without having a clue who he is and still get lots from it because it's a punchy, concise, funny and inspiring book that's packed full of great stuff.

Basically the book is about how he used social media to successfully build a huge business. He briefly tells his own story and then explains how he did it and how you could use the same methods. I liked that he's very upfront about the need for you to take your own journey, rather than trying to slavishly follow him. He explains several times that this is just what worked for him and that you could decide to follow a different route and still be successful. He's also very clear that his method a) won't suit everyone and b) is dependant on vast amounts of sheer hard work.

There's also a strong moral core to the book that I found very admirable - this isn't a book about marketing sleaze and manipulation; his central message is one of caring about others and doing what you love with integrity and passion.

I found this an inspiring book that left me hugely excited about the vast potential of the internet to revolutionise many aspects of our lives, including our businesses. That said, I struggled to see how some of the 'monetizing' methods mentioned in Chapter 11 could be applied to the art world because the economy of the arts is so deeply weird. Normal business rules often don't apply in the arts - in particular, open 'monetizing' is hugely frowned on in many art circles, so artists may need to approach things like accepting external advertising with extreme caution. However, artists could certainly use his techniques to help build their online profiles, which I believe is vital for artists to do.

This is a book that could be read by someone at any level of internet experience. I've been online since Usenet and dial-up modems, so I'm very comfortable with the net and its culture. Yet I still got masses of ideas from this book. I've read the book through twice (it's short!) and both times I made tons of notes, many of which I've already acted upon. However, I'm sure an internet newbie could also read this book and wind up with a coherent understanding of how to successfully market themselves online. Even if you're not running your own business and have no desire to do so, it's still a useful read because he delves into the way the world is changing and talks about things like how the traditional resume is becoming increasingly irrelevant to a lot of businesses.

This book won't be for everyone - no book ever is - but if you're interested in the business side of art or you're ready to learn more about the power of social media, then I'd strongly recommend it. Even if you think you know it all, I think this book will spark new ideas or expose an angle that you hadn't considered before.

If you want to find out more about it, the book has a FAQ. If you're in the UK, Amazon.co.uk doesn't have it yet but The Book Depository seem to have it in stock.

And now for something completely new. Following Vaynerchuk's example, I decided to give video blogging a go and bought a Flip Cam. I've have been having a blast taping stuff, including this short review of the book, which is worth watching just for the last few seconds!

Disclaimer: I got this book as a free review copy after I rather cheekily emailed Gary and asked him for one! Gary Vaynerchuk and HarperCollins had no influence on the contents of this review, all opinions are my own.

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I've got one free copy of this e-book to give away - scroll down to the bottom of the review to find out more!

Creating A Blog Audience is the newest e-book by Diane Gilleland, familiar to many of us as Sister Diane from Craftypod.

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Very reasonably priced at $13.50, this 62 page booklet and accompanying 8 page worksheet is aimed at craft bloggers wishing to develop their blog audience through 'engagement marketing'. Although the guide is targeted specifically at craft bloggers, don't let this put you off: while there are a couple of parts that specifically mention craft resources, most of the information in this book is applicable to any kind of blogging.

Diane is well aware that many creative people run screaming at the thought of traditional marketing and her solution is to stay well away from old-fashioned aggressive techniques and 'marketing speak' like 'Unique Selling Points'. Instead she offers a more gentle, organic and community-based way to build up a fan base. This is marketing without marketing - what Seth Goldin calls 'permission marketing'. In essence, the idea is that instead of talking AT people, you talk WITH them. But of course there's more to it than that and Diane guides you through the ins and outs with humour and skill.

If you're au fait with Web 2.0 then much of this will be familiar but even an old hand like myself learnt some new tips and tricks. I found Chapter 4: Putting It All Together to be the most useful in this regard but I also had little 'ah-ha' moments throughout the whole book.

Where this e-book really stands out though, is in how useful it would be for beginners. If you've just started your blog or your visitor numbers are languishing and you don't know why, then I think you'll find this an excellent resource. A lot of people come to my blog looking for advice on blogging - my articles on that subject are perennially popular - I would absolutely recommend this book to them and the next time I update my recommended resources list, I'll be adding this book to it.

The book is well written, in a relaxed, accessible style that will appeal to even the most intimidated new blogger. Diane is a confident writer who explains the issues with ease and the book is split into easily digested sections with occasional diagrams and photographs to break things up a little. There are also clickable links to useful resources, including a dedicated page on her blog. Frankly, I enjoyed the writing so much that even though I've been blogging successfully for years, as soon as I'd finished this book, I was immediately seized with a desire to read her earlier guide, Making a Great Blog.

If you'd like to know more, visit the book's webpage or read these reviews from PlanetJune and Dude Craft.

To conclude: if you're new to blogging or not quite on board with Web 2.0, then this book is an absolute must-have but even if you're more experienced, you'll probably find it valuable.

Diane has very kindly agreed to do a giveaway. In proof that her techniques work, I simply emailed her to say I was doing a review and asked if she'd consider giving away a copy and she kindly said yes. So I have one free, personalised e-book available (I'm dying to know how you personalise an e-book btw!)

If you'd like a chance at winning the book, please leave a comment on this post telling me what you hate about marketing, either doing it or being on the receiving end of it. If you've not commented here before, your comment will be held in moderation but I'll approve it as soon as I can.

I'll do a blind draw on Tuesday 15th September and announce the winner next Wednesday.

Standard disclaimer: I consider Diane to be an online friend - we comment on each other's blogs & tweets and she interviewed me for Craftypod - however, I bought my copy of her e-book and she hasn't influenced this review in any way.

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You know that internet joke that goes:
1. Set up online business
2. ???
3. Profit!

Um yeah, that kind of IS my business plan!

I mean, it's slightly more sophisticated than that. It actually goes:
1. Make lots of work
2. Show work online and in exhibitions
3. Build up reputation
4. ???
5. Make lots of money, er well, some money anyway

Seven years after graduating, I have come to the conclusion that it's not the world's most efficient business plan. Steps 1 to 3 are coming along nicely but unsurprisingly, steps 4 and 5 continue to elude me.

I have been struggling a lot with the money thing lately, most particularly with how it relates to my art. Recently I came to the conclusion that I'm just not comfortable with money.

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem spending it - although actually I'm usually pretty sensible with that side of things. My problem is more with the concept of getting paid for what I do.

I think on some level my image of myself just doesn't include the idea, 'earns lots of money'. Certainly I'm much more mentally comfortable in the voluntary/low income sector. I have no idea why this is. Some misplaced notion of bohemianism, perhaps? Some basic insecurity or lack of self belief? I suspect both these things come into play but looking back, I can see that I've never been motivated by money. I don't care about status symbols like fancy cars and designer clothes and as long as I have enough money to get by, I'm perfectly content.

My motivation has always been internal rather than external. I had a hard time when I was at school because I hated what I saw as all the 'jumping through hoops'. I've become somewhat better at that over the years but I'm still the sort of person who will work my fingers to the bone if I'm interested in something but if I'm not interested then it's like pulling teeth, no matter how much money you offer me.

Naturally I understand that everyone has to do things that they dislike and I'm not so spoilt that I'll refuse to do boring things. I've done my share of mind-numbing paid jobs in the past and if my health was better, I probably still would be. There are also plenty of art tasks that don't fill me with joy: I dislike documenting my work, writing exhibition proposals and doing graphics for posters but I crack on and do them because they are part of being an artist. However, I'm doing these things because getting my work out there matters to me; again it's self motivation rather than the external motivation of money. I don't want to get the work out there to make money, I want to get the work out there so that the work is out there. I find this makes quite a fundamental difference when it comes to the 'getting paid' part of the equation.

One of the most obvious ways that my conflicted relationship with money manifests is the difficulty I have with the idea of selling my art. I have wavered back and forth on this for years. There are some real practical issues - most of what I make doesn't lend itself easily to selling. For example, because of the length of time my work takes, most of it would not be economically viable unless I charged astronomical prices.

However, I've noticed that I'm also extraordinarily resistant to the thought of selling my drawings, even though they're a much easier and more realistic prospect. Oh sure, I have a ton of excuses for that one - "they're not good enough", "I don't know how to sell", "I just don't feel ready" and "I don't like putting a value on things that I make" - but I can see that it all comes down to my fundamental unease with money.

Another example: before today, it had never once occurred to me that my photographs might have a market. Because I don't think of them as 'art', attempting to sell them had never even crossed my mind. And now that I have thought about it, I want to run away really fast! I am formulating new excuses in my head already. It's abundantly clear that the true problem is not with the kind of work I make; it's with the very idea of selling.

It often feels as though money is a strange language that I don't speak. In fact, it's as though my brain is wired in such a way that it doesn't even recognise that it IS a language. I think I have 'earning money blindness', in the same way as I have 'pass blindness' - you could be showing very obvious interest in buying my work and I simply wouldn't notice. Yes, this has actually happened to me - the person in question had to spell it out to me and when she did, I was completely floored and didn't know what to do.

You see the problem - I truly suck at this stuff. Plus I clearly have ISSUES.

Expect more posts on this subject, as I work my way through this money thing. Yes, internet, you are my therapy. Aren't you lucky!

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Ah, the dreaded tax return... thankfully, the problem I mentioned with my password was not a permanent one and I got my taxes in on time. I managed to do it in the early hours of last Friday morning; it turns out that if you wait until after midnight then the Inland Revenue website works just fine. Apparently my password wasn't a problem at all, the website had simply fallen down from exhaustion earlier that day. And really, who can blame it? I know from past experience that I am certainly not the only person who does my taxes right at the last minute.

According to the Inland Revenue's own figures, they hit peak numbers on Friday 30th January with 390,000 of us filing our taxes only a day before the deadline. It's a bad habit and I plan to be more organised about it next time around... but then I always say that and I bet those other 389,999 people do as well!

Seriously though, my current accounts are a bit of a shambles and I need to get my art assistant, The Wonderful Zoë, to sort me out. She's been self-employed for years and rolls her eyes at the organised chaos of my accounting 'system'.

I do keep all my receipts (ordered by month in small plastic folders) and all my bank statements (ordered by tax year) but I don't do two things that I should - I don't have a separate bank account for my art business (which makes doing my incomings an absolute nightmare) and I don't keep an accounts book. Both those things have always seemed like just too much of a bother when I rarely make any money at my art but I have decided that this year, it's time to tackle them for three reasons. Firstly, if I start making money in the future then it will be vital to have solid accounting practices already in place. Secondly, if I'm ever investigated by the Inland Revenue, my current practices might look suspicious when really it's just incompetence! And thirdly, it will make doing my taxes a whole lot easier and anything that stops me having a nervous breakdown at tax time is obviously A Very Good Thing: I know that my long-suffering family would certainly be grateful!

The current plan is that Zoë is going to bring one of her account books over for me to have a look at and then talk me through it and then I'm going to open a new bank account, move everything to where it should be and buy and start using an accounts book. Simple, no? My deadline for this is April, so that I can start the next tax year properly with all my new systems in place.

What sort of state are your accounts in? Do you do everything you 'should'? Finances can be a difficult and emotionally tense area for a lot of people and although I believe that artists are generally far more practical and grounded than most people give us credit for, we're certainly not immune to Head-In-The-Sand Syndrome when it comes to our accounts.

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It's about time I got back to some of my more serious articles, so I'm starting a new series about how the internet is changing the economic aspects of the arts.

THE NEW CREATIVE ECONOMY: PART 1
Don't Sue Your Customers!

The internet has undoubtedly changed how we engage with the arts, particularly in relation to music but also in other forms of creative expression. There's no question that many sectors of the arts need a new funding model - but suing your customers isn't it!

Ongoing battles between the entertainment industry and illegal downloaders are contributing to a damaging fall in consumer trust, according to new research from the PR agency Edelman. The number of UK consumers who said they trusted the industry fell from 47% in 2007 to 31% this year, with confidence disturbed by moves by the music industry to track down and punish illegal music copying, and high-profile scandals in broadcasting.
All quotes are from this article in The Guardian by Jemima Kiss.

Ah, the sweet sound of chickens coming home to roost!

The internet can be a disaster or a boon to the arts, it depends on how willing you are to embrace change. If you can see the potential and are willing to engage with your audience online, you can do well. If you resist the online changes and particularly if you treat your customers badly - as the mainstream music companies have been doing for several years now - your customers will return the favour.

Surveying younger consumers aged 18-34, Edelman found that 55% would take "direct action" against a company if they objected to its practices, 53% would share negative opinions with friends and 46% would ignore a firm's marketing and advertising. Even more damning, a further 39% said they would not invest in those companies.

I've been predicting this for years - anyone with half a brain can see what's happening, except the entrenched and outdated big music companies apparently. If they don't change, they will die. The only reason they've survived as long as they have is that musicians and music consumers didn't have a choice before but conditions have changed. Musicians are no longer so reliant on record companies to fund, distribute and promote their music; computers and the internet make it cheap and easy to produce and then promote your own music online. In addition, there are now there are new online music companies who use different financial models and who treat both customers and musicians much better:

Magnatune is an ethical record label based on downloading MP3's. You choose the amount you want to pay and the artists get 50% of the price. You can then legally share your download with three of your friends. This article by John Buckman about why he started Magnatune is well worth reading because it exposes the problems with the traditional record companies.

The Podsafe Music Network is a promotion network that allows podcasters to download music that they can play on their shows for free without restrictive licensing agreements. Links back to the musicians from the podcasts allow listeners to buy music that they hear on podcasts; I've done this several times when I've heard something that I love.

Independent online record store, CD Baby only sell CD's that come directly from the artists, who receive a large percentage of the cover price. I recently bought two Amy Steinberg CD's from them after hearing one of her tracks on a podcast. My CD's cost about £7, allowing me to return to joy of buying albums on spec, something I used to do a lot as a teenager when music was a more reasonable price than it was in the 90's. In addition, the emails I got from the company were charming and funny and the CD's arrived quickly from the States. I'm hugely resistant to buying music from the mainstream record companies because of the way they behave but I'd definitely buy from CD Baby again because they're cute, well organised and they treat musicians well.

Although prices of CD's have dropped recently for several reasons, musicians signed to major labels still only get a tiny fraction of the profits and may even lose money on record deals. The mainstream record companies still rip off both customers and musicians and then have the nerve to constantly bitch in the media and sue people. As is now becoming ever more apparent, this is a bad long term strategy.

The question I've been asking myself lately is "if I'm willing to buy Fairtrade to ensure producers in the third world are treated fairly, why am I supporting unethical music companies who mistreat musicians by underpaying them and trapping them into restrictive contracts where they often lose the rights to their own music?"

My solution has been to boycott the major record labels whenever possible and buy the music they produce secondhand but this means that the musicians don't get anything at all, which I'm not happy about. There has to be a better way and hopefully some of these new online music businesses will provide a way forward where everyone is treated fairly, especially the people who make the music in the first place.

Let's end on a positive note:

...the survey showed 56% of young UK consumers would rather buy legal content, if it was at a reduced price, than download illegally. That compared well with the 27% who refused to pay for content, and the 17% who said they might pay, but could continue to download illegal content as well. Much piracy, this would suggest, is fed by the lack of a legal online alternative.

If the mainstream music companies start treating their artists fairly, stop suing schoolkids, adapt to the changing conditions of their industry and do a lot of grovelling, then they may have a chance to survive. If they don't, they're history...

Maybe you're asking yourself what this has to do with the visual arts, but as my dad says, "everyone's useful, if nothing else they can always serve as a bad example!"

Get more help
If you'd like more information about building your online presence, check out the free resources section.

I am also available for online consulting if you need one-on-one help.


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Sheree Rensel commented on this post:

I totally agree with comments presented. I too realize that blogging is very beneficial for aspects related to motivation and building an audience. However, I want to know how blogging has helped your INCOME. How has blogging increased your sales or increased the money you get to support your art?
That is the topic for which I am REALLY interested.

Sheree Rensel - Blue
Sheree Rensel: Blue

Ah Sheree, the answer to that would be 'not at all' since I'm not currently set up to make money off my art. I am slowly coming to terms with the idea that maybe I should try to make some money from my work but it's something that I'm still internally struggling with. For a long time I believed that my work was completely unsaleable because of the fragile and often temporary nature of the things that I made. That's no longer as true as it once was but I'm still trying to reprogramme my brain on this issue. I plan to write more about the issue of money and artists in the future.

That's a long-winded way of saying that I'm probably not the best person to answer your question!

Fortunately, Katherine from Making A Mark left a long and detailed comment, some of which addressed this issue. I'm reprinting the relevant bits here:

Kirsty - I absolutely agree a blog should be for yourself. I personally am less on reading 'commercial' blogs where people are blogging for a business which is not their own or because they think it's 'what you have to do' to sell art. These blogs often seem to run out of steam after a bit.

Blogs which just present work for sale (as one e-bay) are fine by me - but IMO they work so much better with a few details about why the artist chose to paint the picture...

...Re. last comment, here's my observation. The people who appear to sell consistently using their blogs as part of their marketing are those who do good quality work. (By which I mean good quality work will find a buyer if you market effectively). What a blog maybe does for them is speed up the process of increasing awareness - and then once you've attracted people who like watching what you produce then you have a ready market of people who are more likely to buy.

I would agree with this, personally I prefer blogs where the artist is not solely focused on selling, although I have no objections to being gently reminded that they've updated their Etsy shop or that a particular piece is available in a commercial gallery. In fact, I definitely think that artists should do that, where applicable.

However, the artists who seem to have the most success online usually seem to take the long view. For example, Camilla Engman is an artist who's had a lot of success online and she seems to have built up her sales in a gentle and organic way. She cultivates an audience for her work by having relationships with the readers of her chatty and informal blog and maintaining an active Flickr presence including starting a new group called Organised Collection recently. And of course, she makes excellent and consistent work that she offers at a range of prices from affordable calendars and prints to the more expensive original paintings.

Camilla Engman - Collection 2
Camilla Engman: Collection 2

Engman is a lovely example of how to operate as an artist in the offline world too. We had a show of her work at the Here Gallery and she included a couple of packs of her little prints as a thank-you gift for those of us who'd helped with the show. She's the only artist I can recall who did something like this and it was certainly appreciated by those of us who unpacked and hung her show, since we were all volunteers and none of us were getting paid. Getting curators and gallery people on your side never hurts!

Get more help
If you'd like more information about building your online presence, check out the free resources section.

I am also available for online consulting if you need one-on-one help.


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I promised a round-up of the comments that other artists have left about their experiences with blogging and here it is, although much later than I'd planned...

Usiku from Writer's Whirlpool writes:

Blogging has allowed me to reach and meet people that possess a range and depth of human experience, yet it reminds me there is a sameness to us all.

What a lovely sentiment, Usiku. One of the things I love most about blogging is the way it can encourage people reach out and help each other - I've seen everything from people offering words of sympathy to people giving real life support such as organising online baby showers, paying medical bills for ill bloggers, supporting families through bereavement or other difficult times, raising funds for charities or coming together to sponsor art projects.

I get so fed up of all the negative portrayals of the internet because it just doesn't reflect my online experience. Blogging is frequently portrayed as a selfish and egotistical thing to do but I've often seen it used as a powerful and meaningful way to connect with other people.

Michelle from Pencil Portraits brings up a point I hadn't considered:

Another benefit to blogging (for me anyway) is that when I am focussed on updating my blog regularly I am more productive in my art, because I can't wait to post it. But I have noticed a definite correlation in lower productivity when I get slack about updating my blog, so even though it takes a bit of time to post, it is definitely worth it for so many reasons.

I love the idea of using a blog as a way of giving yourself motivation - great idea, Michelle!

Mark from Graf Nature Photography: Notes From The Woods writes:

I use my own blog for connecting with viewers of my own work, as well as exploration of my own feelings and analysis of why I do what I do. Turns out, a lot of readers often wonder the same about their own work. Sometimes it helps just to write things down to work out what you are thinking.

Oh, I couldn't agree more, Mark. I've always used writing, and indeed, making my art, as a way to work out what I'm really thinking and feeling. I've always written about my work a lot so writing on a blog wasn't that big a step for me. I think that so many artists work in isolation and having that link with viewers and other artists can be so helpful - just to get an extra set of eyes on the work, if nothing else. One of the reasons I like exhibiting is because of the dialogue and additional perspective that you can get on the work - I guess you can think of blogging as an informal sort of exhibiting process.

That leads us neatly onto Katherine from Making A Mark, who makes a similar point:

1) Blogging can also be thought of as the virtual equivalent of the 'private view'. Thinking of it like that helps people to pitch their remarks - one to one, helpful, informative - but also professional.

2) I like supporting galleries, exhibitions and other artists on my blog - and they come back and tell me they've sold work as a result. More co-operative support for one another would give a nice artistic twist to "the wisdom of crowds"

3) It should never be under-estimated how much slog blogging can feel like at the beginning - but it is habit-forming and it does get easier the more you do it and the more frequently you post. The growth in visitors is also exponential - my second tranche of 50,000 visitors arrived a lot more quickly than the first 50,000!

Woah Katherine - 50,000 visitors! I can't even imagine that yet but maybe I'll get there one day. I do agree that blogging is habit-forming although I think a lot of bloggers get dispirited at the initial 'writing in a vacuum' feeling. I think you've got to be writing for yourself as well as an audience - if you're getting some personal reward that isn't dependant on other people reading or commenting then it's a lot easier to continue. In that respect it's a lot like making art.

Tina from The Cycling Artist blog brings up the importance of regular blogging:

I've been blogging a while but only recently made a pact with myself to do it *every day*. Strangely enough it gets easier. I used to wonder what to blog about, what was interesting enough to write and direct my fans, collectors and other artists too that wasn't just a rambling self-journal. I didn't want it to be for artists only, so had to find a happy balance. Sometimes I get on a bit of a soapbox but hopefully not too often. :)

It's about 20 minutes each day typing up, copying into two blogs (I duplicate my tina-m.blogspot.com blog over to my MySpace account too). It's a nice start to the day actually. And I've just recently found out about RSS feeds and used feedburner.com to set them up - in case any other artists are as mystified about it as I was!

Tina, I'm interested in the fact that you duplicate your blog over at MySpace - do you find using MySpace works in terms of visitor numbers? I've been wondering about setting up an 'outpost' over in MySpace but I don't want to commit to something that's going to take lots of time.

Get more help
If you'd like more information about building your online presence, check out the free resources section.

I am also available for online consulting if you need one-on-one help.


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Deanna from Artist, Emerging writes about damage to a piece of her artwork that was returned to her by a gallery.

Deanna is obviously very careful about packaging her work - she makes up special foamcore boxes and wraps her work carefully in archival paper first to protect the delicate wax surfaces of her encaustic paintings. She was pretty unlucky to have a piece damaged.

I don't want to sound as though I'm making excuses for the gallery - they should definitely have been more careful - but I do have some advice on avoiding this situation. Having packaged up loads of works as a curator, I'd strongly recommend that artists include a sheet of packing directions, especially if there are any special requirements for repacking the work. Don't leave things to chance; spell it out in black and white. Wrapping up works to send back is a pig of a job: it's boring and tedious and when you're packaging up 20 or 30 pieces at the end of a show it's often difficult to remember how it looked when it arrived. You also can't guarantee that the people who unwrapped the work will be the ones repackaging it - at the Here Gallery we rely on volunteers and sometimes the people wrapping the work don't have any art experience at all. What seems like common sense to an artist might not be so obvious to someone who isn't an artist. Written directions make life a lot simpler for everyone, plus if the gallery doesn't follow the instructions then you have more ammunition to complain to them.

Unfortunately not all artists are as meticulous as Deanna: I've unpacked work that I was amazed survived the trip through the postal system - work sandwiched between two ill fitting bits of cardboard, work that wasn't well wrapped, even work that wasn't protectively wrapped at all.

Work being sent anywhere should be properly wrapped in bubble wrap (and any other protective packaging that the work needs) before being placed in a strong, well-fitting box.

Please buy or make the correct size of box: don't hack together several bits of cardboard. I know it's good from an environmental point of view but bits of cardboard taped together are a nightmare to get into, even worse to reuse and they tend not to provide enough support to the work, especially around the edges. It's OK to cut down a box that's too large though.

With bubble wrap, you should use larger pieces rather than taping together smaller pieces - the later are horrible to reuse. If you've only just had enough bubble wrap to wrap your work, then the curator probably won't have enough to securely re-wrap it because bubble wrap invariably gets damaged where it's been taped. I know that money is an issue for all artists but please don't skimp on protecting your precious work.

If you're packing more than one piece in a single box, you'll need plenty of packaging between them and you'll also need to consider weight issues. For example, if you're packing a lot of framed pieces then they're usually better stacked upright rather than in a pile with one unfortunate piece on the bottom. Reinforcing the base of the box with extra cardboard can be a good idea when sending heavier work, although if the work is very heavy then you'll need to use wooden packing crates.

Your box should also include: instructions on how to repack the box, a return address label (including postage if required), written instructions on how to install the piece (especially important for sculptural works) and any fittings needed to install the work. Obviously, you should make sure the box is properly taped shut but using too much tape on the box can actually increase the risk of damage because the person will have to use more force if it's very difficult to open. Now mark your box to show which way is up. Boxes should also be marked 'fragile, handle with care' although frankly I'm not sure if that makes any difference to the way the post office treats them!

If I get all that, I'm in heaven.

Professionally packed work containing clear instructions and fittings lets the curator know that you respect and value your own work, so they should too. In addition, by making things easy for them, you also demonstrate that you're courteous enough to care about their time. Knowing that I'm following the artist's wishes and don't have to sit around worrying about how a piece should be hung takes a lot of stress out of the process for me. Then all I have to decide is where it should be hung. Believe me, I much prefer that!

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I liked this post by ceramicist Shannon Garson on her blog, Strange Fragments.

This is a lesson I learn time and time again, if I have misgivings about a project it is not superstition, it is because I am experienced. Those misgivings are all my years of experience telling me "This project is not right. Stay Away!"

Isn't that great! I absolutely love that line about it being experience not superstition. It's so true, yet unfortunately it's a lesson that I also seem to have trouble learning and I bet I'm not the only one. Why do we second guess ourselves in this way? Is it lack of confidence in our abilities or blind optimism that hey, things will turn out just fine if we ignore that little niggling voice?

Shannon goes on to say:

I think it's important for artists who speak about their practice to tell emerging artists and their peers about their frustrations as well as successes.

I totally agree and it's one of the reasons that I'm very open on this blog about the times when I mess up. I hope that people can learn from my mistakes. I also hope that if I publicly confess them then maybe I might learn from them!

I am slowly learning though. For example, I've learnt to ask myself "is this a gesso moment?" in the run up to an exhibition: this is my personal code for 'am I about to stress myself out by attempting something monumentally stupid right before a deadline?" This comes from an experience I had last year when I tried to learn proper old fashioned gesso (the sort you make with plaster and rabbit skin glue) a month before my solo show with the crazy idea that I would make a series of brand new drawings on gessoed boards - a medium, let me repeat, that I had never used before. I'm sure you can imagine how well that went... I still have a bunch of gessoed boards sitting in my studio, waiting to be sanded and then drawn on. Goodness only knows what I was thinking but it's quite a frequent trap for me - my optimism always seems to outweigh my sanity in these situations and I get carried away with a 'good idea'. The trouble is that it often really is a good idea - if I'd had it six months earlier!