Being a thriving artist means a lot more than making money, and Fiona Purdy is a great example of that. She actually approached me before tTAP was launched, angling to be interviewed. Although she’s not making a full-time living from her art yet (her art brings in about 25% of the household income), she’s happier than she’s ever been, and I thought she would make a great interview!
We talked a lot about the nuts and bolts of her business, including the pros and cons of selling inexpensive notecards of your fine art and how to price your artwork (including a very straightforward formula anyone can use).
Pricing is such a hard thing for many of us, but remember, as Fiona puts it in this interview, if you’re pricing too low, “you’re subsidizing people to buy your artwork.”
Think about it: are the people who buy your artwork the ones you want to be subsidizing? I suspect there are charitable causes you’d rather give your money too!
Another good point from Fiona: “The most important thing an artist can have is a list of people who like your stuff. Then work it!”
We talked for over an hour, and then we ended up talking some more, about all kinds of philosophical stuff, so I’ve included two mp3s here – enjoy!
(Note: Fiona uses Saga Card to produce her notecards and Cloudwatchers to produce her prints.)
Find Fiona at http://fionapurdyart.com
Click the links to play, or right-click to download.
Fiona Purdy Interview, Part 1 (1:08:33)
Fiona Purdy Interview, Part 2 (27:08)