Can I make more money from my creativity?

As per my previous posting, I have been to a day's session in Southend Uni's Ilab thinktank, along with 11 other artists. We spent the day doing business studies stuff. I was impressed with the setting and the positive attitude of the hosts, but can't honestly say that I shall find it easy to become any richer on the back of the experience. We looked into 'businessy' things like:
'who sets the price- buyer or seller?'
'who is your ideal customer?'
'what benefits are you offering in your produce?' or 'what sets you apart?'
'what are your customer's requirements?'
'who are your enemies?' (who's the competition- a concept I find quite horrid, because other makers in my field and related fields help to make exhibitions and events more appealing to draw a larger audience, and I find that low attendance is the true enemy of both interest in, and sales of my work. You need a 'critical mass' of viewers to make it all work.

Now, what I would have liked to have discovered were better ways to: present my work,
light my work,
display my work,
approach galleries,
get an agent
etc.

So if anyone would like to run a day like that, why not get in touch with the Business Hub at Southend on Sea University and make an offer. Also please comment on what other areas you think would be of help in making more money from creative work.

If you visit Norwich....

The Grapevine Gallery in Norwich has such a good lineup of artists and makers I think you'll enjoy looking at their website
mail@grapevinegallery.co.uk

Making More Money From Your Creativity

This coming Tuesday I shall be attending a day session at Southend University entitled Making More Money From Your Creativity. I have attached the ink below to the blurb on the day, and am kind-of looking forward to it.
http://creativearts23nov.eventbrite.com/?utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=event_reminder&utm_term=event_title
I have been a self-employed potter, or designer/maker, or artist for 29 years, so in thoery I already know all there is to know.....or do I? I have successfully survived through at least three recessions and done the things people with 'proper jobs' do, like buy a house and raise a family. However it always feels a bit precarious, in the sense of not knowing where the next opportunity or customer is going to appear from. In a way that is a good thing because I am extremely adaptable to sudden requests and able to take advantage of immediate opportunities that come along.
I am interested to see what blindingly obvious strategies I have missed in all this time, and expect to find some. That is why I am writing this before the event.
I see highly successful artists as people who schmooze incessantly (not something I ever felt comfortable with) or have great contacts, or just have an amazing bit of luck. I am a hard working potter, who loves what he does, and is far more interested in exploring a current idea, and getting today's batch of pots just right, than someone who makes for a market with financial forecasts and profit maximization in mind. This isn't stupid at all, it is a case of getting the work right! If it is good enough to please me, then it will almost certainly intrigue and please someone who sees it. In that sense I feel myself to be fortunate and successful.

New blog posting resolution

Having done some reading around the whole subject of social networks and media, I now resolve to post regular blogs about a number of areas to do with my work and interests. I hope that these will prove both interesting and useful to those who see them. In no particular oder they will cover:
A) Exhibition reviews
B) Pointing out interesting work by potters I admire
C) Discussing things to do with being a small business in the arts
D) My ceramics, how I make, techniques I use
E) The art world
F) Art Trails/ Open Studios (I set up the Leigh Art Trail in 1997, the first in Essex, now there are 20+) http://leigharttrail.co.uk/lat-p-Home.htm