6 Steps to Selling Art Without Ever Selling Out

By Jessica Serran in Art Business Advice > Motivation

I’ll let you in on some behind-the-scenes secrets: first, few of the things I create are fully fleshed out before I tell the world that they’re going to happen. And second, some of my greatest ideas came when all I knew was that I needed money—fast!

I’ve sold art this way; I’ve created global art projects, hell, I ran a successful $13,000 crowdfunding campaign without a clue in hell as to how I would make it happen. What I did have was a burning desire and a fire in my belly.

I’ve learned two very important things along the way:

1. You do not have to have everything figured out and in place before you start, and

2. There is nothing like needing some extra cash to kick creativity into high gear.

If dilly-dallying is no longer an option, our creative resources can spring into action and light an incomparable fire under our asses. While I am also all about sustainability, I’m a huge fan of the spontaneity and solutions that come when we have to figure something out.

How to sell your art and bring in cash—stat!

If your desire is to sell some art and make some bank, and you’re wondering how-in-the-hell you’re going to do it, this guide is for you.

See, the trap comes when we get caught up thinking: “I’m not ready,” (because hello, we’re never actually ready) or “I don’t have a shopping cart set up” (hello perfectionism!) or, “No one is going to buy my art.”

The truth is that you don’t need to have or know these things, yet. What you do need is this: exactly what you already have, right now, at your disposal. That, and the burning desire to sell some art. Here are my 6 steps to selling art.

6 steps to selling art - Jessica Serran photo

Step 1: No is not an option

Step 1 is to own your desire, make it a burning one, and commit to it. You have to decide that you refuse to take no for an answer. Period. “I am selling my art. I am manifesting $2000 this month. I am moving into the apartment of my dreams. Period.” This energy is the stuff of miracles.

Step 2: Clarify your desire

No approximations here. In order to create what you desire you have to know exactly what the desired outcome is. How much money do you need to make? How many paintings do you want to sell? Know the exact numbers. Write them down. Remind yourself daily that this is already done and feel it.

Step 3: Invite inspiration in

The next step is to open the floodgates wide open and ask a really great question. For example, “What would it take for $784 to show up by the end of the month in cash?” Be curious and be on hyper alert-for the information that will show up and guide you to the next step, and then the next, and the next and the next. You don’t have to know how the money will come, you just need to stay focused on what you desire and why you desire it so fully.

Step 4: Brainstorm big!

Make a list of every possible thing you could do to make this money, or sell those paintings. Be silly, have fun, write down every idea that comes to mind. For example, I once needed a chunk of cash. I sent an email to a collector and let him know that I had some old work to show him. A few days and $2500 later, he had the art he loved and I had the cash. Ask yourself, “What could I do right now to bring in this money or sell that art?”

Who has expressed an interest? Which gallery has your work that you’ve been meaning to contact? Which pieces can you post on social media?

Step 5: Take inspired action

Wouldn’t it be totally lame if the Universe sent you some divine spark of inspiration and you put it off or just decided that it could wait? You have to trust that you’ve been given that sparkly seed of inspiration for a reason. Your job is to dive in and act without knowing how it will turn out. What will you do, right now to make your desire a reality?

Step 6: Borrow my faith

The formula for making this happen isn’t actually that mysterious or hard. Keeping the faith is. If I would have known that starting the Field Guide to the Czech Psyche project would have taken me 3+ years and about 7 times the amount of money I thought it would, I may never have dove in. But I did. I kept the faith and I didn’t take no for an answer. I decided that I would raise over $13,000 to finish it and I did. I had to continue seeing and feeling the finish line and acted as if it was already done.

These six steps are pure magic: Desire, followed by commitment, curiosity and divinely inspired action.

Your job is to act.

Special thanks to Jessica Serran for sharing this post! To read more from her, please visit her website at www.jessicaserran.com.

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