Since I’ve started Sarah Jane Studios, and really from the very beginning, I’ve been surrounded by inspiring and tenacious friends who want to start a business from their hobby or passion. It’s been so great to surround myself with such enthusiasm! And from early on, I’ve been asked to speak or be a panelist at events where business, creativity, or design has been a key topic. What a treat this has been! Even though I prepare a lot of information myself, I always come away with questions that I never would have asked myself.

I also love being around the creative energy of people like you who love what they do and either do it just for the love, or to put a little aside in their pocket book too. This generation of DIY, bad economy, Mother’s having to work more than ever, etc. …has really generated a HUGE wave of women who are so darn determined to work from home doing what they love (instead of behind a counter in a cubicle with no windows).  And it’s empowering to be around these people. So I do it a lot. And I make a lot of friends, and it’s wonderful.

But now it’s your turn to ask me some questions that I want to start discussing!

I’m going to be speaking at a few events coming up, and want your feedback. The first up, is Creative Collaborative is having another meeting tomorrow night at 7pm, and we’ll be discussing:

Alma Loveland- Pricing, choosing how to charge your fees

Mike Loveland- Balancing work with family/social demands

Justin Hackworth- Networking with other artists/businesses/bloggers….

Sarah Jane- Using Social Media to grow your business

Susan Petersen- setting up shop online, and getting your art out!

Melanie Burk- Building clients, building a website, online presence

Also, in September I’m going to be a panelist at The Creative Connection!

{I am really excited about this. I’ve never been before, but I hear it’s amazing. Key notes include Decor 8, members of the Oprah team and Blogher. Heather Bailey, Patty Young, Betz White and other fabric friends will be joining the scene, as well as other AMAZING representatives from all over: Magazines, Publishing, Media, Product Licensing, etc. You can learn everything from how to knit to how to pitch to an agent; How to host an event to getting a licensing deal. Classes include cooking, crafting, writing, business learning, and so much more! It’s going to be amazing. There is a link over on my side bar and you can click right over. }

I’m on a panel that will be discussing e-commerce and having an online shop. And, I know, there are A LOT of you that have online shops, or have always wanted to get your art/creativity out there. I know there are a lot of us that are in this, and we all want to learn more!

So…. I want to hear from YOU!

What questions do YOU have about running an online business with your art? What are the biggest concerns you have, or issues that you want more information/support on?

Leave a comment below, and we can discuss them here on the blog, at Creative Collaborative, etc. I don’t have all the answers, but I think this will be a good discussion.

Ask Away!

Hello!

Sorry to go MIA there on the blog. I’ve been struggling with some health issues, and am starting to come back around. One of the issues have been my eyes…which has kept me away from my screen a bit. Nice to take a break, but sorry for the lack of posts!

So, I am back and with some news!

I’m part of a fantastic group of talented folks who are starting a collaborative support group called CREATIVE COLLABORATIVE

The idea behind was inspired by Melanie of Fifth and Hazel after the last ALT Design Summit in Salt Lake City. After going, and realizing HOW supportive this blogging/art/design community is, she decided to start a FREE monthly event in Utah where like-minded artists and creative people could get together and share ideas, network with each other and have regular speaker discussing topics that are frankly just hard to talk about on the web! So Melanie, Alma Loveland, Justin Hackworth and I started this group, and I hope you’ll be a part of it!

Isn’t that brilliant? So glad this is getting started.

Being part of this group has been awesome. I strongly believe that there is enough success to go around for ALL of us who seek to use our creative talents to either support our families or for our own personal need to express (or both!) And I really believe that competitiveness is only energy wasted, and by collaborating and helping each other, we will find our greatest success.

Part of that success is simply just being together, and sharing ideas. Artists are funny people. They are very creative and love to be around interesting and inspiring people and places. But we’re also (and come on, admit it!) a bunch of hermits. So this also serves as a great way for us to get out of the studio and around like-minded people.

This month’s topic of discussion is on ROADS TO SUCCESS. Presented by  Justin Hackworth (Photographer) and Eva Jorgansen (Sycamore Street Press) and Yours Truly. It’s going to be a mighty night.

Details:

June 9th 7 pm

It’s FREE!!

1 East center Street #215

Same building as Gondolfo’s

Provo, UT

Website here.

Creative Collaborative is NEW. Brand new. PLEASE…spread the word, invite your friends, and stop by the website for updates. We hope to be starting a blog where the events can be outlined and discussed.

And also, if you have topics that you would like information on as a designer, business owner, artist, creative….let us know! We feel so strongly that by supporting each other, success for all of us is inevitable.

See you there!

{image via FLICKR}

So. ALT:

I won’t go into the nitty gritty details about the super fab conference from last week. But I do want to talk about how this era of online living is allowing creative people to find success in ways that were never before possible.

What was ALT Design Summit all about? Well, it was for people who:

1) Really like design and everything under that bracket: art, food, photography, writing, fashion, you name it

2) Are interested in the social network and media scene

3) Have their own business and/or make a living from their hobby

4) Think outside the box. Because, well, items 1-3 really don’t fit into one, do they?

There were panel discussions, presentations, and hands on workshops like this photography class by Nicole Hill Gerulat where I had the chance to really rethink the way I shoot pretty things.

I took some pretty mean pictures (thanks to One Charming Party who put these tabletops together and Nicole Hill who knows her stuff!)

That top picture is me in green skirt, thinking hard about getting my hands on a new camera.

But really, what I loved most, was being surrounded by really smart, creative people. You think you like reading blogs? Try meeting them in person. Super enlightening.

I was part of conversations that answered questions, but more importantly ALT inspired my own creative thinking. This era of reaching people, building businesses, creating spaces and launching ideas is a really thrilling place to be.  There are rules, but there is no set path to follow when it comes to having an idea and making it happen, because the rules are constantly being rewritten.

I know so many of you are creative doers and are part of communities (online and off) where you connect with other like minded people. So you probably understand that  building communities around what you do and what is important to you, is how ideas are supported, published or become successful in whatever you consider success to be.

I was able to interact with people who had a creative idea, and made it happen! Come on…you know that’s easier said then done!  But these people didn’t accomplish their goals by “traditional” measures. Instead,  by using social media to connect with people, they were able to build communities around those ideas and find success through networking with like minded people who supported those ideas.

Why is social media so important then? Because this is the era of transparency: Where the world is getting smaller and more personal (because of the internet) which is how we as human beings prefer to connect. I’m not talking about stalking celebrities (gag!) or finding out what Obama had for lunch. I’m talking about connecting the human side of all that we are and do. That is how businesses are growing. That is how we are connecting as people and communities. That is the story that we are telling and want to hear. And that is how artists, designers, and creative thinkers are carving their paths and making their voices heard. They aren’t writing books and just sticking them on the shelves. They aren’t just taking pictures and submitting them to the NY Times. They are telling the story behind the story and building communities around what they love. You get the idea.

They, like me, are interested in connecting their art to people.

It’s an amazing era we live in.

So, being around people this week who are willing to take a few risks and put themselves out there in this new era of “transparency” was just really inspiring. If you have a blog, or if you have a space where community is important to what you do, I think you can imagine the limitless potential and positive outreach there is.

I am just super passionate about this whole idea of putting yourself out there and finding new ways to make ideas happen. Maybe I get it from my dad. He is a man of big ideas. A dreamer, if you will, and always encouraged us to think things up in our heads without paying too much attention to the hard fast rules out there in the world that would stop us. I owe him a lot for that. And now, more than ever in the history of the world, ideas have a place to grow: all because of the limitless communities that are out there or that have yet to be created.

Or maybe I love talking about this because that is how I went from being a no-resume, no-art-degree, no-business-degree woman into a full-time illustrator, designer and business owner. I still marvel that I am doing what I am doing. But it’s all because now is the era where if you want something badly enough, you can make it happen.

So I guess this post is for you artists out there. There is no one right way to get yourself out there. Dream up what you want with your art, and there is a path for you. Making it happen has never been more exciting!

So, there you have it. I really like smart people who come up with conferences like ALT that support the notion that crazy people like me (mother of 3 young children, wife, children’s book illustrator, designer, business owner, blogger, and creative doer) no longer have to identify ourselves as one or the other. We can be all things wrapped up into one. All those hats we wear? They are part of a greater whole called “YOU.” And the new era of social media means that being “YOU” is just as important as your art or your hobby or your business. In fact, being you is your business. And I think that’s a pretty neat idea.

What do these images have in common? There is a theme here, and I’ll give you a secret: it has to do with ALT DESIGN SUMMIT this weekend!

Ok, Can you guess?

These are the ladies I’ll be speaking with on my panel under a topic that will for sure spill overtime cause there is so much to talk about: Building Your Brand and Your Business.

I am so thrilled to be speaking with Victoria from te super savy style blog Sfgirlbybay and the expert gardener and renaissance woman Gayla from You Grow Girl. We all have something in common: we love what we do, we started to put ourselves out there in the blogging world, and a business grew partially by accident and partially planned. We will be talking about the steps we have taken to get there and advice for the journey. Come with your questions too…I think we’ll have a Q&A at the end if we have time!

So, if you haven’t had time to get your tickets, this is your last chance! The first ever blogging conference with design in mind. I can’t wait to hear from some of my biggest social marketing heros, and design heros. It will be a party with lots o lots of packed information.

If you can come, please come over and say hi! This will be my first day away from the baby, so I will be considerably more lonely than normal…either that or completely care free!

See you there!

Last month I was interviewed by “Babies and Moms” website, and was asked to talk about a favorite topic of mine: turning your passion into a business. I had a great time with Nancy Cajun, who has had many business successes herself with her company Sign Babies and now her Babies and Mom podcast. It was actually she who inspired me to get started when I heard her speak at a Startup Princess Seminar about turning an idea into a business….and I was so honored to now get to have her ask me questions!

I am on about 8 minutes into the podcast, and we are talking about how to make that passion of yours…that hobby that you can’t stop doing…into a profitable business. I also get to share bits of my own personal story on how I got started….which is always so amazing that I got through those first few months (OH they were nuts!).  We also talk a good bit about balancing your creative passions while raising young children. These are great women I’m chatting with.

Anyways, tell me what you think! I’d really love to include more discussion of the business side of things here on the blog…but would love to know your interest.

Thanks for listening:)

You can listen here.

There are days that just get you all fueled up, and Friday was just that. I went to the Startup Princess Touchpoint event (a conference for entrepreneurs) and was so delighted to meet Heather Bailey in person. She spoke twice during the conference and I also got to chat with her a bit one-on-one. What a treat! She is just as warm and genuine as she comes across in her blog. I was so impressed by here incredible work ethic, dedication to her family, God and to her talents. She is one smart cookie, I’ll tell you that. She was able to show us her new line of fabric coming any day now (she says she is just waiting for it to come in the mail!) and it’s just darling. I’ll let you check out her site for her to do the telling, but I was once again so impressed by her ability to create what she loves and what other people can’t wait to get their hands on. She shared a lot of her journey from before she even started a business until now. It was needless to say, very inspiring!

I was also able to meet up with so many great blogging friends. In the picture on the left, you see Marie from Make and Takes, Allison from Petit Elephant, and Kami from No Biggie. It was so wonderful to meet people I only t get to read from on a screen…meeting in person is the icing on the cake! Thanks Startup Princess for such a great event!

If you are in traveling distance to Salt Lake City, UT, come to the Startup Princess Women’s entrepreneur Touchpoint event on Friday featuring 3 awesome guest speakers including my favorite: Heather Bailey. Have a business? Thinking of starting one? Want to meet some really cool people? Want something fun to do on Friday? Come on down. It’ll be a blast!

Sign up here.

I get asked all the time how I started my business, as well as what advice I would give to someone starting out on their own. I always try to offer what i can, but in all honesty, so much of what I have learned is from becoming a part of Startup Princess. Kelly Anderson has become a great friend of mine, and has created a place for women to essentially band together and share wisdom, support, services and techniques on life as a female entrepreneur. And the great thing about this organization, is that it’s global with services and support offered via their online magazine with posts and support offered daily.

I don’t consider myself an entrepreneur. When others ask, “How is your business going?” it usually takes me back a moment. Business? Oh ya. It is a business. That might sound funny to you, but I still think of myself as an artist who happens to sell what I create, which of course means I have a business. Gosh, that sounds obvious. But the word business tends to intimidate me at times, and if it weren’t for Startup Princess, I wouldn’t have the tools I need to grow.

This next event is in Utah (lucky for me!) and I am thrilled about the the guest speakers: particularly Heather Bailey whom I completely admire and look up to. I have watched her growth for the past 3 years and she blows me away. She must be my age there about, has two children, and has basically created her own little empire with her incredible designs. She will be speaking on “Creating products that sell” and “Creativity in life and business.” Sounds yummy. I can’t wait!

If you are in UT or can come out for the event, the early bird registration ends on August 1st. And if you are new to Startup Princess, check out the site now, and get involved! It is a GREAT way to network and build relationships with people that can support what you do.

If you are coming, let me know! It would be just peachy to meet up to chat and meet face to face. Treat yourself to a day away and come on over. It’ll be a party!

I have been wanting to start a discussion here for some time, but have been deliberating how to post about it as it seems to be a subject that isn’t talked about much: Protecting your artwork from being copied or closely replicated. Unfortunately, this is happening a lot in the online art world. How close it too close?

So, Question of the day: How do you protect your art?

First, let’s chat about what you can do to protect your art from being out-right stolen. This should be your first concern.

PROTECTING YOUR IMAGES:

1) Watermark your images.

So many people treat the internet as an image gallery for free use. With a WATERMARK over your potentially downloadable image, you are telling people that the image is yours should not be used for personal or commercial use. You will also prevent people from stealing the image and selling it elsewhere.

2) Post your images as small as you can without losing resolution. As long as your art is not vector art, you should never be saving your images to the web in a size that could be reproduced or used by another person/party.

3) Register your image(s) with the U.S. Copyright office (if you are in the U.S of course). Here is the link to get started.It is easier then ever, and less expensive than it used to be. http://www.copyright.gov/eco/index.html

4)Educate yourself on intellectual property: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intellectual_property

5) Disable Downloads: if you can, disable your images from being downloaded on the internet. On ETSY, there isn’t control over that, thus the vital importance for your image to be watermarked and protected with a copyright notification.

These steps should be taken First. But what about the fuzzy lines that surround borrowing, adapting and copying? Let’s chat.

PROTECTING YOUR ART, IDEAS, COMPOSITIONS AND STYLE:

1) Doesn’t copyright protect my idea and composition? No. Art and craft is so subjective, and ideas really can’t be copyrighted. Here is what the US copyright office has to say:

“Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, systems, or methods of doing something. You may express your ideas in writing or drawings and claim copyright in your description, but be aware that copyright will not protect the idea itself as revealed in your written or artistic work.” http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-protect.html

2) What can I do when I see someone else coming up with creations obviously similar to mine?

I would love to here your reaction to this, but here is mine. Contact the artist if necessary telling them you are noticing some copying going on. If they still persist, contact them again if you feel you need to. But for me, this is where I stop. You are an ARTIST! You are not a huge million dollar company protecting your branded and patented products. You are just one person with a ba-jillion creative ideas constantly going through your brain. To waste your creative energy by going after a copycat is a waste of that creative energy.

Why?

You are the original creative idea, and have power to always rise above the competition. Competition is good and will most always be there. You can spend your time getting angry, or you can spend your time staying ahead of the game by keeping your art fresh, lively and cutting edge. Most likely if someone is copying you, it isn’t going to be as good as yours nor will it have the LIFE of the BREATH of your creative-from-your-own-gut creation. So leave them alone, and focus on how you can make your creations new and fresh and always ahead of the market.

This leads me to another point:

Keep your own sources fresh and honest. Never let yourself copy another artist’s style unless of course you are using that as a way to learn new techniques and educate yourself. Copying is a good thing for learning how to verse your hand in various art forms and styles. But your work should then take what you learn to a new level, always allowing your own voice to come through. When you choose to copy art as your primary resource, it will be FLAT and will lack the LIFE that really great images require. Don’t let yourself fall into that trap! The moment you are trying to make your creations look like someone else’s, your art will most likely be easy to copy itself. Remember, there was only ONE Rembrandt. He had MANY students, and to this day, experts can’t tell which was a true Rembrandt and which is a student’s hand on a select few paintings. But regardless, there was only one Rembrandt. Do people remember the copycat? No. They never will. Be fresh and mark your own path. Don’t let yourself be a follower.

I love this quote below. It hangs in my studio always reminding me to stick to my own instincts and not be tempted to ride on the coat tails of others:

“You must give birth to your images. They are the future waiting to be born.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

So, there you have it!

My experience is very limited however, and I would love to hear your take on this topic.

What have you done in these situations? What have you done to protect your artwork?

Do tell.

In the mean time, happy art making!

For more GREAT articles on this subject, read here, here , here and here

There are so many different ways to promote your business in this day and age. Too many ways it seems. But making a clever video and accessing the audience on YOU TUBE is a super smart way to go. Check out this music video from Nichole of Little Brown Pen. Has me re-thinking the way I use social media.

Nichole Robertson’s arsty shop video

Ok. Aren’t you seriously inspired? I met Nichole on TWITTER and fell in love with her ETSY shop and her BLOG. Nichole is an American living in Paris, and sells PDF’s which is brilliant…I am thinking of all the paper I cut and print each day and am thinking she has it good!

In the mean time, check out her shop: darling, darling.

And for a trip to Paris in February, visit her AMAZING blog: you will feel like you are there.

Have any of you used video to promote your shop? Thanks Nichole for getting me to think outside the box!