Newsletter

Laura Bray
katydid designs

Original Artwork by Laura Bray

A newsletter brought to you by Laura Bray & katydid designs

About
Laura Bray

Hello Cupcake

I wanted to be a hairdresser and drive a Trans Am. That was my first childhood dream. After receiving a set of Fashion Plates ® for my tenth birthday, I changed my mind and wanted to be a fashion designer. That dream stuck with me until a very mean high school teacher informed me that I had no artistic talent. I ended up getting an MBA and owning a Human Resources firm instead.

In 2004, I had a surprise pregnancy and my life completely changed. At 35, I was forced to take a hard look at what I was doing with my life and realized that I still wanted to do something artistic. I worked through the damage that was done by my wicked art teacher (and my own misconceptions about what I was capable of) and have been painting and crafting ever since.

Since embarking on my career as an artist, I've been published in several magazines, sell my artwork online and in retail stores, and have won awards for my artwork. My artwork is collected worldwide. Since I am an "artist with an MBA" I also publish this free, monthly electronic newsletter geared towards helping other artists make money from their work.

Quick Links

Do you ever wonder how some artists seem to be mentioned everywhere you look? We've talked a lot about getting published in books and magazines, but I also wanted to clue you in to getting yourself and your artwork noticed as much as possible. There are a million opportunities out there, but you need to know how to find them. (Sorry, it's rare for them to find you!) This month's article will give you a few tips on how to make opportunities for yourself. I kept the article fairly short, since I know the beach is calling all of us as we try to squeeze in the last of our summer fun.

On a personal note, I'm pleased to announce that my daughter is finally potty trained! It's big news around here. If you want to read about some of the artwork I've given her to celebrate this event and just catch-up on my latest creative pursuits, visit my blog at www.katydiddys.blogspot.com.

Have a fun August!

Laura

Make Your Own Luck

Some artists are everywhere you look...books, magazines, blogs. How do they do it? Are they just lucky? Nine times out of ten, it's not luck...it's hard work and knowing how to be in the right place at the right time. You can be "lucky" too. In this internet age, it's easier than ever to make sure the right people know about you. But you do have to do some leg work. Here are three tips for helping yourself make your own good luck.

1. Make sure you stay up to date on all the opportunities for calls, challenges and submissions that are out there for artists. It' s rare for someone to magically contact you and let you know they want to see your artwork. There are a million places online to keep up to date on what's going on. If you want to be published, check out your favorite magazine's website. Most have a section for calls and challenges. Many also have a fre*e newsletter. Sign-up so that you can be kept up to date on all their events and submission requests. Once you find some that interest you, make sure you schedule time to create your submission and follow through.

2. If there is a particular manufacturer that you are fond of, make sure you sign-up for their newsletter. Explore their website. I just found out that Liquitex has an Artist of the Month contest. What a great way to get exposure! How did I find out? I looked around my studio made a note of the manufacturers of the supplies that I have a ton of and then went exploring on their websites to see if they were looking for artists and designers to work with. Also be sure to let manufacturers know when you post something online or get a project published if the project included their products. I just did that with a company called Decopatch. I featured a project I did using their products on my blog and then I emailed them about it. They did a blog entry about me and have asked me to be an Artist of the Month for them. Manufacturers want to know what's being said about them, so telling them about your projects and blog entries helps them and gives you a chance to be noticed as an artist/designer.

3. Finally, there are a ton of websites and blogs out there that are dedicated to collecting and sharing information about calls for artwork, contests, etc. Do a little web surfing and when you find one you like, bookmark it and keep checking back. I've just recently been introduced to The Starving Crafter blog and have already leveraged some of the opportunities I found there.

So there you have it-as easy as 1-2-3. The trick is to stay in the know and follow through! Once you get used to the process it will become second nature to you and before you know it, people will be saying, "Gosh! I see her/his artwork everywhere", and they'll be talking about you!

If you have any tips about blogs or websites that list contests, challenges and calls for artwork, visit my blog here and share your resources in the comment section.

ZNE Convenzione

Pleasanton, California

August 22-24, 2008

A mixed-media artist's retreat filled with workshops and fun! The author of the book 1000 Artist Journal Pages, Dawn Sokol, will be there signing books and has requested that anyone who has contributed artwork to the book join in the signing. Our original pages will also be on display. It's going to be a fun weekend. Click here to register and for more information about the event. See you in Pleasanton!