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It never feels good to expose yourself emotionally to a crowd of people you don’t really know.
But I did it. I put myself out there, and I promised myself that I wouldn’t care if people responded or not. But I do. I care a lot. Just like you would. However, I do think I have sold two paintings, but I do not know for sure because I have been too scared to look at the Facebook thread and so I have been keeping myself busy working on an e-Book.
In all truth, I feel naked. I feel vulnerable. I feel like maybe I suck…
My inner critic is so mean. I am trying really hard to IGNORE her. She is so loud, though. So, I have determined that I will choose greatness, in an effort to ignore her. I will choose to discover how my decision to try an art auction was GREAT, rather than dwell on what didn’t work.
Here is my greatness in the endeavor:
- My capacity for learning is ever so strong!
- My creativity has never been so present. It never leaves and I thank God for that!
- I won’t give up. I am super strong-willed.
- I know what I am trying to do is unique, and therefore, meant to be done by me.
- I do not wait for things to happen for me; I make them happen, which shows drive and independence.
- I am flexible and can adjust any situation to make it work in my favor. I will learn from this and try again.
There must be greatness in those characteristics, but there is even more in the LEARNING that occurred from the process. Here are some of the immediately noted lessons:
- Make a short and sweet video.
- Put an individual photo of each piece in the comments for people to bid on.
- Make sure all technological settings are correct.
- Post from the website to Facebook and not vice versa.
- Practice! Maybe even write yourself a script?
- Advertise a lot and often. Ask your friends to share.
- Try doing a piece of art live once weekly and change the format. (I don’t think anyone really knows what all goes into these!)
- Start at $5.
- Have a buying/shipping policy.
- Get an Etsy store.
- Show yourself in the video.
- And way more… This list could go on and on!
If you checked out my art auction yesterday or today, THANK YOU so much! If you were a bidder, let me just tell you this: I LOVE YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! I APPRECIATE YOU! (And I am so excited that my artwork will be hanging around at your house!)
Love,
Shilo
CooptyLew Art Studio