First of all what is a Live Artist, or performance Art? In my opinion if your doing a creative act, whether it's singing, playing a instrument, dancing, just to name a few in front of a audience then it's All Live Art! My focus however is on Painting Live.
I have been a Live Artists for about 8 years. I started in San francisco and moved to Arizona. When I first got to AZ I hit the live art scene hard. I painted live 5 nights a week at different venues, night clubs, private parties, charity events and whatever else I could get my hands on to.
At the time there were only a hand full of live painters out there in the Arizona scene. We all worked really hard and learned a lot about each other and our different styles. Competition for space at a venue would get tight sometimes and often artists wouldn't get a space because they showed up too late.
After about a 2-3 years of doing it none stop I started to notice a lot of new artists coming out to paint live. All of a sudden, if you painted, you probably were a live artists! I give credit to who ever tries to express their individual talent and skill. But a lot of the talent that came out kind of lacked that skill. They had bad set ups, too much lighting or too little lighting, they spread out too much taking up too much room on the floor. They painted really bad paintings, subject matter and technique were off. Worst of all some of them would make a mess in the venue, spilling paint or acting a fool. This all giving a bad name to Live Art.
So I stepped back. Took about 2 years off from doing any regular weekly events. I would only paint if I got paid to come out and paint. I would only paint if I liked the venue and the party. I would only paint if I thought I would sell work and I would only paint if I got properly represented by the promoter. Meaning, my name and website on all promotional material and if I thought this promoter really respected me and my work.
My point here is to share a little bit about what it is to have to go out and hustle your art at parties or clubs. Some people think it's real easy just to set up and "paint". No, you set up to perform, not just "paint". Here is a little of the good and the bad.
Be prepared to be treated sometimes as just a side act, pushed aside and not really taken seriously. To combat this I would: always show up early, be as professional as possible, let people know I do this full time so I mean business. Try to pick a spot at the location where I would get a lot of viewers but not a lot of traffic. For instance, setting up any where near the dance floor is a no no. Sure everyone will see your paintings and you paint, but they will also be running into you and your gear all night. Try to pick a spot where people go to lounge and relax, vip rooms are good, patios, you have feel it out and you have to have a electrical outlet!
Have a clean set up, be prepared and have business cards and other promotional material. If needs be I always can paint in just a 4ft x 4ft space. Always have a plan of execution so that your finished product looks like a great painting that just happened. Be ready to have to talk to drunks and people that just want to waste your time. You always have to have a fined tuned Bull Shit detector!
If your doing this full time I have two old school sayings I go by when I try to sell my work
1. a bird in the hand is better then 2 in bush. So if someone wants a painting and they have cash, let it go your there to move paintings but only if your comfortable with the price and their vibe. Make sure to take PICTURES!!
2. Money talks and bull shit walks. I'll get people
"hey I love that painting I wanna buy it!"
Ok great, lets do it, you have cash now, do you want to put a small deposit down on it and I'll hold it for you? I say.
If they say no to either one of those questions and say "I'll pick it up at the end of the night, or do you have a card, or I gotta go to the atm" nine times out of ten there blowing smoke up your yin yang.
Also be prepared to work late night, to be surrounded by drunks and debauchery. You have to have stamina to be able to carry all your paintings, easels, paint boxes etc. Most of the time you don't have help doing this. Management and bouncers don't usually offer help. If they do most of the time I say "no thank you I got it" just to show I'm self sufficient.
Also be prepared to have a really great time, to sell your art, to meet really cool people, to be treated as if your a local celebrity (after you get your name out), to grow to expand and create hopefully a great body of work! Honestly if you are painting 3-5 times a week at legit venues there is no reason why you shouldn't be stacking some loot, promoting your self and having fun while doing it.
I wouldn't take any of it back if I could. I created and have sold some very great work and a lot of people have walked away with some of my modern wall art and abstract art. I love what I do. But for me art is about growth and evolution. Sometimes to grow you have to step back from the picture and choose what battle you want to fight and win. I think I will always paint live, there is a certain sense of excitement when your painting and everything is going as planed. But now after putting in my work I know what battles to fight and what ones aren't going to work for me.
There is so much more I could write about painting live. Such as: promotions, marketing, sales strategies, how to target the right venues to paint at, how to spot real art buyers instead of the ones that just want to try to talk you up. I guess more blogs to come! enjoy.
