My name is Verdee.
I chose the photo of myself that you see featured at the top of this page in part because, like many of us, haven’t been in front of a photographer since pre-pandemic days.
Also on this day guess I decided to wear makeup.
Mostly I chose this photo, though, because in it, I am in my studio doing what I love: making music.
My husband and I own a tattoo studio with locations in California and Washington. When we’re not working, we like to spend time with our family. More often than not, however, this is where I like to be most of the time: behind the scenes, being creative.
Just for fun, here are a couple more candids from that same day..
I think these photos serve to perfectly exemplify this important truth: ART IS HARD.
Like really hard. Painstaking and specific. Of course it’s rewarding too.. but rarely at the same time.
It can be so difficult to stay in the game that sometimes you wonder what it’s all for.. And that’s just the first part! You still have to get people to notice you.
As a creator, having all of your energy tied up in your product doesn’t leave much left over to consider who will be the recipient of all that work once it’s done. If you frequently feel like your head is spinning and you’re tripping over your own feet, I know exactly how you feel..
But we shouldn’t start thinking about throwing in that towel at the last leg of the race!
I strongly believe that all good work deserves to be heard and seen. That’s why I knew I needed to study this practice closely, and see how successful people do it.
Here’s what I’ve learned.
figure out what makes you marketable and use it.
If you start to feel lost when it comes time to start selling your services, it’s important to get strategic.
Half of the job is reading the room.
When I worked in the tattoo studio, my artists created products, and I was the closer, so I understood the client-base well. I wrote emailers for promotions and copy for their merchandise and tattoo designs, so I got to know what motivates buyers.
People want to see themselves in whatever your offering. So you need to understand what motivates them as well as what motivates you.
I’ve studied the hospitality industry, web development, content marketing, and audio engineering; it doesn’t matter what you’re promoting, the rules are the same. At the end of the day, you need to understand what your message is, and who your listener is.
get out of your own head and create a system.
The other half my job is coaching my artists our of their comfort zones and into production mode. It neither helps to be flattering your ego, nor wallowing in your self-doubt when there are people to see and things to accomplish.
Start small with a posting schedule, and just commit.
If you begin to feel doubtful, get a good support system under you, with people who can keep you motivated.
Finally, if it all feels to heavy, don’t despair! Just get good sleep and try again tomorrow. Remember, this is supposed to fun!
Note that “art” is interchangeable to mean anything that you produce, whether or not you feel like an artist when you do it. So, whether your art is musical, visual, a service you provide to others, or the kind you code, make good art.
Cheers, from my studio to yours.
▶︎ Verdee
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