Ohio Arts Community

My View

The idea of a group of artists, promotors, gallery and bead/art shop owners meeting to network and share resources came to me for several reasons.  First, the economy.   Second, sharing wants, needs and perspectives.  Third, networking and support.

As I, and others, have said during the first two meetings, the impact of the economic quake is continuing to send out aftershocks.  Even if/when there’s a recovery, our economy will never be the same.  If we want the arts community in Ohio to remain alive and kicking, I strongly believe it’s not going to happen individually.  Whether you use the “Join, or Die” image from the Colonial era – the snake chopped into 13 pieces – or another analogy, the message is the same.  Groups are more powerfull than the individual.

During working hours at a gallery, shop or arts & crafts show is not a good time for an owner or promoter to gather information on the artists perspective, or for the artist to give constructive feedback.  While we all want to make money, we all have different reasons, different goals, different needs.  Having the “best” work hanging in your gallery, or offering the new “coolest” class in your shop, or simply filling spaces at the show doesn’t automatically give your gallery, shop or show the highest marks with the artists – or the public.  Drawing artists & traffic in is one thing, but making them stay and plan to come back is another.  Sure, you’ll drive yourself crazy trying to please everyone & that’s really not feasable or the point.  We want a public that wants to look at pretty things and BUY them or PAY to learn a new skill, and we want them to keep coming back.  And if we don’t know what our fellow promoters, gallery and shop owners and artists want and need, we aren’t going to be successfull.

Networking and support are just simply smart business.  Would you rather sit down with a family member, internet wiz, community leader, etc., that doesn’t quite get the whole creative process, whoes eyes roll back in their heads while they tune you out, or someone that’s working and struggling through the same world as you?

Now, yes, I’ve run into artists at shows who just don’t feel comfortable sharing with their peers.  They view their fellows as the competition.  They don’t want the other guy to find out who their suppliers are, what the best tools are, who has the best rates for credit card processing and so forth.  They don’t want their business, their customers “stolen” away from them.  While I do understand where that’s coming from – really, I do – we all have indivdual talents, techniques, skills, looks and styles.  Art doesn’t, and shouldn’t, compete on price.  It competes on style.  I make jewelry and Kristina Malcolm makes jewelry.  Are we competing for the same customer?  Not necessarily.  The consumer that falls in love with one of Kristi’s pieces probably won’t find my work appealing, and vise versa.  Has Kristi “stolen” my customer if we’re side by side and the customer buys her piece and not mine?  Nope.  It’s simply a matter of taste.  Just like artists, shows, shops and galleries have different decors, flavors and styles.  We are not found in your local mall.  We are unique.

So, there it is, the why and the how of the Ohio Arts Community.  Please join us.  Become part of the continued growth of arts in Ohio.

Katie Mullins, Founder

Ohio Arts Community