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Writer's pictureClaudia Kennaugh

EXPERT ADVICE FOR ARTISTS ~ In Partnership with Jackson’s Art Supplies



I am thrilled to introduce Expert Advice for Artists, a monthly blog series in collaboration with Jackson’s Art Suppllies. Each month, I will share my advice in response to your questions, to support your professional practice. Read on to find out how to submit your questions, and learn about the upcoming, live Q&A session in October.


Like many of you, I'm sure, I've been going to Jackson's for years. At the gallery it's our go to spot for all materials and even framing with the ever-creative Tim upstairs at the Putney branch. So it feels really special to be working together and have the opportunity to meet more artists, dedicated to their practice.


Expert Advice for Artists


My purpose as an artist coach is to provide advice and support for artists. Having spent the first half of my working life as a musician, I understand the need for it. I learned the business side of things as I went along, often underselling myself because I didn’t know the rules. Painfully, I lost who I was as an artist in the pursuit of making it my living. As I was lucky enough to have a Plan B, I went to work for my family, who ran a contemporary art gallery in London.


The family's Hollywood Road Gallery, London.


Since I was old enough to hold a hammer I had been helping out in the shop.

It was our lifestyle...


Claudia aged about 8 at the family's Hollywood Road Gallery, London.


But once I joined the family trade full-time I was hooked. Working with my formidable Mum, still running the gallery 45 years on, taught me everything I know about the commercial art world. Not least, how generous she was with her advice for our represented artists. We often heard horror stories about artists’ experiences at other galleries and, while there are a few sharks out there, this is often down to a lack of knowledge of an artist’s rights or sense of value. I wondered what was being taught in art schools as artists seemed so underprepared. Mum and I would give advice on things like framing, pricing, and even how to write a delivery note. We joked about the gallery being an ‘artist’s advice bureau’. Funny thing is that jokes can be prophetic, because here I am, introducing you to an Expert Advice Series for artists.


Mum, Catharine, hunting for Midcentury paintings and frames in Paris.


Every month I’ll be answering one of your questions about professional practice on the Jackson's blog. You might wonder whether you’re communicating your practice effectively or have a query about a potential gallery partnership. As with the artists I coach, I’ll aim to be honest, encouraging, and practical. If you’re new to artist coaching, I’ll explain a little further so you can consider whether it’s something you need. Because what you need is what matters. Whether you want to send in questions or read the monthly responses and engage in commentary with fellow artists. You can all be a part of this and learn from each other’s experiences. Plus, you’ll find an invitation to our upcoming live Q&A session I’ll be hosting in October. 




What is Artist Coaching?

An artist coach provides advice and support for your professional practice. This can take place on a one-to-one basis or in group settings. The most frequent topics that come up in sessions and workshops are things like how to price your artwork, approaching galleries, how to write an artist statement or talk about your work confidently. It’s also about gaining a curatorial perspective for your work as you can often be so close to it. An artist coach can help you identify your strengths and focus the direction of your work to reach its commercial potential or non-commercial opportunities such as community engagement work or public art. It’s important that whatever you focus on aligns with your most authentic work and this is something a coach can help you discover.


Photography by Nic Kane. Artwork by Hannah Coton.


Expert Advice for Artists Series

This expert advice series has been crafted to help the Jackson’s artist community navigate the art world. It can be a daunting place as there has historically not been a lot of advice out there. Thankfully, this is changing and there are some fantastic resources available. Instead of assuming what you need to know, we want to listen to your concerns and respond to your queries directly. The Q&A part of my workshops is often the most dynamic and it’s so affirming to see how much people learn from others’ specific experiences. No two artist’s journeys are the same yet a lot of the topics and scenarios come up time and time again. And the beauty is that you can keep referring back to these articles as and when you need them.


Community Over Competition

Do you ever find yourself going down a ‘compare and despair’ wormhole when looking at other artists online? What this interactive series will help you realise is that everyone faces similar struggles to you. Things can seem impenetrable and perfect online, whereas in person it feels real and open. People are much more willing to share their vulnerabilities and offer advice during a workshop. Sharing knowledge is empowering! We can recreate that model here and I encourage you to use this series as a way to connect with your fellow artists.


Group workshop at Wimbledon Art Studios.


How to Submit Your Questions

The call out for questions is now open! Simply go to the Jackson's blog post and type your question below in the comments section. The Jackson’s team and I will choose 12 questions to cover every month over the course of a year - starting in October. We will select the questions based on the most common topics we receive. So if your question is chosen, it means lots of people are challenged by this and you’re not alone! Just a tip - the more specific you can be the more it will help me tailor my response.


Live Q&A Session

Soon we’ll be going live! Come and join us at a very special Q&A session offering expert advice for artists. We will follow a similar format of calling out for your questions and choosing ten to answer live, covering a broad range of popular topics. There will be space for 100 artists to join the session so you can learn from each other’s experiences as we cover topics like artwork pricing, gallery representation, putting on exhibitions and artwork licensing. The Zoom session will be on Wednesday 30th October, 1pm - 2.30pm UK time. Tickets are available to buy HERE.


So I hope you’ll join me on this journey as we get into the murky corners of the art world. It can feel a bit opaque at times so I want to share my experience of being on both sides of the coin to offer some clarity for your path ahead.



Thanks for reading,

Claudia

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