New Year, New Art Bizz Goals
New Year, New Me! Just kidding, same me but hopefully better! 🤗
SOON IT WILL BE A NEW DECADE! How friggen old are we gunna feel telling our kids we were born in the 1900's? A different CENTURY!? Old as hell I can already feel it. But anyway WHILE I'M STILL YOUNG, I really wanted to write this post to inform you all of where I'd like to take Carly's Vinyls in the year 2020! I am informing myself at the same time! Because not even I reeeally know what I'm doing. But I got a cute business notebook so that should help right?
Although we all have unexpected things that come up in life throughout the year, we have to at least pretend to have a handle of everything. Well, that's what I'm attempting to do right here. I decided to base these goals on the first 6 months of 2020 which is ambitious as it is.
1. In-Store Sales
Having my art for sale at a physical shop makes me feel very official. As some of you may know, my art has been available for sale at one of my favorite hipster, music-lovers, happy-vibbin stores in Stuart Florida: EarthTones. It is a perfect store for my work and if you breeze through their site, I'm sure you'll see why! I’m in love with every product they have for sale, and could spend hours looking through their inventory. Which is why I was so excited that they accepted my work on their very own shelves!
Within a month of being in stock here, my products had sold! So in 2020, I hope to have my work for sale in 3 or 4 shops just like this one. I've done some research on businesses and brands that I feel would vibe so well with Carly's Vinyls and have found more than enough to keep me busy. I would like to make a presence in Florida and Boston. WHY?????? My dad and step mom happen to live in Florida, and I happen to live in Boston but GO PATRIOTS.
Florida has a great market of some older generation Vinyl Record and music lovers that grew up with the concept- the authentic, OG Vinyl Listeners. Boston & the New England area has a great market of younger "Old Soul" music lovers like myself. I think it's a great mix of locations and markets.
Here's a short list of awesome, vintage, artistically inspired, up-cycled selling, sustainable brands I have been looking veerryyy closely at (stalking) to potentially collaborate with and a general degree of time as to when to get reaching out:
In Florida (focus Jan- Feb):
Earth Tones- the shop I was previously based in
The Dirty Hippie- another shop owned by Earth Tones!
In New England (focus March-May)
The Drift Collection- up-cycled handmade, authentic clothing, I love their products so much. I discovered the brand because I used to live in New Hampshire. This shop is based in Portsmouth, NH. Although this is more of a clothing shop, it does go along with the thrifted and vintage feel of Carly's Vinyls' Products
Vivant Vintage- cool, trendy, high-end Vintage shop
Rick Walkers Boston- may be too high end of a shop but love their inventory!
Newbury Comics and Urban Outfitters are THE LONGEST SHOT OF A GOAL- so more like a 5 year goal BUT YA KNOW WHAT I'M GUNNA THROW IT IN THERE ANYWAY BECAUSE SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA DREAM A LIL. Maybe one day I can look back on this and say it happened. Probably not. Maybe? Keep u updated...
2. Coffee Shop Sales
So I first discovered this "coffee shop art installations" concept at a coffee shop in Cambridge, MA at Harvard Square. Harvard Square is a college student area of cool and creative people. At this particular coffee shop, I saw a sign that said "email us to have your art featured" and thought "hey I'm an artist!". I eagerly emailed them on the spot, and never got a response. So that doesn't make a very exciting story sorry to say...
Then, a friend of mine informed me that Coffee Break Cafe's feature new artist's monthly and have them set up their pieces right there in the shop. I love this idea for so many reasons.
1. I LOVE COFFEE
2. I LOVE COFFEE SHOPS
They are a place where people come to get motivated, to sit and relax, to grind it out on the laptop & get shit done, maybe read a book, or just sip a nice beverage and ponder life.
I would love to get my art in front of these types of people. Having my work on display would be great advertising for me right in the areas I'd like to target. Unfortunately, I just haven't made it happen yet!! But here's to hoping I do with a list of some awesome Coffee Shops I would be interested in displaying at:
In Florida (Jan.-Feb.):
The Roasted Record- AMAZING record store/ coffee shop. Such a cool idea
Coffee Bar Blue Door- THIS PLACE IS SO CUTE AND VINTAGE-Y. And has hints of musical items like guitars and violins as wall decorations. As well as being a coffee shop, they also have an awesome patio where they host nightly events with live music and movies!
In New England:(focus March- June)
Coffee Break Cafe- local shops
Zumes Coffee- cool creative place that seems to really support their community
Voltage Coffee & Art- adorable cozy shop and so supportive of local artists it's even in their name :)
Dwell Time- CAMBRIDGE SEEMS TO BE DOMINATING THE CUTE COFFEE SHOP GAME so here is yet another shop out of Cambridge, MA
3. Vintage Art Fairs and Festivals
Applying and preparing for art shows is seriously so much work. You wouldn't think it, but UGH it is. It can be expensive, stressful, and time constraining and I really don't always enjoy it. But I know it's essential to get out and talk to people about my art, therefore I force myself!
Some awesome Art Fairs near me (1 listed here because I don't want to extend the list and not stick to it and then feel like a failure):
SOWA(focus: summer months)- vintage Market in Boston, MA. A lot of people have recommended this art fair for my products. It’s a little pricey to have a table here so I’d rather have time to save money and prepare products for this show
Also I've teamed up with my old work restaurant El Sarape that I used to waitress at as they do a couple events a year featuring art vendors! So I'm hoping that will bring in a show or two as well...
4. READ, LEARN, AND STUDY more about having and running an Art Business #goals
So I’ve gotten pretty good with this. Every day I spend time listening to podcasts, reading books, journaling, and brainstorming ideas all having to do with this business and or running a business in general. The list GOES ON as to the books I'd like to read in 2020. Many of them are recommendations, some I’ve stumbled upon. But either way, here’s the beginning of a long lifetime of reading (will it ever end) (no)(drownin in books)
1. Big Magic (Jan. because I already started it)
2. 4 hour work week (end of Jan.- beginning of Feb.)
3. The Artists Way (Feb.- beginning of March)
4. Train your CEO Brain and become your best self (March- beginning of May)
5. Creative Calling (May- beginning of June)
6. The Desire Map (July)
7. What color is you parachute? (July)
8. The Compound Effect (August)
And despite this long list, I am still taking book recommendations! HMU
5. Carly's Vinyl's Art Community
I would really love to build a stronger and even more supportive community around my art with you guys.
I've found that support is the best thing for artists, especially because it can be a very vulnerable thing to sell your own artwork or sell yourself as a musician or artist.
Right now, my following contains everyone from Vinyl Collectors, Vinyl Artists, Vintage Shops, Musicians, Painters, Artists, Graphic Designers, friends and family! LOVE U ALL. And what I've realized from connecting with these people is this:
When you have a lot in common with people, there is so much to talk about and the world feels a little smaller, and a little nicer.
Whether you create Vinyl Art, Vintage Art, other Art, or no Art at all. Whether you collect Records, make Music, or listen to Music... I would love for you to be a part of my tribe! I really want to get a conversation going about art and music in hopes of making this community live more creatively and passionately every day. Which can benefit your mental health, motivation, goals, and LIFE in general.
Overall, I may sneak in a few more aspirations to my list throughout the year, but I'd say this is MORE THAN ENOUGH to keep me busy in the start of 2020! I'll be sure to keep y'all updated on the status of these things. I'd love to hear more about your goals as well, so please let me know!
H A P P Y N E W Y E A R!
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Off The Record!