Jane Appleby has been an artist on MyArtClub.Com since the spring of 2000. Jane's site has consistently attracted high numbers of visitors each month. So we sat down with Jane for an in-depth discussion on her approach to her website, and her thoughts generally about promoting her art successfully.

On websites and promotion by artists

MyArtClub: Thank you very much for sharing this information Jane. Would you have any closing thoughts?

Jane: Here are my summary tips for artists:

• "Present yourself as a serious artist but don't be too serious"
• "Keep your emails informative and brief but slightly personal and fun"
• "A little goes a long way! - Use what ever feedback you get to motivate you to do more - even if it's criticism."
• "Make an effort to get feedback: Show your work (framed and unframed); talk about art in general; send out emails even if they are not regular; just do it!"
• "Have as many business cards as you can manage: home, pockets, wallets, and car but do give them out and make sure they are where your paintings are so people have access to them. It takes many business cards to get one contact. It's money well spent. Sometimes I have given the same person a dozen cards because they lost it or what ever but I may still offer another to them. Also include your website address (link) with every email you send with your signature (This can be added to a signature by clicking Insert then signature).
• "Talk with a lot of people and ask what they do and tell them what you do". It only needs to be brief: " MyArtClub.Com" says it all!
• "Hang to show to new people as much as possible but also keep past admirers included, or at least updated"
• "Pat yourself on the back once in a while - even if it's just to let someone know what you do or have just done."
• "Believe in yourself and others will too."
• And lastly, "Good Luck!"-because I am sure that's also part of it!

Jane Appleby has been an artist on MyArtClub.Com since spring 2000. She is program coordinator and past president of the Burnaby Artist Guild, as well as active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Artfully Yours and the Burnaby Arts Council.

About Jane Appleby
Jane Appleby has been an artist on MyArtClub.Com since spring 2000. She is program coordinator and past president of the Burnaby Artist Guild, as well as active member of the Federation of Canadian Artists, Artfully Yours and the Burnaby Arts Council.

Our thanks to Jane Appleby for her valuable contribution with this article.

This article was first published in the My Art News Letter #9