We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rachael Van Dyke. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rachael below.
Rachael, appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?
After twelve years of teaching, art and design and cultivating relationships with galleries, I decided to move into a full-time career as an artist. Over the past seven years I have gained representation with six galleries, each with their own personality and clientele. I have found this to be an important element in my career. For instance, Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington KY specializes in equestrian art, Art and Light Gallery of Greenville, SC has a color-loving clientele, and LaFontsee Galleries of Grand Rapids, MI has a warm and sophisticated venue and client base. This variety allows me to create a diverse body of work – it keeps me excited to paint each day without the worry of “sellability.” I try very hard to be true to my artistic voice instead of being concerned with sales. I used to be discouraged that I was not a “cookie cutter artist”; I was worried that I was always changing styles, color palettes and subject matter. I looked at other artists who were so consistent in their art making and thought I wasn’t good enough. What I originally thought was a deficit turned out to be an asset as clients enjoy returning to my work over many years and seem to look forward to what is next. Lastly, I am my own promoter of my work. I don’t rely solely on my galleries to do it all for me. Every gallery is a team player with me in promoting and selling my work; it is essential that I am posting regularly on social media, making my own contacts, running a well-organized and professional business, providing quality service, and collaborating with my galleries on a regular basis with promotion and exhibition of work. Striving to work with my galleries to provide the best experience possible for each client is important to me. I would say 60% of my studio practice is administration, promotion, inventory and management of artwork, and the other 40% is actually creating art. I encourage other artists to be true to their unique voice and style, to keep ideas fresh by having a variety of “input”, to strive for integrity in all interactions, to cherish and respect artistic and professional relationships, to be thankful in all ways, and to work very hard. If you want to make a living as an artist you have to treat it as a business, for me it is a 8:00am-5:00pm job. You can still be passionate about what you do, but emotions can not control your choices and work. It is a business after all, not a hobby.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have always felt that someone believed in my artistic expression. My parents encouraged my creativity by finding avenues for me to make money through art, even as young as 12 years old. My father, who was a hobbyist artist and businessman, was always on the lookout for small art and design work I could do for his friends and colleagues. He believed in my creative voice and my ability to draw and design. I also saw my art-making as a gift to be shared with others. I entered college as a graphic design major not because it was a more “reliable career” but because it was what I enjoyed -and all I knew. As a young artist I hadn’t met someone who was a full-time painter, and never considered it as a career. I shifted from graphic design to ceramics when two adjunct teachers, who were passionate about their art practice, allowed me to intern in their studios. They opened up a world of studio art that I never knew existed. After college, I enjoyed twelve years of teaching high school art and design and beginning a visual art practice of my own. “Studio practice” for me does not mean painting in my actual studio every day. Over the years I have attended dozens of art residencies where I have dedicated time to paint a body of work that is inspired by a new environment. Art residencies around the world have afforded me a wealth of inspiration of “People and Place”. Traveling to a residency, whether in the US or abroad, stimulates fresh work, and keeps my art followers and galleries engaged in my artistic practice. I, along with them, always wonder, “What will come next?” By engaging in social media on a daily basis, clients, gallerists and new followers of my work become a part of the artistic journey with me; I love that I can offer a glimpse into an artist’s life and share the source of my inspiration.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Growing up in a large Italian family where emotions and energy were high, I learned early on to create quickly, to work collaboratively, and to not become too attached to my work. With seven children to care for, my mother and father would encourage my siblings and I to be active outdoors and creative indoors, requiring us to pick up anything we played with or created at the end of each day. Knowing that my creations would be gone by bedtime I was quick to design, problem-solve, create and build everything I dreamed of making for that day. This energetic practice has carried into my studio art making. When I have an idea, I work very quickly. I am quite intentional about not critiquing myself during the process of creating. I step back from my work every so often, to consider the composition, but while I am working, I trust my hand. I see many artists overthinking their work, they critique themselves too often and grow discouraged. They lose trust in their own personal and unique voice by comparing themselves to others. I used to struggle with this as a young artist. When I saw other artists spending hours on a painting, some over a year of returning to the same work, I thought I must not be committed enough, good enough, or really an artist at all. Instead of celebrating the energy of my mark making -the fast pace in which my body likes to move and the rapid way in which my mind thinks, I grew discouraged. There was a moment when all this changed. I was standing in a friend’s studio, an old carriage house with a wood burning stove, and admiring the preliminary pencil sketches tacked to the walls and the detailed figurative paintings hanging in homemade frames. Many of his paintings took months to create. I confessed that I didn’t feel like an artist because my work happens so quickly; so spontaneously. I questioned, “Is it good enough? Does it qualify?” He placed his two hands on my shoulders and looked me in the eyes. He said very slowly and very assuredly, “Rachael, your artwork took you a lifetime to create.” In a single moment, through that one simple statement, my artistic expression was fully received finally by me. I had to embrace my own journey, my own voice, my own experiences. There is no one like me, there is no one like you. We each have a life of experiences that make us who we are, what we think, and what we need to express.
How did you build your audience on social media?
I have been represented by galleries for over twelve years and have always relied on gallerists to be my conduit to interior designers and clients. This was essential and still is today. However, I moved from being an artist who made a part-time living to an artist who makes a full-time living when I began to use social media to promote my work. I stopped relying solely on galleries to do the work for me. I am not a social media fan, but I do believe in the power of social media for helping small businesses grow. I made a choice to focus on Instagram as my main social media platform. It seemed the best for sharing images, and easily engaging in communication with followers. I began by following interior designers that I loved. I was discerning. I chose interior designers in the cities that I traveled most frequently to. I engaged in conversations with them when I genuinely liked their posts. I deleted accounts that were generated for me that I did not wish to follow. I began to see that people were interested in the story of the artist; the journey of the artist. This allowed me the opportunity to share new works and also images of my studio, or residency experiences. I understood that my IG page was my business platform and needed to have visual unity, professional quality photos and relevant information. When I look at my IG page I want it to be as visually beautiful as my paintings. Early on when it seemed my followers plateaued, I was able to increase followers through collaborating with an interior designer that I loved. This collaboration of an art giveaway was a way to receive new followers. It was with a Creative that I highly respected and was an honest collaboration. Every day I get collaboration requests but do not choose to use them. It is important that you gain followers through means that are professional and honest. I also feel it is very important to respond to each person that takes time to respond to me. This creates relationships and affirms your thankfulness for their interest. Social media sales can become difficult and “sticky” when working with galleries. I always ask the interested buyer how they found my work, and if they have purchased with any representing galleries of mine. I also ask where they live in proximity to my galleries since it is important to honor contracts. I use IG group chat with the gallery and potential client when there is a work of art that needs to be processed through a gallery. An artist may think they can go “on their own” with just social media, but I have seen firsthand that when you collaborate with your representing galleries by using social media, your sales increase dramatically. Galleries that are social media savvy and who collaborate with me in sharing posts and tags, have double and even triple the amount of sales compared to galleries that do not. There may be a temptation that you can do it on your own as an artist, but honestly, I believe my life is richer by having real relationships with gallerists and sharing in the joy of each sale with a representing gallery.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rachaelvandyke.com
- Instagram: @vandyker
Image Credits
Colin Usher