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Rebecca's Mastermind
Art
Onion
WhAT?
Art Onion is a visual arts website for women to get validation as artists, develop their arts business, communicate with other women artists and sell their work. It is open to all arts, crafts and artisans.
Where? www.artonion.com
Why?
Women keep saying to me “Who am I to call myself an artist?” I recently read an article where the author said she felt like she needed an art union card so she could feel justified in taking time off from work and family. When I have taught art, women have wept because they want to be an artist. I can see they’re an artist but how come they can’t?
I think there are many reasons why women feel this way and societal views about artists don’t help. All the history books and museums are full of male artists and a small area is devoted to women artists. When you ask someone on the street for the name of a famous artist, they can easily recall famous male artists but only a few token female artists like Cassatt and O’Keefe.
The art union morphed into the art onion because the growth and development of an artist and as women is so multi-layered. Besides, union sounded too much like a group of car assembly line workers. I like the onion because it’s a little humorous (we women need to be more light hearted), it’s an obvious analogy for our multi-layered selves, it’s organic and when you bite or chop an onion, it makes you cry. When we finally get to our essence it can make one weep because it’s so heartbreakingly beautiful.
Who?
I want to challenge 1 million women to register as artists. I want it to see how quickly this can spread.
How?
Like an onion, the website will have multiple layers. I also want this as automated as possible!
The first layer invites women to register for free and become an art onion member. They enter their name, their title (they have to make one up…suggestions will be offered), and which art(s) they create. In exchange, their information is recorded in a private database, they receive a newsletter subscription and a beautiful, color certificate as a .pdf file to print at home.
The certificate will have the name, title and art(s) and must be gorgeous so a woman will (hopefully) be inclined to keep it and realize she has made a significant step. Along with the certificate, they will be invited to follow the next step in becoming a successful artist. The certificate and email will be automated.
The second layer will follow a series of steps to help a woman start her art business. Most artists are creative but lack business skills. This will be a resource page with everything they need to grow an art business. This is where I make money through affiliate links as I offer suggestions such as:
The third layer is where artists can have “gallery space.” This area would be modeled after My Space where a woman has her own page to show and sell her work. I would take a commission of the sale. Women will also be able to correspond and collaborate with other artists. Maybe there will be a featured artist each month where her work is shown and she demonstrates her process. Maybe there will be resources such as:
I even thought of copying the www.milliondollarhomepage.com
or www.themillionpennyhomepage.com
and offer advertising to other art related businesses to buy ad space. There is even a billion dollar homepage. I just don’t know if that will cheapen the project.
Goals:
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To help my artist sisters be successful & confident because I believe that their success is mine as well.
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To make money. I truly don’t know how much money is realistic but I would like to make $5000 a month from this site. Between Art Onion, Pig and Panda and my artwork, I am hoping to pay for Toby’s college (which starts in 6 years) and replace our family income + so that Joe can work from home.
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To build my businesses around art because art is my passion and makes me happy!
Help:
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Brainstorm and create a list of visual arts
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Do you like Art Onion?
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Is challenging 1 million women to join diluting the site?
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Layer 1: brainstorm and create a list of titles women could choose from incase they get brain freeze.
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Layer 1: how often should a newsletter go out? Should women be able to opt into the newsletter or is it automatically sent (with a chance to opt out after they receive their first one). Should I write the newsletters or should I develop a format and eventually have a woman from the community write a newsletter?
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Layer 2: I need to learn about affiliate programs because I don’t fully understand them. I need to go through Commission Junction and find related affiliates to sign up for.
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Layer 2: Will women be inclined/interested to participate in Layer 2? How can I entice them to explore the possibility?
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Layer 2: Brainstorm other ideas women would need to know as they grow an art business.
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Layer 3: Should there be a monthly fee for a woman to have a 1 page “Art Onion Space”? Should it be free? Most art sites are free. Should I receive a commission from the sale of work? Would I be responsible for getting the website “out there” so sales happen? If so, how would I do that?
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How do I promote the site?
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How do I get women to join and spread the word?
I am attending the Bellevue Arts Festival on Friday so I can garner ideas for this project. I have business cards and a website so I look official. I need help with the following:
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Brainstorm a goal list. Why am I going and what do I hope to achieve (other than enjoy all the fabulous art!)
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What kinds of questions should I be asking women artists? They are going to be focused on selling their work so I don’t want to hog their time but I do want to find out if they’re interested in the concept.
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What kinds of opposition do you think I’ll encounter? I want to be as prepared as possible to answer those challenges.
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Do you think it is beneficial to tell them that I am there to help them at this point?
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