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In Episode 84... 

Agnes Russo is a contemporary abstract artist living in Dallas, Texas. Her art is an invitation to stop, relax for a moment and recharge in this crazy, busy life. Agnes uses a loose technique letting the water and paint flow through the canvas and tell their own story. Somehow the painting always reveals that the story is based around finding peace and serenity.  

She incorporates a golden line in each work which was inspired by the Japanese practice of repairing ceramics with a golden line, and the line is a symbol of repeating. You can repeat anything and turn it into something beautiful and meaningful.  

This past year has been an eye-opening experience for Agnes. She has developed a deeper understanding of what she wants to express with her art, and she has been able to use this understanding to connect with more buyers, especially at in-person events. It’s no coincidence that Agnes has also experienced some amazing wins this year, such as being featured by Saatchi.  

The struggle for Agnes is in developing a stronger online presence. She is looking to bridge the significant gap between her online sales and her in-person events. She knows social media can be a useful tool for artists but struggles to allow herself to be vulnerable with her audience after a difficult online experience. It took a long time to recover from the damage that was done. Agnes knows that sharing more of her personal story has led to increased sales at in-person events, but she’s not sure she can let down her guard online. As a result, she’s searching for other ways to connect with buyers.  

Listen in as we get to the heart of what Agnes really wants and discuss the best way for her to get there.  

Key takeaways:  

  • Measure your personal progress instead of comparing your growth to that of another artist. (00:08:24) 

  • Don't forget to acknowledge your accomplishments and celebrate those wins. (00:16:22) 

  • Use what's working at in-person events to make your online presence more inviting to buyers. (00:23:42) 

  • Be honest with yourself about what you really want. (00:29:19) 

  • Decide which action will help you get what you want and give it a try. (00:35:56) 

Resources and links mentioned:

Learn more about selling your art:

  • Learn to create authentic, engaging content that truly resonates with your followers with my course, Find Your Voice on IG.
  • For more practical and energetic strategies to create consistent income and life balance, follow Jessica on Instagram @artistmarketco

Read the Transcript for this episode

Jessica Craddock: Welcome back to Intuitive Art Sales. I'm here with the beautiful Agnes Russo, who is a contemporary abstract artist, whose work is really about being an invitation to stop and recharge and feel that serenity and relaxation.

And we got to have a moment to talk about the symbolism behind her lines and our colors and, ooh, it's fun and it's beautiful. And you should go talk to her more about that. But also, over this past year has felt, really, like a lot of you have, really challenged by who are my buyers and where are they?

And she was struggling to look for that motivation and not really seeing the wins that she was having, but with the help of her artist group that she is in, kept going and is finally coming back around to, you know what? People need my work. People want my work. So, before we even start, I'll say, if you don't have an artist group, go find one because you need it.

And with that, let's chit chat, Agnes. First off. Hi, I'm so glad you're here!

Agnes Russo: Hello, I'm very happy to be here. Thank you.

Jessica Craddock: I'm glad. I want to start with a quick little exercise that will be beneficial to you and to maybe some of the other people listening, because I feel like you have had some really significant wins over the past year.

And yet you were still in that headspace of feeling challenged, disappointed. Maybe, is this even the right thing for me? Yet all these wonderful things were happening to you at the same time. So, I really want to talk about first off, what were some of those wins? What were some of the amazing things that happened this year?

So that one, you can see them a little better. And also, people can see even when these things are happening, it's normal to feel like things aren't working and how are we getting out of that? So, is that okay? I just kind of sprung that on you. Yeah.

Agnes Russo: yes, that's okay

Jessica Craddock: All right. Tell me, let's start with three or five things that you could say you should be really proud of this year, over the long haul. I don't care whatever it is, but what are some things that you have kicked butt at?

Agnes Russo: I love that. It's a sweet reminder of, you know, what we should actually remember every single day. Uh, so this year, uh, I started from, showing in Atlanta this botanical art, and it was very good for me. I sold many of my art pieces, was very successful, and I was super happy about it. Um, the second thing was, I started collaborations this year. With, um, different brands, um, some of the brands that I'm actually using daily, and I love them. And I, I am just like, blow out by the quality of the products. And they reach out to collaborate with me and you know, everything went well and successful and wonderful. I was so happy. Uh, and I continue to receive the invitation to different collaborations. So, it is. It's not yet, uh, over. It is still going on. Yes. And, uh,

Jessica Craddock: I feel like probably correct me if I'm wrong, but Agnes of two or three years ago would say when brands are reaching out to me to ask for collaborations on a regular basis, I will have made it. Do you think that that's an accurate statement?

Agnes Russo: Can you rephrase that?

Jessica Craddock: Yeah. So, let's go into the past. Let's say three years ago.

Agnes Russo: Yes. Okay.

Jessica Craddock: at that point in time. I don't think you had brands reaching out to you to say, hey, let's collaborate. Will you promote my product? Will you help me sell this thing? We'll promote you if you promote us, that kind of thing. That wasn't happening. But looking from that three years in the past, looking into the future if you had seen that as a possibility. Well, if this paintbrush that I really love reached out to me and said Hey Agnes, will you promote our paintbrush? Would you, as that three years ago person, thought if that would happen to me? I will have everything I need. I will have made it. I will be successful.

You know what I'm saying?

Agnes Russo: Yes, for sure. Because I was looking at different artists and I was like, oh, they're doing so well. They are like collaborating with different artists. And you know, they are collaborating with different brands. Oh, my goodness. Yes, that's amazing. And you know, I was not so jealous, but just very excited.

Jessica Craddock: Like, I want that too.

Agnes Russo: Yes, I want that too. I was asking myself how I can do that. Okay. So yes.

Jessica Craddock: So, now it's happening and you're not even trying to make it happen.

Agnes Russo: No, I’m not.

Jessica Craddock: Just think about 2001 Agnes being so proud of you. That's one thing that I like to do when I'm feeling like I'm not making progress is I think back at three years ago me, say, what would they say to me now? Okay. That was one thing. Keep going.

Agnes Russo: And what's more. Yes. I got featured in a Saatchi, um Saatchi platform, Saatchi website. And I was one of the featured artists from Dallas. Um, one of the few artists from Dallas that's featured on the Saatchi platform. Um, they saw my art. They, they fell in love with it. They saw it in person also, so that makes it different, that it was not just the online present. I really loved my art. So, they featured me and I am, yes,

Jessica Craddock: That's huge!

Agnes Russo: It's huge. Yes, they were promoting us. And you know, I got actually featured twice on the platform this year.  

Jessica Craddock: Wow, Saatchi promoted you twice!

Agnes Russo: They did.

Jessica Craddock: And yet you were feeling like, I don't know if this is worth it. Maybe I should stop. People don't respond as well to my art as I think they should.

I'm not making fun of you at all. I'm just reflecting. I'm going to use this word, and I mean it kindly. It's not going to sound kind, but how ridiculous that is.

Agnes Russo: It is. It is very ridiculous. And I know that. And I was trying to remind myself about that. Yes.

Jessica Craddock: And when I love someone, I want to smack them around a little bit and be like, look how cool you are.

Agnes Russo: I think I am impatient, you know. I am a very impatient person, you know. Something is happening, and I know that it's wonderful. It's like so amazing. And I will like tell everyone about it, but when I don't see the result right away, I feel like, oh, maybe it's not worth it. Maybe nothing will happen.

I don't know. It's just the imposter syndrome, you know, will kick in sometimes, especially in the moments when something is not going the way you wish, you know. And it's just that, it’s this just a human mind tending to focus on bad things instead of focusing on the good ones. But focusing on the good ones is what will give us the energy to, to keep going and creating. Yeah.

[00:08:24] Measure your personal progress instead of comparing your growth to that of another artist.

Jessica Craddock: I want to say that if you are listening and you're like, well, that's great for her. She has all that stuff, but I don't have any of that stuff. I want you, you person listening to go backwards three years and say what do I have now that I didn't have three years ago? And what would three years ago person say to me now and look at it from a reflection instead of a, what I don't have yet. Because you will never have what you think you should have because the needle moves soon as you get there, it's something else.

Agnes Russo: Yes. That's true. But I also learned through years that, you know, um, I learned how to be confident and how to express what you are feeling. So, you know, my way of not feeling good, not feeling so happy about my art. Yes, that's all real and that's all true.

That was, um, you know, happening, but I also learned that, yeah, I cannot keep it to myself that I, you know, I share it with my art friends because they understand me. And they knew that I would not give up. It was just my way of saying, I'm so tired. I don't know where to find my energy to keep going and to believe. So, we will never give up. That's how it is. You know, artists will never give up. We may change something. We may, you know, decide that we will not be, uh, present on social media for a while, or we will just paint for ourselves or something. But we will never give up.

We cannot give up the art that is inside of us. You know, it will always be visible in maybe in a different way, but it will be visible. Maybe we will switch to something else. We will try different medium, maybe. We will try. Yeah, I don't know. Maybe we will decorate the houses instead of painting so much, but we will always do something, you know. Like art will always be in us. It's impossible to quit.

Jessica Craddock: Alright we'll just be vulnerable for a minute. I decided a long time ago, I'm not really an artist because I don't feel like I have to make the art. I don't feel like it's in me and it has to come out. It was more of, I just like to do it, but I think that was a bunch of BS. I don't know where I'm going there I just I I just wanted to say that out loud for myself and for maybe Anyone who's like, well, maybe I'm not really an artist because I don't have to make it. It's not in me. I'm not trying to say something.

Agnes Russo: It's not only about painting, you know, you're artist helping people. You are such a good artist. You understand, you know, you, you just know before even us, us, us asking you about something, you know, you are so intuitive. So, it's You know, it's everything. Art is not only like making something physical in that moment. Because, you know, it's about writing, it's about sharing thoughts, it's about, it's so bigger, you know.

And maybe one day you will actually sit and paint something and that will be, you know, physical proof of art. I don't know. It's,

I understand you and I feel you because I A lot of people, um, in my past, especially like two years ago, three years ago, they thought that it's silly what I'm doing. Because I never went to art school and they didn't even say that to me like, you know, face to face. And I had so many art classes during my, you know, university time. All the time, you know, I did go to design school. So, I was painting all the time, but I was not painting something realistic, because for a lot of people, only realistic art is enough. So, you know, we know that. So, you know, of course, yes.

And it's nothing wrong with it, it's fine. But, I was feeling really like, you know, Those negative thoughts will get to you. And you will start to doubt yourself in, in the weak moments. And the same people, three years later, found out how much I charge for my art, and they saw that it's actually sold out, you know, many pieces. And they were like, what? You know, I said, well, yeah, this is what I am doing. That was such a funny moment. I shouldn't like really feel it because they were like, Oh! and Really? They will pay so much? I said, yeah, you know, this is actually not the full price. It was with some discount. They were like so shocked!

Jessica Craddock: And it always helps me at that validation from someone else to feel more like you are an artist, but it really has to come out of you. And I love what you said about how art is not just this, or just not just that. It's creativity in general to summarize. I'm not saying it as nicely as you did, but yes.

So, Agnes got her groove back. What are we doing now that we've switched our energy around. And you know, it'll go up and it'll go down and it'll always go round and round. But since we're on and up, what are we doing to capitalize on that?

Agnes Russo: I think that every artist should probably remember that it will be always, you know, it's a roller coaster. So, it will go up and it will go down. And you need to find out how to deal with everything when you are down. So, you know, hang out with your art group. You know, don't do what you don't want to do it, but, you know, just choose what you love to do it, you

Jessica Craddock: But what is, what is Agnes going to do since she's in this good energy? You've already got your art group.

Agnes Russo: What I will do, I will definitely, uh, focus on my in-person events now. I am still figuring out my audience. I am trying to get more visibility. And I am very conscious about it that I have to like I would love to improve it online, too. You know, not only the people that you know are there to see my art and ask questions, but I would love to have some collectors also like online. Okay, that's how it is.

 I will try a few different in person events. And, you know, over the years, I gained this confidence, actually. Thanks to you too, Jessica, because you were the first one telling me to go and ask for what I want. And, to reach out to the people, to reach out to local people, to reach out to the people that I would like to collaborate with, you know, and so I have been doing that. So that's thanks to you. I have been like reaching out to many, many people. I sent so many emails recently and I know that now I, what I need to do, I need to be patient. Because, um, this will not happen over, you know, a day. I need time for everything.

Jessica Craddock: What is this? You said this will not happen over a day. This will not happen overnight. What is, what is the, the goal?

Agnes Russo: Um, you know, even to receive the response from the people I reach out. I have like few places that I would really, really love to have my art in. Uh, I reach to galleries that I love. Um, and I know that it would take time to get even feedback yes or no from them. And if they would say no, I would continue to work.

And I would definitely reach out one more time, maybe next year or so. So, you know, it'll take time. It'll take time. So, yeah. I'm growing. I felt like three years ago that I'm so ready and that's it. You know, but I know that I'm actually growing and exploring.

So yes, I have to be patient with myself and of course, uh, and also allow myself to, to rest because. I don't rest much, and I need that, you know?

Jessica Craddock: Oh, yes. I know.

[00:16:22] Don't forget to acknowledge your accomplishments and celebrate those wins.

Agnes Russo: Yeah. You know, so I need to just rest and also celebrate my wins.

Jessica Craddock: Yeah.

Agnes Russo: I will actually celebrate my wins this week. So that's my plan for the week.

Jessica Craddock: When do you meet art groups? Maybe you could start a new thing where you celebrate a win a week or something like that where you have to name something.

Agnes Russo: Yeah, that's a great idea. We have been doing that a little bit, but then everyone, I think, forgot about it. And I don't know why it's so easy to forget about such important things like celebrating, you know, celebrating small wings and big ones. Yes. Yeah, but we, we always, I see that all the time, like all of us, we will just forget about it. Yeah.

Jessica Craddock: Me too. Yeah.

I'm saying this to you like so matter of factly, and then I was thinking this morning, I need to write down my wins. What are my wins? What have I done? Have I done anything? I've done, let me tell, I I've done a crapload. And I've done some really great stuff over the past month. And, I'm having a really hard time nailing down what that was. It's not easy to do.

Agnes Russo: It is not easy. Like, I will do a quick collaboration with, uh, It's not yet, um, uh, official, but it'll be a brand in Italy and they'll show my videos in Rome and Milan in public spaces. And I was just, oh yeah, I have to send them those videos. I have to, it's such a big deal. Come and I don’t know why we don't celebrate those.

Jessica Craddock: We play it down, forget about it. Pass over it.

Agnes Russo: Yes.

Jessica Craddock: But that's how we get to the, the space that we were describing that you were previously in.

 We were saying what is Agnes going to do next. You said I've got her I'm going to continue doing these reach outs to galleries I really want to be in. And I want to have a better online presence where I'm doing more sales from that and not such a significant gap between that and what I'm doing in person.

Where I wanted to go with that, was You were telling me something before we start recording about what you learned in this last art festival that really did a great job of drawing people in. So online is just a virtual version of what you're doing in person. And yeah, it's a little harder to execute as well. But if we're learning things in person, let's bring them online.

So, what were you telling me about what you learned from your in-person stuff recently?

Agnes Russo: So, I learned that, you know, people actually are interested in my art. They want to learn about it. They want to hear about it. They want to bring it home. At least in person, even my art is different from everything else. I often think about myself as a black sheep, black sheep during the festivals. But I figured out that, you know, people like that.

And they found the connection with my art, because I introduced the meaning of my art to them. And it was not directly, it was just through the, you know, the, I printed out a statement and I put it close to my entrance so everyone can stop and can read it if they are interested in my art, if you know, my art speaks to them. And they have done that, and that was really beautiful. It was just beautiful. You know, when the people were like reading, stopping, thinking, uh,

I attract a lot of people that are introverts, I think, and they don't want to really start the conversation right away and feel that they need to buy something from me. Even if I never, ever push the people to buy my art, because, you know, that's not what it's about. But the quick introduction, like, I changed totally actually my bio. Uh, it was so, it was very good, but it was not telling anything.

And I realized that this year, it's very silly, you know? And I said, well, no one will remember me if they were reading it. They would just think that I am one of the million artists there, like, you know, yeah. So, I actually make it more personal and, it was a little bit intimidating. But I changed it, and I added something more personal from my life. And I also printed out my bio, and I put it close to the floor by the entrance, and everyone was, actually like a lot of people were reading it. And they were interested and they felt like they knew me a little bit better.

They know what my art is about. They were just coming to the book, reading, watching my art, and then coming to me and giving me a feedback. And that was very meaningful. I was like, just like, Oh, that's really wonderful. You know, that's wonderful.

It's often, they were just going and I couldn't see it that they were thinking about it and coming back and buying.

Jessica Craddock: Okay. So, let's break this down for a second. They are drawn to your artwork. They come in and look at it because it doesn't look like everything else that is there. When I know in the past, a lot of times you've worried about that, where I don't know if my art fits in here because it's not what people are buying everywhere else.

So maybe I need to look where I fit in. So, number one, black sheep. Number two, you're grabbing their attention with what is my art about and being a little bit more personal and a little bit more vulnerable. Where they then feel comfortable to start a conversation with you, think about the work, and eventually come back and buy it.

[00:23:42] Use what's working at in-person events to make your online presence more inviting to buyers.

Jessica Craddock: So, when we compare that to your online process, what's happening, Are you a black sheep? Are you being vulnerable and personal? Are you having people come back and start conversations? Like, is any or all of that working right now? I

Agnes Russo: I am definitely not open enough, I would say. I feel like, um, you know, that can be also my past experience with my account being hacked. And I still probably feel it because it was such a trauma for me. Not because I lost something, but because they were contacting my followers and using my name. So that was the worst part of it. But I feel like, I don't know, if I can be more open. I don't know if I can be more vulnerable. I don't know if I want to share it because of the previous experience. And that stops me sometimes, and I know that I should, because, you know, I watch other accounts. I know different ones, not only artists, but like the accounts that I love.

And, you know, and I see that that people are connecting and sharing, and I know that it's working for them. And I really know that, but it's just that I have trouble trusting, not people, but I don't know, like the system.

Jessica Craddock: I mean, it is people and it isn't.

Agnes Russo: Yeah, I don't know. Like I don't feel enough protected maybe or something like that.

I feel like, oh, this will like stay forever dead. And if I will make any mistake, you know, my English, it's not my first language obviously, even though I am American now. But still, you know, like, I feel like if I were like, I don't care so much about the language anymore. And that's also thanks to you. But sometimes it feels. It's, it feels, it feels challenging, yeah, mm hmm,

Jessica Craddock: Okay. So, in that place, I want my online presence to be better. I want it to sell more. I want people to really feel it and want to buy from me. And I have trauma. My account was stolen.

They contacted my followers and pretended to be me. And I'm afraid of that information living out there on the internet forever. And what if I make a mistake? So, it's almost like, and this is also very normal, it's almost like I just talked to two different people who told me two completely different things.

Agnes Russo: yes. I feel confident in person, but I don't feel confident in, um, enough confident, uh, in online presence.

Jessica Craddock: And sharing.

Agnes Russo: not that, is that directly, because I love my videos. And I love to make posts, and you know, talk about my art, but it is just me maybe be more present, like me physically, you know? Yes. Mm hmm.

Jessica Craddock: So, it's almost like I can make videos. I can make posts. I can make things that perform well and people will like,

Agnes Russo: Yes.

Jessica Craddock: I'm doing it with a shell where I'm going to make beautiful things. I'll give you a little bit. I'll give you a teeny tiny little bit, but you don't get to get past the wall because I'm not ready to let you pass the wall,

Agnes Russo: That's correct. That's correct. It's like, I will give you all beautiful stuff that I have, but you don't need to necessarily know who I am.

Jessica Craddock: You have just experienced in person, that's not what sells your work. So, which one is stronger? There's not a wrong answer here. I'm not going to say, you have to go be vulnerable online. There's not a wrong answer. But, which one is stronger? I want that online presence to better reflect the experience that I'm having in person, or I want to keep myself safe and slightly closed off and continue to be something pretty online.

I want to be pretty versus online. I want my online experience to reflect my in-person experience. Which feeling is stronger?

Agnes Russo: Honestly, it is very difficult question that I don't know if I had an answer for it today, because I want that, you know. I want to be there, but at the same time, I don't know if I am ready, physically, you know, and mentally. To, to overcome this. The blockage I received, and experienced after my account was stolen, you know, because it was a trauma.

Jessica Craddock: It was a trauma, and it was hard, and it was long.

Agnes Russo: Yes, yes, it was long, and everyone told me that I'll never, ever get it back. And I said, I will get it back, of course! I will never quit. So, you know, so, watch me.

Yes. So, I think it's a matter of trust that I have to actually work on it. And maybe, maybe actually even this conversation between us and, you know, saying it, it will help me because I feel it is really like, um, I never thought about it so deeply. So, I knew, but I never like thought about it that well, that can be something that it's blocking me. So, and you know, I am true believer that once you know what is going on, you can decide what to do with it.

Jessica Craddock: Right. The hardest part is recognizing it.

Agnes Russo: Oh yeah, yeah. Because you, you can accept it or you can change it, but at least, you know. Yeah.

[00:29:19] Be honest with yourself about what you really want.

Jessica Craddock: Okay. So, I think we have done this together and I'm not going to go through the whole exercise, but let's skip to the end. So, what is the thing, forget about the whole conversation we just had. But if you could have anything with your art business, what feelings, what values, what's most important for you to get out of all this effort that you're putting in? What matters the most?

Agnes Russo: I would really love to be able to paint collection and to feel like I sell them. I don't need to sell everything. It's not about that. It's not like that. But just sell enough to feel confident and motivated to paint more and to explore more. I tend to doubt my style when something is going wrong, that maybe I need to change something.

But at the same time, I really know that the more you paint, the more you explore, and the more you exercise, you will really improve. understand your style and um, and you know, the fast going on that you need to have a recommend the style that everyone will recognize you and, you know, understand that, oh, you know, this is your work. I think it's really putting a lot of pressure to the artist and it's not allowing us to explore enough. And I found out this year that this is silly, and I need to just paint.

Because every time I go and paint something, even that I will like, this is something that I will paint today. I will still go to my style. I will still do what it's like, you know, it will still be me. I cannot copy someone else. You know, it will still look like my work. So, we are free to experiment. Okay. So yeah, I feel like, you know, with time, maybe I will change something.

I don't know. But if I sit and complain, it will still be the same and nothing will happen. Yeah.

Jessica Craddock: One more thing. Let's add a feeling to that. How do you want to feel? Well, no, you said confident and motivated to explore more. Are there any other feelings you want to add into that mix, or is that a good summary?

Agnes Russo: I think this is a good summary. Um, I would not say like fulfillment because everything is changing, and I think that the motivation is a key. If you are motivated, you can change so much and you can achieve so much, you know. Feeling confident and motivated is what I would like to, you know, um, feel.

Jessica Craddock: Okay, so now we're going back to our previous conversation for just a minute, and then we're going to wrap up. On one hand, you said, I said, I put my words in your mouth, I want to be pretty online. And on the other side, you said, you said, I want my work to connect online. So those are two different executions, right? But if the ultimate thing that we want is to sell more and be confident and motivated and explore more, how is being pretty online, going to give you more of that or keep you from that?

Agnes Russo: Well, the thing is that I really put little effort into the videos that I am making and pictures. It's just, it's just my style. So, I am not trying to make them more beautiful, like, you know. It is just my style. This is me. This is really me.

Jessica Craddock: What I'm trying to say is like the, the surface versus the deep, I guess.

Agnes Russo: Sure. Yes, yes. But the part, yes, the part like this, I feel like the aesthetic part is really me. It reflects me and, you know, who I am and how, I see the world. It’s what I'm going to, um, send to the people and share with the people. I think the only part is missing me being more open. I think so.

So, I think like if I were like at me being more present, like, you know, present by maybe sharing something more personal. Like, you know, maybe not even very personal, but maybe something, I don't know, even thoughts or something. And maybe me sometimes, showing my face more and talking to stories.

Maybe that will help. I don't know. I had this idea to maybe invite artists and to talk because I would really love that, you know.

Jessica Craddock: All right.

Agnes Russo: It would be really fun.

Jessica Craddock: Okay. So, I'm going to ask the question a different way. If you were more open, personal and present in your Instagram account. How would that help you or keep you from selling more, being more confident, more motivated to explore? Would that give you more or less of the thing that you want?

Agnes Russo: I think it could, could give me more actually. But, um, I don't know, because the next question is that Instagram is really unpredictable and you never know. You actually never know until you try, right? But if I don't go and don't try, I could never know. It can go very well, and it can be the same.

Jessica Craddock: Yeah.

Agnes Russo: Which I don't think, I think it will, it will bring more actually people because you will be more real.

Jessica Craddock: Even if it doesn't bring more people, it might help you sell more work, feel more confident, be motivated to explore more, even if it brought you zero more people.

Agnes Russo: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It's not about the people. Like for me, uh, online presence, like Instagram, it's never been about the people. I was never like growing. I was just sharing what I like, that's it. And then people came, but you know, I was never like focusing like, Oh yes. How many followers? If you will ask me how many followers I had last year and this year, I will not be able to tell you because I never checked that, to be honest. So, I don't even know how many I had last year, less than, I will say, less than last year. No, now I have more than last year, but I don't know how many.

Jessica Craddock: Honestly, with my clients this year have been really big about tracking data and that is one statistic I have not told a single person to track. How many followers do you have? It doesn't matter.

[00:35:56] Decide which action will get you what you're looking for and give it a try.

Jessica Craddock: Okay, so the point that I was trying to get to was I wanted you to see how either being more open, present, and personal versus sharing more of that, this is pretty stuff will help you get more or less of the thing that you want, which you told me was to sell work, be more confident and motivated and explore more. That is your ultimate goal.

So, as you are moving forward and considering this question more for yourself, think about, if I do this, will it get me more of what I want? Or do I predict it will get me more of what I want? Versus, if I listen to the other side of me, that was my alter ego in this conversation.

Will that side get me more or less of what I want and using that as your gauge to help you decide if it's worth moving through the uncomfortableness or not. And maybe the answer is no, and maybe the answer is yes. But you get to decide based on your vision.

Agnes Russo: I think the answer is yes, because it's always worth trying it, you know, and to see, but I will never only count to online. I will find the balance between in-person and online. I never wanted to switch all my energy to be like online present, but I want to also keep the in-person. So, the balance between two, it will be amazing. I think it's what we want, you know, because it will take a little bit of weight from us, you know, like the pressure of also being always present. With artists it's hard because we make our product. It's not that we are, you know, I don't advertise my daily outfit. That I can change every day and every day make the same video of me in the new outfit, okay?

Or different outfit. With art it's different. We can produce only so much. And you know, producing for social media doesn't make any sense, to be honest with you. And it's true, we can share it in the different ways, and we can post it in the different ways.

That all is true, okay? But at the same time, it's I feel like it's sometimes it's harder for artists if we only count on showing what we produce, because that will exhaust us. Okay? Yeah. So, we need to find the balance.

Like what we want to share it. It's maybe something else. I don't know. I am trying to figure this out.

Jessica Craddock: So, here's the mindset which I want you to adopt. It's not online versus in-person.

Agnes Russo: Mm-Hmm.

Jessica Craddock: It's how can online further the beautiful connections that I already am creating in person. How can it supplement that instead?

Agnes Russo: I love that.

Jessica Craddock: How can I connect with them?

Agnes Russo: Yeah. Connection, right? How to connect. Yes.

Jessica Craddock: Yeah.

Can making this reel help me further connect with the person that I met who was wearing the blue shirt and carrying the Yorkie? That's a very freeing switch. So, I'm going to give you that to marinate on. And we're going to wrap up.

Okay, what's your big takeaway? And then we'll wrap up.

Agnes Russo: It is probably the thoughts about, uh, my online presence and, you know, the connection between in-person and online. It is possible to do it. And, you know, it will require me to take some risks from my side because I protect a little bit myself from social media. But maybe it's worth it to try it. And you know, the only way to see it, is to go and to do it.

Jessica Craddock: Perfect.

Agnes Russo: Also I love the way you said it, that when we have the bad moments, we have to always go back and see how Agnes from two years, three years back would feel about what I'm doing right now. So, I really like that because it is so easy to just focus on the bad and forget all the good stuff that is happening, the small stuff that is happening to us, probably every day. If not every day, definitely every week, it will be something that we can be proud of. Yeah.

Jessica Craddock: I try to come up with something and write it down every day. I struggle to do that, if we're being perfectly honest, but at least once a week is important. And I will add one more thing. You said the three years, which was the number I used, but if you're struggling with that, you can go back further, like 10 years.

Agnes Russo: Oh yeah, definitely.

Jessica Craddock: Cool.

Tell me where people should go to look at your work. Where do you want them to go?

Agnes Russo: You can feel free to connect with me on Instagram, um, or on Facebook. I'm not very active on Facebook, but you can still see my art. And, of course, on my website. Yes.

Jessica Craddock: Okay. If you had a preference or if you could say the best place to go for you, where would that be?

Agnes Russo: Oh, the best place would be Instagram or my website.

Jessica Craddock: Lovely. This was fun. How did you have fun?

Agnes Russo: Oh, yes. I always have fun with you. I was just sitting and thinking how I miss that.

Jessica Craddock: We're going to have to figure out how to fix that.

Agnes Russo: Yes.

Jessica Craddock: Thank you, Agnes. I really appreciate your time, and it was lovely to get to connect with you. We shall chat again soon.

Agnes Russo: Thank you so much. It was lovely and always eye opening and just wonderful. Thank you so much for your time.

Jessica Craddock: You're very welcome. All right. Talk soon.


More about Intuitive Art Sales

This is the show where I, Jessica Craddock, am going to teach you how to source your art marketing from within. You're going to practice claiming that authentic art business that you want and leaning into the most natural way for you to get there. You're going to learn to get connected to your intuition, your confidence and your community, so that you can sell your art consistently while holding strong boundaries on your work life balance.

Most of my episodes are full of interviews with your peers. In these and all episodes moving forward, I explore what each artist wants and give them the next steps to get there. You can take their struggles and their challenges and learn how to navigate your own and create actionable steps towards creating more art sales, more consistently at higher prices than you've ever sold before.

You can find all the episodes here.

About the Author

Jessica Craddock

I mentor intuitive visual artists who are sick of one-size-fits all formulas sell more work, more consistently, at higher prices — with better work/life balance. My clients regularly make 3x more in art sales within a year.

Using my signature Consistent Income method, we’ll push you over the precipice of some really amazing growth so you can become the creator of your next chapter.

My secret sauce is that we focus on not just the "doing", but also the "being". Affirmations, trusting yourself, knowing when to go slow and when to go fast, practicing getting out of your comfort zone and making room for the feelings that go with that... all this is equally as important as the action steps.

For once, you'll be ahead of the game and understand what's right for you.

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