From ACEOs to powerseller

At the end of June I wrote about my friend Maggie in "Maggie Stiefvater - two of everything".

Following on from my posts over the weekend, I'm going to make a quick reference to one of Maggie's posts on her own blog yesterday "More power to you" in which she announces she's just become formally designated a powerseller on e-bay.

Just a quick recap for anybody who didn't read about Maggie in June. She started about a year ago selling ACEOs. Those are those tiny little cards which people like to collect. She has an amazing talent for these. It's not just the level of detail she manages to achieve but she also has an uncanny eye for quirky compositions which work terrifically well at this size (2.5" x 3.5" - think baseball/football cards).........and in no time at all she had collectors.

In March this year she gave up her part-time job and went full time as an artist. I should mention that at this stage she also had two children under the age of two to look after as a 'full-time' mum. Well she still has the children - it's just there a bit older! Will had his first birthday in June and now wants to help Mum type on the computer.

Soon after, she started selling larger sizes on e-bay and at horse shows and art fairs - focusing mainly on her equestrian art...........and generated yet more collectors. Then started producing bright acrylic paintings of streetscenes as well.............and acquired yet another set of collectors.

She's now sold over 100 pieces of art, is generating a very respectable income and enjoys the total respect and support of her No 1 fan - her husband Ed. She's completely businesslike, has got absolute belief in her ability to succeed, the drive and determination which only certain 24 year olds can have (beats where I was at at 24!) and unstoppable "stickability". As she said in the comment on my previous post - she kissed all those frogs!

Oh - and she forgot to mention that having generated all those sales she has now become a gallery represented artist - with a very respectable gallery in Virginia.

Not bad for a year. It shows it is possible to succeed and generate respectable income as an artists - if you are prepared to work hard at it. If you want to know what I mean by 'work hard' go read her post - it's very illuminating!

Link:

• Smiling Horse Art: "More Power to You"
• What is a powerseller?
  

Technorati tags: art, art business, powerseller