The Business of Art
Wisconsin-based scratchboard artist Melissa Helene discusses her path to entrepreneurship, quest to help other creatives navigate it, and ever-expanding business.
Walk us down your path to becoming an artist:
I grew up creating art—I was always drawing and took every art class available in junior high and high school. In college, I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I did know that I didn’t want to be a “starving artist” or an art teacher. So I got my degree in sociology with a minor in youth studies and worked in the nonprofit realm for several years after graduating.
However, I was regularly looking for something different. Since I was already making graphite and charcoal drawings and oil paintings as a hobby, I started planning to do art full-time. Soon after, I discovered scratchboard, an art form where you carve images into Masonite boards composed of a smooth white clay base with a black ink overlay. Something immediately clicked: I’m a very type A person, which made the medium’s attention to detail very appealing to me. I founded Melissa Helene Fine Arts and Photography soon after in 2015.
Were you always eager to start a business?
Yes. Before I did, I was actively trying to sell my art more. At one festival, I confided to some fellow artists that I was thinking of launching a full-time art business, and they encouraged me. I decided to move forward with it that same weekend. In retrospect, it was a very bold move; I didn’t have any relevant knowledge or even a job at the time. But it worked out.
Who else supported you along the way?
My parents were hugely supportive and integral to me being able to start my business. I literally couldn’t have done it without them—I was still on their health insurance! My dad has been the workhorse behind my success for a long time, helping me figure out booth displays and how to hang and frame items. Plus, both of my parents are salespeople by trade. My mom in particular loves to actively talk to people and sell, and she’s taught me how to get better at landing the sale in different scenarios, such as when someone’s got a work in their hands. However, we definitely have different approaches when we’re at art festivals. As the mother of the artist, she can get away with saying things about my work that I wouldn’t dare utter. [Laughs]
How did you eventually develop your business acumen?
At that festival I mentioned, a few of my artist friends were hustling to sell their works. I peppered one with business questions, but she couldn’t answer most of them. I quickly discovered that many working artists don’t have that sort of background; the majority are just flying by the seat of their pants. They don’t even keep records, such as receipts, or track their income or expenses throughout the year. I was shocked.
Ultimately, I went out on my own to learn business, essentially through lots of great resources and online mentors—I read blogs, listened to podcasts, and took business courses. However, none of them applied directly to being an artist. For example, online entrepreneurs focused primarily on coaching or selling other products. I had to do a lot of cherry-picking through the information to figure out how I could incorporate proven strategies into my business. I found that very exciting, and I still do everything I can to continue learning, especially keeping up with social media trends.
You also teach other artists about how to be businesspeople. Would you elaborate on that?
I wanted to start helping other artists because I think everyone could benefit from approaching their art as a business. If you want to do it just for the love of the craft, go for it. But too many are making things so much harder for themselves by not having anything in place to analyze what’s working and what’s not. The way that I’ve always approached my business from day one is that it is a business and I need to make my living from it. That’s why, unlike most artists, I don’t get super attached to my pieces or have any issues selling what I’m making—after all, it’s the reason I’m making it.
With you focusing so much attention on growing your business, what do you get from continuing to attend festivals?
From an artistic standpoint, I get almost nothing. I’m there purely for business. You can really tap out a market very quickly if you’re only locally focused, especially in my case since I live in a tiny town in Wisconsin. Festivals get my work in front of huge crowds; tens of thousands of people may be walking through. And even though only a small percentage of those are going to see my pieces and an even smaller percentage will connect with them, it’s well worth it.
Plus, while there are many other ways I could choose to get exposure for my work, I’ve found art festivals to be the most efficient. I have a nice following on social media and have sold a little there, but I haven’t quite cracked the code on it yet. So at least 70 percent of my business comes from festivals, where I get to network and meet other artists and art show directors, interactions that lead to different types of opportunities. For example, I’m using these events to promote my online course, which I’m trying to build up as well.
My goal eventually would be to sell more via my website and social media and attend fewer festivals as my business grows. Right now, though, I’m still doing anywhere from ten to fifteen a year. That may not sound like a lot, but it is when you’re selling mostly original artwork.
You’ve been running your business for a decade. How does that make you feel?
It’s crazy. My life has changed so much during that time, like getting married and having our kid. But starting my business was absolutely the right choice since it perfectly merges the two parts of my personality: orderly and creative. That said, being an artist isn’t easy, and trying to make a business out of being an artist is even harder. I’m proud of myself for doing that.
For more info, visit melissahelene.com