Embroidered Collage

I just received my 100th heart!  It's a really cool round number because it means 100 people think my art is worth checking up on again later.  That's a really nice feeling.  Unfortunately, it means nothing in terms of actual sales, or really anything in terms of potential customers, either.

I haven't sold much on etsy, and nothing since I switched exclusively to stretched canvas work, but I don't believe it really has anything to do with the venue.  My style and focus have been evolved dramatically this year and I'm only now getting to a point where I can think about the customer in regards to the subject matter and visual appeal of my art as well as its format.  The wrapped canvases were always partially motivated by avoiding framing costs, but everything else has been driven by what I want to create without consideration for how it relates to a potential buyer. 

It doesn't help that a big chunk of the appeal of my work is (and is supposed to be) driven by texture and seeing that tactile sensation when you know you're not supposed to touch.  If I had a table and my work could be picked up, I think it would sell better.  But for the forseeable future my market is the internet or nothing, well one or two things, but not much.

Etsy is still an amazing and wonderful venue.  The focus on handmade items is great.  I love the set up of the listings and being part of a site that brings in search traffic from shoppers in a way that I don't here.  The cost structure is extremely reasonable, especially considering it's for a store, not an auction, and renewing a listing is simple.  I still have the usual gripes about things like a weak search engine, but etsy is continually evolving and improving and they're good at letting us know about it.  That counts for a lot.

If you've never visited my etsy store, then why not take a peek?  If you're interested in selling your own work, it's a great place to try.  It's not the best venue for many people, like everything else it seems to depend on time, your own promotion, and how your work fits with its audience, but it's an easy place to fall in love with.