A workshop at The Historic Mill Studio, Greensboro, GA

A newspaper article by one of my participants

A Shameless Plug by an Art Student

by

L. Darlene Simmemon

Recently I saw a piece in this paper about a workshop called "The Entrepreneurial Artist" to take place at The Point of Art Gallery in Union Point, GA. Since my sales have been down – and I am not gifted in brazen self-promotion – I decided to give it a try. After paying the fee, I began to obsess.

You see, I’m just like you. Artist carries connotations of a Mt. Olympus-type lifestyle. Not so. Most of us have kids, mortgages, PTA meetings; in short, we, too, live in Mundania. I wasn’t sure if I could fit an all-day workshop into my busy life. And I most definitely was sure I could not spare the small fee. What if it’s not worth it? became my maddening mantra.

I arrived at The Point of Art around 8:45 am. This was on a Saturday morning – my day to sleep in. ‘Til noon. Okay, maybe I’m not just like you.

Workshop facilitator and gallery co-owner, Lee Nelson, met me and my husband (whom I had dragged along) on the sidewalk as we drove up. "Welcome!" he said, "Can I help you carry your artwork in?" We’d been told to bring pieces of our work. Lee helped us transport it to the conference room just behind the gallery.

The class began promptly at 9 am with a lesson on personality-type and communication styles. From there, we moved onto sales training, coming up with a business plan, cash flow charts, realistic pricing of art, advertising, venues . . . All of this was done in a humorous and easy-to-follow manner, and was truly geared toward the small-time as well as the serious artist.

Participants took several breaks during the workshop, during which we could peruse the gallery. Colorful and well-lit, The Point of Art Gallery has pieces that the serious art collector will covet and the middle class art lover can afford. Though I never buy originals (due to my starving artist budget), I bought a beautiful original by artist and gallery co-owner, Anne Jenkins, because it happened to agree with my bank balance. Artwork at this gallery ranges from $5.00 to thousands of dollars. Something for everyone!

During the lunch break, participants walked a block to The Philly Connection, a surprisingly good hole-in-the-wall. Lunch was relaxed and friendly (as was the entire experience).

I took home a feeling of knowledge ("Knowledge is power!") and hope that I could actually do this thing on my own without a burdensome financial investment and without bodily or cerebral harm to myself.

I highly recommend "The Entrepreneurial Artist" workshop to all sorts of artists: painters, textile artists, photographers, word workers, you name it! Facilitator Lee Nelson has a great business sense (years with Citibank under his belt) and a love for all-things-artistic. Watch this paper for details.

Even if you aren’t an artist, you’re going to love this place! Visit it online at www.ThePointofArt.net or in person at 604 Sibley Rd., Union Point, GA.