Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :)

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Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 4:49:05 PM

Guest

Hey all,

I'm thinking of joining EBSQ as an artist on a monthly subscription and from here it looks like one of the best gallerys on the net, with the exhibitions, artist of the day, competitions, community etc KUDOS! ;)

Soooo, as there are so many sites out there for artists and I can't join them all, I would love to hear your opinions:

How EBSQ has helped you.
Does it help you to get your work "out there"
Is there a specific type of work which is best for this site?
How has the community helped you?
...etc ;)

Thanks for your time, and and I very much enjoying "art of the day", you're a very talented bunch ;)

All the best,

Lisa Cree.

Post #: 1

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 5:29:17 PM

toucanne

Posts: 17590
Joined: 10/5/2005
From: Pahrump, Nevada
Status: offline

Hi Lisa,

I joined as a paying member in 2006 and have never regretted it.
My main aims were to have somewhere to show my portfolio without having to create my own website, and to find encouragement to paint more. Entering the shows is a lot of fun and it does stir up the creative juices.
The forums are an extremely valuable resource. You can already see the public ones, but there are also private ones where you can discuss things without having the whole world seeing them. You can also search the archives for literally any topic under the sun.
I have formed lasting friendships here. My EBSQ friends are like family, and many of us have met in real life after becoming acquainted on the EBSQ forums.
So, welcome, and I hope you decide to join us.

_____________________________

Music is the space between the notes.
~Claude Debussy

My Flickr

(in reply to Guest)

Post #: 2

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 5:33:15 PM

Guest

Thanks toucanne for taking the time to reply. It does sound great :)

(in reply to toucanne)

Post #: 3

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 5:41:38 PM

gillie

Posts: 4560
Joined: 7/30/2005
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Status: offline

Hi Lisa! I wouldn't be the best person to ask your original questions about EBSQ since I'm admittedly *very* biased, but if you have any technical questions about the site, just holler!

And Muriel--thanks for the thumbs up!

Huge cheers,
-Amie

_____________________________

Amie Gillingham
co-founder, EBSQ
web: http://www.ebsqart.com
blog: http://blog.ebsqart.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/ebsq
Get out of the vacuum and express yourself!

(in reply to Guest)

Post #: 4

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 6:07:20 PM

Guest

Hey Gillie!

Thanks for replying, biased as it may be, it's good to see that you have a passion for your project :)

I do have a few "technical" questions...

Are there are a lot of non-artists, buyers, interior designers etc who recieve your newsletter and visit the site and the galleries? I'm really interested in the exposure I would get from joining.

Do ESBQ juried artists see a significant increase in sales on sites such as Ebay?

Thanks for your time :)

(in reply to gillie)

Post #: 5

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 6:42:46 PM

gillie

Posts: 4560
Joined: 7/30/2005
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Status: offline

We do have a significant number of patrons, but I couldn't tell you for certain how many are artists thinking of joining vs other art/design professionals vs people simply interested in art. But it's safe to assume a mix. I do regularly have people contact us regarding licensing purchasing, or commissioning members who didn't include any form of public contact information.

As to EBSQ Juried status bringing bigger sales on eBay? 5-7 years ago, that would be a definitive yes. Right now, though, the people seeing the most success on eBay are the people who've cultivated a following over the years and never abandoned the venue. It's not impossible to break into a higher sales bracket, but it's very challenging, and I honestly can't say that being juried or unjuried makes any difference in this economy. Marketing skills and the quality of your work matter more. That said, when we accept people into EJA it's because their portfolios show a good balance of quality art work AND professional presentation of that work, and these people are very often better at selling their work, regardless of venue.

_____________________________

Amie Gillingham
co-founder, EBSQ
web: http://www.ebsqart.com
blog: http://blog.ebsqart.com
twitter: http://twitter.com/ebsq
Get out of the vacuum and express yourself!

(in reply to Guest)

Post #: 6

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 7:48:26 PM

lamillerphotography

Posts: 24673
Joined: 7/30/2005
From: Kansas
Status: offline

Hi Lisa,

Dang Muriel, you said almost everything I might have said...

I joined about 9 years ago. I have learned so much here, my artistic ventures have changed over the years but the one thing that has stayed constant is the inspiration and valuable information I've gotten over the years. I've not met anyone in person but would say that the wonderful artists here are some of my best friends. We all share a common bond, and that is a love of art. I've never felt lost or out of place here, even in the beginng. I hope you join and please feel free to ask any questions.

_____________________________

LisaM

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind-Dr. Suess

(in reply to gillie)

Post #: 7

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 8:09:16 PM

skeymask

Posts: 1897
Joined: 8/22/2009
Status: offline

It's a great place to build your portfolio and reputation as an artist. Amie and all do advertise, and do a heck of a lot of networking to promote the site on Facebook, blogging, emails, and more. There are new artists communities popping up all the time especially as the economy has gone south, or down, or wherever it's going at the moment.

But EBSQ, is one of the longest and most solidly established artists communities I know of. They give us the TOOLS, but a lot of it is still what WE do with it. They give us a beautiful venue to promote and advertise ourselves.

It's not all cupcakes and roses...

Imagine if you were in a room with nothing but artists from all over the world with all their different personalities. In the forums we may gripe, pout, or strut, but most often everyone is here to support and help because we all have the same passion for art. Imagine how boring it would be if everyone agreed with each other.

You can gain invaluable information here from other artists experiences with selling and marketing your art, and in most of the selling venues like Etsy, Ebay, etc.

I can't tell you how much my art has grown since I have been a member for the last couple of years. Participating in challenges and shows has given me a reason to challenge myself to grow.

It's really up to you how much you want to gain here. I have gained a lot.

_____________________________

"I stalk my brain for art...and then I blog about it."

Sherry Key on Wordpress:
http://sherrykey.wordpress.com/

(in reply to gillie)

Post #: 8

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 6/28/2011 9:53:37 PM

bromley2

Posts: 27637
Joined: 7/30/2005
From: Clarion, Pa.
Status: offline

Hi Lisa!! Welcome to EBSQ. I hope you join.

I have been a member for so long I can't remember when I joined. It is a wonderful community and the forums are like family to me. It is a beautiful place to display my art and it is seen by a LOT of people. I have Google Analytics on my portfolio and I can see the hundreds of people that come through my portfolio and look around. I also love all the shows every month. They are a continuing source of challenging fun.

It is a great place and I hope you decide to join!

Carolyn

_____________________________

http://www.moondancedesign.com
EBAY
My Bonanzle Booth

(in reply to skeymask)

Post #: 9

RE: Thinking of joining, would appreciate your opinions :) - 8/9/2011 3:42:31 PM

Guest

Hi Lisa,

I have been with EBSQ art since 2007 but have to admit that I did cancel my paid membership for a short period. After only a couple of months, I missed being able to enter the art exhibitions, which really help to get my art more exposure on the net. So I became a paid member again.

The EBSQ art community is helpful and kind. However, I am a shy person so I am more of a browser and reader on the forums

and don't have as many posts as I should have by now...
This site did help me to get my work out there on the net. Unfortunately, just producing many pieces and being a member of EBSQ is no longer enough...

In this economy it takes a huge amount of effort to promote work. But every bit of exposure helps. So if you want more exposure I would definitely recommend to join and enter your art into shows.

Many times I have been thinking about cancelling my paid membership because of this bad economy (where every dollar counts) but I just can't

. This was the very first gallery I showed my art on line and I have only had good experiences so far...This site changed a lot from very basic and simple to very professional. So it would be silly of me to leave now when the site only seems to be improving, getting better every year

.

Ursula (Ariannah)

(in reply to bromley2)

Post #: 10