“An industry you could only infiltrate if you had formal training and connections with the ‘right’ people,” were the words leading British abstract resin artist Nat Bowen used to describe her view of the art world before she entered it. From the outside looking in, it’s easy to understand why.
Whilst movements such as the Geurilla Girls are campaigning for change, women are typically still fighting harder than men for their fair share of the market. The New York Times reported in 2019 that just 11% of art acquisitions made by museums were created by women. Only two works by women have ever made it into the top 100 painting auction sales. Add this to the fact that art school tuition fees are on the rise globally and that who you know is equal to—if not more important than—talent, it would not be an exaggeration to label the traditional art world, as Nat Bowen does, “inaccessible” and “intimidating”—particularly for anyone who falls outside the ‘affluent, upper-class, white male’ demographic. There is no denying that, as an industry, it suffers from and perpetuates stark inequalities that prevent many from really thriving within it.
So how does one thrive when they don’t fit the traditional mould? How does one disrupt an industry that, evidentially, remains exclusive?
When looking at Nat Bowen’s paintings—composed with resin, which is a notoriously difficult medium to master, and focused on the study of chromology (the psychology of color, to the unenlightened)—it would be easy to assume that she received years of training, but this is not so. Bowen learnt most of her skills through hard graft, dedication and continual practice.
A self-taught artist who didn’t attend art school, Nat Bowen’s breakthrough in the industry was somewhat unorthodox. Having previously worked in fashion, Bowen took a job as an executive assistant to a property developer which proved to be the true source of inspiration for her art. “Though I can trace a lot of my understanding of color, composition and texture back to my fashion roots, it was seeing incredible artworks hanging on the walls of multimillion-pound properties that did it. I began visualizing my own creations in the same spaces,” she says.
But, despite dreaming of becoming a professional artist for years, as she says, she “had no idea how to go about it,” and at the start of that journey, there was little to encourage her.
With no fine art training, no gallery connections and being fresh to the business, there were plenty of barriers to overcome to take her art from being just a hobby to a viable source of income. “Art has been a male-dominated field for centuries and there’s this idea that you have to have been a practicing artist for a long time to sell at a certain level and be a commercial success.”
Rather than trying to convince the gatekeepers—agents and dealers—that she deserved to be allowed entry or letting this hold her back, though, she forged her own path.
After seeing those paintings in the houses of the uber-rich, Bowen approached her connections in the property industry and pitched the idea to produce four large scale artworks for a show home in London almost at completion. The motive behind this was threefold: it allowed people to see what she could do in a “contextual setting,” exposed her to potential clients in the right market and earned her enough money to rent a studio space in which to create further commissions. From there, she began to market herself on social media and word began to organically spread. This then grew into a loyal following, global client base and exhibits at art fairs in Miami, New York, Hong Kong and London, including at the Saatchi Gallery.
This particular exhibit proved to be a game-changer for Bowen, who realized she wasn’t willing to wait around for someone else to deem her successful or worthy. “I didn’t want to become one of those artists that only gains recognition when they’re old or dead, with others reaping the benefits of their work financially.”
It was then that, for the first time, she tapped into the power of connecting directly with potential buyers. She began to realize how vital an entrepreneurial mindset was to female artists looking to break the mould in the 21st century, despite what traditional thinkers would have them believe. “By doing the majority of my sales directly with collectors and taking 100% of profits, I have been able to reinvest back into my business and take it to another level. I am not averse to working with galleries, agents or dealers but, had I solely relied on them up to this point and not initiated my own sales, I doubt I would be at the stage I am today.”
Regardless of whether you’re interested in breaking into a creative field such as the art world or not, there are lessons to be learnt here about disrupting a typically closed or elitist industry.
Advocate for yourself
Even if you don’t have traditional representation or credentials, showing up as the professional or expert you wish to be viewed as is vital, says Bowen. “Talk confidently to anyone who will listen about what you do as you never know where a conversation might lead,” she advises. “Wherever I go I take a stack of business cards. I once started talking to a stranger at the airport about my work while waiting for a delayed flight and they later got in touch to commission an artwork having followed me online.”
Never underestimate the power of social media
Though it might seem a decade too late to riff on the benefits of social media, it remains typically undervalued by many traditional industries—to their detriment. “This sort of self-promotion is not distasteful, it’s essential for commercial success,” assures Bowen, who understood how useful a tool such as Instagram can be to “welcome people into your world.”
“It’s a great way for people to grasp what I do in a matter of seconds. Instagram, in particular, provides an opportunity to show people behind the scenes and to build a more three-dimensional picture of you, whether it be your sources of inspiration or video footage of you working.”
Build a strong brand identity
For Bowen, this means thinking about the “bigger picture” by building a brand that extends beyond the product or service you’re selling. Her art features a lot of color, so it’s typical to see the same across her business as well as her work wardrobe. “It’s easy to recognize me as the artist at shows and events as I’m always dressed as brightly as the artworks.”
“A strong brand identity makes your work easily recognizable but be consistent with what you are putting out there. Be innovative, rather than following convention to give yourself that edge.”
Ultimately, concludes Bowen, being a disruptor is about “not getting too comfortable.
“It’s about pushing beyond the limitations and parameters others have set down before you. My art isn’t devalued by the way I choose to market and sell my work online. In fact, the way I communicate with clients, through Instagram and by creating a strong personal brand, means that I know I will reach the right people. Nobody has a greater belief in my work than I do or can tell the story better.
“Choosing an unconventional path to success doesn’t make it any less legitimate.”
For more information on Nat Bowen and her work, visit her website or find her on Instagram at @nat.bowen. Bowen’s latest show, Chromodelic, opens to the public on the 17th May 2021 at 45 Park Lane, London.
"artist" - Google News
April 12, 2021 at 06:38PM
https://ift.tt/3293czK
Artist Nat Bowen On Being A Disruptor In An Elitist Industry - Forbes
"artist" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2FwLdIu
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Artist Nat Bowen On Being A Disruptor In An Elitist Industry - Forbes"
Post a Comment