In this day and age, broadcasting my creative activities is incredibly easy and utterly daunting. Early on in my clay making days, craft shows, craft shops and home/studio sales were the chosen avenues for marketing artistic efforts and making a potential sale. Promotional materials were put together by a graphic designer and taken to an off-site printer for completion. It all seems so antiquated now! I am constantly remarking “what a world” when I tap my smart phone to take and edit a photograph and then tap another application to send it ‘out to the universe’ for consumption. My initial reaction to new technology is fear – I’m afraid I will mess something up. But once I try something new and get the hang of it, look out!
I’ve used current technology to create and manage my website. I post studio updates on Facebook. I’m tweeting on Twitter and now I’ve joined Instagram. (I'm still figuring out the whole #hashtag# thing!) Just as I practice with clay in my studio, I’m learning the best way to embrace technology and learn is to jump in, make and recover from mistakes, continue to improve skills and use the new techniques to your advantage. What a world indeed!
Here's an example of how the new and old marketing technologies collide. I used my cell phone to take photos. I used my computer and the internet to create a design. I've ordered a printed postcard on-line to distribute for an upcoming sale in Arlington, Va. in June.