Western Courier

Issue date: 10/2/09 Section: News

Artist Susan Morrison spoke to students about the business of art on Tuesday, Sept. 29.

Artists, students and faculty came together to listen to the engaging personality that is Susan Morrison. A forthright speaker, she led the audience down the path of her personal struggle in making the jump from artist to nationally-known artist.

"Most artists are not exposed to business management," Morrison said of sound business investments and marketing skills.

She explained through narratives, often humorous, how she learned from different people to mix business and art together.

"Turning art into business is a complicated process. It doesn't happen overnight, but it's worth it," Morrison said.

A documentary of her work and how she was exposed to different wild animals she portrays in her chosen medium, pen and pencil, was shown to the audience. It was an astonishing pictorial display of the Rocky Mountains.

Morrison was shown with family, friends and patrons who all expressed joy in exploring these majestic mountain ranges in search for different wild animals.

Morrison held the audience rapt as she explained how she made $3,000 art shows turn into $12 to $15 thousand art shows by simply adding frames to her art with the help of her husband and business partner, Randy Woodward.

She also explained that just because your show is sold out doesn't mean it was a success, especially if you are in the business of selling your art to make a profit.

"Those of us who are artists and want to succeed must learn to do (business), as business people look at the creative angle," Woodward said.

Morrison also briefly touched on how she has been affected by the recession by explaining ways she has had to accommodate the patrons who go on expeditions with her in search of wildlife. Her clientele, mostly upper middleclass, has been affected by the recession and she explains how she has been flexible enough to meet her clients' needs and yet still make a profit.

One piece of advice she left the audience with, which was given to her by another artist, is that to make art a business you have to have an edge, something that no one else can do or has.

For her, that edge is drawing wildlife in huge format, so huge that she spent nearly nine months on scaffolding to complete an amazing rendition of two bears fighting for dominance. By doing her art in this larger than life format, she acknowledges that she doesn't "have copycats, nobody wants to do what I do."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools