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ABN
BY DEBBIE VAN DE VEN
MAKE 2012 YOUR BEST YEAR EVER
T started... 26
he start of a new year is a great opportunity for all of us to refl ect on the past year and make some changes for the months to come. Not only is it a
perfect time to freshen things up on a personal level, but it's a great time to take action in your life as an artist in order to make 2012 your most success- ful year yet. Here are fi ve ideas to get you
1
FRESHEN UP YOUR PORTFOLIO.
How much has your portfolio
changed over the last couple of months, let alone the last few years? Although you want your portfolio to refl ect your overall style and stress the fact that you've had a lot of experience over the years, this doesn't mean you can't re- place some of the old work with fresher content. Which pieces are you most proud of that aren't currently in your portfolio? How do they compare to your previous work? Perhaps you've developed your skills in such a way that your old work just doesn't fi t anymore. As a professional artist, you prob-
ably have a good sense of what you want to achieve in the future. If not, you need to determine your focus fi rst, and then make sure your portfolio refl ects that. What type of clients are you hop- ing to attract? Put examples of work you've done for similar clients in your portfolio and make sure they stand out. Which pieces would you like to sell? Make sure the majority of your portfo- lio contains work you'd actually market to potential buyers. If you haven't done any work in the area you're aiming for, spend some time creating pieces espe- cially for that market in order to show that you understand it. If you're build- ing toward a new approach, or perhaps
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
MAKE IT
