Guest Post – What Artists Can Teach Everyone About Social Media

December 27, 2008 · Comments

Earthly Delights, by Nasco Pelev The following is a guest post from Amrita Chandra, one of the great people I met in 2008 at PodCamp Boston 3.

What Artists Can Teach Everyone About Social Media

People tend to look to leaders in the technology or business world to learn how to use Social Media. But from my experience, it is artists who are the best teachers of all. Some of the things we can all learn from them:

Find inspiration outside your domain. – Talk to an artist and they will often tell you they found inspiration in a book or political event or meaningful place. Artists take ideas from everywhere to foster collaboration and innovation in their own practice. If you are on Twitter, are you just following other people in your field or your region, or the so-called A-listers who everyone else is following?Try broadening your circle, to follow people like @ryantaylor who is using social media for his sustainable jewelry business and @brooklynmuseum who despite being one of the oldest museums in the U.S., have started a 1stFans program to bring art lovers together using social media. Apply what they are doing to your own area of interest.

Dye your hair pink.Okay, maybe not literally.What I really mean is don’t be afraid to be different. Artists are typically on the fringes of society so we are used to feeling a little out of place.How that helps us in the social media front is that by talking about things that may be unpopular or controversial or just plain weird, we stand out from the crowd.And that makes us memorable. What I love about Hugh Macleod’s cartoons is that he says things everyone is thinking but is afraid to say.Things like this and this.Don’t be afraid to be express yourself.

Make your own rules. John Unger is an artist who is using social media to finance the building of his new studio, in bits and pieces.MaryAnne Davis is a ceramic artist who created an online gift registry so people could register for her work for weddings.I decided to give the finger to the art establishment that fosters elitism & exclusion by creating a space that is both welcoming and well curated.Rules only exist until new rules are created, so make your own!

Choose your critics wisely. In the social media universe, everyone can be a vocal critic.Some are much louder than others due to their network or communication style.Good artists value criticism, but know how to assess their work through critiques from people that fit their sensibilities or ambitions.In your own social media initiatives, it is important to ask what you can do better, but don’t be quick to change your path based on your most vocal or visible critics.Find people whose opinions you respect, not because they are yes-men, but because they can give you valuable advice in an appropriate context and constructive manner.Many of the greatest artists in history were not appreciated in the prime of their lives.You may wade through many naysayers before you find your following.

Live an interesting life. What I love most about art is how it allows people to tell their own stories, whether it is through a painting or a photograph or a video installation.And the best stories come from people who live interesting lives. Look at your own life.Are you in a rut?Are you afraid to try new things?When was the last time you did something that took you outside your comfort zone?By being an interesting person, you will draw people to you through the stories you tell whether you are talking about software or changing the world.

Artists have taught me that social media, like life itself, is an art, not a science, and the most important thing of all is to just get out, experiment, & enjoy; the rest will follow. Do you agree or disagree or have a different take altogether? I’m interested to hear your thoughts.

Image: Earthly Delights, Nasco Pelev. Courtesy of tinku gallery


Amrita Chandra is the founder of tinku gallery, a contemporary art gallery in Toronto and also
a freelance marketing professional with early stage ventures.

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  • Great post...I'm slowly getting into social media more and more..I like it :)
  • Great guest post Amrita, and agree with your points completely. Another thing that artists usually have is immense passion and I feel that translates well to any medium, social media included. If you can't be passionate about something, how can you expect anyone else to share your enthusiasm about something? A voice is only as audible as the speaker - passion combined with knowledge is the greatest natural loudspeaker I know.
  • David LaMorte
    Do you know of any artists who are using what Chris calls social media to connect with galleries? I like the examples you gave, but do you have any examples of people who are trying a hybrid method, using new media and old fashioned schmoozing to promote their art careers??

    It seems to me that anyone who has had success online has had moderate success with the traditional craft or traditional art market. Bloggers only seem to link or discuss widely known artists.

    I'm trying to have it both ways, but I don't feel like I have any examples to look to or others to bounce ideas off of.
  • great advice Chris, looking outside of your domain is where ideas come from, and right now the web and social media are the perfect mechanism for the transmission of ideas. I once heard creativity defined as joining two previously disconnected ideas, and I can't think of a better place for that to happen than in the area of social media. Twitter makes so many extraordinary connections so easily, it's kind of like the birthday paradox that Clay Shirky talks about here http://www.econtalk.org/archives/2008/10/shirky... (scroll down to 14:28 in the show notes), twitter enables great possibilities to make strange, creative, and valuable connections connections.
  • GREAT post!! Word by word this is fascinating. There is a definate link between social media and creativity- you have to be interested in the human condition to do either. You have to watch, respond and listen. I went to the Art Institute of Chicago for painting and wound up in social media and communications. I fully agree with this post whole-heartedly.
  • I really enjoyed reading this post. My favorite part is the reminder to live an interesting life. That gets difficult sometimes with day to day stuff so it's good to have an occassional reminder that you only have one life to live fully or to waste.

    I have been slowly dipping my toes into the online social media/marketing/networking thing. I see the huge possibilities for it, but it is so time consuming. I would love to hear about how to deal with using it more efficiently or in some manner that isn't such a time suck.
  • To David Lamort: I know of plenty of artists promoting themselves through social media. Contact me at http://twitter.com/eadvocate
  • So what you're saying is.. designers, gone developers, WILL rule the tech world some day. Good. Good. lol :-p
  • Fascinating and I agree and enjoyed your perspective.. I am an artist.... and my creative side takes over with every single thing I encounter.... I find myself helping others simply because I see outside of the dots and give them fresh perspective - thus my twitter handle "ParadigmPundit"... Thank you for bringing this forward... we artists are not understood by many, but loved by most!
  • Great post! I am an artist.

    Fabietto, young italian artist
  • Chris you excel so delightfully at giving social media meaning. I just want to express my sincere appreciation for the work you do. The gentler side of creativity is so vital a seed for our futures, thank you for encouraging self expression to flourish in all the unique, diverse and beautiful ways it's capable of doing.
  • I found this blog through various posts on Twitter. Very interesting. I have kept my business separate from my passionate hobby in performing arts (Latin Dancing) -- because my clients are corporate America. I was concerned that it might turn them off.
    My new blog (which will launch in January through redesigned website) may now have a additional twist because of the posts I have read today.
    Great perspective.
    Thanks! Kate Nasser, The People-Skills Coach
  • As soon as I saw the title with the word ARTIST in it I had to read all the comments. I'm an artist of many mediums and find the ability to create and show one's work the greatest thing since the discovery of fire, Thanks for the post.
  • If I could do anything that I'm not doing right now to 'flourish' in my creativity, I'd be on the road full time in a nice Airstream, writing about horses, cowboys, and bullriders ... with maybe a little bit of real estate thrown in. Along with creativity goes tolerance and a sense of humor. Life is interesting and exciting to me every day, possibly because I have such a naughty, sensual spirit! It ooooozes over to my blogs, no matter what I write about. My new blog, when up, will allow me an even more passionate platform. (P.S. Who is Fabietto, the young Italian artist!!?) Thanks Chris... very much.
  • Hi Susie! I am Fabietto :) I am a young set designer. I think the words of this post are beautiful. If you want, come in my little blog ;)

    Thanks!
  • For me, the most interesting and inspiring people tend to be those who are always trying to integrate things that don't seem to be related, and this is exactly what artists do. Incidentally, we at Intermz are designing a learning program to help people become just those kinds of "renaissance" people.

    Great post!
  • that right fools you can learn something from us, hahahaha, i just dont know what it is.
  • Oh Fabietto! I loved "come in my little blog!" Of course I visited and I hope to connect with you on Facebook. Thank you!
  • Amitra, this is a great post and very timely considering its the end of the year and everyone is pondering possible resolutions. We should all try something new & get out of our 'curse of the comfort zone'.
  • A great post Amrita! I am an artist myself working in Second Life to create immersive installations of light and sound. And what I discovered by making art inside a social media environment was immediate access to a world of critics and collaborators that I would never have otherwise. Your message to companies interested in using social media was a fresh take on something important for brands to embrace. I just started following you on Twitter and hope to have a chance to share ideas. I'm lancesh on Twitter. Thanks for sharing.
    Lance
  • Lance, I've heard Second Life is great for simulations; but how are you using it for light and sound? Will people "go" there to view your art?
  • Amrita is awesome! This post is right on the money, which is the one thing she didn't mention. I have immense respect for artists who feel so strongly about their need to create that they have no choice but to stake their livelihood in a field that is notoriously difficult to farm in. Very few artists are successful and even fewer truly so, but the need to express yourself can be more powerful than the aspiration for material success. We can all learn a lot from that in our own pursuits: strive for happiness and creative satisfaction over raises and bonuses and you will ultimately be far happier in life.

    I'm so glad Amrita has popped into the Toronto social media scene (exploded into? :) and I can't wait to see how she helps change it in 2009. Great post!
  • Amrita!
    I love these four cues to creating a fabulous life-the ultimate installation piece, eh?
    **Find inspiration outside your domain
    **Make your own rules
    **Choose your critics wisely
    **Live an interesting life
    THANKS!!
    /flourishingjudy
  • Amrita, some beautiful thoughts here, especially those about critics. There's a big difference between being panned for the sake of it, and receiving a critique that can better mold and shape your direction. It's also quite easy to tear down the work of others while offering up little of substance yourself.

    As a musician, another favorite "skill" of mine is improvisation. In charting new waters with social media and business, sometimes you have to learn to adapt and improvise a bit until you find what works. Few things are certain, and at the speed of today, "rules" have a short shelf life. I'm a big believer in understanding the need once in a while to vamp your way through a few bars until you hit your stride.

    Really enjoyed your perspective. Thanks.
  • David LaMorte
    Amrita,
    I've been approaching galleries for a little while now and whenever I get a rejection they always tell me that my art "doesn't fit" the gallery. I have also heard a lot of curators talk about really looking at the work in the gallery before submitting your portfolio.

    If I'm trying to find galleries where my art will fit, what should I be looking for. I feel like my eyes are open, but I feel like I'm missing something.
  • Great post and timely as I was just talking to another artist and how social media may be used. As a photographer with a technology background I have been able to make some sense of the medium but I know photographers, painters and artists of other medium who I will pass this along to so they can get a better sense as well.
  • This is an awesome post. As an artist and a business person I find that working from my artists vantage is always the most productive activity. The most creative and insightful solutions come to me when I work through my artists process to get there.

    And as Jay pointed out above, it's true, artists must create. But creation isn't just about making physical representations. I look to create all things in my life, including doing the laundry! it makes the whole process so much more interesting! Learn your process, know yourself and walk through all your solutions from that place. :)
  • Good post, Amrita! I went to your gallery but couldn't see the first picture. Maybe my PC is acting up. My husband Rodgers www.grnaylor.com is an fine artist who started his professional life as a geologist then a contracts director. His passion radiates to all as he talks about art and shows people around his studio. He reminds many people that we have choices in our life, more than we realize. His passion has led me to find something I am passionate about and figure out out to make a living by it, cooperative intelligence. I don't really have any guidelines for how to get there, but with friends and synchronicity I know it will happen. Such good advice to Twitter with people outside your space, just like in life outside of social networks. That's how you stay interesting and inspired! Chris, invite her back!!!
  • Brilliant - refreshingly new :)

    Jason Alba
    CEO - JibberJobber.com
    Author - I'm on LinkedIn -- Now What???
  • Rob
    Thanks for the article! I really enjoyed it (especially being an artist :)
  • Amrita! I love this post. Our minds work in similar ways, I'm surmising by reading this post. As I go through my life and my day, I find connections between seemingly unconnected things...my writing blog is a place where I get to connect those things and have a blast with the way my mind works. Off to tell my peeps on Twitter all about this outstanding post - thanks for writing (and thanks to Chris for featuring you!).
  • Brad Hanks
    Excellent post Amrita! Above all, I liked "live an interesting life." Time to get out of our comfort zones, try something new and grow. Learning from others that aren't afraid to try something new and color outside the lines is always a plus. Thanks for your excellent insight!
  • Amrita, you've nailed it with this post. and I agree It's important for people to see that this medium breaks down so many social barriers allowing you to interact with people you normally might not due to bias, opinion etc. I compare this movement to the Italian Renaissance so many great minds concentrated in one place. You have the Medici (VC's), students, and masters. In this new world not everyone will be a Piero della Francesca but you could just lean from one.

    Thanks for the mention and @jaygoldman is correct we are very lucky to have you in Toronto. Looking forward to #arts&crafts talks :D

    <3 @ryantaylor
  • Everyone - thank you so much for all the wonderful comments. I am thrilled to have a chance to write for this blog, as I have learned so much from Chris & appreciate what a generous man he is.

    David - I would be happy to talk to you about approaching galleries - please email me at amrita@tinkugallery.com or ping me on Twitter @tinkugallery

    Ellen - your PC is not acting up, seems IE7 browsers aren't viewing the image on the gallery site so I am needing to fix it - long laundry list of site updates I need to get to in January.
  • Major dope article. It’s great to other artists that use social media.
  • Good stuff, the point about dealing with social media criticism I feel is worth emphasizing. The echo chamber is so loud that artists, or anyone, new to the medium might be scared off from negative feedback. It's worth understanding, going in, that every critic may have a microphone, but not necessarily an audience; and who says having a microphone warrants being listened to in the first place?
  • Excellent blog, interesting how the perspectives of others and other fields can color and change your view of things. I am constantly learning from my fellow Twitterers and checking their web sites and blogs is a wonderful form of continuing education without the classroom walls:)
  • Great Post Amrita! I've learned so much about business from watching creative artists express themselves and tapping into my creative parts to discover new ways of doing.
  • Amrita,

    Thanks for the post.

    I am an artist and have been active on Twitter for a whole month now.

    I have found social media to be a kind of natural pool I can swim in, because I am a communicator. There are no gate keepers, pretensions, or social ranks. Anyone can follow me and we can message each other. I follow all my followers.
    One of my first act was to stage an art event on Twitter. More is coming soon.
    I agree that the Brooklyn Museum is doing a good job. I hope more museums begin to reach out and interact, rather than just post their own info. soon

    And thanks also to Chris Brogan for inviting you to the blog.

    Judy Rey Wasserman
    On Twitter: judyrey
  • Sorry, I messed up the tags.
    The post is How Johnny Cash Would Tweet at
    http://blog.b2bcommunications.com/2008/12/25/ho...
  • Great piece Amrita! The perspective of an artist-creator is one that inspires me, because of the way an artist engages with the world - not as a supplicant, but as an agent of change, with intent. Finding that perspective means finding something inside oneself together with a curiosity about the world that is unique and personal. Your post has me thinking about artists and social media creators as both engaged in acts of meaning-making. Thanks for the stimulus!
  • Amrita, fantastic post. I believe cross-pollination of ideas from one are to another is important for creativity (or innovation, if you will). Most of my artist friends are not really online; it will be a much richer place once they are.

    Cheers,
    Connie
  • gerardmclean
    Sometimes, I get the feeling that all this Web 2.0 and Social Media stuff is done by techies and marketing folks for its own sake. The ultimate reason we do anything -- including making money -- is to enhance the human experience; for ourselves during the short time we have and for others when we have gone.

    A couple of decades ago, I was graduated from college with an English degree. The first thing anyone ever said to me then was "What can you do with THAT!" My reply was then and still is, "What CAN'T I do with an English degree."

    Because I can read and write well, I have been blessed with a creative life thus far that has very little to do with pigeon holes and almost nothing to do with technology as an end, only a means. (http://gerardmclean.com/cv if you care to see )

    My son graduated this month with a BFA and he is getting the same question. He answers it a little bit differently, mostly with a kind of blank stare at the other person as if they simply don't understand the question they just asked. But, he'll be fine and in demand because while he can run circles around the tech guys in PHP, Perl, MySQL, etc, he has the added advantage of understanding that ultimately anything he creates -- whether digitally or not -- is to enhance the human experience.

    http://twitter.com/chirn9980 if you wish to follow a ground-level art career.

    @Connie Crosby too bad tech people and artists don't mix in the same circles all that often. Shame on us as a society for putting them in separate camps to begin with. Shame on them for adding bricks to the walls.
  • "Dye your hair pink." Hmmm. If you need any pink hair dying help, let me know. ;) twitter.com/halcyon ;)

    Great article! I've been a bit frustrated by the volume of conversation *about* the tools. It's like hanging out in Home Depot all day. But the true magic is what people DO with the tools. Thanks for posting.
    p.s. I posted recently about "life as art." http://is.gd/e0DY
  • Very nice! I have been waiting to hear a good post on the correlation between the social media and artists. I was beginning to feel a bit alone in all the Web 2.0, viral, seo talk.
  • Brava! terrific post! @ David LaMorte, who asked about other artists using social networks -- we're not visual artists, but I created a simple Facebook group for new media, film & TV writers (ink canada - Canadian screenriters & their sketchy friends) to connect our often isolated and far-flung talent to each other, and the world industries we work in, all over. (It's a global group, and all are welcome!). And, in Canada, this is becoming a very successful route for many kinds of artists. Ink is driven sheerly by user interest & a common desire to have an 'online coffee room' environment anyone can access & feel free to network in, regardless of credentials. In fact it was a desire to close the gap between the workingpros and those coming up behind us that inspired the idea. In addition to constantly promoting dialogue with one another online (which helps us know each other when the nature of our work itself or sheer geography would make this impossible), we set up casual meet-up events across the country on demand, organize info drives, interview noteworthy community builders & role models, and have even participated in a political campaign or five as a group that helped promote our work, raise awareness for our community issues, & fight for freedom of expression all over. Plus, we're trading tips on craft, gigs, new diversification opportunities & education via our 'collective mentorship' design on the page, around the clock. And it's entirely driven by all kinds of members of the creative community with everything from shelves full of awards, to artists from loads of other disciplines, to complete newbies, to our beloved fans, & of course -- the social-media curious. Now we have 8 online interns (volunteers, many students) getting ready to pursue their writing careers with the help of a much wider pool of senior contacts & insights than they could access on their own, while helping us all stay on top of breaking news and discussions that touch any level of experience in our line. We've enjoyed tremendous good will & cooperation from our industries as a result. I'd say, artist to artist? The future for artists online is limited only by our courage to get out there and create whatever you sense is missing. Chances are you'll soon find a lot of folks who are very glad you did.
  • I totally agree with Danny Brown's word. Its really a great and useful post. Thanks a bunch for sharing such a great and informative post with us. Keep blogging.
  • Very insightful, and I couldn't agree more. Dare to be different - it's what separates you from the wolf pack, and it's exactly what people want to follow. Great post!
    Thanks,
    Adam
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