Art Is King podcast episode 97 - Kelsi Jackson

Kelsi Jackson aka BG Illustrations is the illustrator and creator of A Slice of Life, a webcomic that reflects bits and pieces of her everyday life as a black woman in todays world.

Kelsi is a Columbus State University graduate with works in several mediums including ceramics, watercolors, inks and digital illustration.

Find more of her work at
www.kelsijackson.com
www.instagram.com/bgillustrations


the Art Is King podcast is available on your iPhone and iPad at the App Store
http://bit.ly/AIKiPhone

Subscribe on iTunes
http://bit.ly/AIKpodcast

Spreaker.com
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king

Art Is King podcast episode 100  
Mike Sick   

Mike Sick is an MC, Host, Producer, Announcer and Freestyle Master. Check him out at the links below, follow and check out his shows when they hit your town! 

https://www.instagram.com/micxsic/
https://twitter.com/micxsic 
https://www.facebook.com/barexamopenmic 

http://savagefam.com 
https://www.facebook.com/savagefampro 
https://www.instagram.com/SavageFamPRO/ 
https://twitter.com/SavageFamPRO 
https://www.youtube.com/user/savagefampro 
https://www.eventbrite.com/o/savage-fam-productions-3129544530


​the Art Is King podcast is available on your iPhone and iPad at the App Store 
http://bit.ly/AIKiPhone 
Google App Art Is King Podcast for Android Smartphones 
http://www.appsgeyser.com/2671434
Subscribe on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-is-king/id626627458?mt=2 
Spreaker.com 
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king 
Stitcher Radio 
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daniel-flores/art-is-king-podcast 
and artiskingarchive.com 

The Law offices of Deborah Gonzalez Esquire (www.dgonzalezesq.com) 
Letterbox Legal https://www.facebook.com/letterboxlegal 
VelocityScreenPrint.net https://www.facebook.com/VelocityScreenPrint/ 
O2is aka Mr ThoughtCrime https://twitter.com/DJO2isakaMrTC 
and
AzaleaCreativeGroup.com 


DTM of DeltaTangoMike.com is your Art Is King podcast host telling you to Get out and Learn so you can Earn. Let go of the Starving Artist Title and move into the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

Follow on instagram and twitter 
@ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @Law2SM @MexMannyBeats @VelocityPrint @DJO2isakaMrTC 

Artist, please don’t chase the money
For an Artist, there's a difference between Chasing the Money and Following a Lead. The difference is a Professional comes prepared to make a deal!

But what does that mean?
That means that you must stop acting like a person who is looking for a chance to be put on. Stop looking to be given answers from anyone you ask from.

The professional artist gets to the pro level by building the art biz education, connecting with arts organizations, building relationships with successful artists to be mentored and given advice.

The Professional artists knows what lane they are in and they control it. Your lane may be comic art, fine art, graphic design or 3D Animation. Control of that lane means the artist puts in a lot of work to become top of their craft. Those artists are cranking out artworks
Building Art Biz Education is the hardest part.

Everybody can draw, but not everybody takes their time to read a contract, learn to write a contract orconsult with an attorney before signing a contract.

But I didn’t come up with this process. I kinda did, but only thru observation. Lots of observation.
The roadmap is evident everywhere. There are artists giving back all the time thru panel discussions, meet ups, mentoring and business coaching.

Theres so much information available to artists today that theres no reason to walk around blindly.
Atlanta has a thriving arts community filled with info, it's like there are people out there who want to see artists succeed!

In January we discussed the Top 5 Tips to a Thriving 2017.
TOP 5 Tips for Thriving 2017
Panel Discussion at the Art Is King January Meetup at General Assembly
Full Video On YouTube
http://bit.ly/janaiktop5
Full list on Art Is King Blog: http://bit.ly/aikblogtop5

In February we discussed the ingredients to landing corporate sponsorship and big name clients. 
Subscribe to the Art Is King Youtube channel for when we publish that video and more! 

DTM
dtm@artisking.org 
404.695.5769 

TOP 5 Tips for Thriving 2017
Panel Discussion at the Art Is King January Meetup at General Assembly 
​
Moderator:
DTM - artist, illustrator, curator and creative genius
instagram.com/deltatangomike/ 

Panelists:
Ashia Sims - digital strategist, content marketer,
instagram.com/ashiasims/ 

Allyssa Lewis - Animation Resource & Staffing Agency CEO 
instagram.com/MyAnimationLife/ 

EricNine Lopez - Visual Artist  
instagram.com/eric_nine/ 

Mike Sick - Renaissance Hustler Rapper/CEO/Creator 
instagram.com/savagefampro/ 
instagram.com/micxsic/ 

1. Fund your Passion with your Job 
2. Understand where your Money comes from. who are your customers, where can you find them? Strategize your efforts into finding larger clients. 
3. Be Honest about your expenses. Mint.com Put a budget together and stick to it. basic costs of doing business. materials and time. 
4. Opportunity vs Exposure 
5. Time vs Effort 
6. Respect your craft. respect your position. respect your time and respect your what you learn
7. Time management. No idle times. meditate. add events to your calendar. keep a CALENDAR. OWN YOUR CREATIVE ZONE. Time block recipe, gmail boomerang 
8. Communication 
9. Mentorships 
10. Do The Work
11. Don’t be afraid to fail 
12. Build relationships 
13. Ask 
14. Grow Thick Skin 
15. VISION. Goals, Plans. Schedule.
16. Build Community 
17. Provide Value to yourself, your clients, your fans and collectors. what makes you different? 
18. NETWORK. 
19. Learn the Power of Negotiation 
20. JUST START. Commit. Focus. Collaborate. Experience. 

Keep your Haters close enough to keep you Motivated
Stay Hungry, Stay Humble, even when You Know You Made It. 
- @MicXSic 

---------
Art is King meetups connects the art industry with artists, curators, entrepreneurs and art business mentors to assist the artist in building a sustainable art business.

We meet once a month to discuss the issues the creative class is facing and we share art biz resources, entrepreneurship education and build relationships to empower Artist career development.

Each month we tackle a different theme but we also let the creatives drive the discussion.

For more events, classes and meetups for artists and creatives: http://www.artisking.org/events.html 
follow on Facebook, instagram and twitter @ArtIsKing_ATL  
Listen to Art Is king on iTunes http://bit.ly/AIKpodcast
Subscribe to Art Is King Flipboard Magazine http://bit.ly/AIKflipboard 

All Meetups moderated by DTM of @deltatangomike  
Sponsored by Microsoft Innovation Center at FlatIron City, Tischambia Arts, General Assembly, Azalea Creative, Biz Garage, Letterbox Legal and Vector Maestros

SAY NO TO THE STARVING ARTIST TITLE 
An Interview with DTM, Live Broadcast on the Get Clear Show 

LIKE, SHARE AND FOLLOW THIS LINK FOR THE LIVE BROADCAST ON YOUTUBE 
http://bit.ly/nostarvingartist 

Monday, August 8, 2016 
6:00 CST or 7:00 EST 

NEVER call yourself a "Starving Artist"
and other ingredients needed to develop the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

Daniel Flores aka DaCreativeGenius aka DTM is a teacher, a creative thinker, a brilliant artist and an incredible businessman. 

The Founder of Art Is King, bridging that gap between the creative artist and entrepreneur through workshops, podcasts and free local meet-ups for artists and creatives of all disciplines. 

DTM is the Creative Director at Azalea Creative Group, a Solutionist Agency in Brand Partnerships, Business Development and Strategic Marketing with a niche in the Arts and Non-Profit Space. 


And the Multidisciplinary Multimedia Creative Genius behind Art Exhibits, Conferences, Podcasts, Digital Art Classes and Podcasts all over Atlanta. 

Follow DTM on social media and popular art sites under @DeltaTangoMike @DaCreativeGenius 
www.ArtIsKing.org 
www.AzaleaCG.com
www.DaCreativeGenius.com 
www.DeltaTangoMike.com 
www.VectorMaestros.com 

Laura Wing is a Talk Show Host, Public Speaker, Social Media Planner, Writer, Video Producer...Life Coach Extraordinaire!!
Sign up for Laura's Newsletter and get your FREE copy of "5 Ways to Overcome Self Doubt" www.followlaura.com/mailing-list.html

Share, Like and Follow Laura.
www.facebook.com/followlaura
www.twitter.com/TheGetClearShow 
www.followlaura.com

The steps to find corporate sponsorship for your creativity. 
Events classes and resources at www.ArtIsKing.org

We discuss tips on how to build an Art Brand to attract Sponsorship. Plans on how to approach a Brand. How do companies choose who to work with you and finally, How to build your brand and what to include in a Proposal! 

#artlifemeetsartbiz 

Broadcast live on Facebook from @SamFlax by @ArtIsKing with our guest speaker @DeltaTangoMike founder of @VectorMaestros and @AzaleaCreative 

Follow @ArtIsKing_ATL on social medias, visit www.artisking.org and subscribe to the Art Is King magazine on @Flipboard 
Art Is King features over 90 artist interviews at #iTunes 

SAY NO TO THE STARVING ARTIST TITLE  
Live YouTube interview with DTM Monday 7pm EST 
https://www.facebook.com/events/2098676827023473/ 
with the Get Clear Show 

Art Is King podcast episode 96 
Alec Addleton  
http://bit.ly/aikpod96

Alec has followed her own path in the Artlife and that includes 
custom chalkboard drawings, custom paintings and signs, sculptural installations for showrooms, label design and a lot more. 

find her work on facebook under her name, Alec S Arts 
https://www.facebook.com/AlecsArts/


the Art Is King podcast is available on your iPhone and iPad at the App Store 
http://bit.ly/AIKiPhone 
Google App Art Is King Podcast for Android Smartphones 
http://www.appsgeyser.com/2671434
Subscribe on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-is-king/id626627458?mt=2 
Spreaker.com 
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king 
Stitcher Radio 
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daniel-flores/art-is-king-podcast 
and artiskingarchive.com 

DTM of DeltaTangoMike.com is your Art Is King podcast host telling you to Get out and Learn so you can Earn. Let go of the Starving Artist Title and move into the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

@ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @Law2SM @MexMannyBeats @VelocityPrint @TheBizGarage 

Art Is King podcast episode 94 
Ron Smith 
http://www.artisking.org/blog/aik-94
​
Ron Smith, aka SmithCreativ likes to work in all mediums. All Mediums. He’s a master at pencils, charcoals, acrylics, oils, 2D Illustration, 3D fabrication, sculpture, web building and app development! 

Smith Creativ is his brand and you gotta check out his art around town in the nearest group art show to the Dizzy Gypsy in Lawrenceville GA. 

Follow SmithCreativ on social media and check out his website. 

https://www.facebook.com/smith.creativ
https://twitter.com/smithcreativ
https://www.instagram.com/smithcreativ/  
http://smithcreativ.com 


Subscribe on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-is-king/id626627458?mt=2 
Spreaker.com 
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king 
Stitcher Radio 
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daniel-flores/art-is-king-podcast 
and artiskingarchive.com 

DTM of DeltaTangoMike.com is your Art Is King podcast host telling you to Get out and Learn so you can Earn. Let go of the Starving Artist Title and move into the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

@ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @Law2SM @MexMannyBeats @VelocityPrint @TheBizGarage  

Art Is King podcast episode 93 
Justing Anderson 
http://bit.ly/aikpod93
​
Justin Anderson, aka Artist 53, is a graphic designer by trade, 2D illustrator by night and sketch artist by nature. I’ve known Justin for over 10 years. Met him fresh out of art school and we’ve become friends, collaborators and shared the art life with each other ever since. 

Justin’s art is deeply rooted in comics, cartoons, anime and sci-fi. Check out his Hand of Doom Series, we grew up with violent saturday morning cartoons! He’s added all of that and more in his latest coloring book and Vector Lounge Vol. 1 art book featuring his popular vector illustrations. 

Justin has big plans for his art and career, take a look at his social media, website and get your own Vector Lounge Vol 1 at Artist53.com 

https://www.facebook.com/Artist.053
https://www.facebook.com/Artist53-517267671632498/ 
http://www.artist53.com 
https://twitter.com/artist53
http://artist53.blogspot.com 
https://www.instagram.com/artist053/ 
https://www.facebook.com/xclusiveimg/
http://www.xclusiveimg.com 



Subscribe on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-is-king/id626627458?mt=2 
Spreaker.com 
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king 
Stitcher Radio 
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daniel-flores/art-is-king-podcast 
and artiskingarchive.com 

DTM of DeltaTangoMike.com is your Art Is King podcast host telling you to Get out and Learn so you can Earn. Let go of the Starving Artist Title and move into the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

@ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @Law2SM @MexMannyBeats @VelocityPrint @TheBizGarage 

I can still remember that feeling of dread and unknown (those words stand out right now) as I write this email to you. The text was from my connection in the company and he was just letting me know that the order came down to stop and cancel any support as of that day. He didn't have any information beyond what he was told to do. I felt sick. 

I immediately reached out to the President of the company, the Marketing Head of the company and I didn't get a response to my texts or phone calls. These folks had been my friends for a few years and had supplied lots of support to my career and endeavors. We had texted and talked over the phone many times in the past. Now: Silence. 

I had an event coming up and there was still two months left in the year of support they had promised me. It was a Friday and I had to scramble to set up next week's event, people were counting on me so I had to push out the empty feeling aside. 

Writing this email is like therapy. Thanks for reading so far.

I focused on the next event, and worked on finding a replacement sponsor. Made a list of possible sponsors, tightened up my pitch, organized my proposals and got back to work. 


It's been years now since that time, and I never heard back from the company and the people I knew. I did get a run around answer from someone in the company who was in charge of firing people. I didn't work for them, so why this guy? Maybe he lost the bet on who was going to tell me, plus he worked in a branch of the company that was out of state so it was easier for him to email me some nonsense. I honestly can't say what happened. 
The reason I am telling you about it, besides the therapy, is to share what happened afterward. 
My first step was to reach out to other companies for collaboration and support. I will tell you some tips on reaching out to sponsors, but the point is that by losing this sponsor i was then motivated to reach out to more opportunities and got more sponsors than I before. 

First tip: make a list of companies you would like to see sponsor you. Not just the art stores, but the Art Companies, Printers, and even Venues. Venues are great sponsors as some are open to collaboration in their events. I have organized events with venues who provide their space as a sponsorship. Anyone who has something to support your path can be a sponsor. Make a List. 

Second: Look up these companies and find out what projects they are working in that involve art and creativity. See what that company is doing that may be a fit for you. Some companies have marketing budgets for specific marketing events, those companies may not be open to new proposals, but they may be open to working with you within their current projects. Branding Fit. 

Third: Find people you know who may work in that company. This is where Facebook and especially LinkedIn come in handy. Do you have a connection who works at a company you want to sponsor you? Those folks will help you get to the person responsible for the budget. Those folks you know will be your champions in getting your proposal approved. And if all else fails, those folks will help you get something from the company to support your event! Connections. 

Fourth: Have a social media presence for that which you want sponsorship. And a website. What goes on that website and social media? The proof of the work you have put into your endeavor and career. When you make you pitch or submit a proposal, the first thing that the other person will do is look you up, look up your brand and look for evidence of your claims. It's extremely tough to get a sponsor for a first time thing. Sponsors like to invest in people that have a following, Sponsors will invest on events that will give them a chance to promote their brand and reach the people who are potential customers. Online Proof. 

Fifth: Organize your information in a clean package. That's what we call a proposal. The Who, What, When, Where and Why of what you're about, what you are doing and what you are asking for. Have an ask. What do you want? Be specific. Money, supplies, printing, venue, materials, what is it that the specific company can provide you with? Some sponsors will supply materials. Give them a list of the materials, the name of each piece, the retail price and the overall cost of what you are asking for. 
Pitch. Proposal. 

You must do all the thinking up front. When you reach out to a sponsor you have to present all the information in a way that is easy to understand. They don't know you, their only responsibility is to say Yes or No. Organize all your info in a way that they will have to say Yes! 

Or at least get a: "We want to hear more about this." kind of response. 
Thats your way in! Now you can share more info to drive home the need to have you on their corner and how collaboration (sponsorship) is perfect. 

The Extras: 
Artists are notorious for doing a lot with very little. Start your events small. Collaborate with others to split the needs. As you grow your events, then you will have the proof of your concept and can start reaching out to sponsors. 

But you have to start somewhere! 

It was years of putting on my events when I first got important people coming to see what I was doing. Then they reached out to me and invited me to participate in their bigger events. 

One More, The Biggie: 
Wait, by then I had reached out to an artist who puts on Big Events, International sponsor type of Big Events. And I asked that artist for feedback on my events. He opened the gates to his brain and shared his wisdom with me. I have applied that advice to how I organize my events now. Why wouldn't I? This dude knows his stuff. He knows what he's talking about and I want to get to his level. Mentorship. 

I invite him to lunch and a cup of tea (he doesn't drink coffee) when I want to ask him specific info. I am available when he calls (anytime he calls he has something to share that will improve on what I am doing). Plus I make myself useful and offer my assistance for his plans. 

Mentorship and Sponsorship is a two-way street.
Don't cold email or call someone for advice or sponsorship without having built a relationship and having a history of putting in work!


What now
I was in a conformable space when I lost my sponsor and it put me in a bind. I had responsibilities and I had made promises that now I had to face without the sponsor. 

I used that opportunity as motivation to branch out my sponsorship reach. I had to take a look at my work and organize the info, put together new proposals, build new relationships and keep putting in the work! 

Sponsors come and go. Thats not the only time I lost a sponsor. Some sponsors move on, some sponsorships are for a short period of time, some sponsorships are a one time deal. 

In every case, you have to be open to putting in work to build those relationships. 

DTM - Technologist, Solutionist, CreativeGenius, Curator 
DTM@ArtIsKing.org 
404.695.5769 
http://www.artisking.org 

PS. I have been teaching Adobe Illustrator for several years now and as I scale back my in person classes, I am taking the opportunity to launch online classes.

This is an example of putting in to practice the advice I get from my mentors and the lessons I learn from building relationships. 

We are launching May 25th with a Live Broadcast over Facebook, YouTube and Periscope. Join the Email list to learn more and submit your Art, Design and Vector questions to our professional panel! 

Check out the video below and visit: www.vectormaestros.com 

and here is the final piece.

​Watch the monthly art talk with @DryerBuzz at @TuoiaFraming in Douglasville as we discuss the ‪#‎ArtLife‬ @ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @ATLArtClasses and ‪#‎ArtBiz‬‪#‎Coaching‬ by www.deltatangomike.com/art-biz

Sam Flax Creative Learning Series
March 16-19 
https://www.facebook.com/events/1568600363452047/

Sam Flax South 1745 Peachtree St NE , Atlanta, GA (edit map) 
second floor inside Sam Flax


Learn to Record and Launch a Podcast 
Wednesday March 16 
530pm to 7pm  
$35  
RSVP HERE http://www.meetup.com/ATLArtClasses/events/228887192/


Bring your smartphone, your laptop and install of of these: audacity (free on mac and pc), audition (adobe.com for pc or mac) or garageband (free on mac). 

Learn the process to record, edit, publish and launch a podcast to get your voice heard!  

We will cover the tools to record a conversation, an interview and the introductions to a podcast. Software for Mac and PC will be discussed along with the best websites to publish a podcast and how to get it listed on iTunes and other platforms online.  




Digital Drawing on Tablets - hands on, bring your tablet! 
Saturday March 19 
Noon to 2pm  
$35 
RSVP HERE http://www.meetup.com/ATLArtClasses/events/228887261/ 

Bring Your Tablet, laptop, device, and any electronic that can be used for drawing: Wacom, iPad, iPhone, Galaxy Notes, Surface Pro and more!

Software covered:  
MediBang Paint  
Adobe Illustrator 
Adobe Photoshop 
Manga Studio 
Mischief  

Plus free digital drawing app for all students on iPhone, iPad, Android, PC and Mac! 

​

Illustrator for Beginners Class 
a step by step process to learning Adobe Illustrator 
Saturday, March 19  
3pm to 5pm 
$35 RSVP HERE http://www.meetup.com/ATLArtClasses/events/228887304/ 

Bring your computer, laptop, desktop, mouse, tablet and Adobe Illustrator from Adobe.com 

In this class students will learn to understand the appropriate uses for Illustrator, the difference between vector and raster graphics, and how to create complex graphics with simple components and tools. 

We will cover a clear step-by-step process discussing how pixels and inches are measured; work with paths, pen tools, layers, fonts, and more. 

Students will learn the difference between saving their work for web, print and mobile, and determine the appropriate use for various file types, such as ai, psd, eps and pdf. 

Finally, workflow techniques and housekeeping of layers and shapes to make collaboration easy are discussed. 

Art Is King podcast episode 92 
Andy Swartz 
http://bit.ly/AIKblog92 


If you ask Andy about his art, you get this answer: 
Macabre Fantasy Wildlife Art, Esoterically charged flora and fauna drawing heavily on the themes of symbiotic relationships, the circle of life and the classic concept of memento mori. 

If you ask me about Andy’s art, then I will tell you that he is a detailed artist who can draw animals and things that look as real as life. The mastery of pencil, ink and paint are what will attract you first into the scene, then you will notice the skulls! My favorite part are the skulls. They are everywhere. 

Andy is in his first year in ATL, coming from Alabama, and he’s been making waves in the art world with 2 successful Kickstarter campaigns. 

Follow Andy on the social medias and check out his website. 

https://www.facebook.com/andy.quartz.10 
https://www.facebook.com/Skullgarden-Art-of-AL-Swartz-350465645063415

http://www.skullgarden.net 
https://t.co/ZPsyj08SnE 
https://www.instagram.com/skulllgarden/ 



the Art Is King podcast is available on your iPhone and iPad at the App Store 
http://bit.ly/AIKiPhone 
Google App Art Is King Podcast for Android Smartphones 
http://www.appsgeyser.com/2671434
Subscribe on iTunes 
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/art-is-king/id626627458?mt=2 
Spreaker.com 
http://www.spreaker.com/show/art_is_king 
Stitcher Radio 
http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/daniel-flores/art-is-king-podcast 
and artiskingarchive.com 

DTM of DeltaTangoMike.com is your Art Is King podcast host telling you to Get out and Learn so you can Earn. Let go of the Starving Artist Title and move into the Thriving Artist Art Life! 

@ArtIsKing_ATL @DeltaTangoMike @Law2SM @MexMannyBeats @VelocityPrint @TheBizGarage