My family attended an outdoor arts festival this weekend. Hundreds of amazing artists displayed their creations as legions of Arizonans strolled past enjoying a glorious autumn weekend. We picked up a nice leather belt and found a few hand-made toys for our son. We also picked up a couple business cards and were urged to visit the Web sites of several artists we met.
I checked in on a few and found that none of them were blogging. That's not necessarily a big surprise. These are people that travel, create and sell art. They don't spend a lot on time on-line. Yet, the power and flexibility of blogging could help bring some of these artists the recognition (and profits!) they deserve.
Most artists at this festival travel the circuit - driving hundreds of miles every week to get to the next gig, setting up, dealing with variable weather and crowds as they try to make a living doing what they love. They are actually natural bloggers. The things they see alone could fill scores of novels. But it's their passion that really shines through. Their art is a part of their being. It is an expression of themselves, a tangible manifestation of intangible vision and then shared with the world.
It's a story they love to tell, but they can only really tell it to festival-goers who happen to stop at their tent. Blogging would give their voice a worldwide platform from which they could tell their story, the story of their art and the story of their vision. An artist could walk her audience through the creative process, exposing a world people rarely see, all-the-while drumming up prospects, increasing visibility and growing her business. A blogging artist could also give tips and advice to non-professionals interested in woodwork or metal or whatever medium they happen to be interested in. The lists of quality posts go on and on.
Blogs for the artists who travel the festival circuit would also be fascinating travel blogs offering glimpses of life on the road, art festivals around the country and interesting people we'll probably never meet. The artists would more easily stay connected to his localized fan-bases while also building those bases into a substantial following including, among others, first-timers like me who just buy a belt from the artist but really want to know more about the craftsmanship, other available styles, the artist's schedule, etc.
Traveling artists also use lots of mobile technology - from smart phones to wireless credit card processors. They could easily set up a moblog and update it using the tools and technology they're already familiar and comfortable with.
In the competitive world of the traveling art festival, effective communication to clients and potential clients is critical to sustaining profits along with the artist's ability to express his unique vision as a business model. Cost-effective blogging tools that reach across barriers and touch people where they live, work and play are taylor-made for traveling artists. Plus, the artists (read "businesspeople") are already using the gadgets they need to get started. Adding blogging to their daily to-do list would be easy, profitable and maybe even, visionary.
