Abi Salami: 5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Became An Artist

Invest in marketing — ditch the “if you paint it, they will come” mentality — There is this completely fictional belief that all you have to do is create phenomenal art, post it online, and the people and collectors will come flying to you. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. You need exposure, and you need to get your work out there. There are many free ways to get exposure, but more than likely, you will be competing against thousands of other artists, so you need to invest in marketing that helps you stand out. That could mean working with an art consultant or attending higher-end fairs like the Other Art Fair and Superfine Art Fair. Either way, you need to find creative ways to showcase your art so that people can actually engage with it.