Art for More Than Art’s Sake

Artists striving only for recognition from critics or museum curators are to be admired, but two artists who have built thriving small businesses around their talents believe that art not only should appeal to the public but also sell.

Burbank ceramic artist Linda de Sapio and Minneapolis sculptor Bill Mack have never met, but they share similar ideas about how to create art for profit.

Mack has taken the ancient art of relief sculpture a step further. Instead of carving two-dimensional figures into walls, he developed new materials that make his lifelike sculptures light enough to hang on interior walls.

De Sapio, a former television actress from Los Angeles, designs and manufactures ceramic tableware and decorative accessories in her Paper Windows factory. The company’s distinctive hand-painted birds and animals are sold in upscale gift shops across the country.

While their art is vastly different in form and price, Mack and De Sapio agree that the most important thing an aspiring artistic business owner can do is fully research the market. The simplest way to do this is to visit galleries and stores selling similar work.

De Sapio, who designs all Paper Windows products, frequently attends trade shows and calls on store owners to find out which pieces are selling and which are collecting dust.

“If a store buys something and it doesn’t sell, you are dead,” said De Sapio, who started the business about four years ago with her friend Carol Ann Veitch. (Veitch sold her share of the business to De Sapio 2 1/2 years ago.)

To keep things fresh, De Sapio changes a few items in each product line twice a year. She periodically weeds out the duds and welcomes suggestions from customers about what colors and styles they would like to see. This year, she expects Paper Windows’ sales to reach $1 million.

The name Paper Windows first belonged to De Sapio’s ill-fated mail-order company. She said the name was inspired by the idea of window shopping on paper.

Mack, whose sculptures sell for thousands of dollars, said he attends art expos and gallery openings around the world to see what is selling each year.

Both Mack and De Sapio took risks by applying innovative techniques to traditional art forms. With no formal training in ceramics, De Sapio developed new ways to glaze and fire her whimsical, beribboned rabbits, ducks, cows, pigs, dogs and birds.

“I design in my head and make the first mock-up,” De Sapio said. “If it works in the first few minutes, I keep it; if not, I don’t.”

Business has been so good that she recently increased her staff to 15. She is also drafting plans to expand into the building next to the existing factory on North Moss Street. De Sapio, who is married to an Italian-born architect, said she would like to design wallpapers and linens to match the tableware.

Mack began his artistic career as a draftsman and first worked on large commissioned sculptures for corporations. But he soon realized that his work would have limited appeal if it could not be displayed in private homes.

“The imagery for the most part is traditional, but the form is unusual,” Mack said. “I had to create a material for the art because if no one can have it on their wall, what good is it?”

To avoid the weight problem of traditional metal sculptures, he developed lightweight materials, including bonded copper and bronze. His work mainly depicts nude women and famous figures, including Picasso and Beethoven.

For inspiration, Mack hires models. After sculpting the form in clay, he produces a mold and casts the figure in one of his specially formulated materials. Mack said he spends about a month on each new piece.

“I’m the only one doing what I do,” said Mack, whose work appears to have a worldwide, cross-cultural appeal. His recent exhibit in Japan created a sensation, and the gallery sold nearly every piece on display, according to televised news reports.

Mack and his agent, Barry Molinar, said they expect to sell $12 million of Mack’s relief sculptures this year. Because the sculptures are so fragile, Mack had to come up with a new way of shipping them. The traditional method of packing art in wooden crates would not work, so he developed a way to shoot urethane foam around the sculpture to protect it during shipping.

Books of Interest to Those in Sales

Hundreds of new small-business books are hitting the market this fall. Among them: “The Entrepreneur’s Road Map to Business Success” blends practical advice, examples and inspiration for anyone thinking of launching a new venture.

The book takes the form of a journey, beginning with a description of what qualities benefit those getting into their own business. The chapter on creating an image is especially useful and suggests how to name and package a product. The financing section deals in detail with issues ranging from how to court private investors to the downside of trying a public stock offering. The book also contains a comprehensive guide to government resources and agencies for small-business owners.

The authors are both entrepreneurs. Lyle Maul, who was able to retire in Manhattan Beach at age 35, founded several firms, including a computer company that recently posted sales of about $200 million. Dianne Mayfield is a Washington attorney who counsels large and small-business owners. The book is self-published as a testimony to their entrepreneurial skills. It is available by mail for $12.95 from Saxtons River Publications, P.O. Box 1609, Alexandria, Va. 22313.

“Selling on the Fast Track, How to Become a Sales Athlete,” by Kathy Aaronson, describes how a powerful woman executive ended her career by falling drunkenly down a flight of stairs after a major industry party. Soon after that, the woman left town because her reputation as a drunk made her undesirable as an executive.

Throughout the book, Aaronson, a former advertising sales executive who now trains salespeople, emphasizes how important it is for “sales athletes” to have the right social skills. Why? Because their long-term success depends on building solid and loyal relationships with clients.

A spiffy car, an attractive, up-to-date wardrobe and an impeccable personal appearance are critical elements for sales success, Aaronson writes.

She also suggests that sales professionals host dinner parties and invite their best clients to help entertain a group of prospective clients. She believes that if you take good care of your buyers or clients through the years, they will be happy to help you with your personal public relations in return.

“Selling on the Fast Track,” is published by G. P. Putnam & Sons and lists for $18.95.

TURNING YOUR ART INTO A BUSINESS

Learn everything you can about the market that you want to enter.

Remember that gallery and store owners are always looking for something new and different.

Never miss a delivery deadline.

Don’t be shy about promoting your work.

Concentrate on keeping your quality high.

Be prepared to work hard. Producing the art and running a business is a dual challenge.