Greetings,

Welcome to the Cooper studio, Jefferson, Iowa.

So any holiday tidbits on the blogosphere this week should have a Valentine flair, right?  Call me a rebel, but I have a Christmas anecdote to share.  Christmas 2010 was a memorable event, in no small part due to the presence of a truly adorable grandson by the name of Arridian.  Arridian, his daddy, mommy and uncle came from Colorado to Iowa for several great days.  Arridian, at age two, is already completely at ease with the concept of grazing the Christmas cookie tray.

One of the Cooper family's favorite Christmas cookies is called Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.  Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies are a nifty little fudgey cookie with a maraschino cherry buried in the middle.  The Colorado kids are now back in Colorado, but interestingly, we, in Iowa, went through a period of finding little Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies carcasses all over the house.  I would say a certain little two-year old figured out an innovative way to consume lots of cherries, without bulking up on the fudgey.  Smart boy, eh?  :)

But how does that story make it's way onto an artist's blog, one about painting?  When I found "cookie evidence" I immediately thought of Arridian and family and the good times we shared during their stay.  Is it a stretch of the imagination that an artist's business card can work the same way as a leftover cookie carcass?

Yes, that business card should have all the proper contact info--we are told to think in threes, right?  Three ways to contact us gives the painting the best chance for being sold.  Because I am overly competitive :) I use four:  website, email, USPS address and phone number.  And while many people say no to the phone number, I remain continually amazed at how many times a follow-up through that has sold a piece of art. 

But let's go one step further.  While those four pieces of information are helpful to a patron, they won't leave anyone with a smile or a fond memory of time well spent--or encouragement to make the purchase when they find the card in their purse a week or two later.   As creatives, surely we have the ability to go beyond the basic info, GIVE THEM A VISUAL.  Put a painting on your business card.  It's not that difficult, but if it's not in your skill set, pay somebody to do it for you.  That little bit of artwork on a business card has the power to remind the patron of the wonderful art event they visited, and the wonderful paintings they enjoyed.  Just maybe, it will remind them they need to follow up on that good feeling.

A business card with your name in fancy lettering is fine and good, but consider leaving behind a bit of the good stuff.  Add a painting to that little card, and well...as they say, a picture is worth a thousand words.

Later, Cooper