How to Sell Your Art with Ease: Lessons From 15 Years as a Working Artist
By Ekaterina Popova, Artist, Coach, and Founder of Create! Magazine
Photo by Atul Vinayak on Unsplash
Everything I’ve Learned About Selling Original Art with Ease
And the Universal Truths That Still Apply Today
Originally published on our Substack
Is there a better feeling than pouring your soul into a bunch of colors, textures and shapes and having someone truly get it, then exchange their hard-earned money for the thing you made? I haven’t found anything better yet.
As artists, sales are not the only measure of success, but let’s be real, they do help us feel validated. While there are deeper foundational pillars to a fulfilling practice, there’s nothing wrong with desiring that exchange with collectors or institutions. Everyone has different values but many of us artists genuinely enjoy that sense of connection.
Let me say this up front: making art, being satisfied with your practice, healing old wounds (whether they came from art school critiques or backhanded comments from family) and building confidence is the foundation of soulful and sustainable sales. But today I want to focus on the topic of selling itself.
This week, on multiple mornings, I woke up to an art sale and a commission request. Despite all the noise—news headlines, market pessimism, algorithm shifts—it reminded me that there is still room to thrive as an artist today.
A Little Backstory
Like many of us, I fell in love with making art as a child. It was a lifeline, a spark that carried me through long Russian winters.
Selling art started early too. In high school I created an impressionist-inspired floral painting that won an award and was sold to a local facility in Pennsylvania in 2007. That same year several of my teachers bought my work. I’ll always be grateful for their support.
What’s interesting is that my younger self had zero resistance to selling. It felt exciting and natural. But when I entered college I absorbed a different narrative. Suddenly selling felt taboo. The message was clear: wait to be discovered. Don’t sell it yourself.
The problem was most of us weren’t anywhere near that discovery point. I had interested buyers but I also felt conflicted. That mindset stuck with me for a while.
Thankfully I didn’t let it stop me. I kept selling—often underpriced, which still counts as practice—at local pop ups, coffee shops and community events. When Facebook, Instagram and email newsletters became viable tools, I leaned in and found my rhythm online.
Universal Principles for Authentic and Simple Art Sales
1. It Starts with You
Authentic sales begin with self-trust.
It doesn’t matter if you have accolades or gallery representation. If you carry shame, self-doubt or fear around being seen, selling will feel like an uphill battle. Our nervous systems can equate visibility and rejection with danger. The brain’s job is to keep us safe even if that means sabotaging a post or undervaluing our work.
Many of us also pick up negative beliefs from the culture around us. We overhear people talking about artists selling out. We see unethical behavior in mega galleries. But most of us are not in the 1 percent. Most of us are working artists who want to support our families and keep making what we love. We belong here too.
If selling creates anxiety, therapy may be helpful. If your discomfort is milder, somatic techniques can be powerful tools to move through fear and return to a grounded state.
Suggestions to build internal safety:
Breathwork or grounding exercises before sharing
EFT tapping around visibility and money blocks
Visualizing a collector joyfully receiving your work
Walking, dancing or stretching to reconnect with your body
Sales begin internally. No strategy will work if you don’t feel safe showing up.
And you don’t have to wait to be more established. Some of my collectors started buying my work when I was 18 and still support me to this day. Start now, where you are.
2. Keep It Simple
Here’s the formula:
Create → Share → Sell → Deliver → Celebrate → Repeat
When I reflect on my earliest sales they were simple. I made something I loved, shared it, someone connected with it and I got paid.
Over time I started overthinking—pricing, captions, how often to post. That’s when doubt replaced joy. I now return to simplicity again and again.
Protect your peace. Share what you love. Trust that the right people will feel it.
Professionalism
Professionalism doesn’t have to be complicated. Take clean, well-lit photos of your work with your camera or smartphone. Crop them and write a clear caption about what you created. It’s not about perfection but about caring for how your work is presented. A few extra steps make a lasting impact both online and in person.
3. My Current Sales Process
Want to know how I sell work today? It’s not fancy. It’s consistent and aligned.
Here’s my process:
Create a body of work in the studio
Document the process when I feel inspired, not all the time so I can stay in flow
Photograph finished pieces using natural light or a softbox lamp
Upload to my shop or send to a gallery
Finalize titles, sizes and pricing
Announce the work via email, social media and website
Keep sharing until it sells or until I feel complete with it
That’s it. This process works whether I sell directly from my studio or through galleries.
(Want to go deeper? I teach a full course on this inside Sell From the Studio.)
Where Do You Share?
When I started out, Instagram didn’t exist. I sold at local events, cafes and nonprofit shows. I also posted on Facebook.
Today you can share on your website, newsletter and social platforms like Instagram, Substack, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Facebook. You don’t have to be everywhere. Choose one or two platforms that feel manageable and show up consistently.
The more people know you, the more they trust you. That trust builds connection and sales over time.
4. What If It Doesn’t Sell?
Not every piece will sell and that’s okay. That doesn’t mean your work isn’t valuable.
Some pieces are part of your growth. I’ve learned to:
Paint over old work
Donate pieces to local causes
Archive or revisit them later
A piece that doesn’t sell isn’t a failure. It’s part of your journey.
Sustainable Growth vs Skipping Ahead
One of the best things I’ve done in my career is grow slowly and intentionally.
I raised prices over time. It felt better for me and more accessible for my collectors. You don’t want to price too high too fast and then feel forced to lower it. That can damage confidence and momentum.
During COVID many artists experienced rapid success. Prices doubled or tripled. But when the market slowed in 2023 many faced burnout or stalled sales. Sustainable growth may not be flashy but it’s reliable.
Suggestions for sustainable sales growth:
Start with pricing that matches your visibility and confidence
Revisit your prices once or twice a year
Offer multiple tiers—originals, prints, small works
Track your data—what sells, when and through which platform
Celebrate every sale, no matter the size
Final Thoughts
There is no single way to sell art but there is a way that will feel right to you.
You don’t have to post once and give up if you don’t get instant results. Too many artists post and ghost. After 15 years of doing this professionally I can tell you that consistency and persistence matter.
Not in a pushy way but in a grounded, confident way that builds trust and visibility. Especially now, with algorithms constantly shifting, repetition helps people actually see your work.
Be proud of what you’re creating. Share it in ways that feel true to you. Keep showing up in your studio and in your business if that’s the path you want.
And remember, selling your art is not a requirement to be a real artist. You can build a meaningful practice with or without sales. You get to define what success means for you.
You don’t have to compromise your values
You don’t have to use tricks or fake urgency
You just need to keep showing up, trust your path and stay connected to your why
Art still matters
Collectors are still buying
And you, dear artist, are still allowed to thrive
Read the original article on Substack:
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