Goodbye, Cyan Studio: Lessons Learned

Yesterday was my last day in Cyan Studios. Packing up wasn't as bad as we thought it would be (thanks a handy folding cart stashed in back) but it was a bittersweet moment. I learned an immense amount in three months. I owe an enormous debt to my studio mates Wen, Kita, Meg, and Mary as well for sharing their insights with me and making my temporary stay such a positive experience. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

It's worth reflecting on a few takeaway points from my three months there. First, I learned to appreciate how many of our guests were artists: art teachers, amateur artists, aspiring artists, young artists, etc. I've observed other artists bristle at this before, which I can understand given how competitive it is. But I've also found that this particular group accounts for a very significant portion of people who buy art. In fact, both my first sale and my last (also my biggest sale) during that period were to professional artists, I suspect there are two reasons for this. Artists are most often incredibly supportive of other artists, and also appreciate the amount of time and care it takes to create a quality piece. While an inexperienced buyer may bristle at a $125 piece, a more knowledgeable buyer may realize that the painting could have taken many hours to complete, and framing was likely a significant expense.

This brings me to my next point. In the 3 months I was there, only once did a buyer ever choose between a piece by another artist and mine. In this case, the buyer had requested a very specific subject matter and decided purely on that basis. Having four artists with four totally distinct styles gave people a reason to come and browse but very rarely was there any direct competition. Most people who bought connected with a particular piece or motif, and decisions were almost always between two pieces by the same artist. Being around other artists made it a more valuable experience for visitors and a solo studio would not have been nearly as impactful.

All in all, being part of a community of artists was valuable in many ways and resulted in more art sales in these three months than all of last year. I plan to share more insights later, but right now my priority is finding a way to organize and store all the art and supplies that had been occupying that space. Yikes!