Why Famous Artist Jane Hunt Uses the Art Archive

Meet Artwork Archive artist and renowned artist Jane Hunt. Starting as an illustrator, Jane wasn't sure if she could become a professional artist. She unexpectedly fell in love with landscape and plein air painting and never looked back.

Now, 25 years after she began painting, her art is exhibited in renowned galleries in the US and UK and has amassed a huge following. Her luminous work aims to capture the peaceful beauty of the Earth.

When she's not painting impressionistic, serene images, Jane gives her students valuable advice on the importance of lineage and documentation. She generously shares her knowledge with us and also explains why Artwork Archive is an essential tool for professional artists.

Want to see more of Jane's work? Visit her.

1. TALK ABOUT YOURSELF AND WHY YOU ARE COLORING.

I have been drawing in various forms for 25 years. I moved from England when I was a teenager and went to art school at the Cleveland Institute of Art to study illustration. I did not think that at that time it was possible to become a good artist.

I worked as an illustrator for several years, but I was drawn to big textural work. I ended up having some family difficulties that prevented me from painting for three years, which was very difficult. I started painting plein air between appointments at the hospital because it was easy to fit in. It completely changed my way of drawing.

Now I do it all the time, and also give master classes in the studio and in the open air. It greatly influences my studio work. My current landscapes are a nice hybrid of abstract landscapes and illustrations I've done before.

I'm attracted to serene, peaceful scenes - it's emotional. I often paint quiet, calm, pastoral landscapes. I mainly paint in Colorado and teach in Washington DC and Arizona when I go on study trips.

2. HOW DID YOU FIND THE ARTWORK ARCHIVE AND WHY DID YOU SIGN UP?

My good friend raved and raved about it. I was overwhelmed by the managerial aspect when I returned to my career as an artist, so I decided to give it a try. For me, the most important thing was to take possession of my inventory. I accidentally sold a piece twice before. I sold it to someone and at the same time it was sold in one of my galleries.

As my art business grew, it became more and more difficult for me to keep track of everything. I also submitted a painting to an exhibition when it was not actually in the gallery. It was very stressful not knowing where everything was. I kept feeling like I was going to mess up.

Artists need to have an idea of ​​which part is which. It also makes your creative time less stressful. It is important to have a good system in place. I used to have details in random documents and lists pinned to my walls. I tried to come up with my own system, but it was a waste of time. It has not been optimized or very useful.

Use saves time. I have more time to paint and sell my work instead of worrying about organization.

3. WHAT WOULD YOU TELL OTHER ARTISTS ABOUT THE ART ARCHIVE?

Don't procrastinate and start documenting your work immediately. The sooner you start and the sooner you have a system, the better. Get down to business, even if you think you're drawing just for fun. You will still want to have a record of your creations.

Some say "I don't need to catalog my work, I'm not a professional artist", but I still think it's necessary. Nobody starts out as a professional artist. I really kick myself for not cataloging my work from the start. I am very sorry that all these parts are lost. You must have an account of your life's work.  

When you do a retrospective in the future, you won't have a record of your previous work unless you document it. It's a good way to live and it's so important. Everyone should plan for success.

4. DO YOU THINK IT IS IMPORTANT TO DOCUMENT YOUR ART TO CREATE PROVENANCE?

I'm a big proponent of origins and documentation. I didn't realize before how incredibly important this is. I've been drawing for 25 years now and don't know what happened to most of my art. I would like to have an accurate account of what I have done in my life.

People are also fascinated by the history of the work, especially the plein air paintings. They want to know the exact place where it was painted. Some of the galleries I work for want to show off the awards that certain works have won. Whenever I give my galleries this information, they get excited. And anyone who can make the job of a gallery owner or curator easier is more likely to be featured.

Irvine Museum executive director and curator Jean Stern recently interviewed Eric Rhodes of PleinAir magazine. He says the biggest thing artists don't understand is origins. He emphasizes that artists must clearly sign their name and have a ton of information associated with their work, such as where it was shown and what details are behind the piece.

5. YOU ARE HOLDING WORKSHOPS FOR ARTISTS. WHAT OTHER ADVICE DO YOU GIVE ARTISTS TO HELP THEM IN THEIR CAREERS?

Expand your social media presence. If you have an extra five hours a week due to using Artwork Archive, you're better off using it on social media. I have grown to over 130,000 subscribers. It has helped my career a lot in many ways.

I use the acronym "WHAT" to plan my social media strategy. The "W" is why you want to do it and what you get out of it. It can also mean which platform you want to use. Using one social media platform is really good is much better than using five not so good - I personally prefer Facebook and Instagram.

The "H" is how you are going to use social media to help your art business. Spend some time learning the best ways to use your chosen platform and learn the basics. You want to make sure you really understand what it is and get the hang of the terminology. You might spend an hour researching the platform on Google before diving into it.

"A" stands for action plan. See what other people in your area are doing on social media, think about how to introduce yourself, and also decide how much time you can spend on it. I spend no more than half an hour a day on social networks. Your action plan should be based on the "why". Fill workshops? For galleries to see you? For collectors to see your work?

"T" for setting. Look at your analytics, keep experimenting with your posts, and keep a close eye on what works and what doesn't.

Find out more about Jane Hunt on her and. Jane is also a teacher in 2016.

To become a member of the Artwork Archive like Jane Hunt, .