Is it okay to start small, like at a flea market or tiny gallery?

Absolutely—that’s how many of the top-selling artists started. One now-famous photographer began by selling prints at a flea market in West Hollywood in 2009, during a recession. Another artist started in a 400-square-foot log cabin for $750/month, just hoping people would like his work. Eight years later he’d done over a million in sales. Every big success story starts with a humble beginning: a tiny booth, a small gallery, a shoestring budget, just hanging the shingle and getting started. What matters is that you begin, stay consistent, and build over time. Don’t wait for perfect conditions—launch where you are with what you have.

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Asked by synthesized from teaching · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2026-05-07