Should I be marketing my old artwork or just focus on new pieces?

You absolutely should be marketing your old work alongside your new work. Think about how an art gallery operates: when someone walks in, the gallerist shows them both new pieces and the back catalog. Your old work never got in front of enough eyeballs to determine if it was good. Your business has evolved since you created that work—you have more attention, more followers, more email addresses—and none of these people know you ever created those pieces. By consistently rotating through your entire catalog, you give that old work the attention it deserves. Surprisingly, old work that was created years or even decades ago often sells when it’s finally marketed properly. Don’t be the chef who only plays the new songs from the new album. Go back and play your greatest hits too.

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Asked by an artist who only promotes new work · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2023-09-29