What is the right angle to unlock buying interest in my art?

The right angle is not the quality of your art—it’s the story behind it. Everyone thinks it’s a pure meritocracy based on how good the work is, but that’s not how it works. Look at Van Gogh: his sister-in-law had a salon show in Paris with all his classics—Starry Night, Sunflowers, all the paintings we know and love today. None of them sold. Not one. But Van Gogh had written letters about every piece he created, telling stories about where he was in his life, what he was thinking, what was going on. She gathered those letters, published them as a book, it became a massive success in Paris, she had another show, and all the art sold. The work hadn’t changed—what changed was people now had the story. That’s the right angle: the story of the work, who you are, where your eye comes from, what kind of person you are. Give people a way to know, like, and trust you first.

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Asked by an artist joining after a car accident · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-06-17