How important is sharing my personal story versus just showing my art?

You are half the brand. Many people think the art business is a pure meritocracy based on the quality of work you produce, and that’s only about 50% right. The other 50% is you—the artist and your story. Out of approximately 100,000 artists I’ve spoken with, less than one-tenth of one percent have even one employee. You’re all solopreneurs. You are the brand. The work alone is not enough. If someone visits your social media or website and can’t learn a single thing about you, your story, what makes you interesting, what you might have in common with them—then nothing’s going to happen. Human beings are wired to make purchasing decisions from people they know, like, and trust. Share who you are: dog or cat person? Coffee or tea? What’s your backstory? Why do you create? What influences your creative lens? This is the ‘programming’ that makes people care about your ‘commercials’ (the art).

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Asked by general teaching point · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-19