I'm in a rural area where people only want barns and roosters, but I create different work. How do I reach the right audience and present myself professionally without looking stupid?

First, research galleries in your target market (like Nashville) that show work similar to yours—that’s a smart starting point. For social media, you need to share much more about yourself as a person. Currently your content is maybe 10-20% personal; increase that to 40-50%. Let people learn about your background—for example, that you’re German, lived in Key West, hand-painted t-shirts on a dock wearing a sombrero, married your husband within 5 weeks. These stories create connections. People don’t just want art; they want to know the artist. This personal content helps the algorithm show your work to people who will genuinely connect with it, not just those looking for barns and roosters.

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Asked by a painter in rural Tennessee · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-07-20