interested in starting art business..

hi ladies,
i have a plan for starting a home based business but before that i need your valuable suggestions. I was working as an artist in a religious magazine, but my major is different. I have learnt tanjore paintings,mysore paintings,tibet paintings. And i have already done job in mehendi for so many marriages before my marriage. but after marriage,since i am in USA i don't know how far small business works. And i don't know where to start,how to start. Please anybody,give ideas because i don't know whether indians in US will be really interested in tanjore paintings and mehendi. Please friends i need your valuable suggestions and advices. I have an idea to explore my artistic works through my paintings..Waiting for all your responses.
Thanks
Ramya

Hi Ramya,
I actually had posted a thread about starting a business in Mehandi art :)
Anyway, yes, Indians here in US are interested in good Tanjore paintings, Mehandi, etc. Start from your local Indian store. Place a ad there giving info abt your Mehandi rates, etc. Start a small blog ( blogger is free ) and post your designs and paintings for people to see. Start this summer itself b'cos once our Festival season starts, people will get interested in Mehandi, giving paintings as gift, etc.

Send me a PM if you wish or we can discuss it here too.

Anjali

hi anjal
thank you very much for your valuable suggestion. very happy to get support from you. you said i have to place ad for mehendi in indian grocery shop. but my doubt is whether they allow me to place ad in their stores? or do i have to give commission for them to place ad(it's not a problem..i can give.)? regarding blogging,it's a very good idea..i have started building that.i have a plan to prepare gift paintings. can u give tips for gift paintings?
thanks
ramya

Indian stores are pretty helpful to local Indian businesses. You can create small brochures ( or something similar) and they will let you keep it on their counter for people to take. I am pretty certain they won't mind. ( Our Indian stores let's me keep stuff :) )

About gift painting - I think you should start with some safe ones like Ganesha, Indian lady, or something that will stand out and Indian. I don't think that paintings like scenery, etc will get great response. Or even flowers might do well. I am just thinking aloud here so please bear with me :)
You see, I too do some artwork and am very interested in it. ( check out some of my painting on my Supreme Spice blog. Google me )

Abt Mehandi - I am very certain that Indian store will let you advertise at their place. Keep some flyers for people to take. But before that, get your blog up and running. That will give a very professional feel.

Hope this helps.

Anjali

Rya,

Along with Anjali's excellent suggestions, here are a couple of mine. You can also start small with creating greeting cards for festivals and start introducing to your friends circle. Also school going kids usually give presents to their teachers at the end of the year, for christmas etc and they might love to give some ethnic Indian stuff if available at a reasonable price. The other suggestion I have is, in my neighborhood usually there are a couple of sales, like a few women who do jewellry, scrapbooking etc get together at one persons place and display their stuff and send an evite to all their family and freinds circle. So see if you can get together with a couple of other artistic people (someone who does something different than you do) and put up a little show at your place. Hope this helps and good luck.

Srama is right. You can get together with 2-3 other small businesswomen and hold a small fair at someones place. Do something like this in Nov - Dec, just before Christmas. Invite even non-Indians too. People are always looking for ideas for something different to give.

hi anjali and srama,
thank you very much for your suggestions. card making is a very good idea too..iam also interested in that.Now,i have to search for other ppl who is on the same boat in nearby area.
Thanks
Ramya

Rya,

I also wanted to mention if there is a mela in your local temple, do find out now about it and that will give you some time to prepare some itmes if you wish to put up /share a stall.

Hi Srama,
i am right now in baltimore and we have temple nearby is shivavishnu temple only that too in greenbelt. So,have to go a long distance but i can find so many indians here,so i think it may work out.
thanks

Indian temples usually don't let you place stalls.
But, you can plan for Aug 15th events in your area. Find out if the Indian community in your area has any Mela or Fair on Aug 15th. In my area, we have a huge Mela and lot of small and local businesses keep their stalls. They do pretty good.