Revitalizing Your Brand: The Journey to Refreshing Tanya Owens Photography, Offering Fine Art & Products
Despise not the days of small beginnings.
I remember that phrase based on a Scripture from the Old Testament, Zechariah 4:10. I recall as a young adult in college, I was home during a break and heard a man, whose name I have long forgotten, preach on that passage. He said, "If you thank God for a toothpick, he will give you a lumber yard." The gist of the message was to be grateful for every stage of life you are in. When starting a business, it may be small. Don't be in a rush to make it large, cherish each step of its growth. And that my friend is where I am today.
I remember when I watched the show Project Runway and during the challenge the designers had to make their own fabric. I recall one of the designers saying I love making my own patterns. And I sat there perplexed wondering how they did that. Now look at me today, creating entire clothing lines based on my art, making my own patterns. And I am celebrating each garment I design and the opening of each online store and marketplace carrying my art. I am celebrating my vision of apparel, accessories, and home decor that I hope will bring you as much joy and serenity as it brought me when I was in the field capturing photographs or in my digital darkroom creating images.
Holding Fast to Your Vision
I admit it though, that some people will not understand your vision, or why it takes so long to develop a product line, build a website, run an online store(s). They will wonder how come you aren't making sales or have a large following. And I peter all of that with grace, because I know they are well intentioned. However, because this isn't their vocation, they aren't aware of the herculean efforts going on behind the scenes.
I've spent years researching, looking at how other professional fine art photographers were making a living. And to be honest, it is tough for an artist to make a living solely off their art. Couple that with everyone having access to a plethora of cameras and online stores offering them the opportunity to print their photos on canvases to hang in their homes or wear on a t-shirt, have as a comforter or pillow on their bed. Looking at those statistics I stopped and stalled and almost gave up numerous times.
But a small fire, a kindle of hope would always flicker in me compelling me to go forward. And when I would step forward it would blaze like a roaring forest fire. That my friend is passion; it is life force. As one writer in the Scripture said, "it is like fire shut up in my bones." Jeremiah 20:9 He goes on to say: "I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can’t do it!" And that is how I felt. I felt weary for not working on my art, not putting it out there. If I do nothing I fail. But if I try, put forth my best effort and fail, at least I can say I tried.
History
When I first launched my website in 2009 I got lots of accolades on my art, especially after I went to China in 2012 and more eyes were on my website. Then in 2013 I was knocked on my back with a major illness that became increasingly worse in 2015, almost to the point of death. And I have spent the last decade just clawing myself back to some semblance of normalcy.
Art, photography has always been my solace. From my toddler's days of being amazed at the images developing before my eyes when my mother clicked that black thingamajig she pointed in my face (she had a Polaroid 215 landing camera)
To my youthful days: I received my first camera when I was six years old. And in 5th/6th grade I received my 2nd camera and learned how to make a pin camera from a quaker oats box, develop the film and make prints. I loved telling stories with the lens.
So, it is with great joy, that I am launching a major refresh of my website along with online shops where you can purchase art prints, wall art, apparel, accessories, and home decor all with my art on it. Art isn't just for the walls anymore. Also, I wholeheartedly believe that art should be accessible to everyone at every price point. Heck, the first piece of art I purchased was from my college bookstore when I was a freshman in college. Ok, it was a poster of a dog saying something about any place is home, because I was so home sick. But it was art nonetheless. And it did the trick, it brought me peace, joy and solace.
I hope that my art will do the same for you. Bring some of the whimsy I experienced as I captured the images. Or as I sat creating composites or drawing on my tablet. Just like Jeremiah could not stop speaking, he couldn't just say, you know what later for it, I am not going to preach or prophesy any more. He couldn't, because it was like a fire in him, he had to continue in his vocation. I too have this fire inside of me, I am brimming with art and yearning to share it with you.
Relaunching my Website & Opening Online Stores
As I was looking through my catalog of thousands of images and wondering where I should start, I started working on my flowers collection in 2021. I admit it, when I started, I was a bit naïve in my endeavor. I wanted to go through my entire collection, cull the flowers, work on the best images and then upload all of them when I was ready. And I worked on it slowly as I managed my chronic condition, navigated through a global pandemic and frankly taught myself a ton of new software as well as taking a deep dive in eCommerce. It was a humbling and scary experience.
I did make some great progress in 2021, and actually uploaded some images to Fine Art America (all of the purple flowers) and to Redbubble. But I got discouraged when I realized that posting on social media, and blogging wasn't going to cut it. I would need to do some serious marketing and make a significant financial investment to get any sales due to the stiff competition out there and the sheer number of artists who already had a strong following.
It takes money to make money.
Couple that with the host of my website not being able to do the things I needed. My website had been online for 12 years at that point and I was not coming up in any web searches, regardless of the combination of keywords I used. The only way you found me is if you typed in my name. I was getting discouraged and that's when I just quit and said I'm not gonna make it. I left my web host Zenfolio (who really is more geared to wedding, event, and portrait photography aka client based photography). As an art photographer focused on nature, landscapes, wildlife and travel, I was finding it impossible to find a turnkey solution at any of the hosts targeted to photographers.
And I wrestled with the effort it would take to run an online store AND go out and get new shots, work in the digital darkroom, write, etc etc etc. It was overwhelming. That's when I decided that I need to use that Project Management certification I have and plan this thing out in phases. Phase one:
secure a new host for my website, build a website that showcases my art and a strong blog that goes Behind the Lens and discusses the process that goes into making my art. Both geared to building a following, a community of people who admire my art and are interested in purchasing it.
In this phase I will also make my art available for purchase, but not on my main website. That is why you see links to external websites, they are mine, but all of the technical and customer support is managed by the fulfilment companies: Fine Art America, Pixels, Redbubble, Spreadshirt, Threadless and Spring. This frees me to focus on the art and also provide stellar buying experiences.
Wonderful Smile - Golden Ragwort
Whew, that was a lot. I'll give you a moment to process it, and if you are still here, let's talk about Wonderful Smile - Golden Ragwort. This image, photographed in 2012 at the Shanghai Botanic Gardens, reminds me of my maternal grandmother and the 1970s. My grandmother passed away when I was 5 years old. And to be honest, I don't think she ever took me to a wildflower meadow. I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, where there was more concrete and tar than grass and flowers. Yet this image evokes so much joy and such a warm and profound memory of my grandmother.
As I was working on products and I flipped the image to create a cohesive pattern, it just took me back to the patterns I recall from the 1970s and the clothing my mother and aunts wore.
Fine Art aka Wall Art & More
Presently you can purchase wall art, accessories, and home decor featuring Wonderful Smile - Golden Ragwort on my shop: https://tanyaowens.shop/featured/wonderful-smile-golden-ragwort-tanya-owens.html. Wall art fulfillment is done by Fine Art America and accessories & home decor are fulfilled by Pixels. They are both the same company with two different brands.
Artful Attire
I launched Artful Attire this year, 2024. It came about as I was working on t-shirts on Redbubble and Fine Art America and decided that wasn't the direction I wanted to go in for phase one. All over prints is what I will be focusing on for the near future, and Spring by Amaze, has a wide selection of Cut and Sew attire that I will be offering: Leggings, Sports Bras, Bike Shorts, Joggers, Sweatshirts, Hoodies, Graphic Tees, Men's Swim Trunks, Sliders and Watchbands to start.
What I love about these products is that they aren't printed on blanks like cotton t-shirts. These items are printed, then the fabric is dye sublimated, then cut, or the fabric is cut and then dye sublimated, and lastly sewn, packaged and shipped. Although I am not using this company the process is the same.
Purchase Wonderful Smile - Golden Ragwort at attire.tanyaowens.com today.
I have additional Artful Attire on my shop and will be adding more items throughtout the year:
