Do you want to know more? Would you like me to help?
​

Sometimes another person's perspective - and experience - can be helpful.
I worked for many years doing in-depth reviews and providing feedback - via reports, one to one sessions, in group meetings/workshops and  by delivering presentations to large groups of people.

Now I do the same thing - for artists. 
For many years just with the friends I have made in the art world - and now for a wider audience - hence this NEW page.

READ ON If you'd like me to help......
​

EITHER by delivering a talk or presentation or workshop
  • in person (currently not possible due to upcoming surgery and unable to travel)
  • via Zoom

OR reviewing an aspect of your art business e.g.
  • your strategy for developing your art business
  • your approach to a changing business environment
  • how to get selected for juried exhibitions 
  • your website / blog / online presence
  • artist's statement / biography / CV
  • your submissions to art competitions
  • your art instruction books 
  • getting a grip on the basics of your art business

OR an article written for your magazine
Near the bottom of the page you can find  out:
  • how it works
  • what it costs
You can also:
NOTE: What I do not cover: I do not provide any professional financial, tax or legal advice in relation to such matters.
I research topics carefully - but I provide information and advice strictly without any legal liability. This means I am totally unable to warrant that ANY and/or ALL information about such matters is complete and/or professional and/or wholly accurate and/or completely up to date and./or all links lead to the most current information. That's simply because I'm retired and, while I try to review and update annually I do not keep up to date with all changes - and I certainly do not know as much as appropriate professionals. The purpose of this site is to get you started on finding out what you need to know....

Would you like me to give a talk?

talk at The Heatherley School of Art on the Do's and Don'ts of the Artist Statement and CV
10 minutes to go before my talk at The Heatherley School of Art on the Do's and Don'ts of the Artist Statement and CV
HOW TO BOOK ME FOR AN ART BUSINESS LECTURE/TALK
I have been periodically  invited/commissioned to give talks to various art groups about art business matters. 

I'm a very experienced presenter/lecturer and am very used to talking to everything from very large groups of people (100+) to smaller groups.  

​If you would like me to come and give a talk (or lecture or presentation or workshop) to your art school / group / society please contact me (see form at the end of this page) and tell me what you would like me to do
Past and current clients include
At Heatherleys we recognise how important it is that our students receive quality professional development advice alongside their studio practice. To this end Katherine has provided us with an ongoing series of lectures covering everything from how to write an artist’s statement to how to pay your tax. This has been an invaluable resource for our students, and a rare one as few colleges offer this type of programme. The talks are always very well attended and manage to be both informative and entertaining. 
Heatherley School of Art
"Lived up to my expectations of being full of information and not dodging the issues. I have been an ardent follower of Making a Mark and Botanical Art for years. 
Katherine was an excellent addition to your ‘portfolio’ of speakers this year!
​Re. How to be a Business Savvy Botanical Artist (via Zoom)
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How to be a Business Savvy Botanical Artist - VIA ZOOM - was FULLY BOOKED on Botanical Art Talks by Julia Trickey
Topics covered have included:
​
ART BUSINESS
  • The Business of Botanical Art
  • How to be a Business Savvy Botanical Artist (sold out June 2021)
PUBLICATIONS
  • From Artist to Author - creating a book 
ONLINE & SOCIAL MEDIA
  • Artists and social media
  • How to get your art online
  • How to get on - online
MARKETING YOURSELF
  • Do's and Don'ts When Writing an Artists Statement and C.V.
DELIVERY
  • Pack, Ship and Go International! (including Frame / Pack / Ship - checklists)
MONEY AND TAX
  • How to make money from your art
  • Tax Tips for artists
Other Topics I can cover:

ART COMPETITIONS
  • Top tips for entering art competitions
SELLING ART
  • How to sell your art
  • How to price your art
  • How to protect your art online
HOW TO BE COST-EFFECTIVE
  • How to avoid frames eating your profit
  • How to limit losses when you print your art
I now do Zoom Talks too!

What will it cost?
I charge a fee and can
  • EITHER provide you with a quote
  • OR tell you what I can do for your budget.
Typically I work in London but will consider journeying further afield (travel expenses are payable if applicable) 

Alternatively I can do Talks via Zoom.
Presentation requirements
I'm an experienced user of PowerPoint and generally require:
  • a laptop that either you preload a presentation on to or I can plug in a memory stick which contains the presentation - connected to 
  • a digital projector and screen (pre-tested) 
  • a chair or perching stool (I'm disabled and unable to stand for long periods)
OR I can deliver via Zoom
TIPS FOR HOSTS
  • get the set-up done well in advance of the start of the talk and TEST IT (i.e. do not switch on for the first time when I arrive!)
  • bulbs on digital projectors are known to blow just before the start of a presentation. Know where the spare is and how to switch it for the one which just blew!
  • you need a chairperson for introductions and then Q&A at the end of the talk

Would you like a review - of an aspect of your art business?

BUSINESS & MARKETING ADVICE TO ARTISTS

I've provided informal business advice to artists for many years and have seen a number of them go on to achieve significant advancement in their careers as a result e.g.
  • winning art prizes in juried competitions
  • elected to full membership of art societies
  • getting selected for open exhibitions / art competitions

I am now doing this on a more formal (fee-paying) basis and now invite people to contact me if they feel they may benefit from my help

I very much enjoy working with:
  • people who are motivated to do well and
  • demonstrate evidence that they have already had a good go at trying to tackle an issue - or made progress with their career....
  • but now need more help
How it works

If you'd like a review, we don't need to meet.
  • A lot can be done via email and viewing aspects of your business online 
  • this also helps keep the costs down for you.
  • If you want to meet as well, this will take place in London.
The feedback I provide will be via a written report which states your brief, analyses the issues, identifies options and makes recommendations as to what you can do to improve whatever it is you want to improve

​NOTE: I frequently offer "5 minute freebies" to those with a quick query - but for issues which take longer I'm afraid I charge.

How you represent yourself and your art online
​

Contact me if you'd like an honest opinion of....
REVIEW OF YOUR WEBSITE AND/OR BLOG

I've looked at over 10,000 artist websites in the last decade. This provides an excellent context for advising you on
  • what sort of impression your website creates,
  • what omissions you need to correct and
  • how you can improve how people view you as an artist. 
I've also looked at the websites and social media presence of a fair few art societies and can also advise on those.
"Thank you for the care and attention you have put into preparing it for me. I really appreciate your honesty - it was a tough first read. However it was a definite call to action for me, a wake up call.
(Artist)
REVIEW YOUR ARTIST STATEMENT / BIOGRAPHY / CV 

I don't write it for you.

I review, make suggestions and edit to indicate the potential to make your statement clearer.  

Fees depend on what's required and how successful you are.
​I was never very happy with my artist statement and I dreaded working on it. I think a lot of artists feel
the same way. How do I express in words why I create art in a visual medium? What is my work actually about? Honestly, I had no idea.

So one day I handed my artist statement off to Katherine to see what she could make of it. Katherine
confirmed that, yes, it was pretty awful, and then she helped me fix it.

Katherine helped me put into words the How, What and Why of my artistic practice. She also pointed
out problems in my writing style which I had not even noticed. At the end of the process I had a statement which clearly articulated both my method and artistic vision. And I can’t tell you what a relief it is to be able to send in a strong, well-written statement with an application and to no longer feel that twinge of embarrassment.
Alyson Champ (who got the grant she wanted!)
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Some of the reasons why an artist needs an Artist Statement

How you manage the business side of your art career

Maybe you would prefer me to....
REVIEW specific aspects of your art business
​
I'm an experienced management consultant and can be commissioned (for a fee plus travel expenses) to review what you are doing at present and prepare a report and action plan for your art business planning and marketing going forward.
This is based on developing a realistic set of goals with you and your current levels of knowledge and competence. 
Contact me to tell me about what sort of help you need

Why your artwork is not selected for juried exhibitions

REVIEW your strategy for art competitions / open exhibitions and submissions 
​
I've been reviewing the open exhibitions of national art societies and the major art competitions exhibiting in London for over well over a decade.  NOBODY else has the experience I have of looking at artwork exhibited in open art exhibitions and art competitions based in London.

I can
  • spot prizewinners
  • identify what sort of exhibition of competition is best suited to your art. 
  • advise on why you may have been unsuccessful in getting selected in the past.
....you gave me a very useful crit a few months ago. I absorbed a lot of what you said, and just wanted to share with you the news that both recent submissions to the Discerning Eye got accepted, plus I have just found that 2 new sculptures ....have got through the pre selection to the Threadneedle which has been massively encouraging.
(Artist)
I find your advice and opinion very instructive and valuable
(KV - artist)

When your book or article needs help
​

Are you writing an art instruction book - but don't know:
  • where to start
  • how to plan to make life simple and your content accessible
  • why editing is vital
  • how to get published
I can help you understand
  • what's involved and what publishing companies expect of a commission
  • how to plan what you need to do to produce a book
  • advise on what makes for a good book - and what creates a bad impression
  • review your plans for content and layout
  • edit drafts to create better expression and more accessible content
My experience covers:
  • writing an art instruction book on commission for a reputable publisher. I'm familiar with the processes - what they want, what they will push you on and what they don't provide!
  • contributing sections to a number of other art instruction books 
  • mentoring authors producing art instruction books
  • reviewing very many books over several years
  • writing a series of 10 articles for 'The Artist' Magazine
(see below for more details)

I also write about art business topics.....

...and my other art interests
ARTICLES

I've written a number of articles for artists' magazines and publications. 

In 2016, "The Artist" magazine featured a commissioned series of 10 articles by me about Cost Effective Ideas for Artists. 
  • 20 tactics for buying art materials (February 2016)
  • How to avoid frames eating your profit (March 2016)
  • How to afford to exhibit your art (April 2016)
  • Display your art online - for free (May 2016)
  • How to protect your art online (June 2016)
  • Pack and ship efficient and effectively (July 2016)
  • How to price your work (Summer 2016)
  • Limit losses when you print your art (August 2016)
  • Business expenses and tax allowances for the artist (September 2016)
  • VAT for the artist (October 2016)

I've also written other articles for other magazines.

PUBLICATIONS

I wrote very many reports of public record for the government during my working career.

Since retirement, my publications - other than my blogs and websites (see About) - include: My sketches and text contributions appear in various books about sketching
Please contact me if you'd like to discuss an article, series of articles or a book you want t0 publish
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Bio for my articles for "The Artist" magazine
the book’s clear, straightforward advice helps beginners to gain in confidence as they build their skills. A far cry from other dry, run-of-the-mill art instruction books, 365 Hints & Tips for Drawing & Sketching uses concise, easy-to-follow text to engage readers and guide them through each different technique, covering everything from how to hold a pencil to how to achieve depth and balance composition, as well as tips for tackling specific subjects such as how to draw people or landscapes.
About Sketching 365

How does it work and what will it cost?

I'm ONLY interested in helping people who want to help themselves

How does it work?

You initially send me an enquiry using the form below.

I aim to respond within 48 hours (although it might be within 7 days depending on my commitments)

I may ask for more information, will clarify your brief with you and then I will
  • send you a proposal for what I will do,
  • how I will feedback (generally at the end of the review you receive a written report as a pdf file).
  • what it will cost - including terms and conditions.

I will warn you that my style is to be honest and direct.
  • If you're somebody who only wants warm words of encouragement and nothing else then I may not be the right person to help you.
  • However if you prefer a style which is honest and does not 'sugar coat' then I might be what you need.
What will it cost?

An awful lot less than my hourly charge-out rate used to be 20 years ago!

My philosophy is to make my help affordable and yet at the same time charge at a level which means that only those who want to invest in themselves will approach me.

I'm only interested in helping artists who are seriously interested in helping themselves.

I'm not in this for the money - I want to help people make a difference to their lives and art careers.

Contact me to discuss fees for
  • lectures, talk and workshops. Much depends on the topic and length of session
  • articles and/or books.  Factors determining my fee relate to topic and timelines. I do some articles for free.

For review work, my hourly fee typically starts at £50 per hour and any premium or discount i​s based on
  • the type of request,
  • the nature of the your art business or website and
  • evidence that you are motivated to improve
  • whether I like your art!

It might not be the normal way of doing business, but it works for me!

    TALKS/REVIEWS - CONTACT ME
Use this form to contact me if you want to find out whether I can help you with
  • a lecture or talk or workshop
  • a review of an aspect of your art business
  • an article

Tell me:
  • EITHER what type of talk you want
  • OR what art business issue you want to tackle
  • what you think I can do for you
  • what your budget is

NOTE: This page and form relate to work involving the payment of a fee.
  • This starts at £50 per hour for review work. 
  • Quotes for talks or workshops vary depending on length of session and amount of preparation for tailored talks.
  • Expenses for talks are extra (eg travel)

I always provide a quote and more details of how working with me actually works in practice before we make an agreement to proceed.
Plus don't forget
you may well find the answer to what you need help with on this website for FREE!