‘Struggling artist’ is a phrase which will be well know to plenty of those attempting to peruse a career as an artist, and many still need to maintain day jobs to help deal with those mundane things such as paying off mortgages, bringing up children, and feeding themselves and their families.
However, many artists come up with work which could well be exploited by business, and, indeed, I spoke to an artist about this on Monday. What I suggested was that his work could be turned into another product by an enterprising company. Selling this product would then create an income for the business concerned, and generate royalty payments for the artist. Obviously those in business need to make profits to keep their companies going, and artists need to generate other income streams to help them raise funds to allow them to devote more time to their, for the want of a better word, art.
Artists come up with some excellent designs, which can be used in connection with a great variety of products. At a basic level from postcards to posters, but at a more innovative level, from curtains to car interiors. The possibilities are just about endless, and, potential, the resulting products would be original and eye catching.
Italy is in wants to encourage Italian contemporary artists to go down this path, even if, not all artists will appreciate seeing examples of their work incorporated into everything from mugs to mirrors. However, those who are open to the use of their work in connection with new product development, may possibly generate enough income to permit them to say goodbye to the day job, and be able to devote themselves to their creativity full time.
Of course, not every artist will find a business that is interested enough in their work to make a business propositions, but for those that do, life may well become a little easier.
If you happen to be a business owner who is looking for fresh new designs to use for some product line or other, and the work of one of the artists featured on Italy is in catches your eye, then please contact Italy is in , with details of how you would like to use the artist’s work, and Italy is in will then contact the artist concerned to see if he or she may be interested in taking the idea further.
In general, it would perhaps be fair to say that most artists would like their work to form part of limited edition products, however, those seeking wider exposure, may well be open to ideas resulting in the mass production of goods. They only way to discover what an artist may be interested in, is to establish contact.
Alex Roe of Italy is in speaks English and Italian, and can certainly make the approach necessary, as can Gaetano Salvo, who, while he does not speak English so well, would have no problem discussing business propositions with the artists concerned.
At the end of the day, business relationships of this type can be productive for artists and businesses, without forgetting, of course, the positive effect such partnerships can have on the ‘Made in Italy’ brand.
In the case that Italy is in is aware that an artist is open to business proposals, this will be mentioned in the artist’s profile.
At the Musée Arts et Histoire, on the Cote D’Azure, in France, examples of the work of 
Angelo Aligia is an Italian sculptor who turns crude stone and rock into intriguing works of art.
