Photo by Hazel Dooney
If you liked our interviews with artist-entrepreneurs John T. Unger, Natasha Wescoat and Hugh MacLeod, you should check out Hugh’s recent interview with Australian artist Hazel Dooney:
Four years ago, Hazel decided to quit the highly-regarded galleries in Sydney and Melbourne who were representing her and go it alone, organising her own exhibitions and marketing her work direct to collectors online. She estimates that the value of her work has “increased to five, maybe ten, times what it was five years ago”.
She’s pretty outspoken about her route to success:
Traditional galleries and art institutions – and the art publications that depend on both for their advertising – have had fuck-all to do with it. Neither did a traditional, ‘high minded’ artist approach. I regarded myself early on as a post-punk performer, a ‘garage band’ version of a modern artist who ends up owning her own label and promoting her own tours. I don’t deal through intermediaries and I try to maintain a direct connection with everyone who has an interest in my work
Check out the full interview to learn more about Hazel’s uncompromising approach to art and marketing. It’s a fascinating conversation between two very talented artists and savvy marketers.
Hazel’s website (bear in mind her images are not necessarily safe for work – depending on where you work!) and blog provide generous samples of her artwork. And naturally she’s also to be found on Twitter.