Networking has always been the best way to get things done, but rarely worked for me in the past. I tend to be a hermit and don't like mixing with large groups of people I don't know. However, the internet has made it possible to network without leaving home.
It is amazing to me how helpful artists are to other artists. When I am considering joining a new artists' website, for example, I always email the artists already on it to ask them what their experience has been like. Most people respond within a day or two and tell me exactly what it's been like for them. Sometimes they have other suggestions for me, too.
When an artist asks my opinion, I do the same. We all gain a lot more by helping each other and being open than by guarding whatever information we have.
Yesterday I was asked to join a website called Santa Fe Art World, and asked advice from several artists already on it. The response was mixed, so I'm not sure yet whether or not I'll join, but in the process I learned about two other art websites. One is Manhattan Arts, and it has an amazing amount of useful information for artists, including a free guide to New York City galleries. Another website I had not heard about before was Yessy.com, an art sales/auction site that is extremely easy to use.
Not every venue will work for all of us, and just because a site has been good or bad for one artist doesn't mean it will turn out the same for another. But there are so many ways to spend our promotional money, and most of us have a limited budget to do that, so it's always wise to get other artists' opinions before you jump into something.
