Start Selling

Ok,so you have made something that you are satisfied with, and your are ready to send it out into the world. You have done your sleuthing in your local galleries and museums.And have a general idea of where you would like your art displayed. I suggest starting small. If you have a few pieces of your work finished, good job! Now lets get down to business.

Here are a few suggestions. Not written in stone. Not the one and only way of approaching it. Keep Sleuthing! There are many resources out there on the internet. Stay open to many suggestions as your grow.

Sign and number your pieces and /or name them.
I number mine according to year, size, and consecutive number.
Get as fancy as you want with your numbering system. Whatever works for you.
Photograph your work.
I take a photo of each piece, usually in the same order as I number them. Then, after I load them on to the computer, I rename the files according to the numbers.
I print a sheet of thumbnail photos on a page and print up at least two copies. One,
for me, and one for the place that will sell my art.
Business cards 
I printed my own. As time went by, I changed and developed and became more honed in on how I wanted to present myself. A few cards at a time would prevent me from winding up stuck with a stockpile of 15,000 cards.
Portfolio
Get some nice Photos of your work. Put them in a professional looking binder.
Make them large enough that they show some of the details of your work. Though we would all dream of having our art professionally photographed, it just might not be in your budget. Make do with what you have for now. Don't make yourself a starving artist before you even begin!
Price It
Finding your price point is a personal matter. But If your just beginning, start lower and work your way up. You can always go up, but not down. Know your price point.(A point on a scale of possible prices at which something might be marketed)
Build a Bio
Take a peek at what other people write. It will give you some ideas.
Print it up. Maybe even frame it to hang by your works. http://www.ehow.com/how_2060971_write-artist-bio.html
Keep good records early on.
Keep files and receipts. I have an artists memory, so I have to write down everything.

     Best Of Western North Carolina. A juried show that I participated in.

Riverside Studios, Asheville, NC             

Now where to?
The world is your oyster!
A sidewalk with live demonstrations, an office, store, fair, gallery, bar, church, museum, your front yard, internet, coffee shop? You decide.
I had some of my early pieces in a local restaurant. I was able to display my work commission free and build some much needed confidence. Ask around. Watch the papers. Join your local arts guild. There is a wealth of information usually available through them. Look for Shows and events. Write down the dates. You might not be ready this year to participate in them. But come next year, you will know how and when to prepare. One of our local artists told me that she started out by doing events. She sat under a tent and sold her works directly to the public. She said that it ate up a lot of her time and now she is focusing on entering galleries. You may be a social butterfly and love that approach. You may have the money to invest in the set up and entry fees. The options are out there. Its your world. But mostly follow that inner voice that guides you. You will know what feels right to you. If you have some suggestions, please share them.