Display Original Art Online and Connect with Buyers at ArtistBe.com

ARTISTS. The press release for a new online gallery/social network platform points out that with the rise of innovative e-commerce solutions, people in the creative fields (art, music, writing) may be able to find new ways to live their passions “instead of slaving away at day jobs.”

Screenshot of ArtistBe.com WebsiteIn fact, the press release announcing the launch of Artist Become (www.ArtistBe.com) leads off with this bold statement, “Things are changing for artists. No longer do they have to toil endlessly in obscurity, unsure of how and when they’ll be able to sell the artwork.”

ArtistBe.com is a new venture by the online art gallery overstockArt.com, which specializes in selling reproductions of oil paintings.

“With ArtistBe.com, we are doing more than creating a place for up-and-coming artists to display original art online, we are creating a new social platform for artists and art lovers alike,” states David Sasson, the president and CEO of overstockArt.com.

Fellow artists and art lovers can connect and communicate with other community members, comment and rate each other’s artwork, and become fans of other members. Artists can create their own galleries for free and had a dedicated URL to showcase their art, biographies, exhibitions, and more.

Buyers can choose to purchase art directly from the artist without any commission fees. If buyers prefer to order more affordable canvas-transfer paintings, the artist will earn royalties on every reproduction sold. Reproductions are available in a variety of sizes; pricing is dictated by the individual artists.

ArtistBe.com has arranged its content into a variety of galleries, specified by artist, subject, style, and type. Artists will dictate how the community will look in the future, by tagging the art with keywords that will help visitors find the type of art they want.

“Our commitment to art and the art world started with overstockArt.com,” said Sasson. “Now we want to branch out the give art lovers around the world the chance to find the next great artists of our generation. ArtistBe.com gives artists the ultimate platform to become recognized for their work and to make a living out of their creations.”

Sasson acknowledges that art is not an easy thing to sell. He believes that artists who participate in ArtistBe.com will benefit from the site’s relationship to overstockArt.com because overstockArt.com has already built a network of thousands of art lovers. This can help artists gain exposure and ultimately sales.