Are you an artist, artisan, crafter or creative type? If so, you might be interested to learn that Ottawa’s OCRI Entrepreneurship Centre will be holding a workshop designed to help you market your work. Market art? Indeed!
Sculptor, visual merchandiser, and retail design specialist Paul Portelli will be covering everything from creating a brand and visual merchandising to understanding the art/craft show market and product pricing. In addition to his art, Portelli delivers business seminars for artists interested in marketing their work. He has collaborated with clients such as Holt Renfrew, Microsoft, and Proctor & Gamble, and both writes and speaks about trends in visual merchandising. A gallery owner and operator in Warkworth, Ontario for more that 20 years, Portelli has also been very involved in the development of his community’s brand.
The workshop will be held on Friday, March 20th, from 9:30am to 2:30pm, and includes lunch and a workbook . All for just $35.00!
For more information, check here.
Anyway, as soon as I caught wind of this ever so intriguing workshop, I was immediately curious about Paul Portelli. I wanted to understand more about the kind of artist/entrepreneur that would help other artists to market themselves and their work. If Ottawa is ever to maximize its creative economy, it will be because artists and creative people of all stripes have been able to pursue their work and sustain themselves with it. Who better to inspire us than someone who has accomplished just this, and who is willing to share experience and advice?
So, since we all won’t be able to attend the seminar, I tracked him down to inquire if he might be willing to offer some additional insight. Even though Portelli isn’t a resident of Ottawa, he is most certainly making a contribution to our community. Read here to learn more about yet another courageous creative…
Hometown? Oshawa, affectionately know as “The Shwa” these days. I left when I was 18 to go to school in Toronto, and then high-tailed it the country after ten years in the city. Northumberland County has been home for 24 years now.
What was your first job? A shoe salesman for Sears. I’ve had more than a few other very zany jobs in my life…
How did you decide what to be when you grew up? I’m 53 and I still haven’t decided what I want to do when I grow up!
Who do you most admire and why? My father. A really great man – well respected and loved very much by his friends and his community.
What have you changed? My working life… I only do what I really want to do.
What attracts or fascinates you? Night skies. They are always changing and always fascinating.
Is there anything you really want to learn? Ballroom Dancing.
What is your proudest moment? Watching my niece at her first piano recital. She really wants to play professionally.
If the whole world was listening, what would you most want to say? Don’t forget to breathe.
How do you define good art? It has to have passion, a sense of one’s soul. Whether you are creating one of a kind paintings or a line of pottery bowls it must be done with a passion to one’s craft. Passion is very easily spotted.
Where do you find inspiration? I have recently started to sculpt little brown birds. I always felt it was my surroundings that inspired me, recently I feel that it is my family. The youthfulness and innocence of my 12 year old niece, who lives with me, is really my biggest inspiration. She keeps me and my work young.
What do you collect? 1960′s boy dolls, Ken is a big one my collection. I love nostalgia.
What do you crave? More studio time.
What is your guiltiest pleasure? Time away from my family.
Favourite season and why? Summer. I just love the long, long hot days.
Dream vacation? Thailand. I love to travel exotic far away countries, and I just haven’t made it to Thailand yet. I’m currently thinking about my next series which will be architecture, and after Thailand I will be ready to start.
Where do you retreat? To the loft in my studio. I have a big old over stuffed art deco chair that just calls to me regularly. I guess it’s a guilty pleasure as well!
Fiction or non-fiction? What are you reading now? I love fiction. I am reading The Almond Picker, by Simonetta Agenello Hornby
And, if you know Ottawa, do you have any recommendations? I must admit I really don’t know Ottawa very well. I will be back and forth throughout this year, and I hope to get to know it better.
Images courtesy of Paul Portelli.
Well, not I! And not this past Friday. Instead, this girlaboutOtown went out to face the frosty temperatures with the fierce conviction that there was fun to be had. The fella and I, free of the girl, started off at 
