Four Free Little Things to Help Yourself
The business of being an artist requires attention to some tasks that are neither creative nor inspiring, but nonetheless important. There are 4 good ones for the start of a new year. And since they all are free and quick to do, there are no excuses for avoiding them.
#1 Now is the right time to update to 2021 any copyright notices you have on media platforms and printed materials, if you have not already done so. And if you are not yet using these notices, now is the right time to start. There is a lot of information available online about why it is important for makers to use a copyright notice, and there are lots of examples of copyright notices online as well. Many such notices are formatted like this: Copyright © Your Name 2021. All rights reserved.
Note: This tip is not and does not intend to constitute legal advice; it is for general information only. If you need legal advice, consult counsel from the relevant jurisdictions.
#2 Now is the right time to add your media addresses (e.g., website address and Instagram username) to the automatic signature on your art email, if you have not already done so. Make it easy for those with whom you communicate to find you on the web and whatever social media platforms you use for your art. There are lots of tutorials and Help tools on different email platforms with “how to” instructions, if you need that.
#3 Now is the right time to update your artist bio/CV/ and list of shows/exhibits/awards to be sure everything is current, if you have not already done so. When you are immersed in making art, updating materials about yourself often goes on a “to do” list that doesn’t get done. Take time to add anything from 2020 missing from those materials that you think might be useful to collectors, jurors, curators, and others. This is a key component to developing and maintaining your professional reputation, so take seriously these important tools to present yourself accurately and in the best light.
#4 Change your passwords. When is the last time you changed any of your passwords? With cyber crimes on the rise, changing your email, social media, bank accounts, passwords from time to time is a great idea to keep your accounts safe. Use the built-in password storage in Google/Apple (icloud Keychain) and set your passwords to something difficult to guess or use the strong password feature in Google. Mix numbers, upper and lowercase, as well as special characters for a strong password. Using multiple words: FrenchBread, then replace the vowels with numbers or special characters: Fr3nchBr3@d, and finally, add an additional special character or two: Fr3nch%Br3@d$. There are also websites with password generators to assist you in creating a strong password.
https://my.norton.com/extspa/passwordmanager?path=pwd-gen
https://www.lastpass.com/password-generator
Most of all, do not use the same password for all of your online accounts. Following these tips will keep your accounts safe.