4 Extremely Common Art Scams

The internet is a double-edged sword when it comes to posting artwork. On the one hand, it can give you world-wide exposure with a few easy clicks and uploads. On the other hand, that gives scammers all sorts of new opportunities to take advantage of artists. I have been messaged countless times by scammers, who were attempting to prey on me in the hopes that I’d be willing to send them money or art.
 

 

Ugh, whyyyyyy?!

1. NFT Scams

This is a screenshot from Instagram, courtesy of Reddit user /u/yetanotherpenguin. This is a very common scam that targets artists. How it works is someone claims to want their artwork for an NFT (NFT stands for non-fungible token, they are digital files with unique digital codes on each one); promising to buy the NFT for a lot of money – this user was offering over $5,000! The scammer will then direct the artist to an NFT website, where the artist will pay high fees (could be hundreds of dollars) to upload and offer the artwork as an NFT… and then both the scammer (and sometimes the website, too) will disappear completely, leaving the artist with no way to get their money back. Personally, I have had concerns over NFTs from the start as it all sounds like a money laundering tactic to me.
 

Sorry, not sorry. 

2. Digital checks

Here is a conversation from my own Instagram, where a user offered to buy my artwork with a digital check. Digital checks are not a thing. This person was offering to send me an image of a check to my email, and then said I can just upload it to my bank app. This sounds similar to a mobile upload, but again, digital checks are not a thing. You cannot just upload an image to your bank like that. I ended the conversation by flipping their own excuse back on them: "Sorry, that won't work with my bank account."
 

Just stop already!

3. Promotions

This happens all the time on Instagram, usually in the form of comments on posts that say “Send/DM to…” or “Promote on…” or even a message asking to "collaborate." Basically, you pay a fee, and then they will add a post promoting or sharing your account. Here’s where the scam comes in: even though they have 100k followers, that doesn’t mean that they actually have that many followers. You can create more than one Instagram account (I have two, one for my art and one for my personal posts) and comment from all of those accounts. I once blocked a really pushy “promoter” and instantly lost 6 followers, as it blocked ALL of their accounts at the same time. Let’s all remember that “followers” and “likes” on social media do not equal sales, and you can’t feed your family with “exposure.”
 

Make like a tree and "leaf" me alone!

4. Overpayments

This screenshot is from a scam-alert post by u/J-DubT. In this scam, which has actually been around for many years and covers a wide range of targets (not just artists, but all types of businesses,) the scammer contacts an artist wanting to purchase some artwork for a birthday/anniversary gift for their spouse. They will mail a check for the artwork, but the amount on the check is for quite a bit more than was originally agreed upon. They ask the artist to wire the overpayment back, quickly, and after a few days the check will turn out to be fake. Now the artist has paid hundreds of dollars, with no chance of getting the money back. 

One way to tell if someone who is messaging you over social media to buy your artwork is (probably) sincere about purchasing is if they have a history with your page. Are they following your page, and how long have they been following it (did they just start following today, or has it been a few weeks or more)? Do they leave thoughtful comments on your posts? Do they “like” your posts as you add them, or did they just go through and “like” them all in one day? These are a few questions to ask yourself if you are unsure about someone who is messaging you.

All of this said, there are real people online who genuinely like and want to purchase artwork. I have a few devout followers who “like” most of my posts, and will message me every so often to buy something. I have even messaged artists I find on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc. and asked them if I could interview them here on my blog. I don’t charge for my interviews, however, and I certainly don’t promise massive exposure. 😉

Artist Interview: Danielle Clouse Gast

I’ve been a huge fan of Danielle Clouse Gast’s artwork since shortly after I graduated from college and moved back home. Clouse Gast lives in Spirit Lake, IA, a short half-hour drive from my hometown just over the border into Minnesota.

She describes her oil paintings as contemporary landscapes, and takes an abstract approach to the scenes she paints. She has an instantly recognizable geometric style in her work. Her paintings vary in size from smaller 10”x10” squares to much larger pieces composed of multiple canvases.

Absolutely gorgeous!

Clouse Gast is currently working on commissioned pieces, which have grown since 2020 to the point of taking up the studio time usually reserved for working on art for shows and galleries. “I take on and finish a few at a time,” she said. “And it’s time to start a new group. Exciting!” The current work is one aerial painting and two dock-level paintings. She said she is in the sketch/client quote phase of the project. “The challenges of custom work are exciting to me - each project is so different than the next!”

“Prairie Entertainment” 36”x36” oil painting on canvas

Clouse Gast doesn’t teach any art classes, but she does occasionally take part in open studio nights. “I bring my supplies in and work with others. These open studio nights often feature still lives or plein air type subjects. It’s been so much fun to casually work with other artists, swapping tips and tricks with each other. This is one area of my creative life I wish I made more time for! I’d love a nudge to do more of this.”

What’s her favorite art tool? Her husband, Will! No, seriously. He’s a pilot, and his ability to fly has been “a game changer” in capturing aerial views for Clouse Gast’s artwork!

Gravel road research, indeed!

“Recently our new tool has been a drone,” Clouse Gast said. “Allowing us to quickly take advantage of aerial locations during different times of year/different times of day and as simple as a hop in the car to catch the view I need. He [Will] does miss the excuse to get into that airplane, though.”

A shot of Clouse Gast’s home gallery in Spirit Lake.

In every interview, I ask what is an issue or stumbling block, because there’s no easy road for anyone, and the bumps along the way look different for each individual. Clouse Gast said burning out was one of hers. “Burn out can be a thing for me, especially when my mind wants to create great work. This usually happens if I’ve had too many shows/deadlines stack up – and while I’ll deliver on those deadlines, I know I’ll need to set the brushes down for a period of time after I’ve met them, she admitted. “Sometimes it’s two weeks. Sometimes it’s two months. It can be frustrating to try to create work that you know may not be in your system yet. Coming out of burn out can look different each time – sometimes I just HAVE to make myself move that paint, try some smaller ‘warm up’ canvases, etc. and ease my way back into it. Other times the inspiration and motivation is clear and I can venture down to the studio, flip on the lights, and move right into the work I want to create. The biggest thing I’ve learned all these years is that breaks are ok, and you will meet your work where - and when - you need to.”

“In The Weeds” 14”x11” oil painting on canvas

Her advice for artists beginning their artistic journeys? “Push your ideas in the studio and share your studio work. Those are two areas I think can be the most intimidating for even established artists, and to practice these ‘habits’ now as beginning creatives opens up the freedom/confidence to explore new ideas, build on concepts that can become your voice, and share it with others.”

“Pushing your visual problem solving in the studio helps you to communicate what you would like out of your own studio practice (for example, exploring an idea or concept to its end point, so you can determine whether you’ve worked an idea or process to completion). It helps you maximize your understanding of the materials you’re using, the subject matter you’re interested in, and - what most of us are seeking – developing your individual voice/style as an artist. It also helps us determine the point when we need to pivot and change our work. It’s almost like pushing an idea to the brink of redundancy to build that creative muscle. While it’s exciting to bounce quickly between media and subjects, you’re not developing and strengthening those creative muscles that tell you what decisions to make next in your studio work.”

I love seeing other artists’ studio spaces!

She also encourages artists to share with others. “Enter shows, find ways to bring the work out of the studio you’ve made it in. Be part of in-person events – get to know your potential appreciators, collectors, clients. Attend artist openings. Get to know that community.”

“Social media has expanded the role we play as artists to market our work and what we do,” she says. “We have been given the tools to easily share with others what we are doing, our studio practices, and perhaps even our studio struggles. If your goal is to connect with other creatives or perhaps clients, creating this dialogue and window into your studio world is so important! It also may bring immense joy/sustenance to someone’s day – even if it’s found mid-scroll and not on their wall.”

“Fenceposts” 10”x10” oil painting on canvas

You can find Danielle Clouse Gast’s artwork on her website, DanielleClouseGast.com or on social media: @clousestudios (Instagram) and Danielle Clouse Gast Studio (Facebook).