Attention! Hear ye, hear ye! Calling all powerful, inspiring, badass trans and gender non-conforming artists!
I am beyond stoked to announce my plan to launch the TransFormations Marketplace (TFM) right here on Trans and Caffeinated!
I am not a graphic or visual artist by any stretch, but I find myself constantly in awe of the power of artists to shape and influence the world around them. The purpose of TFM is to elevate the work of trans and gender non-conforming people — therefore, this page is exclusively for art created by TGNC folx. I recognize the crucial importance of increased trans visibility and representation, and I hope that the existence of this page will help us to achieve that. I am happy to list art in any form (tickets for a show you’re working on, a book you wrote, a painting, etc.) provided that you are able to send a visual representation of your work.
TFM will be a portfolio page that features the work of multiple artists. A few examples of portfolio sites that I used for inspiration include Matthew Park, Cynthia Stevens, and Gayle Saunders. Per the recommendation of a dear friend, the page will most closely be modeled after that of a trans-inclusive barbershop in Chicago, Barbara and Barbara! When users click on an example of your work within the TransFormations Marketplace, they will be prompted with the option to redirect to your art page(s). At this time, I do not plan to handle any transactions directly (though, I do one day plan to open my own webshop! Shh, it’s a secret.)
TFM will make clear which artwork is currently for sale and which artwork is not. If you’d like to take a break from selling art at any time and for any reason, you have my full support in making this call. I am a huge proponent of self-care, and I recognize the importance of rest and relaxation. If you do pause sales, I ask that you contact me via e-mail to help me keep TFM up to date with this information. Once you reopen shop, let me know and I will update the page accordingly.
If you’d like to be a part of TFM, here are a few things that I need:
- High quality images (TIFF preferred) of 2-3 items from your shop or art page that you’d like displayed on TFM. Note: If you’d like to use watermarks to protect your work, I encourage you to do so!
- A brief description of each piece (Up to 100 words)
- A brief artist bio (150-200 words)
- A link to wherever you prefer to sell or display your art — this could be an art account, personal website, or other online store (e.g. Etsy, Redbubble, Society6, Threadless Artist Shops, etc.)
Note: If at any point you’d like to update information or images to keep your portfolio current, please reach out and I’ll be happy to arrange this!
If I missed any important info or if you have comments, questions, concerns, or feedback, please do not hesitate to reach out via the “connect” form below. I’m happy to answer anything that you’d like to know!
This is a new endeavor for me and I will do everything in my power to foster a space that has a positive and meaningful impact on you and your customers. At this time, TransFormations Marketplace is set to launch at some point in early May, but submissions will be accepted on a rolling basis.
Thank you so much for all that you do. I am excited to embark on this journey together.
To a transer future,
Arielle Rebekah
