Aleen sold several varieties of her cards at an event in Medicine Lodge

The TECH Art Gallery and Art Program not only teaches art skills but it also helps the TECH Artists grow their entrepreneurship and salesmanship skills on a weekly basis. Many of the TECH artists love talking to members of the community about their pieces; how they came up with the subject matter, what techniques they used and how they came up with the name of their painting. Dorinda Simmons, Director of the TECH Art Program says, “They (TECH Artists) have grown so much in their confidence. They were very nervous about showing their art and talking to people about their work but now they have much more confidence and happily entertain questions. Some artists even will initiate conversations about their pieces.”

Aleen Bell has been participating in the TECH Art Program for 3 years and is continually painting stunning pieces of artwork. Many of her pieces are affectionately named after her mom and family. The last two years, Aleen has chosen to participate in a holiday open house at her church in Medicine Lodge, Kansas. In 2016, Aleen decided to take 70 of her Christmas cards in hopes of selling some of them to the community members. She set up her booth and prepared to talk to participants about her artwork in an effort to sell as many of her cards as possible. Much to her surprise, Aleen sold nearly all of the cards she took with her that day!  In 2017, she chose to go back to the event but with a larger stock (double the amount) and greater variety. She even worked on painting a piece of artwork just for that event and had it turned into cards for sale.

Aleen is always selling her cards and artwork. You can find her talking to guests at TECH Art Gallery events about her pieces, encouraging them to make a purchase or two. Aleen loves to stop by Carolyn’s Essenhause in Arlington on her way to Medicine Lodge to show off her new pieces in hopes of making a sale or two.

“We are so proud of Aleen and all of our TECH artists for not only growing in their artistic abilities but also growing their interpersonal skills,” says Simmons. All of the TECH artists receive 80% of the proceeds from their sales. The TECH Art Gallery is open Monday – Friday, 8AM – 5PM and is located at 10 East 1st Avenue in Downtown Hutchinson. You can also shop online at www.techincartgallery.com