Artist-patron.com creates innovative Artist Business Software-as-a-service solution

March 26, 2010 - PRLog -- Intuitive, subjective thinking helps makes artists great but the business of being an Artist demands structure to succeed. Online galleries and on-demand Giclée printing technologies have created new opportunities for artists but have also introduced new problems: proving the authenticity and integrity of original artworks and limited editions, which has a direct impact on artwork value. Tracking exhibitions, consignments and patronage across multiple printers, galleries and shows is detailed and time consuming, diverting the energy of Artists away from their real business…creating art. These challenges are problematic for the collector and artist alike.

Enter “left-brain” innovator and information design expert David McNab of Objective Business Services Inc. (OBSI) http://www.objectivebusiness.com who has taken up the challenge of designing an efficient, low-cost solution all Artists can use to track their artwork inventory and provenance. Leveraging the Web 2.0 capabilities of Platform-as-a-Service (PAAS) infrastructure leader Wolf Frameworks (wolfframeworks.com), McNab has created a Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) records management solution designed specifically for the needs of today’s Artist.

According to McNab, the motivation to build a solution came from personal experience. “I was struck by how complicated it is for an Artist to keep track of their work, who is buying it and where it is shown” he says. “We looked at the dozen or so Artist Business Software products on the market and found they were too complicated, had unwanted features, were too restrictive in terms of data lock-in and lacked key functions like customizable Certificates of Authenticity. So we tapped into the ongoing conversation about this on social networks like LinkedIn and FaceBook and discovered many Artists wanted us to take it to the next level. Their feedback helped us create an artist-intuitive feel and is guiding us on what functionality to include.”

The Artist-Patron Register ( http://www.artist-patron.com ) structures and automates record keeping of artworks created, consigned or sold individually or in series (e.g. limited editions) by an Artist. Participation in art shows, gallery exhibits, art rentals and works on loan to patrons are tracked as consignments. Transactions also capture the Gallery, Patron, Edition and Serial number of every piece of art sold or gifted. For each transaction a serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity can be printed by the Artist on a local printer using archival paper available at office supply stores.

The service runs on a secure web server, accessed with any computer running the popular Internet Explorer or Firefox web browsers. No software is required since it is entirely web-based. According to McNab “many Artists prefer to use the MAC platform, so it doesn’t make sense to create a solution for any one platform…we wanted one best solution for everyone, and this is exactly what Software-as-a-Service was created for.”

Working with technology partner Wolf Frameworks, payments processing partner PayPal, and the design expertise of OBSI, the Artist-Patron.com team has assembled leading edge global technology players with the experience to deliver world-class systems at “starving artist” prices.

The web-based platform ensures every Artist is using the most up-to-date software all the time without any charges for upgrades in service features and functions. Every Artist’s data is backed-up automatically so it can never be lost (a frequent calamity). The information can be accessed from any computer, anywhere in the world, anytime – key requirements for Artists who travel to do shows or find subject matter in far-flung locations.

Another key feature is security: each artist member gets their own logically separate database “folder” online by leveraging Web 2.0 multi-tenant architecture on a cloud computing platform. All data transfers are encrypted using SSL technology. McNab explains these design choices: “Multi-tenancy is the only way we could create the security of a desktop database with the scalability and low cost of Cloud Computing The technology has finally arrived where a small developer who knows the requirements of their market can put together a scalable service at a reasonable price point. We want Artists to benefit from these innovations in the IT world so they can spend more time creating art – not paperwork.”

During the initial launch period early adopters will have the opportunity to become members for as little as $6.97 a month (billed annually) which is a 30% discount from the regular price of $124.97 (USD) for a one-year membership.

The Artist-Patron Register website is http://www.artist-patron.com .

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About ARTIST-PATRON.COM - The world’s first Web 2.0 Artist Business Software-as-a-service (SAAS) solution to help Artists manage their art business professionally and slash administration time. The Artist Patron Register is the world's first web-based Artist business software that structures and automates art business records, tracking artworks created, consigned or sold individually or in series (e.g. limited editions) by an Artist. Your participation in art shows, gallery exhibits and works on loan to patrons are tracked as consignments. Register transactions capture the Gallery, Patron, Edition and Serial number of every piece of art you sell. A customizable, serial numbered Certificate of Authenticity can be printed on your own printer using archival paper available at office supply stores. This is an Artist business records management system specifically designed to help Artists like you stay organized with a minimum of effort.