On June 4, 2014 SMI, in partnership with the Montclair Art Museum, presented the program “Social Networking 101 for Artists” by Melissa Ruttanai and Neil Friedman. Studio Montclair celebrated its 17th year as a nonprofit arts organization and offered this program to all artists interested in promoting their work. The program and annual meeting will took place at the Montclair Art Museum at 3 South Mountain Avenue, Montclair, NJ. This program was free and open to the public.
As an artist’s introduction to the power of social networking, this workshop covered a variety of platforms that help showcase the artist’s process and story. This included Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest and blogging. Discussion included the nature of sharing online with a focus on how to get started and how to build a visual-based community. Join our discussion on best practices and an overview of the current state of social media. Learn how social networking naturally favors the artistic user, how images can tell your story online, and how to sell yourself as the expert. Attendees are welcome to bring their mobile devices and questions.
Melissa Ruttanai and Neil Friedman are co-founders of World Winder LLC, a consultancy specializing in web design and social media training. Experienced teachers with masters degrees in education, they have taught around the world and worked with organizations such as Americorps and the Jewish Community Center of Rockland. They are workshop leaders prepared to help beginners and intermediate users make a digital niche for themselves. Together they help demystify online jargon and present new trends in social sharing.
Currently, Neil is a full time teacher in the Bronx, New York. His work has appeared in “Lonely Planet Blogs We Like” and “On Holiday Magazine.” Melissa works as a social media strategist for local organizations, including Nyack College, Manhattanville College, and Growler & Gill Craft Beer Shoppe. She has been published by “Search Engine Watch Magazine” and “International Living Magazine.”