#vangosf

[vangoapp]

Celebrate in Style

[vangoapp]

Have you met FIVE?

#FIVEisLIVE.

That's right, v5.0 is here and it's something akin to the sweet nectar of the app gods. So it's safe to say if you're looking for original art, you've found the right place to begin your search. Whatever you need to help you be original, we've got you covered from the moment you open the app. Our new, sleek layout is even more beautiful that its last look, yet it still maintains its core features, like its visualization technology and recommendation algorithm, which has made it one of the most exciting ways to buy art today. For those of you who have been with us for some time now, you may not even recognize us (in a good/great way), and for the newbies...your world is about to get rocked.

Let us explain...

We've channeled our friends over at Spotify and Beats (thanks, Dr. Dre) and now enable you to find art in an unconventional, accessible, and well why don't we just say it, badass ways. Money conscious? Search by price. Decorating your kitchen? Find art by room. Want to capture a certain 'vibe'? Check out our thematic 'Art by Mood' collections. This version is changing the game so that searching for art is less of a process and more of a pleasure. 

“We are constantly exploring ways to bring art to those unfamiliar with the art world, and the meaning of genre, medium, and movement. We wanted to give users more ways to discover art that they could relate to,” says CEO Ethan Appleby. 

What to expect...

You'll dive into the fresh, bold, easy-navigation home screen. You can keep track of your favorite artists better than ever with our 'instagram-esque' newsfeed and iOS 8 interactive notifications, which let you know when they upload new work while also letting you share and favorite right from the notification. And now, artwork that is 'Trending' and 'New' are highlighted with bright badge identifiers.

Plus, we showed the iPad extra love this time 'round...and let's just say, the love paid off.  In addition to all of the awesomeness above, we've done away with the bulky info bar and added the ability to swipe and browse in detail view (FINALLY!), navigate to artist portfolios with one tap, and share to friends, family, and roommates from one easy-to-use screen.

We'll leave the rest for you to discover -- and trust us, there's more tucked into this beautiful build. So be sure to update to v5.0 today.

The time is now. Rip down your posters and hoist the scraps skyward as you tilt your head toward the light and celebrate the fact that being original and having real art on your wall, does in fact come easy.

[vangoapp]

5 Tips to Successfully Sell your Art Online

We called in the big guns for this one. The Vango team (or part of us at least) virtually sat down with guests Cory Huff from The Abundant Artist and artist Elliott C. Nathan to discuss tips, tricks, trials, and tribulations associated with selling art online. It's not an easy area to traverse, so we figured we'd better cover all the bases. Cory, who joined us from Paris (sigh), has spent his career coaching artists and teaching them the ins and outs of marketing their work and Elliott is a successful and savvy bay-area artist. 

Just a heads up - there's some real gold in here. For example...

Learn how to smartly convey your story as a creator

Discover which social media platform(s) is best for you

Find out who the heck your audience is (and how to find them)

Hear about the nuances and trouble with pricing

Get familiar with email lists and how to manage them

Watch, listen, and ask us questions if you have any!

[vangoapp]

Newbie Starts Her Collection

You may be wondering, who is buying art from Vango these days? Well, meet Payton- she’s young, she's hip, and she bought her first piece of art with us. Earlier this week we tracked down and sat down with this San Francisco native and asked her what it was like decorating her room with original art, not to mention doing it all through an app. 

Tell us about yourself.

“I am a student at USF, studying Entrepreneurship and Innovation with a Design Minor. I have always been an art lover and describe myself as “an art student trapped in a business student’s life”.”

Payton browsing the Vango app.

How did you find this piece?

“I was browsing the Vango Pinterest boards and “Float” by YoungJin Choi stood out from everything else. There is something ordinary and simple about it that makes it special. I feel like it’s the kind of piece that has long term meaning, because you never stop interpreting it.”

"Float" by YoungJin Choi ($250)

Why do you like this piece?

“I like how it feels calm, but also on edge. Like floating. It is comfortable, but not settled. It is also somehow reminiscent of my city. It’s not bright, it’s foggy and luminescent, like San Francisco.”

Where do you plan to hang it?

“Above my bed! I am so excited to have this piece of art in my apartment, it’s made by a young artist who is kind of like me.”

We couldn't help but do a little celebratory dancing after this purchase. A younger city-dweller cracking into the world of original art?...that's the dream. 

That’s how Payton Vangos! Show us how you Vango: have a buddy take a picture of you using our app (or do it selfie style) and post it to Instagram with the hashtag #iVango.

[vangoapp]

Meet Stephanie: Vango's Creative Catalyst

Early next month we're growing our Vango family and welcoming (back) a familiar face to our San Francisco office. A summer savior (our awesome version of an "intern") with us last summer, Stephanie proved that even her east-coastyness couldn't stand in the way of a full-time gig helping us spread the paint across the country and bring original art to all those bare walls in need. You may have noticed her in our curated collection emails and as the our main blog writer, and well, pretty soon you'll probably be noticing Vango's newest member even more. We asked her a few questions, some relevant, some not so much. Get to know her here and ask your own questions by tweeting @VangoApp and @StephLong14. 

The Basics

Name: Stephanie Long Age: 22  Homeland: Connecticut Position: Creative Catalyst at Vango College: Cornell University (Go Big Red!) Favorite color: Blue...which now seems weird after the last answer. Favorite food: Mexican food and ice cream...not together. Likes: Songs with high dancability, m&m's, art that makes me look twice, anything/one that makes me laugh (not difficult), wordplay, the beach, a sincerely stellar latté, How I Met Your Mother. Dislikes: Coming up with dislikes...and pessimists. 

What's your favorite piece of art?

Okay this is difficult. Right now, I'll go with Dreamcatcher no. 2 by Jen Dacota. I tend to lean toward abstract art...and this piece is just the perfect mix of simplicity, detail, light, and color for me. I almost don't want to say that publicly because as soon as I find a piece I like on Vango, some one buys it! Great minds people, great minds.

Dreamcatcher no. 2 by Jen Dacota (16" x 20") $250

What was your intro to the "Art World"?

I was extremely fortunate to attend a high school with its own art museum, which was pretty incredible and rare. We had plaster casts of sculptures at the Louvre and a gallery full of great local artists. There, I began to see how art shapes civilizations, serves as a lens into every aspect of life, and functions as more than just a visual stimulant. When I went to college I decided to study art history and then explored more of the contemporary developments and cross-over between art/technology in my own time. 

What's one thing you've learned in the last year? 

It's okay to be a fool, sometimes. Ed Helms spoke to our class of '14 just a little while ago and said: 

“Only a fool would work hard with no clear objective."

“When you try hard at everything you do, even if it feels utterly foolish to do so, you're opening up future doors and possibilities that you might not be seeing in the moment.”

I loved that, and I think he eloquently put into words something that has always been floating around in my mind. Also, his speech was hilarious. Thanks, Ed.

What's something people don't expect when they meet you?

I played college basketball. If I say I played sports in college I usually get soccer or lacrosse...people expect to see 6'0" giants as basketball players. I'm 5'7" and despite many elbow shots to the face (yes, I have broken my nose) I eventually learned how to be scrappy and play much bigger than I am...mostly by being hyper-active and just an altogether nuisance to opponents. 

If you weren't in the art world, what would you be doing?

Probably something related to sports or lifestyle brands...maybe even getting into coaching college basketball. Working with people and improving how they live is something I'm very passionate about, no matter what I'm doing.

What are you most looking forward to with Vango?

In-office snacks...that is all.

No, in all seriousness I love the company's mission, the genuine people, and the super creative and collaborative environment. I'm looking forward to getting to know our users, artists, and community better and making sure we're always interacting and talking with them -- they know best. There's going to be a lot of new features and more insight into the life of Vango in the next few months, and I'm hoping to be the catalyst behind that. Hence the title, "Creative Catalyst." 

What are you going to miss about home?

How old everything is. I grew up in a really historic town, we're talking colonial-times old, and I've grown to appreciate the charm. Oh, and my family...they're fantastic too. Not going to miss the winters, see ya snow.

What's on your bucket list? 

Traveling to six of seven continents...I'm going to pass on Antarctica. I've got a long way to go, but I'm up for the adventure.

Want to know more? Ask away. Tweet @VangoApp with questions for our Creative Catalyst and mention #vangoSF #askSteph.

In the meantime, be sure to update to v4.1 to keep being original.