I’m creating a website to sell my artwork.What are some of the legal issues I need to look at regarding my website?

You are prudent to inquire about the various website legal issues that may arise once you create your site.  Issues of copyright violations, domain name and trademark infringements (in case you use a logo), as well as linking without permission are some of the concerns you may have to contend with.  Unfortunately, the Internet is much like the wild, wild west when it comes to intellectual property – interlopers, infringers, outright thieves will attempt to steal what they can.  Note however that one of the protections for your works is your hard drive; the moment you store your works in your hard drive, they are protected by copyright laws. 

Any logo you create can be registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which will give you exclusive rights to your mark and perfect your rights to bring a federal suit in case of infringement.  You can register your domain name with InterNIC and then register it as a trademark as well for extra protection.  Trademark and defamation issues can arise where someone links something on your site and tries to pass it as their own, or attribute it to something offensive or slanderous.  If you are worried about these issues arising, check with an attorney to discuss how to protect your rights as a website owner.