Don't Check Your Email!
OK, I admit in engaging in a bit of hyperbole. I should rephrase, Don't check your email too much.



How much is too much? More than twice a day is probably too much. My suggestion is to check it once in the morning and once in the afternoon. For an artist, I would even venture to say that ONCE a day is enough. You should be in your studio creating art anyway.

In many ways, email is a time waster. We're all addicted to it. I think we like it because checking and answering email doesn't really require much brainpower, but it makes us feel like we're doing something productive. For the most part, this is an illusion. You'll find your much more productive if you unleash yourself from your inbox and get on with the business of real work.



Now I'll confess: this is easier said than done. Some days I find myself slipping back into old habits and trying to keep my inbox clear at all times. Most days, however, I am now down to three checks a day - roughly at 9:00am, 12:00pm, and 4:00pm -- I DO have an excuse though, I run an internet services company -- as an artist...you don't.

Here's a trick that works, especially if you use an email application like outlook or Thunderbird, after you check your email, simply CLOSE your email program. And then promise yourself that you will not OPEN it again until your next scheduled check.

Generating Creative Business Ideas
My college tennis coach had this wise saying, "If you're winning, don't change anything; if you're losing, change your strategy until something works." I've applied this wisdom to my business practices in the following way: When everything's going well, I stay the course, but if all business indicators are telling me that I'm losing... then I have nothing to lose by experimenting with new ideas.



When Things Get Tough, The Tough Get Creative

While positive thinking may improve confidence levels, confidence without action rarely results in sustainable growth. If your work is selling just as well now as it did before the stock market went crazy, why mess up a good thing? Stay the course that is working for you. However, if sales are slowing or coming to a grinding halt, don't sit around wishing and hoping for improvement... rather, think of ways to tweak your business strategy.

Notice, I'm not saying to change your artwork... continue to create what you have a passion for and what you're good at, especially if you've experienced a demand for that work in the past. What I am saying is - ponder ways that you might sell your work in a depressed economy. If you are also an art collector, think about the kind of opportunities that might make you continue to collect when your finances have taken a beating.



Here are a few ideas that I've dreamed up in recent years, but haven't yet pursued. Right now, I'm in a good position to put these ideas to the test because I'm no longer working with commercial galleries. I can't say whether or not any of the following strategies will be successful, but my hope is that they'll get the ball rolling again by re-sparking my collector base's interest. While I might fall flat on my face, I don't have much to lose, and may even gain a new audience.

Experimental Strategies

Home Shows

I'll ask one of my collectors to hold a show for me at her home - where she and her husband invite their friends for a casual evening of fun, food, and art. I'll introduce these folks to the idea of art collecting... maybe give a short talk on 19th century American Artists -- something that might direct the general public's interest toward appreciation of art. Meanwhile, I'll have some of my best works attractively displayed and hand out copies of a price list. My hosts will proudly show their art collection to their guests, and in return for hosing the event, I'll offer these hosts a small, free original painting. If all goes according to plan, some of the guests (who may have different set of friends) will offer to host a show at their home! I've even considered selling the work of other artists and taking a smaller commission than a commercial gallery - since I have no overhead. Perhaps those of you who enjoy meeting with the public might set something like this up for your fellow artists.

"Limited Edition Originals"



This is something I've wanted to do for years but never got around to it. The Idea: I paint the same image, same size, maybe 10 times. These paintings are essentially reproductions, except I have painted each one entirely myself. Because I'm not a machine, each iteration is bound to be a bit different, and progressively better. So that the 10th painting is likely to be superior in quality to the 3rd. I'm considering raising the price slightly on the latter iterations if this turns out to be the case. Because I save a lot of time by painting the same image repeatedly, I can offer these works for a lower price than my "one of a kind" originals, thereby giving buyers an incentive to collect when their purse strings are tight.

Reduced Pricing - for a Limited Time

Because I've decided to pull out of galleries and sell on my own, I'll offer paintings from my web site at a reduced price for a limited amount of time. My thinking on this is that the limited "bargain" will entice buying from my past collectors, or maybe a few folks who've been eying my work but are concerned about spending money right now. When I raise my prices next spring (not astronomically), the work they buy from me now, at reduced prices will have automatically appreciated. I realize that I'm going against the grain of the way art pricing has worked historically, but I'm willing to find out if this idea will work. One caveat: if I were currently working with galleries, I could not lower my prices - my retail prices would have to stay consistent across all selling venues.



Compromise on Price but Not Quality

Most importantly, I will not compromise the quality of my work, no matter what my prices are. I don't think my past collectors will mind if they can buy my art at a lower price temporarily. I could be totally wrong... We shall see. The point of my writing this blog is to share my brainstorms, but not necessarily to have you follow my experiments. Please don't contact me 5 months from now to say that my theory has failed. Remember, I'm willing to take the risk and experiment. My hope is that artists out there will not settle for despondency, but feel compelled to generate ideas and perhaps act on the ones that make the most sense. Please feel free to share your ideas with others by posting a comment below.

AS AN ARTIST,I'VE ALREADY DISCOVERED THAT ONE THING THAT I DO BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE..AT MY OWN SKILL..MY OWN CREATIVITY.
Back when I owned my art gallery, a man came in one day and wanted my opinion of his art. You see, his heart's desire was to be a professional artist.

Unfortunately, this man's work was, frankly...terrible. I thought to myself that he truly should not give up his day job. But, believing in hard work and "luck", I encouraged him to continue with his artistic pursuits as long as he truly loved and enjoyed it....and I asked him to periodically show me his work so I could see how he was doing. (Plus, he assured me that, since he had a family to support, he would not quit his day job until he was 100% sure he was ready to support himself with his art).



Over the years, he worked hard, studied with some of the greats, painted every day and just kept at it. I was impressed each time that he came in, that his work, while still bad, WAS little-by-little improving.

I still remember the day, years after our first meeting, that he brought in the first painting that made me think "this is pretty good."



Fast forward to today, and you'll find the artist in this story working as a successful, full-time, professional artist.

We artists deserve to be who we are, and we need to focus honestly on what we want to say with our art.Seeing the world in an artistic way has been with me throughout my life; For me, painting seems as natural as breathing. My artistic senses go back to my earliest childhood memories. I really can't remember how young I was, but let's say it was early enough that I couldn't see the top of the kitchen counter -- the bottom of the car window was only at eye level.




In my adult life, I've come to relish the time I spend alone.... the essential joyous moments where I take time to see, smell and feel ... using all my senses to take in the world around me.These are the times that make my creative juices flow. Standing in front of a fresh canvas while music enhances my mood, is one of the greatest pleasures I have.

While it may appear that I'm a complete loner, I also take time to enjoy my many friendships and socialize. I've worked out a fine balance between work and fun while remaining spontaneous. Because if I were to work continuously without engaging in activities I enjoy, my creative time would not be as productive. In fact, my best work usually comes after a day of diving or swimming.




I live on an island, so there are many opportunities to enjoy my favorite outdoor activities – one of them being plein air painting. I can't think of anything more refreshing and fun than painting on the beach. Not only do I get to meet folks who stop and take an interest in my painting, but sometimes I have the pleasure of selling it before it's done.

On the other side of the coin, those who are close to me sometimes become “time bandits”, trying to pull me away from my painting time – asking me to watch TV or a movie when I'm wanting to paint. When this happens, I feel like they're putting me on a guilt trip, which robs me of my artistic energy. Non-artists have difficultly understanding how we artists feel – not realizing that even when we are alone, we are not lonely. We delight in solitude.




My advice to artists concerning "time bandits" is to forget about computer emails, the latest movie or about giving into guilt put on you by that person who thinks you're spending too much time painting. No, is a two-letter word – Learn to use it.



Sometimes you need to do say, “No Thank You”, then just go paint. Not only will you gain self-respect for putting painting time first, but I've found that friends and family admire me for standing up for myself. Everybody wins! We artists deserve to be who we are, and we need to focus honestly on what we want to say with our art. Time is precious, choose how you use it wisely. Be a little selfish. Paint!

As I immerse myself in study and then begin to incorporate what I am learning, I find that I can better express myself with my art.while in college art classes, there was a student who had the attitude that the fundamental ‘rules’ of art were a hindrance and should be broken or even avoided. He would often cite well known artists who broke away from traditional painting and did things their own way. What he failed to acknowledge or understand is that to successfully break the rules, you must first have a solid understanding of the rules. The better you understands the fundamentals, the better you will know when and how to successfully deviate from them to support your expression. Some of you may disagree with me. Please read on and reserve judgment until after I have presented my case. If you still disagree just remember - I’m right and you’re wrong! :)


I truly believe that if the fundamentals of art were better taught and understood, the quality of art would improve dramatically. I believe that this holds true no matter the genre or style. Be it realism, abstract expressionism, cubism, etc., etc., etc.

Unfortunately, many would be and professional artists alike subscribe to the notion that was held by the art student I knew. They argue that the artist needs to be free to express oneself. So called rules get in the way. I couldn’t disagree more. I feel that the rules are liberating and enable me to be free in my expression.


Why would I want to reinvent the wheel if I wanted to design a sleek new hybrid car? I would use all the cumulative knowledge of the past, and then using my intellect and imagination create something new to fit my purpose and vision. I would throw out old parameter and constraints. I would experiment and find new solutions. I could only do this if I knew why and how the parameters and constraints work in the first place (I don’t-I’m not very mechanical). This holds true with art.

This also holds true with the artists cited by the student. I admit that I haven’t studied very many of the artists who began the abstract, cubist or other avant garde movements. However, the truly gifted ones that I have studied were traditionally trained artists. They learned the fundamentals, yet they took what they knew and manipulated it to fit their vision. They often broke the rules, but they knew how and when it was appropriate.

Too many of the artists today who emulate their work do not know a thing about the fundamentals that make great art. To be fair, I will also pick on the realists and impressionists of today. It is too easy to just ‘paint a pretty picture’ and have no foundation to build it on. Again, too many artists do not understand the fundamental principles of art. Let me reiterate, to successfully break the rules, you must have a thorough understanding of the rules.

Could you imagine a young music student refusing to learn scales, chords, harmony or other aspects of music theory so that he or she could be free to express his or herself? Quite the contrary. The musician who can successfully use accidentals or dissonance in music knows and understands music theory. The musician who understands theory knows how to manipulate the textures, moods, rhythms, harmonies, colors, etc to convey his or her intent. Knowledge is key to freedom of expression.


Knowledge does not come all at once. Neither can it be incorporated into your art all at once. I speak from experience. Each time when I hit a plateau or otherwise feel that my art is not what I feel it could be, I try to learn what things are holding me back. Sometimes it takes a while and is frustrating. However, I inevitably discover that what is lacking is a thorough understanding of certain principles of art. As I immerse myself in study and then begin to incorporate what I am learning, I find that I can better express myself with my art. I begin to improve.

I would encourage you to make the study of the fundamentals of art a life-long pursuit. I don’t care if you paint realism or abstract expressionism or anything else. Noone has ever suffered from gaining too much knowledge. It may take a while to learn how to use that knowledge and incorporate it into your work, but that is part of the fun of it. You owe it to yourself and to those who view your artwork.

Talented?

Lately, I've been coming across online videos and blogs that deal with the question, What is talent? Does it exist, and if it does, what exactly is it? Are some people blessed with a huge dose of it, and therefore destined to become a prodigy? Mozart usually comes to mind.

Last week I watched an online video where Malcolm Gladwell (author of "Blink") was being interviewed before an audience. A large part of the discussion surrounded the topic of talent. While Malcolm concedes that raw talent does exist in some individuals, it certainly brings no guarantee of greatness. He comes to the conclusion that in order to get masterful at anything, one must spend 10,000 hours doing that thing. He says the talent factor is really just a dose of love -- the passion that makes someone put in the hours to get there.

As many of you know, I paint with Richard Schmid on a regular basis. Richard is annoyed by the idea that some people are born with that something extra. He acknowledges that a solid art education in the fundamentals and years of hard work have made him appear to be talented. Richard advises in his book, Alla Prima, to just assume that you've got talent and move on to learning and doing.

I disagree with Richard on one point. Yes, I'm not afraid to take a small stand with the Maestro. In conversation, Richard has expressed that doesn't believe there is a genetic component to becoming a great artist. I do believe that there is often a natural spark of interest in visual things. My visual memories go all the way back to the crib. I can remember being fascinated by dust particles floating in the sunlight, the way window blinds cast diagonal patterns of light and shadow on the wall... maybe all children wonder about these things; I can't say for sure.

My father, his father and their brothers were all commercial artists.You're probably thinking that I was surrounded by art growing up and that influenced me. But here's the catch: I never knew my father, his father or their brothers. My mother had no interest in art at all - and yet, I started drawing as soon as I could hold a crayon in my hand. By the way, I never liked to stay in the lines on coloring book pages...

My mother had only two original oil paintings in her possession. They were square, 4"x4" landscapes - little Hudson River Style oil landscapes. Now here's where I think nurture comes into play - because even today, I'm attracted to that style of landscape painting, but let me get back to my story... at the age of, oh about 3, I thought I could greatly enhance those little paintings by adding my own artistic statement to them with crayon. I could never understand why kids got in trouble for coloring on the wall. That never appealed to me - I went right for the canvas!

Well, seriously, I do think that talent exists in the form of being genetically inclined to see objects and the world in a certain way. How many artist biographies have you seen that begin with the line, I started drawing at a young age? But! In case you imagine that I think artists are more important than other human beings, let me state that it is my belief that all people have at least one natural ability to do something that can contribute to others - whether it be math ability, musical inclination or ability to wait tables with a smile. Artistic ability has never made me feel more important than those who have other abilities.

I'll finish with one final thought: Talent seems worthless without passion and persistence. While I don't think it takes 10,000 hours to get to the professional level as an artist, I do think it takes several years of hard and smart work. Getting the best education seems to expedite the process - whether through classes or workshops, videos, or books. I believe that a strong base of knowledge in the fundamentals of value, color, and composition will shine a light on the path to excellence.

So what do you think Talent is? How essential is it to success? What if someone doesn't have a great deal of talent - is that person doomed to mediocrity? How many artists do you know that didn't start out with any apparent ability but went on to achieve greatness?

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The secret to success in life and in art is to live life recursively.

In programming, a recursive function is a strange animal that can call itself . . . a function that can build upon itself. In certain applications, recursive functions can be extremely powerful and effective.
























Build upon what you build

Structure your life, art and business as recursive algorithms.

Living recursively means that it's not enough to just be "good" at what you do . . .it's not even enough to "build upon what you have".....you've got to learn to, as Darren Rowse of problogger says, build upon what you build.




Building upon what you build means that today's output becomes tomorrow's input....and so on and so forth . . . .

For example, in your artwork, today's masterpiece is tomorrow's average work . . .. and, better yet, tomorrow's masterpiece is next year's average work.

In your sales, today's large sale is tomorrow's small sale.

In your health, today's jog is tomorrow's walk.





What causes enthusiasm where your art sales are concerned: Believing in your work.


Now everyone knows that the most enthusiastic marketers are the most successful. There are many artists out there who aren’t exactly the best at painting, drawing, or sculpting, yet they sell their creations like crazy simply because they’re so enthusiastic about their work. We too then must learn to be enthusiastic where our products are concerned.



Sure your finished piece may not be equal to the likes of master painter Michael Angelo, but your potential collectors don’t think that way, and they’re looking for a reason to collect art, not a reason to stop.



Build up your work


Never speak negatively about your work. Even if that pear in your recent oil painting is lop-sided, mention to the viewer about how well the colors of the pear pop against the dark background. Just as you would build up a person, build up the qualities of your work, and speak of its strengths, not its weaknesses.





The better that you feel about your product the more you’ll believe in it; and the more that you believe in it the more others will too. People want to be convinced to invest in your art. They’re already looking at it, and they’re going to spend their money somewhere – even in this economy – so if you could convince them to invest in yours wouldn’t you?
























Make improvements


I’m not suggesting that you just put junk out there for potential clients to see. You do need to do whatever it takes to improve your ability, and work towards becoming the best that you can be. Whether it’s taking a workshop, soliciting the critique of an established artist, or investing in those expensive DVD’s you’ve been looking at, do what’s necessary to better the quality of your work.



Believe in the importance of what you do

We aren’t just hobbyists creating art in our spare time – we’re contributors to one of the most rewarding and enriching parts of human existence. We must remember this the next time that we’re hanging our work for exhibits, or speaking with a collector at an art show. It’ll change our attitude towards what it is that we do; and if our attitude changes we’re more likely to affect a change in others attitudes as well.




Be Prepared – It’s not just for Boy Scouts


Brace yourself for questions when going into a situation where you’ll be selling. Much like a good Lawyer never asks a question that he doesn’t already know the answer to - a good artist should never be unprepared when faced with a question about his/her work. Know exactly how you want your artwork to be perceived when being shown, and come up with answers before the questions are ever asked.























This isn’t to give you the appearance of a robot when conversing with potential collectors, but rather to fill your memory bank with answers that will keep you on track when it’s crucial for you to make the sale.



Be one in a million


Now is everyone that takes the time to read this article going to become a great success in today’s market? Certainly not! But probably not for the reason that you’re thinking of: It’s not that this will only work for a select few, it’s that only a select few will put this knowledge to work. Anyone can do what it takes to improve their artistic and marketing skills, but not everyone will. All the more reason for you to get out there!
























When we become believers in what we do, others will be converted – they too will begin believing in the quality and significance of our work, and the sales will come!

pratique, pour un parfait

Now more than ever I've come to understand the importance of setting goals; Not so as to give in to the idea of being anal and manipulative about everything, but rather as a means of having a clear understanding of where I'm headed in my career as an artist.



Eliminating some wrong information


I've found that that old Daffy Duck song I frequently heard as a child while watching Saturday morning cartoons "You don't know where you're goin' til you get there" is false: If you don't know where you're going, how will you know when you've arrived at your destination? And if you don't have a destination in mind, what's the point of taking another step?





The simple truth is that with a better understanding of where I want to go in my career as an artist allows me to know what opportunities to lookout for; and edit - or cut out - whatever may be holding me back and keeping me from accomplish my goals.


When I know what it is that I'm after, I can say no to prospects that I'm sure won't fit into my plans, and thus keep from hindering myself from being able to say yes when the right opportunities come along.























What setting goals can accomplish


Recently I've had a huge goal of mine come to fruition: I've always wanted to be in a "National Level" art gallery, and have my work be regarded - and invested in - by the top collectors in the world. After working diligently to put together a professional looking portfolio, and presenting it to one of the most prestigious galleries in this country, they have eagerly consented to represent me and my work!







It's a dream come true, however I can now look back and see how proper planning has played a crucial role in this ambitious attempt to move forward.



Some useful tips for successful goal setting


Write down ten goals and begin to classify them in the following approach:

























Of these ten goals, which one can you bring to an end right now, without hesitation? Let's call this your immediate goal. Place this at the very top of your list.


Which of your goals can realistically be accomplished within a year's time? We'll call these the semi-short term goals. Position these just under the top goal listed.


Which will probably require more than a year to be completed? We can identify these goals as long-term. Arrange them toward the bottom most part of your list.





Start at the top


Work on that one goal that can be accomplished in the shortest amount of time.

Perhaps it's ordering that art instruction book that you've been putting off, or heading out to the art store to pick up some new brushes because your old ones are falling apart. Do something that can be done without hesitation, and cross that off your list.






















The power progress


Now look at your list again. There are only nine goals left! Go to the next one that will require the least amount of time, and work towards completing that.


Continue to work down the list, and feel free to add more as you go. The truth is that you'll never run out of things to labor towards, but writing them down and seeing them checked off one-by-one will encourage you to stay focused and get organized.



We must plan ahead

Will everything always go as planned? Probably not; but to plan is to also make room for surprises. Except for a few definite things on your list of objectives, it will always be evolving. That's a good thing! Change means that you're growing!



So many things can be accomplished when we take the time to intently focus on achieving them; and doing exercises such as this can help us see our plans flesh out - becoming realities in our lives.


Remember that, when you know where you're goin', you'll know exactly when you get there!

Êtes-vous doué?

A few days ago, I came across a discussion about an art gallery who had changed the price on an artist's painting. The gallery felt that one of the larger paintings was priced too high, although they felt the artist's smaller works were priced correctly. So they simply lowered the price on the larger painting.














There are probably a million ways to price art.

In this case, I think the gallery was wrong to change the price without the artist's input, but they were right to question it. The final decision on how to price the art should have been up to the artist, reached by mutual respectful discussion with the gallery.






The problem was that the artist choose to price art according to a simple per-square-inch formula.

















I discovered in my gallery director days that pricing art by square inch only generally doesn't work. It either makes the small ones too cheap or the big ones too expensive. A better strategy is to have a "base" price that applies to all sizes. The theory being that every painting requires a "base" amount of setup time, composition, and a base amount of work no matter how small it is. So, say your small pieces (ie 6 x 8) start at $300 and that represents a "base" amount of work. Then you ADD square inch pricing as the sizes get bigger. So an 18x24 would be $300 PLUS some square inch multiplier.

It was extremely rare that I ever saw a selling artist whose prices were equal on a square inch basis when comparing large and small pieces. Larger paintings are almost always less per square inch than small ones.




Think about this when deciding how to price your art.

I'm curious what other methods you guys utilize when deciding how to price art? Please share in the comments.

vivre comme un artiste

How to Make a Living as an Artist

You have been told that it is impossible to make a living as an artist, but it is not!

It is already being done. I'm a full time artist and I have been doing it for many years, and so have my inner circle of friends and colleagues. We share our secrets here with you how to make a living as an artist.

Facts:
* You could be a full time professional artist.
* You could be published worldwide.
* You could have regular exhibitions of your work in many countries on five continents.
* You could have international sales of your work grossing about half a million dollars a year.
* You could be your own boss, as an artist, and enjoy the good life.
* How do you think about it?
























To every serious artist, I say - "practice, practice, practice". In the long run, it is worth your time.

I have to admit that I was really lousy! But all the while, there were wheels spinning in the background of my consciousness -- because by the third class, I began to think of this new experience as ... "kind of interesting". Today, nearly twenty years later, I often think back to the night when my best friend, Cham, said If you want to be an artist you need to do this every day.

























I am happy because I am now at my easel just about every day, and every day I feel better about it. I just took a series of private oil painting lessons to learn to paint like the Old Masters. Now I'm really getting serious, and I'm definitely hooked!

Still after hours and hours of practice, the search for excellence keeps me ever moving forward. To just "paint a picture" is no longer enough to satisfy me. My desire is to convey the emotion -- the "something" deeper; perhaps the feelings of the person depicted, or the mood of the landscape. This quest to portray, and thereby communicate emotion in my work has nearly become an obsession.



























The process of conveying my thoughts and feelings with paint is a work in progress. I haven't quite reached it yet, but I can feel it working within me. It brings me joy to see myself move daily toward this goal. And I move forward faster with practice. It is all about practice. It is about showing up at the easel every day to pursue excellence.


When I blog every single day, I find that I have many more topics rolling around in my head about which I want to write. The more I write, the more I have to say. However, after the weekend, or, especially after a vacation, my mind feels like mush. I feel like I have nothing to say and I just sit here staring at a blank monitor.
























What does this have to do with art?

Plenty.

If you're not painting every single day, you may be hurting your creativity. I ran across a blog post Finding Time to Paint on the Corinne Galla Studios blog. She writes:
Set aside time to paint every day. And if you're thinking, "Oh, easier said than done," I have the just the guru for you: Check out Jerry Lebo's blog, Sixty Minute Artist. He leads the pack in chronicling what every "working" artist should be doing to get the ends met.
She (and Jerry Lebo) are absolutely right. It may be difficult, but it's extremely important not to get "stale." I would suggest reading Jerry Lebo's blog and gleaning some ideas on how to work in a little painting (sculpting, photography) time into every day.

























In the movie, You've Got Mail, Tom Hanks has a mantra, “It's not personal, it's business”.

Because I am a creative type, the business of finding a market for my artwork is entirely personal. It doesn't make sense to half-wittingly adhere to someone else's business plan for my life and art, and it does me no good to accomplish a plan that won't satisfy my goals and desires. Rather, it is imperative that I have a crystal clear understanding of what the word Success means to me.






















Success often means different things for different artists. A few years ago, I conducted a personal survey using 6 of my professional artist friends as subjects. I asked this simple question: What is your personal definition of Success? Although, each would admit that making money was near the top of the list, the most common answer had to do with the quality and subject matter of their artwork.





























While some portraitists adore painting their subjects, many of them get swept up into a market that they later regret having entered. Commissions are really about painting for someone else's taste and vision, but the money is so good.! Now I am willing to bet that if these artists were willing to risk a temporary drop in income, that each could be making an equally good of a living painting subjects that move them emotionally.

Taking this into consideration, it seems logical that before I design a marketing plan for myself, that I keep my personal definition of success in mind – because it just doesn't make sense to design my plan around someone else's concept of what it means to have 'made it' as an artist. First and foremost, I must be clear about what will make me happy in the long run, or else I'm wasting my time on my business plan. Here are a few questions I ask myself throughout the year – to keep me on my own track.




What are some of the things that I'd like to do during my lifetime, aside from my art career, that I'd feel sorry about if I didn't get to do?

If all my dreams came true, what would my artwork look like, how would I sell it and where?




















How many hours a week would I like to spend in my studio working?

How can I combine my life's dreams with my art career? Am I currently good enough to compete in my “dream's come true” arena?

These questions, like their answers, are personal. If you were to list your answers, the results are likely to be different than mine, but I'll give at least one of my answers here.




When considering the last question listed above, I'd have to honestly admit that I don't feel quite ready to take on my “dreams come true” gallery. This would probably be Trailside Galleries in Scottsdale. You might be asking, Well, why doesn't she think she's ready for such a place? For one: I don't have a large enough body of work at this point to submit to a gallery for consideration. Why not? Because I don't spend enough hours in the studio to produce 50 or more dynamite paintings a year. I'm just not ready for this venue, and I'm not at all sure that I'm cut out to spend 40 hours/week alone in my studio.



























But does that mean I'm not ready for any venue? Not at all. I also would be very happy selling on my own through studio shows and my web site, and with these kinds of outlets, I'd have the freedom to paint what I want – when I want.

Now if I continued answering all my personal questions on this page, you'd be yawning pretty quickly. So perhaps it's a good time for you, the reader, to start brainstorming – come up with your own questions, answers and personal plan and definition of success. Design a business plan to make all your dreams come true... and remember, the fulfillment might be in Scottsdale or it might just be in your own backyard.
























Let's just suppose for a moment that you have been granted to make a million dollars next year working at whatever you want. Now there are a couple of strings attached to this statement: One is that you would have to work hard at it, and two - it could only be one thing.

Now, please don't pick the question apart -- it's hypothetical, and I have a good reason for presenting it -- to help you discover what is your true motivation for making the artwork that you do.























I've observed that some successful artists have built their careers with income as their highest motivator, while denying themselves the pleasure of doing what they love to do. I personally know a few portrait artists who enjoy the income but not the process. A couple of them even feel trapped. But I also know some portraitists who adore their careers, so an artist's satisfaction really depends on where his or her motivation lies.

We artists, who are currently emerging, are in a great place because we are yet free to chose our aesthetic paths. How wonderful it would be if we could make a decent living at something we love doing rather than just for the money.




So... if I were offered a guarantee that I would make a million dollars in 2009 doing whatever I wish to do - as long as it were one thing, and I worked very hard at it, what would that one thing be? How I answer this question will make all the difference in how much I enjoy my career and life in the long run.

For those of us who consider ourselves to be Fine Artists, and not Commercial artists - taking time to think about the answer might determine where we are along the "fine" or "commercial" continuum. After all, doesn't the very definition of "fine artist" mean one who follows their heart, paints for themselves. develops their work according to their own vision rather than at the request of a potential buyer or art director? I'm not at all saying there is anything wrong with being a commercial art - my father was a commercial artist, as was my grandfather, and they made very good money at it. However, don't most of us here - reading this now want to be successful as Fine artists?




























Too often, we artists get confused about what to focus on because of our need to make money. I know I do. In the back of my mind, I'm always wondering about some would-be collector, putting myself into their shoes,(even though these people are figments of my imagination) and speculating as to why or why not they'd want to buy the painting I'm working on. In economic downturns, some of us have a tendency to fall into more of a commercial mindset - trying to guess at what is sure to sell.

There is one thing that I have observed about art collectors - especially those who take it seriously. They buy artwork that is beautiful - no matter the subject. The subject matter is often secondary to the fact that it is exquisitely made. I've never heard any collector say, "I only buy paintings that match my sofa", or "I don't buy landscapes unless they have flowers in them".





So next time someone advises you by saying, "If you'd just put some flowers in your landscapes, I know they'd sell faster" - first determine if putting flowers in your painting is what you want to see there. Andrew Wyeth never listened to anyone but his internal artistic voice. He didn't even paint like his father. How much guts did that take? He gained a wide following by painting his friends - who were homely and eccentric. He revealed his heart in his paintings. If he made a great living doing that, then what is holding us back from being our true artistic selves?

Getting back to the original question: You're guaranteed to make a million at anything you work at for the next year. How would you answer? Of course, I can't answer for you, but this I can say - loving what you do will get you through the tough, dry times - because being able to solve difficult problems - is a bitter, but essential part of the recipe for success. You can and should expect there to be times when you feel like giving up... even when you love your job.

If you're just doing it for the money alone, you may continue to succeed, but at what price? It is so much more satisfying (and healthy) to succeed at doing what you love.

























Today, by considering some thoughts about great writing, I propose three elements that provide a simple definition of great painting.
I must start by admitting that I'm not a painter....and, in my opinion, a fairly pathetic writer (but I try, fellow art patrons, I try). Therefore, it would seem that I have no right to address the subject of how to create a great painting (or writing).

However, I ask - Do you have to be a musician to recognize great music? Do you have to be an athlete to understand conceptually what is required to perform?

Therefore, since I'm stubborn enough to tread in waters that rightfully belong only to painters, let's push onward.





















The idea for this essay hit me while reading a newletter, Early to Rise. The author, Michael Masterson, was discussing the subject of what makes great writing. Mr. Masterson says:

I've been trying to answer the question for at least 20 years. For a long time, I had nothing. I came up with definitions that would do a good job explaining one sort of good writing but fail miserably to explain another. Then, about a year ago -- and I think this came about after a conversation I had with BB and PS -- I had a revelation. Good writing is good thinking with everything else -- all the ornamentation -- cut off.

I am very happy with that definition. It pretty much explains and clarifies just about every sort of non-fiction writing I can think of. I've used it 100 times since then to analyze the writing of others and to figure out what was sometimes wrong with my own writing.

If good writing is good thinking unembellished, the trick to writing well is twofold:

1. Don't start writing until you have one good thought.

2. After you've written it down, edit the hell out of it. Get rid of every sentence, phrase, and word that is not necessary.

This is, if I say so myself, excellent advice. But it begs the question: What is good thinking?



















It struck me as I read his words, wouldn't these ideas apply to painting as well? Shouldn't a painting begin with a single, unifying good thought? One might even say a theme or idea. I'm reminded of a quote I read in the April/May issue of International Artist Magazine. Bart Lindstrom when asked "In your opinion what is the most important facet or element that needs to be in a painting for it to be successful?" answered (in part):


Great paintings have a mystical quality that I call "compelling." When I walk into a museum, I often pause at the door and ask myself which painting is the most compelling. Ultimately, one imape will stand out from the rest." It seems to me that starting with a good thought and eliminating all extraneous elements takes a painting far down the road the goal of being compelling. (emphasis added)

























Mr. Li is saying much the same thing - start with a compelling idea. Then strengthen the idea by only including elements in the painting which support the idea. By definition, if an element doesn't support your compelling idea, then it detracts from it and should be eliminated.


Further in the Early to Rise Newsletter, Mr. Masterson delves further into the related topics of, "What is Good Thinking?" and "How do you come up with good ideas?":



I've been thinking about the process . . . and also wondering why so much of my writing ends up being such drivel . . . and I haven't been able to come up with anything brilliant. But the other day, BB said something in a memo that was a breakthrough.




























We were talking about what was wrong with the writing in several publications we have in England. By most standards, it seems "good" -- the expression and style are fine and even the ideas are OK (ordinary but not "bad"), but, overall, the quality is mediocre. We had made suggestions about improving it in the past, and all our suggestions were dutifully observed. Yet, the bottom-line quality of the publications had not improved. There was something deeper than anything we'd yet been able to describe that was still wrong here. And, finally, my partner, BB, figured out what it was.

In a memo about a writer we both admire, he said, "What I like best about his writing is how unique his ideas are. His view of how things work in the world is very different from mine. But his view is authentic . . . and that's why I like it."

BB had struck gold, I thought. Authenticity is the key. Good writing must not only involve good ideas but also be authentic.

This is what gives it its relative value -- it doesn't matter what the subject is so long as the ideas and the expression of those ideas are authentic . . . that they honestly and truthfully reflect the thoughts and feelings of the writer . . .


























Now, re-read the sentence above and replace the word "writer" with the word "painter." Wouldn't it be just as valid? In fact, let me do it for you:


This is what gives a painting its relative value -- it doesn't matter what the subject is so long as the ideas and the expression of those ideas are authentic . . . that they honestly and truthfully reflect the thoughts and feelings of the painter.



For those who have suffered through this exploration so far, let's get to the crux.

What makes a great painting?

1. Start with one good compelling idea to convey

2. Depict the idea without any unnecessary elements, colors or brushstrokes

3. Be Authentic - Be true to yourself, your inspiration and your style



















You Can Actually Make Money from Your Art
And Feel Good About It!

The good news is that most artists fail NOT because they lack talent but because they have not been properly trained in how to represent themselves, build a customer base, and actually sell their great artwork.