For as long as artists have been creating there have been myths about what it means to be a professional artist. Stereotypes of the ‘starving artist’ or the ‘eccentric weirdo’ seem to follow us wherever we go. Professional artists come in all shapes, sizes and personality types. And many of the common myths about artists […]
The vast majority of artists I work with are looking for ways to sell art online and off. They dream of one day becoming a full-time artist and having their artwork pay their bills. Are you dreaming of a career as an artist too? While being a full-time artist is a worthy pursuit, a day
Artists and Day Jobs: A necessary evil or liberating opportunity? Read More »
My favorite college professor taught art history. He’d started out life as a photographer, a lifelong dream since he’d mixed his own chemicals in a homemade darkroom under his parents’ stairway. As a young man he’d had an opportunity to show his portfolio to a big shot, an established and highly celebrated photographer whom he
Is procrastination preventing you from creating a successful art career? Here’s how to fix it. Many artists I know (including myself occasionally!) struggle with procrastination. Especially when it comes to doing the boring stuff that will help your career like marketing your art. But if you ever want to have a chance at selling
We all know artists who do incredible work, but fail to achieve their professional goals. It’s tragic and feels unfair. At the same time, I’ll bet you can also name several artists who enjoy great commercial success, they’re achieving professional goals – yet their work leaves you scratching your head and wondering why? Why them?
Though he called himself “Framer to the Stars,” I never saw any stars in Bill’s Custom Frames. But I did see plenty of artists. Every artist has their favorite framers, and ever since I was in art school Bill has been one of mine. When I later worked as an art dealer, Bill helped me to
Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of university art students. They always impress me; eager to learn, explore, and ready to change the world. But they’re also scared and unsure if the world will welcome them. Art students often ask the same questions… and what strikes me is how familiar these questions
Last Monday we celebrated International Artists Day by meeting up LIVE in my Facebook Group. It was great to see so many artists there and sharing a toast with this beautiful online community. There, I used the opportunity to reflect about life as an artist and what it takes to actually move forward. Since
As artists, we’re constantly questioning ourselves. And questions are good things, it’s important to ask questions. But are you asking the right ones? It’s easy to get caught up in questions such as: Am I good enough? Does anyone like my stuff? Do I have what it takes to succeed? Am I too old? (or
So you’ve taken the jump and chosen to be an artist. Now what? Artists are always telling me what a struggle it is to succeed. They complain that the challenges can be overwhelming. I get it. I’ve been working in the world of Contemporary Art for a long time now. I know the realities. Watch