Free Inspiration
The First Artist I Ever Met
I told Andy about the special place where I ride my bicycle each day. It’s a tiny island in the middle of a pond. I explained how it’s been my destination for years; it’s where I
Do They Like Your Art?
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
The Artist’s Mantra
There are several definitions of artists that I personally subscribe to, but my favorite is this: artists are alchemists. During the Middle Ages, an alchemist was known as someone who could transform base metals into gold. I
The Procrastinating Artist
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
The Artist’s Dance
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
To Stop Wishing And Start Doing
For years I wished that I could be a writer and an artist. I wished on every shooting star, straining my neck from the constant upward gaze. I threw a small fortune of pennies into wishing
Framer to the Stars
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
A Christmas Story: How One Artist Found Her Way
A few years ago, I donned an apron as I shared my tragically funny story with a wonderful crowd at Phoenix’s very cool RPela Gallery. It’s the true tale of what happened when I decided to
The Artist’s Journey: How To Best Prepare
How do you prepare for the artist’s journey if you don’t know where you’re going? Spend wisely. When I was selling other people’s art and not making my own art, I filled that empty space inside
How a Blind Artist Taught Me How to See
I was 17 years old and had never met a blind man before. Every day, he sat at the counter of the diner where I poured coffee. The first time we met, he pulled out paper and
Are you asking yourself these questions?
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
5 Secrets to Build an Audience for Your Art Business
Artists who have a solid audience base most often see consistent sales and growth and new opportunities. But building a target audience is not easy! It’s an investment of time and energy to gather and nurture
A Special Message For You
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
The Questions Every Artist Must Ask
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
So You’re An Artist. Now What?
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.
The Artist Who Is “Quick-To-See”
Jaune Quick–to–See Smith is an internationally renowned artist with a seriously impressive bio: Jaune Quick-to-See Smith is one of the most acclaimed American Indian artists today. Reviewed in most art periodicals, Smith has had over
Are You a Liar? Or a Thief?
Have you ever done something that scared the pants off you? When I was new to writing, but determined to succeed, a prospective client asked, “Can you write copy for business websites?” I really, really needed
Enter The Working Artist World
“The true job of an artist is to create an artist,” said art historian Harold Rosenberger. I believe that’s true. Don’t you? Like most artists, the road to creating the artist I am and the artist