Mark E Shellshear.

I received this question and felt it needed to be posted, as we cannot seem to get past the place where many think it is ok to copy another artist’s work. (I have removed names to protect privacy).  Z. Hello Mark, Z here. I responded to you some time ago, around the question and response about 'copying', and haven't been able to get the conundrum out of my mind. May I “rant?” This question has been around a long time, and certainly does present a great topic for thought and discussion. My thoughts are that very little can be created without outside influences, most of us are not geniuses. So, I have always thought appropriation is perfectly legit, if it allows a path for growth. Copying, to learn something, again, OK. So that's basic stuff. Now should I copy something and claim it to be original, then I think the only person I fool is myself. A long time ago a teacher said to me, “let them copy, either you will move on and it doesn't matter and they will l...

Thoughts for the Collector? If you buy an Andy Warhol painting of a can of beans, are you buying the painting or are you buying the whole Warhol image and life style? Is the back story of the painting as important, or more important than the painting? Consider this when you buy your next painting, the Artist back story is as important as the painting. Thoughts to ponder as you purchase your next painting. Happy collecting. Mark and team Galeria.                                      ++++++++++++++ I posted this on the Galeria de las Islas Facebook page, as part of my daily thoughts to collectors. I thought how relevant it was for artists to think about the importance of this. Your personal artist back story!  Something many artists do not think about this. I certainly believe that e...

My brief was to come in and change the selling practice of the Gallery and build better sales. We sell a wide range of paintings and sculpture to our many valued collectors, friends and guests. In the last ten months I have achieved the goals for the business and it has grown substantially to the point of have to employ new staff. The Gallery hired two young ladies and when they started work for the Gallery, I talked to them about selling and what I required of them in dealing with the customers. After I finished I thought about what I had said to them, and how helpful it may be to Artists who are trying to carve out a living selling their art. I told these young woman that when customers entered the gallery, to go and greet them and smile. Not to ask them if they needed help but to connect with them. Ask them questions about themselves, where are they from and to generally get them to talk about themselves. Not to talk about the paintings or sculpture unless ...

One of the big problems I get asked about by Artists is the price issue mainly, “How should I price my paintings?” I don’t want to enter into that question again as I have addressed it many times, however what I want discuss in this post are potential problems of selling at the point of sale. So you have decided on what you think is a fair price for your painting. Not too high or low and now you are off to your Gallery, Art Fair, Street Market or wherever you sell your work. You have set up and are waiting for your friendly buyers to turn up. What I would like to talk about are two types of buyers. These two buyers can turn up anywhere, believe me we get them in the gallery as much as you may face them wherever you try to sell your work. 1. The argumentative buyer. This is the person who just wants to argue with you about every point of your work and Art in general. They are not overly rude or critical but no matter what your response is they always come...

I have decide to post an article I wrote some time ago for Collectors, because I have been asked a question by an Artist about what collectors want and how can an Artist best help the collector once the Collector starts buying their paintings?  I advise Collectors and so I thought this may be of interest to all Artists to understand it from the other side of the road,  advice to the Collector. Many Artist do not recognize that some Collectors are very passionate about their collections and see themselves as Artists also but in collecting. You may have many and varied experiences with Collectors but the ones I mostly deal with are diligent in how the approach an Artist and look at the longevity of the Artist, you might not agree with that approach but Collectors want to know if they invest in an Artist that Artist will be there for the long haul.  Let me know what you think? I recently came across a statement made by by a collector that made me think about...

I read so much on the Facebook that does make me wonder sometimes what Artists really think is happening. I do not mean to be disrespectful, but sometimes Artists forget that this is a business, its called the Art Business and it really is a business. In this business paintings are sold for under $50 and some for more than $50million, its all part of the same business. An Artist contacted me and wanted to ask me if I could help him as he was totally frustrated with the Art Business and he did not know what to do next, we had talked before and I had given him some pointers. He started to tell me that sales were slow and it was hard to get people to buy and that he blamed the bad economy. He said he got lots of likes on Facebook but they seldom translated into sales. He was showing in street Art Fairs and in group shows but people were not buying, they talked to him and those who were interested asked for discounts which upset him and he would get a little angry and the...

I am amazed at the response I got from my last post on copying, I opened a Pandora’s Box? I received lots of wonderful comments and others hoping I would justify their position, “kind of copying but not really, only kind of copying” and lots of emails, again wanting me to give a second opinion on my own opinion. So I decided I would try and answer some of the challenges. To start with, I am not a legal expert on copyright law, if you want that kind of opinion then you need to speak to a lawyer. I am an Art consultant and Artist of 40 years experience, I am giving you my opinion and how I work in this industry. I am amazed how many artists do copy and want to justify that position. I am not sure why when there is so much material out there that you can paint without ever having to use another Artists image and there can be no excuse in this day and age with not being able to take a photo of a scene, when we all walk around with cameras in our phones? I thought about t...

After writing the blog, “ He was copied and it nearly ruined his art career.” I was asked by an Artist,   “ So when is it ok to copy?” When you draw the image from nature or life and use it in your paintings. When you take the photo of the scene and you use it, your own photo. When you are in Art school and have permission to do so.  If you are copying another Artists work and then selling it without their express permission in writing and also acknowledging them on the painting, then you cannot do it, that is wrong. If you are copying one of the masters and then you are going to sell it, you must first try to get permission from the owners of the copyright of that painting and then also acknowledge it is a copy on the painting by the master. Something like, “ after Picasso.” above you signature. I had one Artist want to put a portrait of Elvis into a Gallery I was involved with and I said only after you get permission to use his image. I told them to email ...

For me this is an interesting story as I never would have thought that being copied and bad advice, that was listened to, could derail a good art career. This Artist, who had shown great promise in his early years, but with the pressure of life and the need to earn a living  he started working to support his family. He is very good at his job and has the respect of many people and he kept painting in his spare time. When I met him he was painting abstract paintings and they honestly did nothing for me. He showed me a big abstract painting he was doing and I was not impressed, not because it was a bad painting but I just felt I had seen it all before and it lacked that wow factor. He had a couple of one man shows with his abstract paintings that did not go well and he ended up in debt. When I started working with him I asked why he was painting abstract paintings and he told me that before he was painting in a surreal style and that people liked them and he had a smal...