New Years resolution?

 New Years resolution, “Don't blame and criticise the Art market.”

Because it is all we have got!

No matter where we are in the Art Business, just starting off selling your paintings or you have been in the Art Business for many years, the one thing to really get to grips with is that it is the only market we have.

Yes it is a very diverse market, across many economic levels but it is still selling paintings no matter whether they cost $5 or $5 million, it is still the Art market and the market rules.

Now we can criticize the market, but that will not change anything.

We can blame it for not selling our work, but it will not change anything.

We can be upset that it will not pay the prices that we think our art deserves, but it will not change anything.

Please remember, it is the only Art market that we have and we need it if we are going to earn a living from our Art, so blaming it and criticizing it does not help.

It would be like the farmer blaming the soil for not growing bigger crops, it is all he has, so he has to work with all he has got.

The Art market is what it is and we need to learn about it and how we can best use it for to build our Art career.

How do we do that in 2016?

I am of the firm belief that an Artist should research the Art market and work out where they feel that they will fit.

Not everyone is suited for the Gallery market and it is a difficult market to get into, so maybe you are more suited to Art Fairs, street markets or online selling Etsy or Ebay.

It is all about finding a fit for you and your Art work.

I watch a lot of videos from the major institutional Gallery Museums and I feel that most of the content is not of very much use to the practicing Artist. As with the videos of the hugely successful abstract Artist that is selling thousands of dollars of work over the internet, I find them a little to good to be true.

Where I work, I am face to face with the reality of watching good Artists struggle to make a living from their Art. You can make a living from your art, but it is not as easy as painting a painting and putting a price on it at the value that you think it is worth and then being totally devastated when the Art market says no.

Sad but true the market rules.

+ First research the market and see where your Art best fits.

Galleries, Art Fairs, street markets, group shows, gorilla art shows or internet sales, search out each area and see where you and your Art would best fit.

+ Next learn new skills in marketing your Art, read books on marketing and selling, there is so much information available.

+ Work on your people skills.

Develop a pleasing personality, a great winning smile and learn some opening lines that will help to break the ice with customers.

+ Work on your self esteem and personal development.

In this business you need to believe in yourself and be able to cope with and manage rejection and peoples sometimes cruel comments and bounce back quickly. I was once told to my face by a woman who was offended by my paintings that I was sick and perverted and she then didn't buy a painting? There will always be knockers, bounce back quickly, there are more nice people out there than difficult ones.

+ One of the most important things that an Artist can do is write out your goals.

Set them down on paper, what you want and how you want your Art career to develop. Then work on those goals every day, write them out at least three times every morning, five times is better, write them out and verbalize them out loud to yourself. Goals are so important they give you a path to follow so you will know when you have achieved them.

So many Artist I know when I ask what their goals are they say to be successful, I say great but how will you do that, they never have an answer other than to be in a good Gallery.

I ask do you have written goals? Most say no.

Write out your goals to get to that success, you then have a finishing point, where you can then start new goals and build towards greater success.

Most Artists have no problem with their ability to apply and practice their craft. The failure comes in just these few areas.

Not understanding where they fit in the market place.

Not understanding marketing and selling.

Not having strong people skills.

Not working hard on personal development.

Not having written goals.

All of these things are easy to do and you could do them, you should do them, will you?

If you start doing these simple things I believe that you will see change in your Art Business and yourself.

The Art market will stay the same but you will change and so will your business.

Lets not criticize and blame the Art market in 2016, lets work on ourselves and our Art business and the changes will come.

The Art Market is all we have to work with, study and learn about it and build your Art Business.

I do hope this has been a help to some as we rush into 2016.

I do appreciate your comments and emails and if I can be of help, please Pm me or send me an email.

Love your painting, love your paintings and love yourself.

Mark Shellshear.

Art consultant.

mark@shellshearmedia.com