A question I received from an upset Artist.

“ Mark you seem to expect so much out of Artists, you expect them to story tell their paintings, you expect them to be business people, you expect them to be sales people and you expect them to be exceptional Artists.

Don't you think you expect to much out of us?

We are Artists not writers, we are Artists, Artists are not business people, we are not able to run a business, we do not want to sell and be a salesperson, yes we just want to paint and be Artists, you are wrong.”

I understand most Artists do not want to story tell, its hard work to learn a new skill?

I understand most Artists are not business people, I get it, its hard to learn a new skill?

I understand most Artists do not want to be salespeople, yes it is hard to learn a new skill?

I also understand most Artists just want to paint and stay in the studio, I know its all I wanted to do, but it will not lead most Artists to success.

Sadly most Artists are ambitious for fame and fortune, most are not ambitious for hard work and learning new skills.

The difficulty for a lot of Artists is that they have bought into the Artistic Myth of the brooding, troubled, starving Artists railing against the establishment, people like me who say Art is a business, a very big business and you better learn a lot of new skills if you want to prosper in this business.

What I say is not popular and most will not do it but some will learn new skills and approach their Art as a business and will gain success.

Success in the Art world is not being the most talented Artist, we have lots of very talented failures, success in the Art Business is being an informed, educated Business person, whose business is producing Art and selling it.

I hear stories all the time of Artists being ripped off by Galleries, collectors, Art Fairs and Art groups they belong to and I always ask, did you read the contract, did you get advice before you entered into the deal? 

So often I am told,” Well no , I trusted them?”

What, you trusted them?

This is your business, your money and your career and you just trusted them?

We have all heard the horror stories, so why is there such a reluctance to get better skilled, it because of the Artistic Myth, this is what we are like, we are Artists.

Artists, if you choose to change and get more skills to improve your Art business and yourself, you will change your life and your Art Business for the better.

All the tools you need to improve your Art Business and yourself, are all out there and most are for free, you just have to go look on the "University of You Tube."

And there in lies the problem, I can get most to agree, but unfortunately the majority will not do it.

Why?

I have no answer to that, it is life, "life is life," some do and some don't.

So I put out what I know will help and encourage Artists on how to improve their Art Business and their personal lives, but they have to want to do it.

Learning new skills is not hard and we can all do, it just takes small disciplines and work.

I read in a book, “ If you want to be a successful Artist, don't do what failed Artists do.”

That is very good advice.

Learn to story tell your paintings.

Learn all you can about the Art business, how to run a small business.

Learn all you can about selling, once you know how it can be fun.

Learn all you can about your craft and practice it every day.

Last, work hard on yourself and your Art, you deserve it.

I hope this has been a help to some, I look forward to hearing your comments and thoughts.

Mark.