Mark E Shellshear.

I read this article on an artist group site that took a big shot at curators and artists statements and about story telling their paintings etc. Now it is really easy for Artists or anyone to be critical of something that they do not wish to do. If you don't want to write an artist statement or story tell your paintings then don't do it. But please do not criticize those who do. I believe that Artists should always do what is best for them, they are creative people who often do not fit into a pigeon hole and need space to do what they want to do. But do not criticize others who do not wish to agree with you, everyone has the right to blaze their own trail even if it is different from yours. Also Galleries and curators are part of the system we live in and it will not change, there are good curators and bad curators, good galleries and bad galleries, just like there are good and bad Artists and pointing out faults does not make the system better. As Artists we all have to ...

For my critics, if you do not agree with me, that's fine, I am not writing for you. To all of you who allow me into your lives and read what I say, I sincerely thank you, I really do appreciate all your kind words and comments. Honestly speaking, if Artists want to be the brooding, misunderstood creatives, that's fine by me, but do not complain if the Art Market walks right past you and ignores all your complaining and criticism. As Artists in the market place we must be the best we possibly can be. The best paintings we can produce. The best smile we can have. The best greeting we can have. The best explanation of our Art work we can have. Because I really do believe that to get the best results we must be the best we can possibly be. When we make the decision to be the best we possibly can be, it effects all we do, our mannerisms, our attitudes and our own happiness and the happiness of people around us. Positive and enthusiastic people are fun to be around and these ...

I was at the memorial day service in Manila and one of the ministers during the prayer time and said, “We make the road by walking.” [I later found out it is a book by Brian McLaren. I have not read his book.] It just resonated with me so much, just those words and I thought to myself I must remember them, as I tend to forget things quickly. I said it over and over and wished I had my note book with me, then I thought I will write it in my phone and I did and I wrote “ Its in the walking that we make the road” a little different from what I had heard, but its what I wrote down and what resonated with me. It certainly challenged me as an Artist as I believe that we are trail blazers not map followers. As we set our goals and begin to work towards them so we make the road. A new road, our road, not anyone else's road, our own individual original road made for me, by me, for me to walk on, yes others my follow and walk on my road but it is my road, no map used. As we tra...

I have said over and over again, life happens to us all. It rains on the happy and the sad, the rich and the poor, its called life.   So how do we cope when we have done all we can do to be a successful artist and it fails? We have read the books, watched the videos, we learned to sell and market ourselves and we have learnt new artistic skills, but it did not work. Our latest exhibition had no sales and we are devastated. What do I do? At this point you really have to decide if you are in it for the long haul or you are just going to give up, because really that is the only two choices that you have. Go on or go back? So if you decide that you are going to go on then failure is just another opportunity to start again. Now I could go on about all the great Artists and business people who had failed many times but just never gave up and were eventually hugely successful, but if you are hurting that will sound a little empty. So first thing you have to do is decide that you will g...

Life is often determined by two things, chance or change. We can live our life and leave it up to chance and allow the “lottery of life” to work without knowing the outcome and hope it will get better. Or we can decide to change and learn positive new small disciplines which will forever change our life for the better. What if the book you read, holds the key to your success? What if the workshop you attend that is different to your artistic discipline, releases a new vision in you? What if the video you watch, causes you to think in a new positive way? What if you learn to sell and it changes your Art Business for the better? Decide to make positives small changes, it will make your life better.

I heard this quote yesterday and it really stopped me in my tracks, its by Jim Rhone, “ do not worry about the thief who will rob you of your money, worry about thief in your mind who will rob you of your promise.” That really hit home to me as I reflected on this statement,“ the thief who robs you of your promise” and that thief is within. Then I remembered all the times years ago sitting in my studio late afternoons looking at my paintings and coming up with great ideas of how to market them tomorrow, as the evening went by I made notes on what I would do. Next morning by the time I had taken my daughter to school, I had managed to talk myself out of these ideas. What if it doesn't work? You tried that before and you failed. I am really scared if I try that, it will fail and I will look stupid again. I would tell myself what a failure I was and how it would never work out. I am not sure if any of you go through this, maybe it was only me but it was so self defeating and soul...

Thinking outside the box, really means grabbing hold of your dreams and working on them to make them reality. Everything that was ever built and achieved started out as a thought, an idea, which was then formed into a dream, a goal and then reality. Of course faith and hard work are also part of the equation but it all starts out with an idea, a thought. Many Artists feel quite overwhelmed when faced with an exhibition or having to go forward and talk to stra ngers as it is not part of our comfort zone and they become quiet uneasy. If the answer to being able to go forward is that I have to change, then we need to change. One of the great hindrance to change is fear. What if it doesn't work? What if I can't change, I know what I am like. I have always been fearful, I cannot change. But you can, it is a choice. The way to bring about change is not to force yourself to just knuckle down and do something because that will not work long term. The way to bring change about is to ...

I was talking to good friend this morning about life and the Art business and I realised one thing that was so important and that one really needs to understand about the Art business and that is this, it is not fair. Yes, it is not fair. Some get into Galleries and many don't, it is not fair. Some sell very well and others don't, it is not fair. Some with less talent become superstars and some far more talented get ignored, it is not fair. But then the reality is, life is not fair. So on this uneven, unfair playing field what must we do to make it fair for us? Simply, do not play by their rules, because their rules are not fair. Be creative with your Art Business and get noticed. Be a trailblazer not a map follower, be different, you don't have to follow the rules, they were made to keep everyone the same, but you are an Artist so be different. Be the one to always smiles and is friendly and talks to the strangers looking at your Art work. Sell your work, ask people ...

I get this question a lot lot from Artists, how can I get better known? There is only one answer to that, simply, get peoples attention, tell people you exist. If you want to be average that is fine and I understand, but if you want your Art to be  recognized  and sort after you must be different, not different crazy but different in getting your Art out there. The only way to get attention is to be talked about. I have been saying for so long now when you put a painting up on Facebook or in a group, don't just put up “title, medium and price,” tell the story of the painting, Why did you paint it? Why should I look at it? Why is it important? Why does it matter? Why should I buy it? I always get push back from Artists because I say story tell your paintings, but why do I say it? Because so few do it and if you do it you will stand out from the crowd and get attention. I know, I get told often, “your paintings speak for them selves,” hone...

As Artists we need to learn to be faithful with a little before we will ever be faithful with a lot. If you cannot be faithful with a few customers, how will we possibly be faithful with a lot of customers? Most Artists say to me that it will be different when they are successful because then they will be earning a lot and be able to do it, but the truth is if you will not do it for a few, you certainly will not do it for a lot. If you have sold a painting to someone and you did not get their email, so you could follow them up, then you only got one sale. But if you had been faithful to your Art Business you would have asked for their email and followed them up with an email asking if they would send you a photo of the painting hanging on their wall, nothing more. Of course they will send it back to you and so dialogue opens up and you can ask them if you can send your monthly newsletter and of course if they love the painting they will say yes. Them send them your monthly newslet...

Artist, if you are going to be original and walk the path least trodden and be a trailblazer, then expect some problems. If it was easy everybody would do it. If selling your Art was easy then every Artist would sell well, but it is not easy and every Artist does not sell well, so learn to sell. The Art market is hard work and as Artists we need to do that hard work if we wish to aspire to the dreams and goals that we have and more. So be original. Being original is being outside the normal, not crazy but you just see things differently. Being original is being different, not deliberately it is just the way you are. Being original is accepting the fact that you will be misunderstood, what you are doing is new and different. Being original is being first to do something new, gulp that's scary. Being original is not running with the pack, but finding a new way to go. There are no maps for original. Being original is not murmuring, or being critical of others or being afraid of ...

You must learn to leave your failures where they belong, in the past. Do not let failures go to your heart, and do not let succe ss go to your head. In all we do be balanced, there will be difficult days and there will be amazing days, it is all part of this roller coaster called life and it is worth being part of this life, the alternative is not very attractive. So Artists when you go through some bad days, just say this is part of life, it has to rain sometimes. When wonderful things happen, rejoice in them and celebrate in your accomplishments and know that sunny days always come after the rain. On the rainy days days, work hard on your Art and yourself. Fix things, learn new skills and encourage yourself, go over your goals. On the sunny days rejoice and celebrate and dance in the sunshine. Always remember the rain does not last forever and nether does the sunshine, there will always be rainy days followed by sunny days followed by rainy days followed by sunny days. Protect y...

Talented Artist, wonderful paintings, decides to sell paintings, reasonably priced, no sales, no money, no business, no future in Art, job outside of art. Basically that is the progression for many Artists who enter the Art Business with all the right motives but without the skills to navigate the Business of Art. Some points to consider. You must have great paintings. You must be reasonably talented. Your skills must be good, drawing, painting and good in other disciplines you may want work in. Be in a place where your paintings are seen, Galleries, Art Fairs, Group shows, street markets even out on the street alone selling your art, you must be seen. You must get strangers to buy. You have to turn those buyers into collectors. Now you must make repeat sales to your collectors. You must be connected to your collectors by monthly email newsletters, continuous Facebook updates, blogs on your art practice and about you as an Artist. Artists say to me but that is so much...

If you treat your Art Business like a business, it will pay you like a business. A lot of Artists are not serious about their business and find that they struggle with the concept that Art is a business. Now if you paint purely for the love of painting and you do not want to sell your paintings, then this is not for you. But if you put a price on your paintings, be it $1 or $1000 or $100,000 you are in the Art Business. If you want to sell your paintings then you will have to treat your Art Business as a business, because it is and you need to help other people understand that it is a business. I remember well meaning friends and family would refer to my Art as a hobby, because I worked from home and was always there in my studio. At first I used to ignore it until I realised the effect it was having on me. I started to act like it was a hobby as well, if friends arrived unannounced I would stop and make coffee for them and then sit and chat as they were not working ...

. Artists I am sure you have been involved in a group show or exhibition and you have sold nothing and you have questioned everything.  Why has this happened to me? I do not deserve this, I am an Artist! But it happens and we blame the world around us and the stars for being aligned, but still the result stands. Instead of trying to change the world and everyone in it, start by making changes in yourself. We all know of little areas of our lives that need a little change. A question for you? What little thing could you change today that would make a significant change to your Art career and bring you success? What is your weakest skill as an Artist? Something that you could change and that would help you achieve the success you want? One small change, not a great big earth shattering change, but one small change that you could make and repeat every day and it would change your Art Career forever. I believe that small changes made today effect your future profoundly. Small cha...

Artists when you are having an exhibition or selling at an Art Fair or at a street market, please remember a few things about selling. Simple steps that will help you to invest forward. So often when salespeople deal with a customer they have the attitude of, “ what can I get from you?” Instead of, “how can I be of help to you?” Everyone wants to buy stuff, but nobody wants to be sold to. So Artist, when you approach a customer with your friendly warm smile have the attitude of, “how can I be of help you.” What can I do for you, that will make me a blessing to your life. They will feel this attitude and see it in your face and body language. I have said this before, once I have talked to a guest in the Gallery about a painting and I realize that they are not going to buy, I then try and find a way to add value to them and help them. If it is near lunch time I will ask them if they are going eat near the Gallery and if they say yes, I will recommend...

You have picked yourself Artist, you don't need a resume, you don't need to please the HR department, you don't need to please the boss and you don't need permission, you have picked yourself, now you have to go out and prove to yourself that you were the right choice. Of course you need to paint and always be improving your artistic skills and learning new techniques to incorporate into your skill set to build more value into your art work. In choosing yourself you have also chosen yourself to be your best promoter and salesperson, because nobody knows your art work or you, quite as well as you do. So every opportunity you get to put yourself forward, pick yourself. Do not stand back and let fear rob you of the opportunity to talk about your Art, step forward and sell you and your Art. If you wait for someone else to pick you to go forward, they will pick themselves and not you, so pick yourself. Build trust and connections with your customers and ...

The successful Artist and the unsuccessful Artist are both talented Artists. One just does it. The other easily could. They know they should. But it is to easy to put it off until tomorrow. It is to effortless to turn on the television and rest. When they know they should be in the studio doing their best. It is to easy to make excuses. Because it's ok, there is always another tomorrow. Procrastination is not preparation. It is the ability to justify no action. A few simple disciplines practised every day will change your life forever. Paint, draw, read, study and learn. If you will not take the first step, You will never take the second step. Self discipline is a choice. You can do it, you know you can.

What if I could promise you Artistic success, but it will take some time to achieve it. How long would you be prepared to work hard at your Art, until the success comes? One year? Five years? Thirty years? Until the last year of your life? Would you pay that price for success and recognition. How determined are you? How convinced of your own ability to succeed in the Arts are you? I know a wonderful Artist who is 79 years old, paints every day of his life and has not achieved Artistic success. He has survived because of one collector who has bought all his work which has allowed him to continue to paint and go on. Asked about his life he says he will never stop painting it is his passion. He has been a full time Artist since Art School in the 1960's. How long are you prepared to work at your craft before you achieve the Artistic success that you desire? This is not a sprint race but a marathon, it will take determination, persistence and a b...

I must say was a little stunned at how many people wanted to know the title of the book I spoke about yesterday, so I thought I had better be a little clearer about the books that I recommend. Here are three that I think every Artist should read. The first book I recommend is about how to handle money. “ The Richest Man in Babylon” by George S. Clason. This is wonderful little book that teaches how to earn money and keep it, very valuable to the emerging Artist. The second book I recommend is on social media. “ Crush It,” by Gary Vaynerchuk , why now is the time to cash in on your passion. This is a great book about how to learn about and use social media, it is a little out of date now but the principles of how to use social media are as true as the day it was written. The third book and the one I mentioned yesterday is about selling. “ Five Great Rules of Selling,” by Percy H. Whiting, this is very good book on selling, it was developed for the D...

Most Artists I know dream of being successful with their art and being able to earn a reasonable living from their art. So why not decide to do that now, start to be successful? Every great accomplishment started with a decision to begin, to start. What small thing could I do today that would make a significant difference in my Art career two years from now? I deal with so many people who tell me that they want to be a great success and will I help them and of course I tell them I will give them all the help I can but they have to do it. I cannot do the work for them. Success is something that seems to come to people who have prepared themselves for success. Small disciplines effect out life quite dramatically, or should I call them habits. Our habits define us. We often get into habits that work totally against our achieving success. I was asked by a young man for help him so I gave him a book to read and I said read one chapter each night and tell me the next day how you ca...

Yesterday we went to the province to talk to some sculptors and to buy some things for the Gallery. Every time I do this trip I wonder what will I learn this time? I see Artists, sculptors working sometimes in very poor conditions and others who are prospering and doing well and I wonder why this is so? All are good carvers and all seem to have a market share, yet some prosper but others struggle and we see it in all forms of the Arts. I met one very well known sculptor, an older man, whose work is beautiful and he has done very well in the Art business and yet just down the road, another sculptor struggles to survive, similar age, similar talent, one prospers one struggles? I had to come to the assumption, which many will not like me saying but the one who was prospering acted like he was in the Art business and was not prepared to give his work away or be in a hurry to sell it and was not prepared to discount. The other acted like he was very desperate and was pre...

I want to talk about two points today that are not really Art related but will hopefully help you and grow your Art Business. 1. Always be nice. Even to those who try and pull you down, be nice to them. Remember, “a soft answer turns away anger.” Always smile and be nice to everyone, you never know who you are talking to. I do not understand why people are so angry and always finding fault in everyone else? We are only on this planet for such a short time. Walk away from anger, you do not have to be always right, but you should always be nice. I do not believe the statement. Nice guys come last. No, nice guys are liked, hard and angry people are marginalized, the harder you speak the less people listen. Be nice to everyone, a smile costs nothing and earns a lot. 2.Always be grateful. Always say thank you to people. Answer every email, text and comment, even the ones that may seem unimportant, are important to someone. If people take time to contact you, give back, it such a ...

I am in a position to observe so many Artists and people as they go about their lives. I see the very successful ones and I see the not so successful ones. The most interesting part is that they are all talented Artist, but some are successful and some are not. Why is that? Two of the greatest hindrances to being a successful are very simple things. First, you listen to the critics and believe them, take what they say on board and let that slowly eat away at your self belief and you will eventually stop painting. Ignore the critics, smile them off and believe in your self. Second, you know you have to change, you know you should change, but you don't. Read that book. …….What if you read a book and it changed your life and your income forever? Do that workshop. …….What if you did that workshop and it took you to a new level of creativity? Learn new skills, selling and marketing. …….What if you learned to sell and it helped you to stop being self conscious and now yo...