Treat your Art Business like a business.


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 and my art was a hobby anyway. One day when I realised what effect it was having on me mentally and work wise, I asked this one particular friend who came a couple of times a week if I could come to his work tomorrow and have a coffee and chat with him, he immediately said no, it was his work and he could not waste time talking to me, he would get in trouble with his boss.
The penny dropped for me and I then began to let all my friends know that they must ring before they came in working hours as I was busy at work. At first some were offended and I explained that I was a self employed Artist who had to produce work to sell, and that meant working everyday just like they did.
Most understood and began to appreciate that Art was a business and that I was self employed.
Your Art Business is not a hobby, if it is, take the prices off your paintings and allow serious Artists to make a living from their Art.
Your attitude towards your business will define your business.
Get you mental approach to your Art Business correct and then correct all those around you who think it is a hobby, get them adjusted to the idea that it is a business and you are self employed.
If you treat your Art Business as a business then others will learn to do so as well.
If you treat your Art Business like a business, it will pay you like a business.







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