Mark E Shellshear.

The limitations we put on ourselves are the limitations we live by. If you do not believe you can change you most likely will not. If you truly want to change then it is first a decision and you must know why you want to change? They must be good solid reasons or like dieting and New Years resolutions you will find excuses not do it. Remember it took all your life to make you who you are and your habits that you are comfortable with will fight you all the way when change is on the horizon. The decision to change must be done in small easy steps so that as you achieve small changes it gets easier and easier. With your Art practice see change differently, see it as building value into yourself and your Art practice. I know they are just words but we really don't like change, but we want more value. So build more value into your Art practice. Make sure you do the workshops in other disciplines than what you use, it will extend you and make you uncomfortable and cause you to think...

I don't want to change. Its to hard and I don't need to learn new skills, I am good at what I do. I am ok with how I am and how I do things. Anyway my Art is not like other businesses it is about passion, creativity, being sensitive, I don't need to change and sell my work hard in the market place, my Art sells itself. That's what Nokia thought.

Artists need to be the best they can be and do the best that they can do. You do not need the approval or reassurance of others, you just need to be the best you can be. If you search for constant approval and reassurance, that you are doing the right things and that you are on the right track, then you will always be at the mercy of others and what they think and feel. Also do not compare yourself to others, they are not you and you can never be them. You cannot please everyone that is certainly not possible and you cannot always please those that you seek assurance and approval from, so what do you do? Do not seek approval from anyone but yourself, this your Art career, you are responsible and you must learn all you can about it so that you make the right decisions for you. Use the past as a teacher not your worst critic. Learn from your mistakes and encourage yourself from your successes. Remember success repeated becomes a habit. You did it once so you know...

I was thinking this morning about habits and how we build good habits through small daily disciplines. Then I though how easy it is not to do one of these habits one day, then how easy it is to miss another day and then another and before long you lose the benefit of this discipline and go back to the old ways and it happens so very quickly, especially when times are tough and hard. I know how easy it is to slide down the slippery slope, rather than to  climb up the mountain. If you are going through hard times, remember that life happens to everyone. Its not what happens, its what we do about it. Its never time to give up or slow down, its time to push harder. I find when things are going well I can be so positive and enjoy work, but my true character is seen when things are not so good, hard times brings out the real us, especially in our Art practice. In the face of problems don't give up doing what is good for you even if it seems not to be working, it is in these times tha...

In my Art practice I get to talk to a lot of Artists, both young and old. Many of the young Artists are starting out on their Art journey and a lot of older mid career Artists who are struggling to survive. If painting is how you pay your bills and lifestyle, then of course you will have a very different attitude to your Art Business than those who have other means of support.  I say to myself after talking to Artists and hearing their story, did they buy into the dream or the fantasy? The fantasy says it will all work out if I will be just true to my Art and then somehow it will all just fall into place like magic and I will be successful. I can tell you most likely that will not happen, that's the fantasy, there is no “Once upon a time an Artist...” But the dream is very different. Those who have a dream for their future are able to write it down and say this is where I want to be in 10years and then lets write out a plan of how we will be able to accomplish that. They write d...

Beware of erosion in you Art career and life. Erosion is being careless by do ing a little less than you should each day . A little less work. A little more rest. A little less effort. A little more television. A little less thought. A little more neglect. A little less trying in any area of your life will bring on failure, slowly, if done every day . To begin with it will not seem to make a difference, but you only have to move the steering wheel of the car a fraction of an inch so that down the highway you will eventually run off the road and crash. So in life, failure starts with just a little less effort, practised every day . When you don't feel like painting and you know you deserve some time off, again? Stop and think. You will not get this day ever again in all your life, don't waste it. Even if you paint a bad painting it is better than painting no painting at all and we do need to get all the bad paintings painted as well as the good ones....

I answered a question this morning and thought I would post it. I know I talk about the Artist life and I think that this relevant to the Artist and really to anyone who will listen. The world does seem to be at a tipping point, the changes of this new century have been so quick that many are caught unawares and find themselves lost in a sea of Facebook friends but more alone than ever. I want the best for people and I try and relate what simple truths that  I have gleamed over a life time, now more than ever before we need to really care and show our human love one to another in a world that is so quickly being dehumanized. As we all care and hold onto the hands of others and build back those old truths that are so necessary today. Everybody is important and every body has a valid story to tell and the true wealth is not in money but the untouchable riches of family and friends and a helping hand that asks for nothing in return. Human values in a world that is loosing its hum...

Life is not about the day when you win the prize, it's about all the days in between. There are going to be good days and there are going to bad days. On the good days and I hope there are many more than the others, work hard on your Art and your business, make each day pay. On the bad days work hard on yourself. Taking whatever has happened and working on it to turn it around. There will be hard days and bad days, that's life, it is what you do with them that counts. Usually the answer is to do the opposite that you feel like doing. Sometimes we want to feel sorry for ourselves, complain about how unfair it all is and that we are just a failure. It takes sometimes the lowest point we get to, to get us to turn around. I got to a place where I thought that there was no answer and felt so sorry for my self and how unfair it all was. I listened to my whining inner voice going on in my thoughts that I got so disgusted with my self that I stood up and looked...

Sometimes is does feel like the journey is to long. I was reading last night this sentence in an old book and it made me think of many Artists I know who are finding the struggle a little overwhelming, it says, “ let us not grow weary while doing good for in due season we shall reap, if we do not loose heart.” I thought that this was so applicable to the Artists life. We will reap the benefits of all the hard work, if we do not loose heart and do not grow weary in doing good. We grow weary and loose heart because it does not seem to be working no matter how hard we try, just one problem after another, yet we are doing all the right things. Working hard on our Art, making the personal changes, learning new skills, reading the books, maintaining a positive attitude and yet it all seems to going forward so slowly and we question, why? This friends is the beginning of growing weary, questioning ourselves. This is not the time to loose heart and question what we are do...

I know how as an Artists it can be at the Gallery, at the group show, at the Art Fair, at the markets, even selling on the street, that negative stuff can happen. Ignore the loud mouth critic, smile at the Grandfather who imagines his granddaughter can paint your painting, you know she cannot, she is not you. Brush off the weekend comic trying to be smart and funny at your expense to his family and friends. Look for that one that smiles at your work but is to shy to approach you, smile back and go and speak to them and appreciate them. Talk to the one who thinks your work is wonderful, listen to them, you have earned the praise. Make sure all the ones who love, like and smile at your work walk away with something from you. If not a painting, a card or a flyer, exchange emails and warmly thank them, so they remember your smile and warm personality as well as your paintings. You do not paint for everyone. You paint for those who recognize that your work is for t...

Every evening after I have finished at the Gallery, I review my day especially after a day of pressure, some days have more pressure than others. I am not looking to find faults with myself but to try and understand why I reacted to certain situations a particular way. I try to see every situation as a test to see how I will respond, if I want to be better then I need to review my performance daily and fix little issues before they become big problems. The way we respond or react to a situation reveals so much to us about who we are as a person. If we get upset and angry at someone we can blame them for making us angry or we can say, why did I allow my self to get angry? They made me get angry, no I choose to get angry. If I blame others, then I have to fix them which is impossible, but if I question myself I can fix myself. True character is seen in the tough pressure times not the happy times. Pressure reveals our weaknesses, watch and learn about yourself, b...

I believe what the world does want you to do is to be original, to be that creative, gifted person that you can be and create wonderful original pieces of Art. Because the world is tired of fakes, copies and the same old thing over and over again, the world is looking for original. So be the Artist you are, believe in yourself and your ability to do new exciting, cutting edge work, and make a new trail. The Art Business is unfair, so do what you want to do and change your Art Business to suit you, don't wait for someone else to show you, then it will be to late. Believe in yourself and the world will believe in you. Do not critize your own work to anyone including yourself. Every painting, be it good painting or bad painting is part of the learning creative process, the bad ones you learn what not to do in the future and the good paintings teach you that you must push the envelope further and further and further. We are to learn and push and push. In a horse...

Remember all the great Artists were once unknown. Yes it is true as hard as that is to believe. They faced all the road blocks, hardships and difficulties you do. It's called life in the Art Business. They persevered and did not let discouragement and the years wear them down. You are an important person, many love you and care for you even when you are in the Artistic wilderness and you feel so desperately alone, but never give up. Remember that last sale, that last wonderful complement, they will come again. You did it once or many times so you will do it again. No matter how dark the night is, the sunrise will come and with it the success you have worked so hard for. Nights turn into days, always. Go forward my friends and make the necessary changes both Artistically and personally, never stop learning, be very patient, keep smiling and win the struggle.

T he Bible says, “ for whatever a man sows , that shall he also reap .” In the Art Business we need to sow to our future, Hard work. Generous attitude. Honesty Good will. Friendly personality. 1. You reap what you sow...positive and negative . Sow positive and you will reap positive. Sow negative and you will reap negative. 2You will reap more than you sow. One mango seed planted can reap hundreds of mangos. One thistle seed can reap a field of thistles. 3We reap later than we sow. Some are deceived because their present seed does not appear to be producing an immediate crop. So they continue down their course, mistakenly believing that there will never be a harvest. But unlike the crops of the field, which get harvested at approximately the same time each year, there is no regular timetable for the harvest of life. Some crops we harvest quickly; Others crops take a long time for the harvest. But do not be deceived—the harvest w...

Yesterday I wrote:- “ You are the key to your success.” I want to emphasise that you are the key to your success, not anyone else. You are responsible for you and all that you do with the gift and talent that you have been given. Now you can argue with me and say that circumstances are against you, the Art Market does not recognize you and if I knew the problems that you had I would understand why you are not doing so well. Firstly, we all face the same circumstances, it rains on the rich and the poor, its called life and we are all living it. The unforeseen can happen to us all. Also we all have to live with the vagaries of the Art Market, we cannot change it so we better find a way to work with it. There must be a way because there are many successful Artists out there, how did they do it, what makes them successful? The answer will seem so simple, they went to work on themselves to be better and learned as much about the Art Market as they could and then th...

Sadly some Artists suffer from jealousy and greed. Sometimes they lust for another Artists life and success, this is the road to unhappiness and hell. No one knows the journey that any person is on but that person themselves. Do not covert another Artists life, fame or wealth it may turn out to be the curse that will destroys you. Learn to be content with your life and be ambitious to improve your life, by improving yourself. Do say look at everyone else and say they must change and it is all so unfair, that is not yours to control or change. The world is a beautiful place but if you always looking at what others have and are doing, you will miss the truly precious things of this life. A smile, the sunsets, a hug and all the beautiful flowers and a million other things that are all free for you to enjoy. Do not look at others, look in the mirror and begin to appreciate all you can be, others do not hold the key to your success, the person in the mirror does. Be...

As Artists build small disciplines into their life, so their lives will change. They can change their lives for the better, positive disciplines or for they can change for the worse with negative disciplines, its a matter of choice. Every day we have the ability to change our lives because it is a choice, to do or not to do. You see success comes from small positive disciplines practised every day. Success will not just come when it is ready, it only comes when you are ready. Success comes to the Artists who are prepared for success. They have done all the small daily disciplines each day to change their lives to make them better and prepared for success. Success does not come to the unprepared because it would not stay long with them as they are not prepared and could not handle it. To be prepared is your personal choice to do the small disciplines every day or not do them. It's not about being a talented painter or gifted Artist, it's about preparing your life for the succ...

The Art Market as it stands is all we have to work with and it is no good complaining about it or saying how unfair it is, it is what it is and will most likely always be like it is. We cannot change it. Artists we really need to learn how the Art Business or Market is set up so you can understand how it works. We don't have to like it but we do need to understand how it works, what makes it tick, as our livelihood depends on this market. If you understand how it works then you will be better able to navigate your way through it and sell paintings. Don't be naive, you have to learn to sell. Don't hide away, you have to learn to talk to strangers. Read about how Galleries work and watch the videos on YouTube about Art, Galleries and Artists, learn all you can about this business. Wanting it to be different will change nothing, you need to understand it, not like it.

No Artist needs to accept no sales. What we need to accept is what didn't I do that could have made for more sales? What could I have done better? What should I have done better? What didn't I do that could have made a big difference? It is no good blaming the Gallery, the Art market, the Art Fair, the customer, I am sure they have their faults, but you cannot change them, but you can change you. You see so often if it is hard to do, we don't do it. Did you know that most people who pay for on line courses do not finish them and the reason why they do not finish them? They are to hard. The truth is, they did not expect it to be so hard and they wanted it to be easy, not hard. Yet if it was easy, they would not learn anything. The easy way is to blame everyone and everything. When there are no sales what we should do is say, “ What could I have done better, that would have given me a better result.” This is such an interesting question, it...

Life can get better for you, but do not leave it to chance, do it by change. It is not our strong points that need working on, but or weakest points. As I have said before we only rise to out weakest point and they can stop us from achieving all the success that we could. It is like the moral of the chain, it is only as strong as its weakest link. So with us our strong points they are very important and we need to build on them but it is our weakest points that need our attention. I want just to address three points in this post that really do hold people back from achieving their full potential. First, our attitude towards saving. Many Artists make good money from their art but are often just like the ones who make little money, they have no money. People can earn a lot of money, but if they spend more than they earn, they will always be behind. To have more money, you need to save money. I do not care how much you earn, if at the end of the month you have no...

I was asked this question. “ I do not want to fail as an Artist and I know the drop out rate for Artists is big, what I should I do to make sure that doesn't happen?” Don't do what failed Artists do. Don't blame what they blame. Don't work like they work. Always do the opposite to what they do. Don't complain. Don't blame. Don't make excuses not to work. This is the rule of life. If you don't want to be a failure, then don't do what failures do. If you want to be successful, then do what successful people do. Success always leaves a trail.

Copying others lessons our own form of expression. The great battle every Artist has is to be themselves, it sounds simple but it is not easy to be oneself. We can admire the paintings of others and be in awe of their talent and ability, but we are not them and we need to discover who we are as Artists and find our Artistic identity. To copy really is admitting that you are not original and that you have to look to another for inspiration. That is flattering for the one you copy but certainly they will not be impressed or thank you. Now I am not referring to Art school and doing workshops I am talking about our daily Artistic practice. There is a place near here where you can get an exact copy of any painting of the Masters that you want, a Picasso or a Monet, any painting you want and its perfect just like the Masters painting, but there is one small problem with them. They are beautiful and exactly like the original, but they are not the original, they are just a copy...

Do not worry if you do not repeat the good work of yesterday. Do not get caught in the trap of deliberately repeating the same work of yesterday, day in and day out. Everyday is the new search for expression, we build on yesterdays triumphs, we do not repeat them. To repeat them will smother the creative process. Creativity and expression are so inter wound that they go hand in hand so to express our selves we must be creative daily and keep going forward. To be creative every day we must express our creative self, which challenges us to push forward. Painting is not about repeating its about creating the new. Yesterday is finished, today is a new day filled with challenge and expectation. Do not repeat yesterdays good work, find today’s challenge and paint. Do not worry if today's painting is good or bad. Today is all about painting, so paint.

Your Art practice or your job will never challenge you long term, you will first be challenged and then become competent and then if you do not continue to challenge yourself, you will grow comfortable and lazy and then begin to complain that your practice does not challenge you any more. People say that about their jobs, that they are not challenged. Its a job and if a robot could do it, you would be replaced. Challenge yourself to be more. Learn more, read more, do all those free online courses. No job will challenge you, its just a job. You have to challenge yourself. Challenge yourself to get better, the job will not challenge you to get better. Everyone is looking for an external force to challenge them and then everything will change. The only person who can challenge you, is you. I talk to so many Artists and I tell them what they should do to improve their Art practice and try and challenge them, but so very few can do it. Many start out motivated to do it but once I am not ...

A child paints wholeheartedly without tension, because she is not aware of what people think, only of what she feels. What is always important is that we are painting. Of course there will be days of good painting and days of bad painting, but what is important is that you are painting. If you have painters block, stop worrying about what people will think of your paintings and concentrate on what you feel. As I said you will do good paintings and bad paintings, so do not be concerned of what people are thinking about one painting. Concentrate on two things, What you feel, That you are painting. I truly believe that it is not about any one painting, it is about the act of painting. Concentrate on painting and feeling, live in today.

How can Artists sell their paintings to people, if they do not know we exist? If strangers do not know you, they cannot buy from you. Artists need to get known. How do I get known? Think, innovate, plan and then action the plan. Do something, that will make you stand out from the crowd. Yes it will be scary. Yes you will get criticised and be laughed at. But the alternative is to stay unknown. If you stay unknown, you will always be unknown. Great Artists are great because they got known. Get known.

I talk a lot to Artists about building their Art Business and the need to learn new skills in a day of constant change. I do believe it is necessary for Artists of today to be their best salesperson, to be their best marketer and to be a good public speaker and we are fortunate enough today to live in a time when most of these skills can be learned for free on the internet, it is just a matter of searching for your desired subject. But I think probably the most import trait that an Artist needs is simply to be a nice person. To understand when you are dealing with the public that there are a lot of people walking around out there with big problems and often their frustration can be taken out on an Artists or a crafts person sitting in a Fair just trying to sell their Art. Dealing with difficult people can be very hard, so here are I few skills I employ when faced with an aggressive, critical person, who most likely will not buy. First smile and be nice, a soft answer turns...