Mark E Shellshear.

For an Artist to have a long and celebrated career they will have grow and evolve and this will be very evident in the body of their work. Always remembering that it is not about doing one great masterpiece but your whole life time of work being your masterpiece. Improving at your craft is not an option it is a necessity and this will involve hard work, determination and patience, because it will be very easy for you to rest on your laurels when y ou get success and forget that you have to continue to create new and original work and not repeat your past. Many go from being a good Artist to just another painter, it’s easy to do, just bath in your success and repeat and repeat and repeat your successful paintings. Not everything new that you do will work, but because you are innovating you will discover new things that will work, so be courageous always be a trailblazer, don’t be side tracked by those following you and flattering you. Owning your own original style is what will set y...

The most important thing an Artist can do in selling their work is to build relationships and not hard sell. A sale that is pushed and made is always one sale, but the Artist that takes the time to build a relationship with the customer will build a life time of sales and this should be our long term objective. You see if we just make a sale with someone and money is exchanged then it is finished and both parties walk a way satisfied not owing anything, but a relationship is different, there is emotional currency involved as well. What do I mean, well if you build a relationship between yourself and the customer before they buy then they are giving you permission to sell them the painting because of the relationship and when the transaction is done the relationship is still intact and they will let you show them new work in the future because it wasn’t just a sale between strangers it is a transaction between consenting parties, both understanding what is happening because we have ...

Whenever I say this to Artists I see that glazed look come over their eyes and I know that they are saying to themselves, I am an Artist, I am not a salesperson. This is very true, but if you live by the brush, then you are going to have to sell your Art. Yes you can use Galleries, dealers and online galleries but at some point of time you are going to have to stand in front of a stranger and sell your painting to them. When you think about doing that it is scary? So how do I get over the fear of selling? You are having an exhibition very soon, everything is prepared, the paintings are hung, the Gallery is ready, now you have to get you ready. If you approach this opening as I have to sell to people and you don’t want to sell then it is not going to be a very pleasant experience. So what y ou will need to do is approach it as a time of meet ing people and get ting to know them, not sell ing to them. You are there to welcome strangers and make them feel ...

Whenever you get negative or critical about your paintings or yourself, stop yourself and change your self talk. It is hard work but you can do it. Listen to what you say about your self and stop all negative self talk, this is so important. If you defeat yourself, no one can change that, you must change if you want to change your words. Most discouragement starts in your own self talk not by others, they just confirm what you are already saying to yourself, so you have to fix it. Because lack of self belief and negative self talk are two big reasons why people fail in this Art Business, they defeat themselves. This Art practice can be hard enough without self defeat. Strengthen your self belief with positive self talk. Be gentle on yourself and reward your self for small victories over negative self talk.

For an Artist to have a long and celebrated career they will have grow and evolve and this will be very evident in the body of their work. Improving at your craft is not an option it is a necessity and this will involve hard work and patience. Not everything new that you do will work, but because you are innovating you will discover new things that will work. Owning your own original style is what will set you apart from the painters and identify you as an Artist.

Some people call it their Angel and some their spirit guide, I often refer to it as “ That still small voice.” It is knowing that you know or maybe being in the zone, it is allowing the genius within to do the work. It is that time when the hours fly by like minutes and you see that you have produced a wonderful painting. How often have you looked at your finished painting and wondered to yourself, did I do that? It’s like looking at a painting for the first time and knowing that you did it but you wonder how? That is when you know the Muse has been at work, releasing the genius within you, your genius and it works with you and through you. In ancient text it says “ The Kingdom of God is within.” Now you may translate that to mean what ever you want but I see it as the genius within, the inspiration within, your creative instinct and ability all within us that we have to allow to flow through us. We have to reach within and allow that power to flow through us, a...

The things we think about. The things we say. The things we do. Think, say, do the three most powerful instruments for our success and so often we waste them. The careless use of any of the three could be the reason why success has not visited you yet or the reason why it has left. Wrong thinking, negative thinking. Unnecessary, careless words that pull down others and ourselves. Not giving our best when we work. Think positive and creatively….. As a person thinks, so are they. Speak words that uplift and encourage……..You shall have whatsoever you say. Work hard when you work…….. The miracle is in the work. Think, say, do, be the best Artist that you can be, always.

Do not look at others and be jealous and envious of what they have because you can never be them, look in the mirror and appreciate you. Others do not hold the key to your success and happiness, the person in the mirror does. Next time you look in the mirror, smile at that person and tell them you love them and say out loud, “You are the key to my success,” for they are the only person who can help you be who you want to be and fulfil all your dreams and desires. Build you success on these three foundations, positive self image, self love and self belief, do so by daily affirmations and written out goals which you can then check off as you achieve them, do both and you will continually strengthen your foundations. Positive self image, self love and self belief are the foundation on which you will build you Art career, without them you will struggle to appreciate the person in the mirror. Please feel free to share. Watch “ The Mark Art Show” on my Faceboo...

S uccess is not bargain-priced . So expect to pay, it is going to cost you perspiration, hard work and patience. F ailure is not the end. Failure is an opportunity to do it again a little differently, it is never the end unless you give up. L earn from failure . Learn that it is the teacher you need, improve and become better and become the success you desire so you never need that teacher again. Failed? Congratulations now you know what not to do, so do not repeat that, l ook for a new way, innova te, your an Artist be creative. B elieve in yourself so strongly that when you close your eyes you can see the fulfilment of your desires, not your past mistakes. Self belief is crucial to success. Please feel free to share. Watch “ The Mark Art Show” on my Facebook page or please click on the link below, https://www.facebook.com/100002529820315/vi...

Turning up everyday is an attitude as well as an action. Plugging away every day, takes patience and determination and a belief in yourself, your Art work and your talent. Self belief is turning up everyday and doing what needs to be done, out of this discipline will come your miracle. When you turn up to work, work, put an hours work into every hour, don’t let excuses rob you of your time. The miracle comes when you turn up every day, be patient and be determined to always work hard while you are in the studio. Perspiration precedes inspiration. Working precedes the miracle. The miracle is in the work. Please feel free to share. Watch “ The Mark Art Show” on my Facebook page If you would like a free copy of my book, “Thoughts from an abstract life.” Please PM me on Facebook and I will send you the link for your 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.

The challenge for artists today is not to repeat the past but lead us into the future with Art that we have never seen before and change our world. In the 1950’s Mark Rothko made a difference as did Jackson Pollock, they were trailblazers they had no map and no rules they just did it, brought change and they upset the steady rhythm of the Art world. Jackson Pollock, his vision so challenging that his drip paintings changed painting as we know it, he took his abstract expressionist paintings to an edge that no one had been before as did Rothko. Pollock challenged what is Art, this should be goal of every Artist to walk where no one has walked before them. Rothko’s paintings were revolutionary he saw raw emotion in colour and painted his feelings sadly to his detriment as deep depression swamped his life. Imagine people would weep in front of his monochromes, his Art moved people. I think the purity of his work should challenge those who paint abstract paintings to d...

Question, “ What about when you've had that solo show that you've worked so hard for and nothing sells and you almost lose hope? There's a void I've never known before and it's hard to keep going with a positive attitude.” Having a no sale show is very hard to take, that is true and I have been there and my best advice is go paint.  I can remember driving home after a one man, one mo n th show and having not sold one painting wondering what am I going to do, panicked at the prospect of doing this to myself again and I remember so clearly that still small voice of the muse saying, “ Go paint” that’s all, no great long conversation just go paint, so I did. It was amazing how the act of going and painting made such a difference to my attitude and my outlook on life, I was an Artist and this was part of being an Artist. It was not much fun I know but it was not the end, even though it fe lt like it when I walked out of the Gallery . The lesson...

Question, “What must I do to have a long and prosperous art career?” To have long career in the Art Business you will need to concentrate on a few things. Firstly if you are painting to make your fortune, you picked the wrong profession, become a lawyer.  I believe most serious dedicated Artists can make a very good living from their Art, but will all their paintings end up in the auctions and great museums, very few will sadly. The love of painting and the need to paint must be your only driving force. Your belief in your own ability must be resolute. Do not look for reassurance from others, everyone has their own agenda, you are painting because you are confident of your own talent and ability and what others think is not important. What if Monet had listened to to the Art Market and his friends and family, we would have no beautiful Impressionist paintings today. You must bring your change, New Art, original Art and that can only happen if you believe in yourself, do not list...

So many Artists dream of great success but when you ask them, how are they preparing for that success most do not know what you mean. If it was as easy as painting beautiful paintings and doing wonderful drawings then the majority of Artists would be great successes but it is more than just great skill and talent. The real question is, “What are you doing to make yourself ready for success?” You see life is not designed to give us what we want or need. Life gives us what we deserve. Every value in life must be paid for, every success in life must be prepared for. Those who seek, find. To become the person you need to be, to be a successful Artist, you will have to prepare for it. Learning new skills, sales and marketing. Learning how to communicate well with strangers. Learning the life skills needed to navigate the new areas you will need to go. Every new skill and discipline have to be earned and paid for. Prepare yourself to be ready for Artistic acclai...

Artists it is not about how you dress and look that makes you different, it’s about how you think and create. It is never about looks. You could be the most outrageous looking Artist alive and produce very average boring paintings. It’s all to do with how you think and use your imagination, allowing the muse to lead you, that is what sets you apart. Learning to release your imagination to follow your muse wherever she leads you. For many this may seem difficult but really it is letting go of what you are seeing before you and closing your eyes and seeing with your imagination. It is setting your imagination free to allow the muse to lead you into that place of creativity and uncertainty. Allowing the muse to lead you is both scary and exhilarating, a new adventure into your imagination and creativity. Anyone can look different, but there are few who think differently and see with their imagination. Close your eyes and allow your muse to lead you. Pleas...

I would rather be a passionate Artist than one of the many Artists out there who will try and calm you down and tell you to be quiet. So many want to throw cold water on your dreams and try to tell you to be realistic, don't rock the boat, don't be so passionate about what you believe. Why are they saying that? Because they are not passionate and they want boring, average and similar and if you are different, you are not one of them. We need passionate Artists who have strong self belief. Not only believe in their Art but believe themselves and their calling to be an Artist and to live what they believe. To speak out about their paintings, talk to strangers about their work, especially when others say don't promote yourself so much. Why not? If you do not promote yourself, who will? No one else knows your Art quite like you do so tell all who will listen and make every opportunity count always remember, every lost opportunity, is an opportu...

Hi friends. This is a blog by an Artist Mike Barr, I felt he said in a few short lines what I have been trying to say all week. I normally do not have guest bloggers on my page but for Mike I made an exception, he really gets to the heart of the matter. I do hope you enjoy it and are inspired by it. Regards...Mark Artist Mike Barr . Impressionist Artist living in, Adelaide, South Australia The job of an impressionist painter is not to duplicate what they see, the camera on a Smartphone will do a much better job. Impressionists paint to record the feeling of the moment and this is quite different from merely painting what is there. In many respects such painters are illusionists and they will pull out all the tricks they know to make you feel like you are there in the painting. They don't spend hours tracing out the forms and then painting them in. Often they will change things to suit the mood they are portraying. This means they will be le...

In response to my quote of hockey player Wayne Gretzky, “ A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” I said lets translate that for Artists, “ A good Artists paint where Art is. A great Artist paints where Art is going to be.” I was asked this question, “Having said that how do you figure out where the puck is going?” Where the puck is going is about you and being brave enough to allow the creative genius within to guide you. It is so easy to just be like everyone else and conform, but great Art movements never started that way, it was the fringe dweller Artists, the odd ones, the non-conformists, those who were not prepared to settle for average and mediocrity. They wanted change and they knew that for change to happen it was up to them to bring it. Now that change has to come from within allowing the creative genius within to come forward and lead you, if you are to be where Art will be. To d...

I was talking to an Artist and he continually came back to the issue of money, that they had to sell to survive. I do understand that and how important that is. He also pointed out that many Artists copy what is selling just so they can make money. I pointed out that I am totally against that and I think if you do that you will miss the real game. I love this quote from the ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky :- “ A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.” Lets translate that for Artists, “ Good Artists paint where Art is. A great Artist paints where Art is going to be.” being painted now. What is important is the new thing that you are doing ahead of I see so many young painters who paint like and copy Jean-Michel Basquiat and I cannot for the life of me understand why? If collectors are asking for it then the collectors are not real collectors and the young painters who are doing it are onl...

Beware of doing a little less in any area of your daily work as an Artist, because it will bring on failure, slowly, if you continue to do it every day. To begin with it will not seem to make any difference at all, yet idleness is like a thief in the night, it comes when you don’t expect it and robs you of your future. Wasted time is lost forever. In the Artists life, failure starts when just a little less effort is tolerated every day. If it’s a working day and you don't feel like painting and you have convinced yourself you deserve some time off? Stop and think again. You will not get this particular day ever again in all your life, don't waste it on idleness. Stop and think, your work is your art this is what defines you as an Artist. Future failure starts, when you begin to do a little less today. Failure comes when we repeat this little bad habit every day. When failure comes we will be so surprised and ask, “Why, why did this happen to me?” It only...