I was asked the question, “ What’s the difference between emerging Artists and established Artist?”

I will give a brief idea of how I see it, this just my opinion and I know that some would not agree with me, but that’s ok, it is just my opinion.

No one likes a label put on them and especially this label emerging Artist, but what is an emerging Artist?

If you go to Google you can see the definition that they give for the emerging Artist, basically it say it is someone who has caught the eye of galleries and critics and are starting to get known. Now we live in an age where galleries are disappearing and critics are for hire, so that does not seem to be good way to clarify what an emerging Artist is.

When asked my answer is, an Artist who is new in the Art business and is unknown.

They can be new out of Art school or someone who has decided to take up painting and enter the Art business, age is not important but length of time in the business and reputation is.

The priority of the emerging Artist is to sell their work at every opportunity they can and get the attention of strangers and get their paintings onto the walls of strangers.

I see this stage as the paying ones dues stage and as is any business it takes time.

The next category is mid-career Artist.

I would prefer to call them mature Artists as mid-career is like they will proceed further, but most don’t.

This Artist has an established career with many solo and group shows and is selling their work regularly. They have a recognised following and loyal collectors and are well known in their national Art world.

Most Artists no matter what age seldom get past this stage as they become comfortable and are doing very well in their Art community. Often this leads to repetition of work and style and no new challenges are taken up. They have a good income and have to maintain overheads and to break new ground and innovate may scare off the collectors they have who only want work similar to their old work.

The established Artist is the one who goes forward and keeps innovating and evolving and gains International recognition. Not just having exhibitions internationally but is recognised as an established International Artist and is well known in the international Art world and is collected Internationally.

All Artists no matter at what stage they are in their career must be working hard to get themselves known and sell their work.

The one advantage the emerging Artist has is that they have nothing to lose, so do everything you can to get the attention of strangers and build a new collector base, many of the collectors of the mature Artists are looking for new cutting edge Artists to collect so establish your reputation on innovation, evolution and constant change and when asked what is your style the answer should be, “ No style I just paint me, my heart, my passion and my inspiration.”