Mark E Shellshear.

You will not get a person to change their mind or point of view by criticism, rebuke and bad temper. All you will do is make them more entrenched in their point of view and they will probably dislike you. Kindness and the friendly approach and appreciation can make a person change their mind more readily than all the criticism and bad temper in the world. Encouragement and understanding is far more powerful than sarcastic venom. Be kind and be gentle you have no idea the road the other person is walking, and have pity on the life of the fault finder and the critic they have live with that constant critical voice in their heads about themselves. Be an inspired Artist who wants to make a positive difference in your world and encourage those around you.

I had this conversation with an Artist and I said, “It’s not the paintings that make the difference, it’s the Artist themselves.” The person I was talking to was a little taken back by my statement and I could see that they didn’t agree. You see most paintings by most Artists are good. Most paintings by most Artists are of a reasonable standard, so what makes the difference for most Artists? We have the talented genius who can get away with most things but for most Artists who paint most of the paintings, what sets one apart from the rest? The answer is the Artist themselves. Talent and competence are important but I think being a polite, friendly Artist who can talk to strangers with confidence will win every time over a talented Artist who wants to be the brooding, pouting, misunderstood artist. Every Artist should work hard on their personality to become a better person and improve their lives.

Selling is not what most Artists think it is, it’s getting name and face recognition, it’s talking to strangers and connecting with them and then building a relationship and getting permission to sell to them, we want it to be their idea. We want to build relationships with these strangers for life, so they become lifelong collectors, not just a one off sale. Building the relationship is very important to your longevity as an Artist, because sales are a vital part of your Art business. If you depend on your Art to pay your rent then you need to learn the skill of selling. .

Artists, spend a lot of money on art supplies, canvas, studio rents and of course their precious time, then the show their work and nothing sells. They do not know how to sell so trying to sell is scary, they complain. They do not know how to market and think that showing their painting on Facebook and getting likes is marketing, but no sales come and they complain. So many do not see the value of spending money on improving themselves. Learn to be a public speaker, so you are confident to speak to strangers. Learn to sell, so you are confident selling to people. Learn to do videos, so that people recognize you and know your name. As I have said the internet is pushing out the middle man and it is becoming more Artist straight to the buyer sales now. Improve yourself and improve your Art Business.

No, it won’t all work out, if you do nothing to change what is happening, then nothing will change. So decide what you want and then do what is necessary to make it happen. Change takes place when we decide to change and take action. Thinking about change, is nice. Dreaming about change, is nice. Hoping it will happen, is nice. People get upset when I say, help is not coming, this is it, as good as it gets, unless you are prepared to change. If you will change, then everything will change. Taking action will bring about change. .

Why story tell or write blogs with your Art? Most Artists do not get the opportunity to work in a gallery on a daily basics. If you been involved in a group show or had a solo show, everyone who comes to the opening already knows you and wants to meet you and talk with you, but being in a gallery every day you meet a lot of different people who just wander in and that is very different from having an opening or an event. They wander around and usually ask questions like, “what’s this painting all about?” and gallery staff need to have the answer to the question and know the story of the painting. Most people who are interested in a painting look at the title and then ask questions, that’s human nature. I know many Artists do not agree with me about story telling, but next time you make an unnecessary purchase outside of normal living purchases, see if you ask questions about it? If you are buying a new laptop? If you are buying a new phone? If you are buying a new fla...

You cannot sell to everyone, but you can sell to some. The biggest risk you take is trying to please everyone with your Art because you can’t. Don’t even try, because if you do your Art will become average. You will please some, so put all your effort into those who love you and your Art. Make it for them, please them and they will spread the word about how wonderful you and your Art are. Yes we need people, but we need the right people, those who love us and our Art. When you are selling your Art and someone says no, that’s ok because we didn’t make it for them, we made it for those that love us and our Art. You must always think this way, I made it for those who love me and my Art.

To accomplish your best life we must always ask the question, what I am doing does it help or hurt my long term goals? Am I doing tasks that help or are they tasks that hurt? Plan your day with a daily list. We have four priorities in our day, [1] create great original Art work, [2] sell and market our Art work, [3]get attention, get name and face recognition, [4] personal development. These are the our four priorities, so in everything we do we must ask ourselves does it help or hurt my achieving my long term goals. List makers are more productive, make a daily list. List makers plan their lives and work the plan. To accomplish your best life we must ask ourselves, is what I am doing helping or hurting me achieving my long term goals? .

Every person you persuade to look at your paintings will not buy, but some will. You cannot take refusal to buy personally, some people will not buy today for many reasons, but at least try and make a friendly of them, as once they like you they will be more inclined to like your Art. Remember the majority of people do not buy fine Art, so we must educate them during the sale process by explaining our Art to them and convincing them that our Art is valuable, that it is collectable and that you are growing in popularity and this is the best time to buy your Art as it will never be this price again, as your prices are going up. We have to educate our potential buyers and help them decide to become our collectors.

Sales, they are measurable. Did we get a sale today or we didn’t get a sale today, it’s measurable? Good or bad painting is not measurable, it’s a matter of personal opinion and taste. But most people want to be distracted with this rather than deal with what is measurable. If we are going to be successful in the Art business, then we will need to be concerned with what is measurable. Sales are measurable. Art production is measurable. The number of videos made is measurable. Completing your daily list is measurable. Time wasted is measurable. And many more things we do are measurable. So much of what we do in our Art practice can be measured, but don’t focus on things that can’t be measured. If you measure what you do then you will see if you are going forward, or backwards or stagnant. When you measure what you do and see your accomplishments, it build confidence and self belief and pushes you forward. .

We need to work on ourselves to be better able to face all the challenges that the Art world can throw at us. Working hard on ourselves because that is good for us, we must change for ourselves, to be a better you. You can blame the economy for lack of sales if you want, it will not change anything, still no sales. You can blame the customers for not buying your paintings and how terrible they are, but it will not change anything, still no sales. Or you can decide to change and be a better person, learn how to sell, get good people skills, start making videos, set goals for your life and work lists for each day and read books on how to run your Art Business better. These are important things and we can choose to do them or not do them, it is up to you. .

Don’t walk so hopefully in other peoples dreams for you. It will not work, discover your own dreams and desires. Turn them into goals and walk in the light of your own dreams. Then turn your affirmations into positive statements of the finished goal, visualize it, see it finished in you minds eye. Have the mindset that you will go out and make it your reality.

I always tell Artists to make videos promoting their Art, so they will get the attention of strangers. I know you are Artists and not Youtubers, I get that, but doing videos gives you the opportunity to promote your work to the whole world. It does not effect me if Artists don’t make videos, but those who do are profiting from making them. I know that most will not make videos and that is usually because of fear, fear of what people might say or think. For those Artists who do make videos I believe you get an unfair advantage over those who don’t. Promote your Art through videos, they are easy to make and then you will have an unfair advantage over those who don’t make videos. .

Your success depends on you. You are responsible for your life and your success. We all have the choice to do or not to do. I always encourage Artists to do certain things which will help them get the attention of the Art buying public. Make videos with the Artist clearly visible talking about their Art and why we should like it. Story tell your Art, stories create mind pictures. Write a blog expressing your Art opinions. Once you have some collector, start a monthly newsletter. Why do I want Artists to do these things? I want you to be successful and build your best life. I know that some of theses things are scary to do, but what if you did them and your sales increased, that would be exciting and fulfilling. I know this, success does not come to the fearful, it takes courage to step out of your comfort zone and do new things and challenge yourself to learn new skills and become better. Fear is the enemy that most don’t overcome, because they don’t challenge...

Working hard on your Art business, turns nothing into something. Even God worked six days and rested on the seventh, He knew that work builds the miracle. As Artists we need to embrace the work, do the work which builds the miracle in our lives. The work of creating wonderful works of Art, promoting our Art through videos and stories and engaging strangers in the sales process. Work turns ideas, dreams and faith into reality. .

It’s ok to say no, when a customer is pushing hard for you to discount your paintings. Sometimes we fell pressured and just give in and we say ok, now the customer is happy, but the Artist feels ripped off. Maybe you are desperate for the sale and you just give the discount, that’s really your choice, but don’t complain about how unfair it all is. If you don’t want to discount, just say no. You can take the sale away, you own the painting, so you get to choose. .

If you are not happy with your life and how it’s going then you will have to change. Most think if they get a better job, find a better partner or get into a big gallery, then everything will work out great, but the problem is not external but internal, you are going to have to change. If you change then everything around you changes. If I work hard on changing me for the better and not expecting everyone else to change for me, then I will bring change into my life. Change is like most things, I first have to admit that I need to change, then I have to have a plan of action on what I will do to bring that change and I must do it. Jim Rhone said, “If you want the next 5 years to be like the last 5 years, then do nothing and it will happen. But if you want the next 5 years to be an improvement on the last 5 years, then you are going to have to change.” We need to see change as an opportunity to improve and make our lives and our world better.

“What have I said, what have I done, all powerful human words!” William Blake from the poem Jerusalem. The power of our words. Life and death is in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 18:21 . Words have the power to panic someone or calm them down, all in the power of the tongue. Words have t he ability to crush someone with brutal criticism or to love them with beautiful words , all in the power of your tongue . The ability to give our selves courage or talk ourselves out of doing something worthwhile, all in the power of our words. We always think of words said to other, but the most important words are the one we tell ourselves, we can or we can’t? Listen to the words you are saying to yourself and make sure they will help you become what you want for your life. The story we tell ourselves, becomes our future reality. .

Talking about it and not doing, doesn’t work. Reading about it and not doing, doesn’t work. Thinking about it and not doing, doesn’t work. You have to do, that’s when things begin to happen. Selling is about doing, showing your work and talking to strangers. We learn to do it, by doing it. Strangers are only strangers until you speak to them, then they are no longer strangers, hopefully they are becoming a customer, then an acquaintance, then a friend and then your collector. Everything starts when we overcome the fear and begin to do.

You have to put yourself forward, don’t wait to be picked. You have to promote yourself, don’t wait to be discovered. Be different, be noticed, get attention for yourself. Go all in, burn the boats. Go through the hard times, diamonds are created under pressure. Stay true to your vision, know what the end looks like. Be present, be focused on being the best Artist and person that you can be. Change you for the better and your world will be better.

The question should always be, am I bringing change and am I becoming a better person? Am I giving my Art business my best and what am I becoming? If we are always striving to become better in every area of our lives, then we will have positive impact on those around us and our world will be better. Be the generous Artist, yes earn a good living from your Art, but also bring change and help others and you will get what you want, signs follow.

I was talking to one young person about why they stopped doing something that was beneficial for them and they said, it’s hard. It got hard, so they stopped! If you want to be a successful Artist then you will have to deal with the hard. If success was easy then everyone would be successful. Change is hard, that’s why most never change. Saving money is hard, it’s slow, so most don’t save. Self discipline is hard, most don’t try. Personal responsibility is hard, but we prefer our excuses. Making videos is hard, fear stops most. Talking to strangers is hard, it’s easier to be shy. All these hard, if done are the qualities of success. You must except that it will be hard when you first do these things, but if you push through the hard, they will become new skills to help you achieve your desired success. .

Do not allow the idea that it is not working to enter your thoughts. I was asked once when is it time to give up? I said, “ten years from today.” Even if it looks like nothing is happening, don’t stop, do not entertain the thoughts of giving up. Switch it up. Do more, do it differently. Improve yourself, learn to market and sell. What can I change in me to be better? If we change ourselves for the better, our whole world changes for the better. Always believe you are destined for success and work hard on creating wonderful original Art work and market it and sell it hard, and make your success a reality. I truly believe the miracle, success is found in the amount of work you are prepared to put in to make it a reality.

If you want to see the negative, you will. If to want to see the positive, you will, it is all a matter of what you focus on. A lot of people focus on an imagined situations, they listen to the fear and hear what the fear tells them and then how negative they now see the situation, this all takes a few seconds to do, the fear is out to stop you and it may take you weeks or months to recover from it. Be careful what you focus on, don’t listen to the thief. Do not presume the worst, focus on the positive. Focus your thoughts on what really does matter to your Art career.

Something I have noticed is that many Artists act like an employee not an employer, yet if they are a full time or part time Artist they own an Art business. Employee mentality, complains about most things, because nothing is fair, my paintings are worth more and people should recognise my talent. My paintings speak for themselves and I am shy and I don’t talk to strangers, nothing is fair. Employer mentality, I have skin in the game and have to find a way to earn more money. Always looking for opportunities to build more sales and talk to as many strangers as possible, they understand that strangers have all their money. Work constantly on self improvement, knowing that the better I become the better my world becomes. Always looking for new ways to sell their paintings and understanding every day is a day to sell more Art. Two mindsets, one is not the way to be successful, one is the way to build a successful Art business. .

Because you are gifted and talented and have a fabulous style or because you are marketing your Art hard, posting regularly, making videos, writing stories about your Art and reaching out to strangers. The most important thing in your Art business is name and face recognition, that’s what you need and videos will give you that. I am told that most important thing about my painting is the style, I know the most important thing about my painting is the signature on the bottom. What we must all work hard to get, is not style recognition, but face and name recognition. .

Those Artists who have goals for their future which are written down a re say ing to themselves, this is where I want to be in 10years. T hey will have a much greater chanc e of accomplishing those goals than those who do not write them down. Those who write down goals and how they plan to action those goals will build their future. Artists need to have goals, so they will know where they are going and when they have arrived. Goals are very important.