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...