Mark E Shellshear.

My friends you will not get this day ever again in all your life, so don't waste it. Paint, e ven 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. Make this day count for your future, put in a little more effort than you need to, paint some, read some, learn some, meditate, write in your journal and give someone a hug. Y ou will never have the opportunity to live this day again in your life, so live it to the fullest, no time for anger or jealousy or fighting. Reach out and love those around you, you do not know how long you will have them with you, even the difficult ones. Be a role model always , you never know who is watching. M ake every day a positive, productive day for you and your art career and those that you influence.

In an ancient text it says, “ He who tills his land will have plenty of food, But he who follows empty pursuits will have poverty in plenty.” Those who work hard on their own land/Art business and not concern themselves with what others are doing, will prosper. Consider your work, “till your ground” do not worry about what others are doing and saying be concerned with your Art business, otherwise you will be distracted from your work, from being diligent in your “field.” It is to easy in the Art business to get caught up with what others are doing and saying and if you are not careful you will be influenced by them to do what they are doing rather than what is best for you and your creative direction. Being like everyone else will not help you to stand out from the crowd and get attention, but it will make you accepted by the crowd. If that is what you want, that is fine but you will only be a reflection of everyone else as they will be of you and your creative indiv...

Living on the edge with your Art, is the safest place to be. Take risks with your painting, be careless, stop worrying what others will think, live in the creative. Do things that maybe you were scared to do with your Art, because of what others might say or think, do it now, be inspired. Paint with freedom and without constraint, even if you are really scared while you do it, it is liberating. Stop worrying if its ok, because as long as you are doing it and giving yourself permission to paint in whatever style you want to, then it is original, its new, it's pure you. G ive yourself permission to be the best Artist you can be. Be different, be exciting, be innovative, be creative, be original . Imagine the Artist that you can be? Now make it happen.

Stop paying attention to the things that you cannot change. You cannot change the government. You cannot change the economy. You cannot change your family. You cannot change your friends. All of these things are out of your control, but you can change you. Pay attention to you, your actions, your habits, your attitudes, your business and do not try and change others, lead by changing yourself. You can choose to be better, happier and friendlier. You can choose to lead instead of follow. You can choose to show people what a friend you can be. You can choose to show your family how caring and loving you can be. Be the Artist who is an example to others, choose to be a leader. Show others what to do, don’t just tell others what to do. Choose to lead by example. The person who is prepared to take responsibility without recognition. The person who is prepared to have principles, not just be a compromiser. The Art world need leaders not followers. ...

Do not let the thief rob you and terrorise you with fear. When you are fearful of doing something, positive action causes the fear to retreat. When the fear, the thief says don’t, you say do, and do it. And do it. And do it. You are more powerful than you think, act accordingly.

Any Artist who thinks they can build a successful career without becoming a personality is naive. I understand you are shy, I understand that you are quiet and timid but you cannot let these things stop you from becoming the Artist you are destined to be. The thing that stops most from stepping forward is fear. What will people say about me? Also shame, “Who are you to think you can do that?” And peer pressure, what will my friends say and think? Peer pressure is not just for school children, I know many older Artists who are so worried about what will their group think and say if they step out and do amazing things. It is easy to agree that we need to promote ourselves, but hard to do because that negative voice inside our head the ‘Thief” will steal your success from you if you let it. It wants safety and security and it does not want to to step out from the crowd and be noticed and it will use shame and peer pressure and fear of failure to stop you from doing i...

You need people to talk about you and your paintings to other people and hope it spreads like the measles. If your paintings are worth talking about, then people will tell other people and create a demand for your work. It is only when strangers begin to talk about your paintings and you to other strangers, that is when sales will come. Word of mouth is still the best marketing strategy. Every time we post on the Internet, we need to be saying, “ Here is my painting I made this and this is the story behind my painting, why I did it and this is what it means to me.” Give people something to talk about to others, that’s how the measles spread, person to person. The stranger wants to know that you love you Art work, if you want her to love it too.