Mark E Shellshear.

I spend a lot of time encouraging Artists to make videos, because I see the value of what videos can give you. Now it is important to remember that we get paid for value, if people perceive us to be of value to the Art world then we sell more paintings and our prices creep upwards. So it’s value we want to bring to the market place in the form of paintings. For our paintings to sell they will have to be seen and seen by many people as possible and that is why I believe Artists should be making videos. Now I know many will not make them because of fear, that is what stops most. It is like standing up in public and speaking to a crowd, many just cannot do that. So the question is this? Will it hurt my Art business if I never do videos? The answer is, you will never know unless you do them and see. What videos do for you, is put you in front of the Art public so you can promote your paintings. Now it is not just about showing your paintings it is also about showing y...

If you want to become a famous Artist and that is your burning desire and goal, then the way to achieve that is to constantly turn up every day and paint. The consistency of painting every day and doing the work that will make your Art business strong will cause you to achieve your goals. The reason that many people never achieve their goals is because they are not consistent in their commitment to painting and building their Art business. For many it is far easier to make excuses when they don’t commit to working systematically, but rather think that a big rush of energy and inspiration occasionally will do it, erratic effort will not produce long lasting results. To be successful in the Art business you have to do the work to achieve your goals and it must be consistent work, deliberately done. There is no magic in your goal s , the miracle is in the work that achieves those goals.

Embrace uncertainty, this is the walk of the original creative Artist. Don’t walk down the beaten path, don’t be average, mediocre, one of the crowd, dare to blaze a new Art trail that is your creative trail alone. Creating something new and original is scary, but exciting . T here is something wonderful about being the first to do something i t is exciting and challenging, that is what makes being a trailblazer so amazing. D o not let fear, the “thief” rob you or try to stop you by using shame and saying things like, “ W ho do you think you are to think you are so special?” Y ou are special, your an Artist. The thief will try to use shame or any tactic to stop you from doing something new and challenging it wants average and safe . D on’t ask for directions from others , make your own vision a reality, walk down that unknown road of creativity . I s it dangerous and scary? Yes. Could you fail and have to start again? Yes. Could it be the decision that...

Do not see selling as something difficult and hard. See selling as an opportunity to delight your customer and bring joy into their life. One of the reasons why I think Artists should talk and write more about their Artistic practice is so that when they are around groups of people they can ask this question, “ Would you like to hear my story, how I take an idea and turn it into joy in the life of another?” Imagine you saying that? What do you think people would say to you? “ I thought you were an Artist?” “ How do you bring joy into the life of another?” “ I am an Artist and I take an idea and create a wonderful painting out of nothing and that painting brings joy into the lives of others?” Isn’t that amazing, that Artists can do that and effect the emotions and lives of others? You have a calling Artist, to bring change and that change is to bring happiness and joy into the lives of others through your wonderful Art. You are very special, act accordingly. ...

In the book by Jeffery Deaver called “ The Vanished Man” these are the sentences which really jumped out at me, “ He did what everyone else did. Because unique attracts attention. Similar makes you invisible.” Being invisible is very safe and feels secure and we all want to feel secure, unfortunately if we want to create attention and build a successful Art career, then safe is not the place to be. We have been talking about being consistent in our work and our marketing especially on social media. You not only have to be a good Artist now , you need to have that edge that makes you stand out from the crowd. We live in a world with so many wonderful creative Artists and to get your original work out there so people will see it will require a lot of work. It will take more than just talent to get you out in front of the pack, b eing the best is not enough, you will need to be consistently the best, turning up before the others, working th ose extra hours...

Do not underestimate the value of being consistent on social networks, this is a business and being consistent on it will give you a big advantage over those Artists who do it spasmodically and erratically. Social media is serious, it is not a play thing, it can make your Art business, so do it and become good at it. The more you do it, the more you can do it. It is working a little longer and harder on your Art business than the average Artist, this will give you the advantage. That extra hour you work is a gained hour. That extra day you work is another day ahead, it is compressing time so get more out of what you have. If you work 6 days a week instead of 5, then you add another 52 days of working each year, what kind of advantage will that give you over those who don’t work that extra day? Be consistent in what you do, the miracle is in the work.

It very important that we also build consistency in how we promote ourselves. Selling our work is extremely important to the Artist who puts a price on their paintings, so we need too be consistent in how we present our work to the public. Sales is all about building relationships with strangers and turning them into friends and collectors and we can begin that process through social media. Now nothing will ever be as powerful as face to face talking or word of mouth advertising but social media can get us front of a lot of strangers who maybe encouraged to buy. Facebook and all the social media platforms preform better for you if you consistently post, either daily or a few times a week or weekly, that is a decision that you must make and once the decision is made you must stick to that. By doing it consistently is what brings results, collectors friends and fans learn when you normally post and look out for you. The internet is just the same as a bricks and mortar ...