Mark E Shellshear.

One other significant thing this research stated from last Saturdays blog [ 8/12/2018] was that most Artists go into the Art business, with little planning, little money, little understanding of who their customer is, and they won’t spend money to get advice and help. This is very interesting because look at what Australian bureau of statistics says about business, they say that 97% of all business is small business and that 60% of small business cease operation within the first 3 years. I find that a staggering figure and these are the reasons they give for this; + Lack of education and awareness of their market which leads to a quick downhill. + Most don’t ask for help because they think they will be ok. + They go into business; - under planned. - under capitalised. - they won’t look to spend money to get advice. Let’s turn these statistics around within the Art world and do the opposite to what both these reports said. I take these reports as a real chall...

I have been doing a lot of research for the new Shellshear Art group starting next year and for the Shellshear Art Academy regarding Art as a business. I want to spend my time writing and talking about these areas a lot more next year. Some interesting research I came across made the argument that most Artists do not want to be in business and most were not good at it and wanted to spend their time in their studio. I thought about this and I agree to the point that if you don’t want to have an Art business don’t, because if you do you will probably find it suffocating and hard. You would be best to have a day job to earn your living and paint after hours and sell your work as you can. But if you enjoy the business side of Art and you love creating your own original Art then there is greater chance of success. Because the Artist who is good at sales and marketing and selling themselves even if they do not have significant talent will be more successful than one who i...

Over the last few years one of the biggest lessons I have learned is so simple yet so profound. Fear is something everyone faces, because it is built into us for survival. We needed fear when we lived in caves and villages and wild animals would stalk us because we were constantly in danger but now those days are gone, yet the fear is still with us to rob us of success and keep us average and ordinary. Learn to use this thief to your advantage. The fear turns up just when you are about to make a decision or get out of your comfort zone and make your first video and it’s scary and the thief says, “Don’t do that you will make a fool of yourself or don’t do that people will laugh and criticize you, or who do you think you are to do that.” Learn to say when the thief turns up, “You have turned up, I must be doing the right thing, so I will now go ahead and do it.” It is so important that you use the fear to your advantage, don’t let it stop you from accomplishing al...

There is no enjoyment or sense of achievement when your Art is not selling. Yes there are many who paint purely for the pleasure of painting but once you put a price on your Art you are declaring to all that you want to sell it and that you are now in business. So we need to focus on what is important and stop doing anything that distracts us from sales. Without sales our Art business will not go ahead, so what should I be focusing on? Income producing activities that lead to sales. Firstly creating wonderful original Art. Getting these Art works out in front of strangers using innovative ways. Thinking what we can do differently that will get us the attention of strangers and them wanting to know more about us and our Art. Creating interesting videos to show and talk about your Art, getting your work onto Facebook Art groups with a great story about the piece, putting your work into on line galleries and selling sites, getting into group shows and local Art galleries and whatever y...

If you want to sell your Art then you are going to have to put it out in front of strangers and convince some to buy it. It is strangers you need to buy your Art, not all will buy but some will buy your Art. You need to be seen and tell your story to everyone who will listen. Being exceptional matters. Not just making exceptional Art work, but being an exceptional person as well, it is so important that people like you and want to know you. Stand out, don’t fit in. Always show up and show off. Build excitement around yourself and your Art so people will talk and spread the word about you. Build relationships with those strangers who buy from you turning them into friends and collectors. Most importantly, shun the non-believers.

I can certainly recognize a great Artist when they are great, can't you? I have have been told by different Artists, Gallerists and collectors that they can pick great Art and what will sell. Now that is really easy if the Artist who painted is already famous but not so easy if they are just starting out or not well known. I have known Artist over the years that I thought would be famous and make the big time, today they don’t paint. The problem is picking winners before they win. If we could have bought Claude Monet when he was starving and unknown and then sold him when he became famous we would be rich, but we didn’t and very few ever do. This is great news for every Artist because if they couldn’t pick Monet, then all of us who are not well known have a great chance of making the big time. The market can always pick winners when they are already winners, but it is very bad at picking winners when an Artist is not well known. Hindsight is genius, but for...

Many of us grow up believing the old idea that the customer is always right, but are they? When you are selling your Art in a Gallery or Art show somewhere is every customer always right? The customer who is rude, outspoken, loud mouth is never right. The customer who is critical and fault finding is never right. The customer who is argumentative and demanding is never right. But I believe we are saying it all wrong, because this person is not your customer. So we would be much better to say, “ My customer is always right.” I can recognize my customer by their friendly smile and there amiable nature and how much they love my Art, this is my customer and they are always right. The first group were never your customers, they were just people passing through your life. Your customers are always right, because they love you and buy your Art.