Mark E Shellshear.

  During this difficult time that we are all living through we cannot loose sight of the fact that we still need to get peoples attention so they have the opportunity to buy our Art. Obscurity is being invisible. We must get peoples attention, they have to know our name and be able to recognize us. Post, story tell and make videos, you will not get overexposed, that is just not possible. As I always say, how can they buy my painting if they don’t even know I exist, so get known. You must get known, this should be our priority. .

  Yes some critics are very cruel and they are wrong and many are hurt by them because they are a loud voice. The way to deal with criticism is not to react and yell back. The thing about the critic is we allow them to hurt us by accepting the criticism, we need to reject it out of hand. The problem with the loud critical voice is it sounds like everybody is yelling but it is not everyone its only one, say no to the critic. We must have the mindset that we are not for them and we didn’t make our Art for them and what they are saying is just their opinion and it’s not every bodies opinion. Reject the critic. We need more people to encourage and inspire us to not look at the mud, but to see the stars.

  If you continue to do what you have always done, then your future will be exactly the same as your past.   If we make changes now, we will change our future.   Action is the key to change, procrastination stops progress.   Paint that painting today, don’t put it off until tomorrow.   Did you finish that commission on time?   Did you write the story for your painting?   Are you going to make that video?   Are you learning new sales skills?   Are you working on self improvement?   The future is not written in stone, so if you keep changing for the better it changes your future for the better , it is just a matter of deciding to do it and then doing it. Action, consistency and self belief changes lives. .

  If you make that video and post it, what’s the worst that can happen? If you write that personal email to your valued collector about your new work, not spamming, what’s the worst that can happen? If you send a personal message to your collector on messenger about your new work, not spamming, what’s the worst that can happen? If you story tell your Art when post it, what’s the worst that can happen? The worst that can happen is nothing happens or you get a no thank you. But you could get a positive response and maybe even a sale. Why are we so afraid of imagined consequences, we should first ask ourselves the question, what’s the worst that could happen?

There is a big difference between me and your Art teacher. They want you to painting beautiful paintings and if possible paint like them. I make no judgement call on what you paint, I just want you be equipped to sell them. Sales, original Art and correct mindset lead to success. Remember no one is coming to rescue you, you will have to rescue yourself. No gallery is searching for your name so they can pick you, you will have to pick yourself. No one is looking to discover you so they can promote you, you will have to promote yourself. over your Art career. Rescue yourself, pick yourself, promote yourself and yes it is always your turn. .  

  What is the smallest amount of collectors you need to earn a living from your Art? How will you get them and keep them? Keeping them is the goal after you get them. The problem every Artist faces in the beginning is you are unknown, so how are you going to get known? What is your strategy for getting known? Chance, luck, a miracle? Or do you have a thought out strategy to accomplish this? These are important questions to be asked and answered by all professional, if not to others certainly to themselves. How are you going to get known?

  So many Artists and people have trouble saying no to people, because they don’t want to let them down or upset them so they say yes and later regret that they did. It’s ok to say no to commissions you don’t want to do. It’s ok to say no to discounts. It’s ok to say no to unwanted attention from fans. It’s ok to say no to people who want to disturb you when you are working. Don’t feel pressured to say yes when you don’t want to do something, just politely say, no.