Mark E Shellshear.

You will not get a person to change their mind or point of view by criticism, rebuke and bad temper. All you will do is make them more entrenched in their point of view and they will probably dislike you. Kindness and the friendly approach and appreciation can make a person change their mind more readily than all the criticism and bad temper in the world. Encouragement and understanding is far more powerful than sarcastic venom. Be kind and be gentle you have no idea the road the other person is walking, and have pity on the life of the fault finder and the critic they have live with that constant critical voice in their heads about themselves. Be an inspired Artist who wants to make a positive difference in your world and encourage those around you.

I had this conversation with an Artist and I said, “It’s not the paintings that make the difference, it’s the Artist themselves.” The person I was talking to was a little taken back by my statement and I could see that they didn’t agree. You see most paintings by most Artists are good. Most paintings by most Artists are of a reasonable standard, so what makes the difference for most Artists? We have the talented genius who can get away with most things but for most Artists who paint most of the paintings, what sets one apart from the rest? The answer is the Artist themselves. Talent and competence are important but I think being a polite, friendly Artist who can talk to strangers with confidence will win every time over a talented Artist who wants to be the brooding, pouting, misunderstood artist. Every Artist should work hard on their personality to become a better person and improve their lives.

Selling is not what most Artists think it is, it’s getting name and face recognition, it’s talking to strangers and connecting with them and then building a relationship and getting permission to sell to them, we want it to be their idea. We want to build relationships with these strangers for life, so they become lifelong collectors, not just a one off sale. Building the relationship is very important to your longevity as an Artist, because sales are a vital part of your Art business. If you depend on your Art to pay your rent then you need to learn the skill of selling. .

Artists, spend a lot of money on art supplies, canvas, studio rents and of course their precious time, then the show their work and nothing sells. They do not know how to sell so trying to sell is scary, they complain. They do not know how to market and think that showing their painting on Facebook and getting likes is marketing, but no sales come and they complain. So many do not see the value of spending money on improving themselves. Learn to be a public speaker, so you are confident to speak to strangers. Learn to sell, so you are confident selling to people. Learn to do videos, so that people recognize you and know your name. As I have said the internet is pushing out the middle man and it is becoming more Artist straight to the buyer sales now. Improve yourself and improve your Art Business.

No, it won’t all work out, if you do nothing to change what is happening, then nothing will change. So decide what you want and then do what is necessary to make it happen. Change takes place when we decide to change and take action. Thinking about change, is nice. Dreaming about change, is nice. Hoping it will happen, is nice. People get upset when I say, help is not coming, this is it, as good as it gets, unless you are prepared to change. If you will change, then everything will change. Taking action will bring about change. .

Why story tell or write blogs with your Art? Most Artists do not get the opportunity to work in a gallery on a daily basics. If you been involved in a group show or had a solo show, everyone who comes to the opening already knows you and wants to meet you and talk with you, but being in a gallery every day you meet a lot of different people who just wander in and that is very different from having an opening or an event. They wander around and usually ask questions like, “what’s this painting all about?” and gallery staff need to have the answer to the question and know the story of the painting. Most people who are interested in a painting look at the title and then ask questions, that’s human nature. I know many Artists do not agree with me about story telling, but next time you make an unnecessary purchase outside of normal living purchases, see if you ask questions about it? If you are buying a new laptop? If you are buying a new phone? If you are buying a new fla...

You cannot sell to everyone, but you can sell to some. The biggest risk you take is trying to please everyone with your Art because you can’t. Don’t even try, because if you do your Art will become average. You will please some, so put all your effort into those who love you and your Art. Make it for them, please them and they will spread the word about how wonderful you and your Art are. Yes we need people, but we need the right people, those who love us and our Art. When you are selling your Art and someone says no, that’s ok because we didn’t make it for them, we made it for those that love us and our Art. You must always think this way, I made it for those who love me and my Art.