Mark E Shellshear.

Dreams are your promised land, your goals before the miracle of work turns them into reality and you live them. If hard work alone was the key to great success and wealth then labourers who dig holes would be the richest people in the world but they are not. It is not just hard work, it is having a vision, a big idea and the self belief to go for it when it seems crazy to others. The miracle happens not in the idea of creating wonderful Art but through self belief and determination to consistently work hard creating wonderful Art to make it come to pass. The miracle of work turns great Art ideas into reality.

The most dangerous time for successful people is after a big success, accomplishing a big goal, getting a big Art sale and we feel great. Rejoice in your success and celebrate and reward yourself you have earned it but remember tomorrow is a new day not a holiday, you must level up and find your next challenge. Success must motivate us to do more, not a reason to do less. Success is celebrated in an event, a big goal accomplished or that big sale, but success is built by turning up each day and doing your work to the best of your ability.

Your good reputation is what will support you in the future, to lose people’s trust and confidence in you will mean you will not have a long career in the Arts. Do not trade off fast sales of questionable copied art at the expense of your good reputation and a name for quality original work. Build an Art career that will last, build on the reputation of producing original Art that is yours and yours alone. Have the notoriety of being reliable and that you do what you say you will do, personal standards are important. If you want a long career in the Arts build strong, always knowing exactly what you want and establishing good ethical standards in your Art business. There is no fast way to be an overnight success it takes time and you must pay your dues. Be patient and build your good name.

Always be working hard on your Art career and ignore the feelings that it is taking a long time to be an overnight success. You do not see it yet, but it is happening, maybe very slowly but it is happening. It takes time. It takes hard work. It takes self belief and ignoring that negative voice in your head and how you feel, feelings are not reality, the reality is that it is happening, it may be slow but it is happening. Don’t stop now, do those videos, write those stories. Don’t listen to that negative voice in your head, just keep working hard at your Art practice and on yourself. The problem with giving up is that, then you would never know? .

That you have a goal, a noble quest, something worth living for, a deep burning desire to accomplish something worthwhile, a purpose for living. Many live life hoping life will get better, hoping things will turn around, living by default, we must design and guide our lives because we are in control don’t give over control to others. In your Art business know what you want to achieve, be purposeful and go for your dreams, drive yourself, make yourself do it, don’t wait for permission, it’s not coming. Give yourself permission and design your life and live it with purpose. .

Artists to all non artists out there you are a fascinating person and you live a life they can only dream of, so must invite them through blogs and storytelling into the Artist part of your life. They don’t need to know the other you, just the Artist you, that’s what attracts them to you. Invite them into you Art practice, story tell them your ideas, explain your masterpieces, blog your studio disasters like spilling a can of paint, how you cleaned your brushes in your coffee and had a good shirt on, forgot and wiped my brushes on it, now I have cleaned brushes and a bad habit and a ruined shirt. All these things build relationships and people get to know the Artist you and get insider information so they feel special and they will follow you and become true fans. It is much easier to sell a painting to a stranger who loves you, than to cold sell to a stranger. Work on building relationships through blogging and storytelling and the sales will come. .

Y ou are an Artist and t he battle within with the fear will rage every day for as long as you de mand more of yourself and more from your craft. Fear does not want criticism from others or you pushing yourself further out into the unknown doing exciting new original work, it prefers procrastination, double mindedness, indecision, apathy and copying , these fear can live with because then you will be safe and accomplish very little. This is not where the Artist lives, an Artist lives with the unknown every day, pushing boundaries and always wanting to get outside of their comfort zone, experimenting and innovating. It is a daily struggle, because then you know th at you are on the right path, if the fear is strong and trying to stop you, you are going in the right direction so e njoy your artistic journey. B e comfortable in your the quiet solitude with your M use and triumph every day as you wrestle with the fear . .