Abstract art versus realistic (or figurative) art has been going on for most of the 20th century and continues to today. Is one really better than the other?

I know a lot of abstract artists (I am thinking painters) and I know just as many figurative painters. To me, personally, it doesn’t matter. Art is big enough (again, in my opinion) to encompass both.

A lot of people (including me) have much more of a feel for abstract art but I could really care less what form or style of painting you choose to practice. Why? because it’s really about a type of visual language that you choose to develop and engage in.

So many people tell me, “Abstract art’s crap. It’s just a bunch of squiggly lines on a canvas. Hell, my kid could do that!” I go back a ways so I have heard this (in multiple forms) more times than I care to think about.

Does it bother me? Nope, I don’t care. I know art as an artist (the making of it) and I know the history of art a lot better than most. I can tell you why and who is associated in movements of art from Fauvism to Cubism to Dada to Pop art to Abstract Expressionism to Minimal art to the new expressionism and beyond.

Not trying to brag. I just know this stuff and have been fascinated with it for a long, log time. And, so I know where modernism (The period from roughly 1860′s through the 1970′s) comes from and why it evolved.

To me, it was always the same thing. Paint on canvas. I don’t care whether you’re talking about DeKooning or Peter Paul Rubens. It’s all the same stuff. Pigment on canvas. In my own work I never wanted to hide that. It always felt a bit fake to me.

Why would anyone paint in an abstract manner anyway? Again, as I mentioned, it is a way to create a unique visual language where one can explore other aspects of pictorial space. I never could get at that doing representational work. It didn’t work for me.

I started drawing when I was about 6 or 7 and soon learned I had a kind of aptitude for it. I could create a visual representation of an object in space. I had an innate sense of visual proportion and pictorial balance. Kids even paid me in candy (my favorite, Strawberry Twizzlers, of course!) in grade school to draw pictures for them. I seemed to them (I think) kinda magical.

But as I progressed in my art education I started to see other pictorial possibilities because I started to be exposed to artists like Matisse, Picasso, Cezanne, Degas for starters who began to really question and expand what painting could be. That really clicked for me.

The question for me (and I’m sure a whole bunch of other artists) was, “Now what?” So I could really draw and represent objects in space with real facility, but, “Now what do I do?”

Just trying to represent reality didn’t do much for me. I didn’t just want to create “pretty pictures.” I wanted a much more raw experience. I didn’t want to do coloring book art to impress my friends – that was gone. I wanted to be visually surprised when I worked. And I wanted to acknowledge in a real direct way that I was working with materials (whatever they were – whether it was paint or not)

That became my working methodology – trying to create the painting as I went. To discover. To have the process reveal the painting. Not knowing the end result was fine. That was cool to me. That is still cool to me.

Conversely, what bothered me about representational art was that it can be too easy. That all you have to do is see what’s in front of you and accurately depict it. I never got that. It was too easy. I could already do that.

The problem I ran into and which I think a lot about now is really developing a visual language. I think that trips up a lot of people. You really need some type of visual pictorial vehicle to communicate with. I used to bounce from here to there, different materials, different process and you can really scatter yourself very easy.

Artists like Cezanne and Matisse and Picasso and women artists like Joan Mitchell and Helen Frankenthaler (just some examples off the top of my head) provided us with a rigorousness of thinking about pictorial space. They were up for that challenge. And it brought out the best in them.

Bottom line is – whether you work with a figurative language or an abstract one, what does it matter? What matters is that your work can be continued so that it provides you with a vehicle to dig deeper as an artist, to not settle for the easiest solution but to really expand YOUR notion of what art can be. When you can do that – then you start to play a new game. A serious game.

Top Image:
“River” 1989
Joan Mitchell
oil on canvas/diptych
© Estate of Joan Mitchell

Second Image:
“Ville d’Avray” ca. 1867
Jean-Baptiste-Camille Corot
Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art

Art, life and romance can, at times, get mangled up in this beautiful, tangled mess. And it not easy to see what’s going on when you’re in the midst of it.

This year I want to get a lot more “real” and honest on this blog. I don’t want it to just be about art and marketing and sales and tips and strategies, etc. etc.

I want to explore some of the things I’m going through, been through and things I want to explore further.

I’m closing in on being 50 quite soon (my next birthday April 1 I’ll be 49) and that doesn’t really qualify me for anything (except maybe AARP membership) only that I’ve been around for a while and seen some things and experienced some things.

For those of you who don’t know I got married sort of late in life (at age 40) I always did want to get married but had other issues I was struggling with (which I’ll reveal in later posts) and frankly, quite liked the freedom of being rather independent.

But I DID get married. I married the girl I took to the senior prom in high school. I met her almost 22 years later. It was pretty cool. I always thought about her and what she was doing but was involved with other crazy women during those times.

Through some strange consequences, we ended up meeting via a mutual friend (whom we both saw at a mutual friends funeral) and she told me that Cathy (my wife) really wanted to see me (she knew I was single and I heard she was divorced)

Long story short we ended up on our first date and it was really magical. I remember exactly what she was wearing when I met her all those years later. She had on this red, ribbed sweater white pants and these cool black shoes that we later jokingly called her “Pilgrim” shoes.

Anyway, she looked like the same kid I dated in high school. Even better. Just looked beautiful, healthy and happy. We ended up going to a local pub and just talking for hours. She was always real easy to talk with. It was a lovely, romantic evening.

And for the first time, in a really, really, long time, I felt calm. Like I could just be me. I think she gave me that space. It’s rather difficult to explain.

She was a single mom at that point with 3 boys. 2 were teenagers and the other was 8 years old. I knew she had children and it was really fun to meet them at a barbecue she had so I could have dinner and meet them all. Little did I realize all the fun that I was going to experience in the next 8 years!

So with all my consulting work (I do IT consulting, too) and work on Art Marketing Association, do my artwork, and other projects and my golf game, I have realized I have lost a bit of romance in my life. It’s become routinized to a degree. But my wife reminded be of this today and I realize that I have sort of neglected this area.

It just has been pushed off to the side. And as I began to think about I realized I’m not that romantic. I like to think I am but women really have a different view sometimes of what actually is romance. Is it a dinner? is it watching a football game together? Is it going shopping? I don’t think any of those quite qualify. So I need to dig deeper. And practice more.

I want to try to be more romantic but I realized I’ve forgotten what romance is. I shouldn’t say forgot – I just have neglected it. And you should hear me try to discuss it! I can’t even articulate it at all. Anything that comes out of my mouth just sounds stupid. And my wife can talk about this in such eloquent language. She really knows how to talk about what she needs, her feelings and what’s important to her.

Me, I just feel like a complete klutz. Incapable of uttering anything that makes any sense. And I realized I need to work on this. As much as I work on a blog or the AMA or any project or my golf game. My skills are rusty to say the least.

Maybe some of this is from my father, I’m not sure. He never really revealed much. That was a sign of weakness, I think. Otherwise you would have to become vulnerable in sharing your fears and weaknesses. I only witnessed a one-dimensional father, which to me is kinda sad.

But I don’t really want to follow that path. I want to be real. And honest. I have been scared and broke and lonely and depressed and ill and somehow am still around. I want to get better at being romantic. At understanding what women really need.

To understand what romance means. How to be more creative at it. How to show a vulnerable side of myself that has nothing to do with weakness, only strength. I want to become that person. To at least move toward it. Plan more, think more about it. Bring more light and consciousness to it. My wife and family deserve that.

If anyone has any ideas on being more romantic please feel free to share them. I don’t care if they’re quotes or books or programs or ideas, whatever.

Image above:
“L’aubade” 1967
Picasso
oil on canvas.

How you “perceive” yourself is the key to creating the life of your dreams. As there is no discernible difference in our brains to what is real and what we “perceive” to be real, we can often create immediate and dramatic breakthroughs in our life.

There are times in everyone’s life, I dare to say, that seem effortless, that everything is just seemingly happening perfectly, that whatever circumstance is happening, whether it be a phone call or a new contract or new show, it is welcomed with open arms.

But what about those other times, when things are not going so smoothly when there is more rent than money at the end of the month, when you are “stuck” creatively, when you can’t seem to fight your way out of a paper bag? How do you (or should you) archive these things mentally?

The answer is really perception. I have been reading the famous hypnotherapist Lindsay Brady’s book, As the Pendulum Swings (see link at end of post). It’s all about the mind-brain connection. How perceptions are sent to the brain. And how those perceptions drive our behavior.

It’s remarkable how this works and how we have much more control than we think. Here’s an example. Say you win the lottery. You read the numbers in the paper and realize you just won 9 million dollars. You are off the scale in happy hysteria. You immediately start fantasizing all the things you’ll buy, the Jag, the mansion, the pool, and on and on.

Then, suddenly, out of the blue, you receive a call from the state lottery agent informing you there was an error in reporting those numbers. You didn’t win after all. From the heights of crazy joy to back in the boring doldrums of every day life.

So what happened here. You mind “perceived” you had all this money but in actuality you had none. How could it be about the money? You didn’t have any (yet). You just perceived you had it.

It’s like the famous example of a snake you see curled up at night, ready to strike and inject you with poisonous venom, then when you get closer you realize it’s a just a piece of rope. For a while that snake was “perceived” as real. There was no doubt in your mind it wasn’t real.

The circumstance was the same. It was just a piece of rope lying on a desert floor. But it was perceived differently. So the perception of anything is what really drives your thoughts, feelings and ultimately, your actions (or behaviors)

Behavior always flows from perception. And the good news is that I can alter my perception. Circumstances can be anything under the sun. I can keep shifting my perception(s) of that circumstance until it’s in alignment with my goals – where I want to go.

Say your “down” because you are barely scraping by in your art business. If we follow our line of thought that perceptions alters behavior then we have made a logical mistake. We think the “cause” of our lack of business is attributed to outer-world circumstances. It probably would be more accurate to say: “I’m depressed because I’m forming a perception that this is bad.”

We need to b e very aware of this. That is, thinking we perceive this circumstance as bad, this circumstance as good, this one as ok. We can end up flip-flopping all day based on our current perceptions.

How about “creating” some new ones. I say creating because it IS an act of creation to form new perceptions about yourself and what you want. I challenge you now to create new perceptions about yourself. New perceptions of yourself as a successful artist. As an artist who is now finically successful. As an artist who sells more work than they have.

Heres a few suggestions that Mr. Brady recommends in creating new perceptional patterns.

1. “Perceive” yourself as _________ “with” your mind – These words are very important. Mr. Brady mentioned he went through all sorts of word deviations. Words like “picture” or “see” or “visualize” or “imagine”. And the other big switch was from “in” your mind to “with your mind. This can mean, ultimately, different things for different people. How ever you “see” yourself as XXXX, whether it is mental images, or a type of feeling or something else, than that is your reality and it will drive your behavior.

2. Repetition is key – You need to perceive yourself as XXXX on a regular basis. You really are creating new neural path ways. As Mr. Brady says, “The imprints, grooves, furrows and eventually ruts are neural pathways that are strengthened with each use of that pathway and that, with repetition, become so strong they become habitual way of behaving, thinking and believing”

And further, “It appears that by creating a clear perception in the mind of a client, thus creating a new neural pathway, the resulting behavior can be immediate.”

Keep in mind, this can happen in an instant. In a moment. And it has. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a long process.

3. Perceive yourself being _______________ “Now” – Perceive yourself “in this minute” as being XXXX. Your are being “a successful artist who sells all your work and profits greatly from it.” Keep in mind, that “in this minute or moment” you are one who behaves as a successful artist and the next minute the same, etc. Life is a series of “moments” so if you have awareness in this moment you will begin to perceive yourself differently in this moment.

4. See the “end result” of your project – It’s not necessarily the perception of the “behavior” that causes the change but rather a perception of the end result. New neural patterns can be established that produce the behaviors that lead to the end result benefits of whatever you are trying to perceive differently. You don’t need to know how neural patterns are created, just know that it’s the end result of the “perception” that caused the behavior, that produced the end result.

Mr. Brady sums this up perfectly, “Since the brain cannot distinguish the difference between a real experience and one that is perceived to be real the the process of establishing new neural pathways (hence a new behavior) is to simply create new perceptions.”

Get the book here: As the Pendulum Swings by Lindsay Brady

Image above:
“The Journey of the Magi (fragment)” ca. 1435
Sassetta (Stefano di Giovanni)
Tempera and gold on wood,
8 1/2 x 11 3/4 in. (21.6 x 29.8 cm)
Maitland F. Griggs Collection

As artists we all have certain goals we want to accomplish. But do you actually accomplish them or do you end up not even setting goals because they hardly ever come true?

Yeah, I’ve certainly been down that road before. I didn’t set goals for a long time because, overtime, as I set them to paper, hardly any of them ever came to fruition (But isn’t that like us to focus on the goals we didn’t get?)

Some seemed pretty attainable (and I’m sure I did accomplish a few) and others were probably too ambitious – then again, aren’t we *supposed* to have goals that make us reach and extend outside of our comfort zone?

So, like probably a lot of people I never got really obsessed with goals because it frankly gave me more frustration than it did by helping.

Anyway, the years passed by and I still did pretty well until one day this one distinction really hit home for me and, oddly enough, I started reaching more and more of my goals.

What was that distinction? It was end goals versus process goals. So what does that mean? Let me give you an example.

Say your end goal is to have a series of art (let’s say 10 pieces) complete in 3 months. You want to have 10 cohesive pieces of art that you can sell. that would be your end goal: to have 10 pieces of cohesive art completed in 90 days. Simple enough, right?

Here’s where it gets squarely and where I fell int the rabbit hole time after time. I would have these “end goals” like, wanting so much money, or this type of car, or that type of business, of this type of vacation . . . you get the idea, right?

But what I really missed was the need for “process goals” to make these “end goals” a reality. Previously, it was like I set goals but really had no specific plan on how to achieve those. I guess thought they would some “just” manifest. Fat chance. And nothing is what happened because i didn’t have a bridge to connect today to the eventual future goal. That’s what was missing.

Back to our example. So if I want to complete those ten pieces of art I need a process plan to complete them. This is where we can be a bit creative. So I have 90 days to produce this work. That means I would have to complete 1 piece of art every 10 days. That seems do-able right? All of sudden the goal starts to become real. I may even want to do 1 piece of art every 8 days just to give myself a bit of a buffer – just in case.

See how much more powerful that is? It’s more powerful because you are no longer wandering around in the hazy future over which you have no control. Instead, you are in the present moment creating and working on your art realizing you have only a few more days to get piece #1 complete. You don’t have to figure out what to do. You know what you have to do – go into the studio and work until your done. Then move on to piece #2, etc. etc.

This has made such a big impact on me because it allows you to get into action without worrying (or even dreading) how your going to complete this big goal that seems so distant when you first declare it.

And this can work for any goal. Say you want to lose 20 pounds by the holidays. You have 30 days to do this. You then think of your process goals(which you can do everyday) to make this happen, like I will eat no more than 3000 calories in any one day, I will do a minimum of 20 minutes walking and I will cut out all breads and pastas from my diet. You only have to do this on one day – today!

That’s the beauty of it. By following your process goals you are much more likely to reach your end goal. The key is to make your process goals something you can meet every day. Something you can complete *every* day. This will keep you on track and you’ll only have to worry about today – which, again, you have control over.

A cool benefit of this process is you will start to have much more confidence in completing your task. Then will begin to happen almost like magic. Each success will build on the previous and before you know it you will be an unstoppable force feeling like you can create almost anything at will (which you really can)

Just don’t skimp on the process part. Make sure you create a foundation and tasks that YOU can complete. You don’t want to depend on others. This might initially take some strategizing and some brainstorming (be creative) to make sure your process goals are do-able,workable and that you (and you alone) can accomplish.

This has made all the difference in the world for me and I’ll never set a worthwhile goal without having a process goals that make the end goal a reality. As I mentioned above, I like to think of the “process goals” as the bridge I am creating (a new plank everyday) that will get me closer to my end goal every single day.

Image above:
“Two Rounds” 1991
Richard Serra
Paintstik on paper, 78 1/2 x 155″
Gift of the Dannheisser Foundation.
© 2011 Richard Serra / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

Selling art (or really selling anything for that matter) is mostly viewed as the activity that is the hard part, the part you don’t want to think about. But what if we “re-framed” selling (and sales) to ourselves as something fun and even joyful? This article will explore 7 ways to do this.

It’s no big secret selling art (or anything for that matter) is looked upon as the most distasteful or greedy or the last thing anyone would want to do.

Why is this so? well, the salesman stigma is everywhere. It’s in the culture, in the movies (Wall Street, Glengarry Glen Ross, Fargo, etc.), it’s in the books (Death of a Salesman), it’s on TV. It’s the lowest rung on the social ladder. You’re sort of now lumped in with the greasy-haired used-car salesman. It’s looked upon as a not very honorable profession.

It’s no wonder it’s got such a bad rap. People (and Artists in particular) don’t even want to deal with selling or commerce or the global marketplace. They hate selling.

So how can we “re-frame” this to ourselves. Is it really possible? Is it possible to have fun (and even joy) when talking about and selling your art or program or product or whatever you have created?

I think so. I really do.

Here are a couple suggestions to help re-frame selling to yourselves.

1. Focus on what you have to give – it’s easy to feel like your conning someone or you’re not totally congruent when you’re thinking about your commission or what you’re going to get out of the sale. Focus totally on service Meaning focus on them NOT you). How can you best serve this person (or organization) by providing them with the most amazing art ever (yours!) View your phone call to them as a benefit to THEM. They never would have found out about your stunning art if it wasn’t for you sharing it with them. Come from service and everything will magically fall into place.

2. Don’t worry about closing – Closing (the end of the sale) is often seen as the real hard part, that is, when you have to initiate a YES or a NO. A lot of people don’t like that feeling. But actually if you have shown (or “painted’) the vision for your potential client “the close” almost happens by itself because at that point the are probably saying “So how can we move forward with this?” or “What do I have to do next?”

3. Don’t be afraid of client questions – Let’s face it you’re GOING to get questions, concerns, etc. Questions are a good thing. They help you explore and give you insight into where the customer is at. It’s information that can help you zero in on the value you can provide. By creatively listening you can provide greater service to the client by customizing and tailoring your product to their specific needs.

4. Don’t be afraid to ask questions – Question help you zero in on what your potential art client wants (or doesn’t want) Don’t be afraid to be direct and honest. For example, questions like “What do you see?” “What is that I’ve shared with you that you have interest in” “What do you hesitate about?” “What do you see value in?” Let the client start to move the conversation towards greater value for them.

5. Move the sales process along – Have a clear vision of the steps a client needs to take once they’re interested and want to move forward. Have that part of the process rehearsed and totally choreographed. Don’t have them go away and think about it. Say, very matter of faculty, “This is what you need to do next . . . get the deposit, then this happens, then this, etc. etc.” Move them along quickly.

6. Help your potential clients “see” the future – As artists we really help “paint” a picture of what your art or service or product will be like to them in the future. This is where, we, as artists can really use our artistic sensibilities to our advantage. Help them feel the good feelings, help them “see” the pictures on the wall and the beauty and harmony that will result. By changing ones relationship to time you help your clients make different decisions.

7. Practice sales and selling – Sales just don’t happen. You have to “create” them. And you create them by having conversations. Have more conversations to potential clients and you’ll most definitely have more sales. Also, set up a climate so you can sell. Make it fun! Set up charts, have a huge goal board, commit to contacting x number of people per day, make a game out it, etc. Set up an environment so you can really put power into your performance on a consistent basis.

Practice these on a regular basis and you’ll soon be looking forward to your next conversation(s) about sales of your work.

Image above:
Paul Cezanne
“Apples, peaches, pears and grapes” 1870
Oil on canvas
Collection: Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia

I know, I know, it’s been a while since I last posted here. But I have an excuse. I have been working to get the Art Marketing Association off the launch pad. Well, I am happy to say today we have finally achieved lift off!

What The AMA Is

The Art Marketing Association is an international organization dedicated to assisting artists, artisans, craftspeople, photographers and galleries to improve their marketing skills and to hone their efforts to become more profitable, thus helping to share their message with the world.

That’s the mission and that’s our goal. I get kinda tired of hearing artists whine about not making enough money, not being able to sell their work, etc. I can see that it was way more difficult 10 years ago but today times are different. You literally have EVERYTHING you need at your disposal to be successful. YOU are the one in control nowadays. It’s YOU who will determine your artistic success (however you define that)

What The AMA Will Do For You

It’s a place to go that is bursting with new, relevant and USEABLE information including informational videos, monthly expert audio cd, power-packed screencasts, step-by-step courses, articles, ebooks and other amazing content from world famous artists and marketing experts who know how to market and sell art. It’s all right there for you to watch, read, listen and interact with. It’s an inspiring, one-stop place that covers a broad marketing spectrum.

The AMA is designed to give you the information and the tools to succeed. I don’t actually know of hardly any sites that actually help artists in the way the AMA is. When I went to school at Pratt a number of years ago I don’t remember them having 1 class – ok, I take that back, I think they had one class about art and business. I mean once your out of school you had no idea what to do. They never factored commerce into the equation at all!

Another thing makes the Art Marketing Association unique (and exciting) is it’s world-class faculty of experts. These are artists and other experts who are leaders in their field and have agreed to share their knowledge and expertise with AMA members. And make no mistake they are are not some theorists or academics living in ivory towers. They are “in the trenches” daily and know what to do and what works. That is, how to sell, market and make money.

Faculty members include the #1 expert in Art Licensing,Tara Reed. One of the savviest online video marketers working today, Perry Lawrence. The king of celebrity marketing, Jordan McAuley. World-renown Fine artist, marketing (and social media marketing) diva, Lori McNee. We are also extremely lucky to have “The Mindset Maven,” author, speaker and coach PJ McClure .

Also the amazing Sian Lindemann who will bring her amazing track record of success to the AMA via artist career development and gallery relations. Marcia Yudkin is one of the most highly sought after marketing experts in the world. She will be bringing her expertise to the AMA via marketing via publicity. Ben Settle is also with us. Ben is a direct response copywriter, web entrepreneur and email marketing specialist.

Doug Farrick, president of the AMA, will offer his expertise in the area of entrepreneurship, marketing and business systems. We also welcome Bert Grimm. Bert is a master Ebay seller, marketer extraordinaire and also a WordPress expert.

New areas of expertise are being considered so expect to see new AMA faculty members in the coming months. Remember, these faculty members know their stuff. That’s why they were selected. You’ll get access to their knowledge and wisdom via becoming an AMA member. It’s like having your own exclusive mentoring group at your disposal!

What You Need To Do Next

Here’s the deal: Be one of the 1st 77 to sign up and you’ll get the 1st 30 days for just $1 to check out everything we have. You be the judge. That’s right – 1 measly dollar. Listen to the interviews, watch the screencasts, read the articles, download the ebooks, etc. etc.

Feel free to ransack and pillage the AMA. We believe that much in the value of the content. If you choose to continue, do nothing and your card will be charged the nominal amount of $19 per month (after the $1.00 30 day test-drive!). If you feel the content is not for you, no hard feelings, just shoot us an email and we’ll cancel your membership immediately.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out and contact us. We want YOU to benefit and be part of this elite group!

So how do you find your artistic purpose? how do you even know you’re on the right path? it this the art I’m supposed to do? How do you know for sure?

I get these questions a lot, not only from artists I coach but also from artist friends, too. The answer seems pretty simple to me now, although just a few years ago I really (I mean really) struggled with this – almost to a point of complete immobility and as a result severe headaches.

I was really struggling with what type of work to do. Should I continue to do abstract painting or veer off into more traditional work. I even thought of doing some sort of combines (a la Rauchenberg) because I liked the physical substance of paint and really wanted to “gunk up” something.

But I just wasn’t sure. I was waiting for some kind of signal from outside. Something that would set off the tiger and say, “Yeah, that’s it!” – but you know what? It never happened. I was back at the starting line once again.

One indelible day, I got it. I didn’t get what I was supposed to paint or some stylistic direction but something deeper. It was the distinction that your purpose (or in this case, what stylistic direction) isn’t dictated by something outside of you or something “out there.” It comes from within. Your purpose is created, it’s designed, it’s developed by you. It’s whatever you say it is.

It’s like that old story of the person looking around for their reading glasses and you and other members of you’re family are laughing because the reading glasses are flipped up on their head. This was a major revelation for me. I (yes, ME) was the person walking around looking for my glasses when they were on my head to begin with!

It became such a freeing paradigm. That I could create what I wanted to create. Look at Picasso. He just leapfrogged from one style to another, from Realism to Cubism, to Surrealism to this style and that style and back again. Truly amazing.

I am certainly not saying that everyone be a Picasso and hopscotch all around art history – unless, of course, that’s your thing. I think today, in particular, it IS important to carve out some type of niche – for a lot of reasons I won’t get into here but it really helps in terms of positioning you as a brand where you can “own” your own niche, which helps to optimize sales and provides laser-beam focus of your work.

Because you’re no longer considering this or that or what to do – you’re just working – focusing singularly on your craft. It’s a bit counter-intuitive but focusing on a niche can be VERY beneficial.

A good example of this is Jasper Johns, the American painter. There was a point where he wasn’t really sure what type of work he was to produce. After a fair amount of experimentation, he decided to focus on “things the mind already knows.” It was a way to free himself up so he wouldn’t have to worry about WHAT to create. That was already solved. He went on to paint American flags, targets, maps, numbers, etc.

All he had to do was paint it. So he focused on the craft of “making” via paint and encaustic. What resulted are some of the most beautiful and enigmatic paintings ever created.

So realize that your purpose is created. It’s created by you. Create whatever feels right to you. No need to look outside yourself, the power is within you. Tap into it.

Image above:
“Racing Thoughts” 1984
Jasper Johns
Oil on canvas. 50 x 75 in.
The Robert and Jane Meyerhoff Collection.

We hopefully learn and grow in our journey as people and artists. By taking a larger perspective we can learn to make these life/business principles work to our advantage and become better, deeper and more accomplished artists. Here’s how:

Getting older is not all its cracked up to be, however, one thing it DOES is give you is a certain perspective. And as I am just passing my 48th birthday recently I will try to give you *some* things I feel certain of.

1. Nothing is permanent - sometimes it feels like things are “permanent” and will never change. There have been times in my life where I thought it was my destiny to only make X amount of dollars per year, to always work for a large corporation and be single.

But just a few short years ago I started two art-related online businesses, vastly increased my income, was married, and had an instant family.

Keep in mind, life does move and does change and it will for you too. It moves in cycles and waves so if you feel like your life is in a down cycle and nothing is happening, rest assured a positive, up cycle is right around the bend.

2. Your environment is important – where you live and who you choose to surround yourself with can make all the difference. This often reflects your personality, goals and income.

At times, in my life, I have wondered, “how did I get here?” and only realized later that the choice of environment was probably not the best one.

Today, I am very aware of the importance of environment so I try my best to associate and be around vibrant, positive and forward looking people and enjoy the healthy, fresh air and open space of Western Massachusetts, where I live.

3. It pays to be nice – we’ve all heard the saying, “nice guys/gals finish last”. However, in my experience and what I have seen, this has just not been true. When you practice a “service” mentality meaning you focus upon others needs and wants I have found true magic happens.

So think about some ways you can be nice and brighten someone’s day. For example, surprise and delight a client by sending a hand-written thank you note, a gift certificate to a restaurant you’ll know they’ll love, a round of golf, a nice book or something else personal to them. Trust me, they will love you forever.

There is nothing better than the wonderful feeling of being kind and thoughtful to your family, friends and clients.

4. Everyone needs balance – it is so easy nowadays to get distracted (especially us computer users). Most people now work an average of 10+ hours a day. This leaves little time to pursue other important enjoyable personal activities.

It’s easy to just getting sucked into the vortex of life and just go, go, go without ever slowing down and taking the time to reflect and take stock of what is important, who is important to you, where you are going and how you’re going to get there.

For example: Are you really happy with your art career now? Why or why not? Are you spending quality time with your family and children? When was the last time you took off an afternoon to do a “special something” with your spouse? Are you taking enough time for you? To exercise, eat properly, meditate, time to reflect, learn a new skill?

And unless you take the time to actually schedule and plan these activities there is a high probability they will not happen.

5. Planning solves a multitude of problems - sure, just when you think you are swinging the world by the tail some unforeseen event happens that throws you for a loop. You can pretty much count on this happening. But what do you do with the rest of your time that goes by fairly uneventful?

My advice is to plan. By planning your days and weeks you will be miles ahead of everyone else. Personally 80% of my days go pretty much exactly as scripted. You may think that sounds boring but trust me it is anything but.

Most importantly, plan those things that most important to you (but not necessarily urgent) like: taking that course to improve your skills, calling 10 prospects a day who may be interested in your art, sending a surprise gift to a client, taking time to see your son or daughter’s event. Planning GREATLY improves the likelihood of these tasks being accomplished.

Use a computer or paper or PDA, whatever works best for you but take the time to do it. Keep in mind, it does take discipline to plan your schedule consistently. The best way to do this? Create a system by setting up a time and place to do your planning on a regular basis. And just do it!

6. Life is often not fair – many things happen in life that cause us great distress and worry. People get divorced, close ones die, you or your child/spouse/friends have sadness, disappointment and hurt in their lives.

It is a very helpless feeling when you cannot “control” life. With many situations in our lives we spend energy resisting or complaining. Why can’t it be different? Why does it have to be this way? How come he/she has the advantages and I don’t? How come I’m not as beautiful as her? Why did I have to be in that auto accident?

As if your disagreement with the way things are going to make any difference. The fact is, right now, nothing can be any different than the way it is. And it will be that way until it changes.

The strange miracle of life is that often wondrous things are hidden in these adversities. And if we can drop our “resistance” to life and just let it flow we come to have a much great alignment with life and realize it’s ALL part of the grand scheme.

“Every adversity, every failure and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equivalent or a greater benefit.” – Napoleon Hill

Something to think about.

7. Life is much bigger than us – often, we get caught up in own little world and don’t take the time to realize the “bigger picture” of our lives.

Meaning we often need to adjust our perspective and understand there is so much more than just us. There is always someone better off than us and also someone who is not. Always people with a lot more troubles than you and just as many with less. And on and on.

Once we realize we are all just “blades of grass” we really free ourselves to, paradoxically, accomplish more as we no longer NEED to strive and control. We just allow the world to unfold as it should.

And, at the same time, we participate, do our part to contribute our unique personality, skills and abilities.

So take the time to give. To give more of yourself, of your time, your knowledge and your resources. Consistent giving always means consistent receiving.

Image above:
Wolf Kahn
“Pines in the Evening” 1998
Oil on canvas, 40″ x 52″

One of the biggest and most pervasive myths of creativity is that you must wait for it. That is, the age-old myth of having to wait for divine inspiration in order to create great art.

While, I agree, there are times where you need to let your ideas simmer or evolve a bit, that practice, in my experience, is a discipline that will have you barking up the wrong tree.

What is most pervasive about this myth is that you have given up control to something outside yourself. That some divine force (or the muse) comes to you when you least expect it. And to some degree, it does. But it arrives because of YOUR present engagement in the work and the letting go in order for your innate creativity to flow through you. It comes from inside out.

Where this goes wrong for many artists is that they are in “waiting mode” a lot of the time. Not really keeping their hands moving. That means just keep working. Being “in-the-now” when you are working. That is the only way creativity has ever worked. In the working. In the doing. Keeping your hands moving.

I used to do a lot of “thinking” about my work when I was producing a series of paintings. But after a while, it really got to be unproductive. Running to the studio when I received a flash of insight or just working when I felt like working. When the “feelings” were right.

Let me tell you – that is one of the most unproductive ways to structure your creativity. Doing it when you feel like it. Or when you’re in the mood. Not good – or productive. Contrary to what you might think, having a clearly defined and detailed structure to your creative activity actually gives you more freedom – not less. That’s the real paradox of creativity – the more structure, the better.

Because it allows to to work within a structure. I remember reading how the painter Ross Bleckner plans his creativity. He said it was just like punching a clock at a factory job. Punch the time clock at 8am, work till noon, have lunch, then punch out again at 5pm and your day is done. He said he does it in a religious way, almost never wavering from this discipline.

And, remember, it IS a discipline. A discipline meaning a practice. Something you do habitually – over and over again. I’ve noticed, working myself and with some of the most well-known contemporary artists today they have certain disciplines they practice as part of their working creative process.

I definitely recommend re-evaluating and/or re-thinking your creative process. How much do you plan your creative time? Are you religious about protecting it? are you susceptible to those “time-sucking” vampires who interrupt you time and time again? do you have a plan in place to avoid these interruptions?

Whenever you introduce a new discipline it’s always a good idea to have it written down on paper or saved as your screen saver or something that will trigger you to remember it. It will take time to “re-wire” into your current patterns. And cut yourself some slack. It takes time and attention to implement a new pattern. But the more successful patterns (or disciplines) you can implement the more and more successful you become. I guarantee it! (and can prove it)

A book I really like that not only shows a ton of very cool studios but also discusses (in interview form) how some very well-known artists work and plan their creative process is this book Inside the Painter’s Studiofound on Amazon. I highly recommend it.

I be discussing soon a number of other artist “disciplines” that other super successful artists use and that you can implement, too. Stay tuned.

Image above:
Ross Bleckner
“Falling Birds” 1994
Oil on linen, 96″ by 120″
Courtesy Mary Boone Gallery

You might think becoming rich as an artist is a rather vain goal but with money comes power, influence and additional resources (including people, environments, etc.) – so who’s to say really?!

I’m in touch with a number of “famous” and very wealthy artists and one thing I know for sure is that they think differently than the mainstream crowd. That’s a secret right there you may want to ponder.

But if you do want to become a wealthy artist, or heck, just to experience it for a while, what might you do to manifest that? When you really begin to dive deeper into that question you will begin to realize there ARE certain tactics/strategies you can begin to implement to make substantial profit from your work.

You may not like them but that doesn’t mean they won’t work. It may not even be a matter of liking them just the fact they are so foreign and seemingly “not us” (more about that later) So let’s begin. What are some of the strategies you might begin to entertain if you wanted to become a wealthy artist?

Well, the first thing I would do is find a number of “models of success.” What does that mean? That means I would find a number of artists who are ALREADY wealthy and figure out what they are doing differently than you. Not only strategically but tactically as well. Your gonna find a lot of gaps – but that’s ok.

Now that you have “profiled” a handful of successful and wealthy artists I would come up with a kind of diagram that highlights certain common denominators, like: style of work, price of work, medium, do they have teams, work alone, how is their work shown, who shows it, how is it distributed, etc.etc. etc.

I think there are a few books out there now that do this for writers. They kinda put all the most popular literary conventions into one master plan – which has PROVEN to be successful – time after time. Your doing the same thing.

Another thing you’ll notice is that they’re *almost all* master marketers. They know that mastering marketing (and sales) is the key to the kingdom and they spend hour upon hour contemplating distribution systems for their work. Want to make substantial money? Get better at marketing.

What else? most (not all) of the obscenely rich artists I know have built mini-conglomerates. They have more than just their art. They have created a brand that allows them to license their work to other entities, such as vineyards, restaurants, housewares and other related products.

They use their creativity to look beyond their mainstream business to the “business within their business” – they look at “What other businesses or ventures or relationships would be synchronistic or complementary to what I’m already doing?” This one question alone can bring you an entirely new, surprising and possibly very lucrative ventures (or adventures!)

Of course, this might sound “pie-in-the-sky” for a lot of you reading this but, taste aside, you can begin to “re-invent” yourself as a widely popular (and rich) artist. Don’t think for one second you are “stuck” with some kind of permanent personality. “I’m a sculptor and do X kind of work” – That’s what you’ve done. It’s not a curse that you have to live with if you don’t want to or if it’s (or your lifestyle) not energizing you

It’s all invented anyway. Made up. So create a personality, brand, persona and have fun with it. Re-invent yourself as wildly, successful and wealthy artist. It’s yours for the taking.

Image above:
“Betty” 1988
© Gerhard Richter, 2009
Oil on canvas