As she wiped away the tears, the artist told me her story. She’d applied for a project that was a perfect match for her work. She had all the right qualifications. She was certain that she’d get it. She even started to make plans for moving forward. But then she wasn’t chosen! It left her stunned, questioning herself and her talent. It…
Has anyone ever told you that your creative work sucks? If not, just wait. It’ll happen. And when it does, avoid the urge to hide in a hole. Instead, consider it a rite of passage. I’ve been told several times over my career that I’m not a good writer. And my photographs have been dismissed as well. Like most artists,…
In business school, they talk about The 6 Stages of Entrepreneurship. But in art school, they don’t even use the word entrepreneur. They should. Artists are entrepreneurs. That’s the truth. And it’s the difference between the old economy and the new. But artists have always been entrepreneurs; they’ve had to be. Though instead of The 6 Stages of Entrepreneurship, I…
So you’ve taken the jump and chosen to be an artist. Now what? Where’s the fabulous gallery opening in New York City? Where are the international collectors to lavish praise and money on you? Where’s the gallery to take care of all those pesky marketing tasks and details? Instead, you battle rejection. You wonder where the money is going to…
Have you got what it takes to be an ARTIST? Here’s my Top Ten List of what takes to succeed: 1. Failure. You’ve got to work through the bad in order to get to the good. Failure is an integral part of being an artist. 2. A website. Sorry, I know you didn’t want to hear this but it’s true.…
I recently learned an awful lot about the professional life of artists when I attended a conference that focused on arts graduates and how they’re faring in this changing economy. What I learned may surprise you. The conference itself was called 3 Million Stories, so titled for the 3 million art and design students in the USA. But the information…
Kris Gebhardt knows that physical well-being plays an integral role in an artist’s creativity and career success By Priscilla Tallman Kris Gebhardt is a piece of work—literally and figuratively. His art reflects the winding road that led him to the canvas; his body reflects the daily dedication to training that led him to physical health and mental stamina. “I don’t…
5 tips for becoming a successful artist, both professionally and financially By Laura Zabel Making a living as an artist is an expansive, ever-evolving challenge. However, artists have found ways to make it work for centuries, pooling income from sales, patronage, teaching, grants, fellowships, and day jobs. New opportunities for artists have recently opened up through digital platforms, social media,…
Create additional income with your art By Alan E. Katz, Esq. “A booming art market has many investors viewing their collections in a new way—as cash machines.” So reported The Wall Street Journal in an article by Andrew Blackman from June 14, 2015. Blackman notes that, with art prices rising, many collectors realize that the value of their art collections…
How Ann Rea Makes Both Art and Money By Jack Hamann Ann Rea was once one of those artists. Stuck in a cubicle. Staring at a screen. Collecting modest paychecks for work entirely unrelated to the five years it took her to earn an art degree. And hating every minute of it. “I had to pay back a student loan,”…