Who’s Fault?

 Who's fault that some artists can't make a living?  I know a lot of artists who automatically go to the old standard reasons. The economy is poor. Young people don't buy art. People only want famous artists' works. There is little art education in schools anymore. Everything is digital now. If you don't paint abstracts, no one will buy your art. There are really hundreds of reasons why artists have a hard time making a living.

 I am the first to admit that selling art is a difficult task. I've been in the art business all of my life. I do think it is far too easy to self pity and say it can't be done. Making a living as an artist is daunting, but it can be and is a viable way to make a living. Attitude and willingness to succeed are everything. This goes for any occupation.

 I don't spend my time worrying about any of the reasons that art doesn't sell. That is a complete waste of my time and resources. I do instead, spend a heck of a lot of time thinking about what I can do to sell enough art to pay my bills and buy art materials. My goal is not to become wealthy, though that would be lovely. My goal is not to be famous. There are obligations attached to that that I am not willing to carry out. My goal is to continue being an independent self sustaining artist, paying my own way through what is left of my time on this good earth. A simple, doable goal.

 I never for a moment think that I can't succeed. That is out of the question. I will not fail. I work very hard. I depend on others to aid me. My followers on social media are my referral team. I know they will help me and I will help them. I know my collectors want me to be successful, and they help me with referrals. I know that my work is of a subject that appeals to niche collectors. I don't try to appeal to every market. I don't try to be trendy. I don't switch my painting subjects and styles to fit the latest trends. I don't try to fit in to art societies, or groups any more. That is ego driven. I go my own way, secure in that my efforts are truly genuine.

 There is no blame for lack of success, only props that give you excuses to fail! Don’t play the blame game as an artist. Don’t go pro if you are not willing to work very hard. Enjoy a happy and fulfilling hobby instead. 

 Life is wonderful for country painters.......,

Sharing Our Thoughts

 I saw a post about a woman who wrote her thoughts just before her passing. It made me think of all the questions I should have asked my parents when they were still with me. 

 Artists have a specialized skill, as do other career professionals. I have been a blogger/group writer for long years. These blog/group postings are my professional career journal. I wonder at all of the information I and other artists have missed through the years that artists could have written and shared with artists coming behind them? It is not necessary to be an expert writer. 

 What could I have learned from Daniel Green’s musings? Anders Zorn, John Singer Sargent? There are hundreds of other artists, some nearly unknown in the art world who had important words to share. 

 I know some artists like to be mysterious, who don’t like to share information. Perhaps they are afraid to be copied or out done by someone who might have more talent. I never worry about that. In fact, if I help someone to become a master painter, I will have done my job as a mere student of painting myself.

 

Sharing is caring for country painters…….

 Value of Art

 

I've been thinking a lot about value of art. So many unfortunate people don't seem to relate to art as having value. What they don't realize is that art relates to every part of their lives. Industrial design makes the furniture they use, and the tools they pick up every day.

 

Artists are the historians of our culture. We record our time on this planet and interpret our culture's style, tools, and politics, along with the beauty we see. I decided to put into words what I think the value of my art is for my time on this planet. 

 

What is the real value of owning original art?

 

Most of my collectors are not wealthy. They don’t buy art as a speculative investment. Many of the best treasures have true emotional value. My collectors tell me that my paintings speak to them as memories of places and times they have experienced as destinations throughout their lives.

They want to be closer to the natural world. They enjoy the birds, flowers and trees I paint. My paintings take them out of their busy lives, if for only a moment at a time. They are concerned about our environment and long to savor a moment outside of their office, out in the wild spaces where I roam. Through my paintings and stories, they join me.

 

Owning an original painting means owning the only one in the world. I don’t sell copies or reproductions of my work. There is a magic to possessing the only painting like it.  There are many reasons to own original art.

 

Think about starting your collection or giving art to those you love. Start small. Tiny and small paintings are less expensive and still bring joy.  If you already have a large collection, think about gifting art to others who will have the same joy in ownership that you feel with each of your paintings. Paintings last your lifetime and for future generations to enjoy.

 

Artists have a marvelous friendship with their collectors. My collectors mean everything to me. They are my friends, supporters and part of my every day life. Our relationship goes far beyond an exchange of art for income. We develop friendships through mutual interests and deep respect for each other and our families. We don't concern ourselves with hateful political rhetoric or taking sides. Our relationship builds community and all of the positive aspects of our lives. 

 

Artists have a truly wonderful life......

The Flower Studies

 My canvases arrived and I am three paintings in to the flower studies planned. Unfortunately I broke one of the canvases, the stretcher bars. I am going to try to repair it, but I set it aside for now.

 

The great thing I love most about studies is that they seem to wander where they want to. I am not restricted to advancing them into refinement. I don’t have to do anything other than explore. Fast and loose is they way of studies. 

One of the purposes of this particular group is exploration of how positive and negative spaces work out in a square format. The other is a play, between vibrancy of the flowers next to neutrality of the negative space, and neutrality of the flowers, next to vibrancy of the negative space.  It is also a lot of fun playing around with shapes, building some up and flattening out others, simplifying.

 

Life is swell for country painters…..

Series

 I love to do series of paintings. Sometimes the series is based on a subject, sometimes based on a particular palette I want to test for its limits. Sometimes I work intermittently on long term series. I have been working on a series called Night Palms for many years. I might do two or three of the theme a year.

 

Recently I completed a fruit tree series. The first one sold a week ago to a tea party visitor to my studio. 

I am waiting for a group of 12 new 12x12 deep gallery wrap canvases to be delivered for my next series. It is going to be a study series for florals. I want to explore a more primitive, semi abstract exploration of some of my favorite flowers. Getting back to design elements for these studies. 

 

I often do series of paintings during the summer months when Florida slows down for artists. It is so hot here that not much goes on socially between June and October. It is a fine time to explore the art of a series.

 

Life is swell for country painters.......