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What is the best path for becoming a well known successful artist?

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#1 Make excellent work! This means honing your craft over years painting miles of canvas (or paper or whatever your substrate is) until you get a distinct style, not a copy of someone else's work (this is a pet peeve, sorry) 

#2 Get out there and start showing up in juried shows.

#3 Volunteer to share what you have learnt

#4 Think about what 'success' really means to you!

Just my 2 cents worth!

Thank you Sharon! I painted and tried to market for years before I went back to school for it. Every time I was juried into schools, there was a German Proffesor there who would say, "Where did you train at?" I would say I was self taught, then he would go into a tirade about, "You should not be here!" I thought, since I was juried in, I have every right to be here. Eventually, he became an embarrasement to me, so I jumped in and went to college and earned my BFA. Now I have to question, what good will that do for me? The economy is down, discretionary spending is at a freeze, yet student loans are about to come due!!!

I also thought that way, so in 1993 I went to art school half time -took 4 years to get 2 years of the 4 done. In 1997 I was accepted into the Alberta Artists Society, which is the highest level professional organization in my home province. On of my instructors said to me "What are you doing here? You already have the acceptance of your peers. Now just go ahead and paint". Those were freeing words, and I immediately quite art school! I did not learn a single technical thing about painting there, but it was wonderful for exposing me to a whole world of possibilities through art history, as well as giving me a chance to try print-making, jewelry, textiles, etc. I then started up "Leading Edge Art Workshops" here in Calgary, and brought in the top US and Canadian teachers -got a great art education from them, and got paid to do it -bonus!!! I sold the company 5 years ago for a profit, and haven't looked back since. 

I think that taking workshops/lessons from the 'very best' artists is the way to learn to paint -but be careful. Very few of the famous artists have a teachers' heart. Sure they can paint, but can they teach??? Ask around to find out who really devotes themselves to their students, and look to see where the students went with their art after their instructional time was over. A good teacher gives you the 'keys to the kingdom' and lets you run with them in your own style, rather than forcing their style upon you. I think Richard is one of the best teachers I have ever had the privilege of studying with, even if it is via the internet. Already a professional painter and teacher myself, Richard reminds me of things I know but have forgotten, how to approach things in new ways, and many new tips I had never learned. You are in a very good space here!

That's all great news, but student loans are about to become due. I need sales and my name out there. The question is, how to accomplish that? BFA was a four year pogram, I took five and a half years to do it, I was still on the Mommy track when I began! I cannot afford more classes, via academia or otherwise, I need to produce! I am not a spring chick, I am 48 years old! I need to get my name out there! I do appreciate that college allowed me to experience other possibilities, like jewlery, print and so on... I most appreciated sculpture in which I was able to create bronze works. I hope I get to do that again, as well as ceramics, but I cannot afford the studios for those; indeed, I would love to have a studio for painting. My kitchen is my studio for painting!

I get it!! I remember those days. My youngest was only 2 when I began art school -had 4 kids by the way. I was looking for a place to set up my 'studio', and it was either my laundry room (really with 4 kids??) or the dining room. I sold my antique dining suite so that I could transform that into a studio -it was the only room in the house we weren't using much!! Hubby said to not worry about the carpet, when I was through with it (what was he thinking???) we would replace the carpet then. Well that was my studio for 6 years until I could afford to share an outside studio with 3 other painters. I remember running into the kitchen to stir dinner, then back to the dining room to put on a few more strokes...burned lots of meals in those days -but at least I was near the kids and they always had access to me. Can't say I was as focused as I would have liked to have been/should have been to either area, but I did the best I could.

As far as your dilema, there is no instant formula for success. Are you able to defer paying off the loans right away?

One thing you can do, as Richard has just done, and as I have done a few months back, is to sign up for Daily Paintworks Gallery (http://www.dailypaintworks.com) . You won't get rich there, but you might sell some work.

Other than that, can you get yourself into some art shows or art markets or art fairs?

Hi Li,

 

I will give you my 2 cents worth.  What Sharon said is very true and to be successful will not come overnight, and is hard work and many canvasses of paintings later.  I lived in a small fishing village and a main tourist attraction area and I concentrated on the tourist market.  So I paint scenes from the village and fishing boats and their houses, and painting “stories” etc.  The tourist loves that.  They also love vibrant colours and juicy thick paint strokes.  Unfortunately that might frustrate you as an artist, because after painting the no 100 scene of the same stuff become very boring!!  But that was my bread and butter for many years.  I also find that exhibiting my paintings in restaurants, hotels and guesthouses sell more than the galleries, because many people (tourists) don’t go to the galleries, so while they was eating or in the hotel they happened to see my paintings.  I print out professional price tags that look nice as well.  And the restaurants don’t ask that high commission on your work as that is not their main income. 

 

I hold many exhibitions as well.  That can cost a lot of money, but I usually went to a wine cellar and asked them to sponsor me.  They provide me of free food and wine for the people and get their stuff also promoted! Then I also advertise it in the local newspaper and sometimes in a magazine and let them do an article about the exhibition.  I also contact the local radio station and tell them about the exhibition.

 

But now I am taking off 3 years to do the Virtual Art Academy course, because I want to become a better artist and don’t want to paint mass production art anymore.  But if you need the money, you must decide who your target market is going to be. 

 

Hope this helps and is worth 2 cents!

 

Aurelia

Wow guys! Thanks for the food for thought!

Hi Li,

I notice that you are in Alberta, I'm right next door in British Columbia.  As for your student loan, I had a very similar experience and was worrying myself sick about repaying the student loans. I found out from the Attorney General's office (debt repayment branch) that debt repayment in BC is on an ability to repay basis.  In other words, if you are unable to repay the full monthly payments, they have to accept $1 per month if that is all you can afford right now. 

In my case. it made the collection agency back off and leave me alone until my health recovered and I was working full time.

Good Luck.

Hi Doug, I'm not in Alberta. I'm in Winchester, Kentucky. Where did you see Alberta?

Hi Doug: I am from Alberta!! Nice to see a fellow Canadian here :)

Sharon

Li-It was Sharon's post about 1/2 way down the thread. Sorry about that!

Li Tyler said:

Hi Doug, I'm not in Alberta. I'm in Winchester, Kentucky. Where did you see Alberta?

Nice to see you as well.  My Mom's family was from Leduc, Alberta.  :-)

Sharon Lynn Williams said:

Hi Doug: I am from Alberta!! Nice to see a fellow Canadian here :)

Sharon

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