Career Action

The only way an artist gets somewhere in their art life,
is to do something. The nuts and bolts stuff needed to run a successful art career is basic. Action can get an artist
some traction. The art is the product, selling the art takes action.
Art business skills need to be worked on constantly. Action really matters. Action prevents starving.

A good book

I recently read Seven Days In The Art World. The author is Sarah Thorton. The book is a real page turner , and shows that the blue chip art word is a very fascinating place. I highly recommend this book .

The Trade Magazine Stories

I always wonder when I read about artists in the art magazines, how well they are doing?
I know that selling one's art is not always easy. The magazines seem to give the impression that painters and sculptors are
raking in the money. On my side of things, it's mostly uphill to support my art habit, I do it with a great deal of constant effort.
It just seems that the magazines give a false impression about many artists and their financial success.
I happen to know several artists and I know the struggle to pay all bills with art sales ain't easy.
The magazines report big money being paid for works by, lets say, some blue collar artists. My thought is, it's not what you make but what you get to keep on the money side.
There is one art publication that always shows wonderful art studios that artists have built.
My first thought is, I wonder if those artists have paid for those studios?
Often the trade magazines don't mention the business part of an artists career. Making money as an artist is not a crime.
Bills have too be paid.
Just an observation about some of the magazines.

Recession Is a Lesson

I think that the recesson is a good lesson on how to have the nerve to survive as an
artist. The USA Artists website mentions that 96% of the public tolerates artists.
26% values artists.
This my editing of the information on the site. Close enough.
The recession is just a reminder that artists have to hustle for their success, everyday. Real artists will survive the recession of 2009, just fine.
The lesson is to have an art life no matter what happens.

Personal Responsibility

As an artist I have always been responsible for my art life.
I like being in charge of my work and my PR.
I learned early that a real artist has to be in charge of their own well being.
New artists think that someone will rescue them and make them them rich and famous, that won't happen. Sorry to have to say that , but that is the way real art life is.

ME, I plan to ARTON no matter what happens. This ain't no dress rehersal.
Real artists are personally responsible.

Pardon Spelling

On my first NPR post I spelled guest book wrong, I was in a hurry and jazzed about getting the NPR segment.
So, Mia Culpa.
My website visitor count jumped from 1100 to 3000 plus in three days.
The power of radio is great, the content of the story also had a lot to do with the spike in my website traffic.
The interview took three years to get.
I am glad it happened.

NPR Gets Results

I was interviewed in Novermber 2008, by Alison Bryce who is a NPR producer in Washington,D.C.
Alison did a great job. The story aired on Weekend Edition ,Saturday December 27, 2008.
I am a pragmatic and practical artist, and that came through in the NPR story.
My website guestbook had a spike in people signing in to compliment the story.
The art life ain't easy, but it can be done if one is detirmined to do what it takes
to be an artist.

This goes for any artistic discipline. The NPR story can be accessed by going to the NPR website.
My website is -www.freewebs.com/bobragland.