Prices Go Up.

Recently I heard a person say, that they noticed a increase in the cost to works of art. Well, DUH!!! Why is it intelligent people think art should go down in price. Go figure. Too many people think we artists shoud not get what we ask, for our effort.
In my opinion, it's just plain dumb and wrongheaded thinking. I had to write this. If people don't want to pay what we ask they can be downsized. In other words, FIRED!!!!! Boy that felt good.

Gatekeepers

I went to an gallery yesterday, there was an artist whose paintings had a very unique color. I asked the gallery person if I could get an information sheet on the artist? I was rebuffed and told "we only give information sheets to people who buy something." This is one of the reasons I sell my own work out of my home/ studio. Man oh man , I get art lessons every day from people like this. What harm could come from me knowing more about the artist? Well it takes all kinds of people to run the art business, I just hope there's alimit on the kind I just described.

Responsiblity

Real artists always take resposibilty for their own well being. When I hear an artist say they haven't sold anything for awhille , I wonder what they have done to help themselves sell something. People do not wake up and say they are going to find an artist to spend some money with. At least most of the time. Sad but true. Real artists market as though their very lives depend on it and believe it or not , their art lives do depend on getting some money to continue making art. Responsibility matters for successful art lives. See my advice at www.readfive.com-issue 12.

The Wonder of Museums

People who start and build museums are very cool people in my opinion. I always am grateful that these pepole exist or did at one time. The fact that someone had the courage and the forsight to collect works of art and art objects for uas all to see is wonderous. I visit museums at every opportunity. In this time and age of negative news , it's always a great escape to visit a
museum , this gives me a chance to be some where else for awhile. I went to the Leanin' Tree Museum of Wester Art yesterday ,it's outside of Boulder Colorado, the museum was started as result of the founder finding artist's work to be published on greeting cards. I spent about two hours in the museum. It was a very good and educational experience. Hats off to Mr.Ed Trumble founder of the Leanin' Tree Museum. I will visit it again soon.

Taos/Santa Fe Road Trip

Over the spring break, I went to one of my favorite states, New Mexico. I had a great research trip in Taos and Santa Fe. I go to galleries to look and to see what I can do better in my city of Denver. My art life ain't too bad in Denver, because I take charge of it. I market as if my art life depends on it, and it does. I found acres of well made art in New Mexico, the thing I didn't see in galleries, except one was, terms available signs. I think galleries lose business to new people if the payment plan data is not posted. I come across NEW people to art on a regular basis, who do not know that art can be purchased on the time payment plan. Many gallery people say that they tell people about the e-z pay plan. I wonder what they do when there's a bunch of people in the gallery at one time? Payment plans need to be posted, that way new people won't be shy about asking. The end result is, the gallery makes money and the artist does also. I just had to get this off my brain. This trip was very special, I am energized. No art,no life.

Artists/Marketing/Business

I learned early that if I wanted to heat and eat from my artistic effort, I'd better learn the basics about selling my work. I have put together a good set of tools to be able to live the kind of art life I want. I treat marketing and promotion the same way I make a work of art, it's always a work in progress. I shape it, correct it until I get what I want from it. The financially successful artists I know, are very good at the promoting and selling part of their art life.Even as I am writing this , I realize that some one some where is marketing their art. The artist that doesn't want to do the business part of their art careers, makes it better for those of us who do.

Disbelief

I run into so many people who don't realize that there are large numbers of artists who, are able to make a living from their artistic effort. There are I would guess, thousands of artists of every discipline who , are going to the bank and paying their bills with proceeds from their sales. I know I am. I will hazard a guess that the people who don't think artists are able to make it in todays economy must not read the papers and publications that talk about successful artists.