A Nice Surprise

Yesterday, one of my best art brothers sent me some Pasatiempo Magazines from Santa Fe NM. The artist, John Axton is one cool guy. The box also contained an original oil painting -YIPPEEEEE! Man, I must be living right. I mean ART right. I do dig NM a lot. I try to get there as often as I can. I can drive to Taos in five and a half hours from Denver, it's a place that has so much art energy
it's off the hook. I do love the place, when you say you are an artist, people are so receptive. Artists are making their work and living the art life steady. I go to get my art batteries recharged. I am very fortunate to live so close to this great historical art colony. I always bring back at least thirty pounds of catalogs etc. from my road trips to Taos/Santa FE. I am about due to visit soon , the Fall color is something to see.
Mo' Later

Persistence Matters

Being an artist in spite of the Philistines really matters!!!! Some of us artists just plod along because we have to. I see a lady in my neighborhood who, picks every extra long blade of grass she sees. Me, I go into the studio and continue to work on my art. I'd rathe be remembered for my art than my lawn, which by the way, I pay some one to manage. Anyway , back to the main subject, any artist worth their salt will continue to make art no matter what hurdles are put in front of them. Art making is a very lonely activity, but it has to be done. I persist by any means necessary. The journey is the reward. Many have art ability,but they squander the gift. Too bad ,too sad. I say for those who are able,persistence pays.

Bob Ross

A very cool thing happened today in my classroom/art studio. I have freshman, it turns out that many of the art students watch Bob Ross on PBS. I was very surprised that this group of young people knew who the artist is/was. Heck, I watch Bob Ross too.
I am glad this group of freshmen are getting an introduction to art. There are many surprises in the Art Life.

About Money

After thinking about being taken to task about my thoughts on money and art life , I have decided to kick it up a notch. People who are pure in the art world don't want the mention of money. Well yours truly can't live with out the dough to run my art life.
Most of my colleagues understand that having some bread means that you get to be more in charge of your art destiny. A fire wall of Ben Franklins can protect you against art proof people and rejection.
As I write this, two of my colleagues are out on the road painting in other locals, well, this takes money. Dean Mitchell is driving an exhibition to an art center in Georgia, this takes money. Dean is well off enough to pay for shipping, but being the great businessman artist he is ,he often delivers exhibitions him self. I am going to talk about money and art until I get tired. If money ain't important , try having an art life with out it.

All Art, All The Time

I was in the Denver Art Museum yesterday , I went to see the last day of the an impressionist landscape exhibition. I was introduced to a man who was a woodworker. I asked him for a business card, he didn't have one and said it was Sunday. I had to laugh after leaving him. I guess he was rich enough that he wanted no business on Sunday. I will add that to my list of dumb artists tricks. In my next seminar , I will make certain to tell that story. I always carry business cards, I am all art ,all the time.
I am all business, all the time, that's why I haven't had a mortgage payment for ten years as an artist.

Money Matters

I have conversations with artists on a regular basis. Often the talk turns to sales and money. Being pure and poor as an artist is a real drag. I have been taken to task about my mention of money and art. I read the trades and I see the amount of dough some artists make. I wouldn't mind more income from my artistic effort. At my age, I don't have the luxury of being poor, if you get my drift. I intend to be financially successful on purpose. In the art world one can make calculated choices about the kind of success they want. Me I am going for broke, er, getting paid. That's my story and I am sticking to it. Money matters!!!!!

Spending Money Can Be Hard

I just left a gallery, I bought a fifteen dollar catalog. The transaction took 20 minutes. WOW!!!!!! Sometimes you can't spend your money. The salesperson had to call tech suppport to find out how to do the transaction. I had my car parked in a two hour free zone, so I was concerned about getting a twenty-five dollar ticket. I got back to the car in time. I need to get some earplugs, as I am writing this in a library a guy is near me running his mouth. I will be buying some earplugs post haste. I got to weld this morning. Yippeeeee!. I have a couple of water colors going in the space I use for this discipline. When I get to do the art part of my life it feel sooooooo gooooood. I'll be back soon.