On this website you’ll find hundreds of articles I’ve written to help you achieve your fullest potential. I also enjoy sharing advice from other artists who have a wealth of experience. This article is one of them. In this article artists share practical advice and words of wisdom with fellow artists. This is a new addition to a series of articles in which artists offer advice, inspiration and motivation to artists.
This article, published in 2020, includes excerpts from interviews with artists that you’ll find on this blog, plus advice from artist friends on Facebook who answered a question I posted in May, 2020. Two other articles in this series include: Advice from Artists Who Say “Follow Your Bliss” and Advice from Artists Who Encourage You To “Never Give Up!”
Successful Artists Share Valuable Practical Advice
You’ll find several interviews on this blog which I conducted with successful artists from many different professional backgrounds, styles and mediums. One of these artists is JoAnne Carson. She has mastered skills in drawing, painting and sculpture, has had many exhibitions in museums throughout the U.S. including the Whitney Museum Biennial and NYC galleries. Her artwork is found in numerous public collections such as the Brooklyn Museum of Art.
In the lengthy interview with JoAnne on this blog, I asked her what she thought was the biggest mistake artists make in their art careers. She answered, “The biggest mistake artist’s make is to think that there is only one way to move their career forward: a gallery connection, for example. It is far better to see that an artist must do many, many things – in fact, anything that they can think of to progress in their career. I recommend keeping a journal that records all the attempts to make an impact whether it is contacting another artist whose work you like, or writing to a critic on their criticism. There is so much you can do and no reason not to try everything you can.”
Elynne Rosenfeld has served as past president of the advocacy group Tri state Artist’s Equity. She co-chaired ArtForms cooperative gallery for a decade and has served on the board of ARTsisters, which brings shows to the community and donates part of sales to charities.
In an interview with her Elynne Rosenfeld offered this sage advice for artists: “Don’t go into art expecting that it will be lucrative, especially in the current market. But if you love it, learn something compatible with your need to create; either in a related field such as design, graphics etc. or something totally unrelated that doesn’t exhaust your creativity but provides income freeing you to do what you love. But don’t let go of the dream that it might turn into something more for you. Dreaming is healthy for the creative spirit, as long as you are also grounded.”
With a loyal following on social media, she offered this advice: “First invite all your friends to like your page. When you have 100 likes you are allowed to boost posts. Boost the ones you really want people to see to promote your brand; a snappy headline helps, along with a good photo. Facebook gives you options: the duration of post, the budget, (start with $5.00. It’s enough to get folks to like the post) the demographic (experiment with this and feel free to change it if the first post doesn’t do as well as you’d like), and how long you’d like it to run. Have fun with this!”
Ruth Soller is nationally recognized for her vibrant nature-inspired oil paintings that exude a powerful and uplifting presence. She won a Special Recognition Art Award and an Interview on the Manhattan Arts International website in “The Healing Power of Elements: Earth, Water, Air & Fire” juried exhibition. I asked her: As an accomplished artist with many career achievements, what advice would you like to offer emerging artists?
Ruth replied, “I would encourage emerging artists to first build solid drawing and painting skills and have several successful artworks in a similar style and medium. Second learn as much as possible about starting a business and maintaining a living income. This may require a day job and/or a partner who supports you. Being an artist is not an easy career and will require long term dedication. I am fortunate to have accumulated a life-time of travel and experiences that I could not have imagined.” Read the Interview on the Manhattan Arts International website.
Advice to Artists From My Facebook Friends
On Facebook I asked the question: “Dear Artist Friends, If you were giving a keynote speech to art school graduates what advice would you give them? The replies were genuine and insightful. I wish I had the time and space to include them all. Here are a few replies I received from artists who focused on offering practical advise. Their comments are also helpful for professional artists.
Judy H. Klich “Your story matters and should be what fuels your passion to create. Following that passion is great but also realize if you want to make a living as an artist you must create something that sells. Find your audience and sell to them. Learn how to be a good business person, sale and marketing. Don’t create in a bubble. Keep up with what others are doing and the bigger picture. Above all you must work hard at all of it to make it a true career.”
Nancy Rodrigo “Be creative in your work by keeping an open mind to everything around you, allow that flexibility to inform your ability to sustain your practice by always cultivating a healthy network of friends, colleagues and peers. Being an artist means having a responsibility to your practice, nurture that! Being a professional artist means being reliable, even tempered, diplomatic and most of all learning to be an effective entrepreneur. Always keep learning, an artist is constantly learning. This is not a sprint, this is a marathon, till your last breath, forget about destination and focus on the path and journey.”
Jane Zamost: “I’ve actually thought about this question quite often. When I graduated as a fine arts major back in 1980, every professor geared us to get involved with competitions and keep painting but they didn’t give us the know-how to make money for the materials and expenses involved with the competitions. Instead, we were encouraged to work in graphic design or outside of the art world. Why didn’t anyone tell us to go work for an established artist and learn both the craft and the business? That’s my opinion – work for an artist that is producing art and making money at creating. Hone your craft, understand the art business.”
From the article How to Create Your Art Business Plan.
Diane Novetsky “Don’t focus on becoming an art star and getting into the right galleries. The New Paradigm of the art world will be very different–and you’ll have to create your own opportunities.”
LuEllen Joy Miller-Giera “Save more than you make. Follow your dreams combined with sensible decision making. Don’t be afraid of the word ‘no’. Move on till you hear yes.”
Carter Hammond “I’d pass on the only real piece of advice I got and took to heart. ‘If you want to be a professional artist, you’re going to have to work at it every day.’ I’d also tell them from my own experience, work in an art gallery for some time so you can learn more about the business of art and meet artists who are making a living by making art.”
Judy Volkmann “Find your voice, create your art, and focus on getting your artwork out there to be seen. Seek galleries, participate in shows and build your audience on social media. Build your website and develop an strong email contact list. Participate in the arts by seeking shows, attending opening exhibition and art fairs.”
Lou Jordan “Remember creating art is a skill. And like any skill it has to be practiced. The more you practice the better you get.So do your best to practice every day as even a little bit. 15 minutes of drawing or working with color or shape will improve your skills and your art enormously.”
Joyce Watts Coolidge “My daughter went to art school (not a university art program) the teachers were also working artists, so she got a lesson in true life as an artist and made some great connections. Good connections are important.”
Heather LuAnn “Learn as much as you can, challenge yourself and always be your own worst critic. Look at artists work, politics, contemporary art, and past history. Be open to learning new things daily. Allow your work to evolve. If you truly love creating you will feel restless and unhappy when you don’t, so…create!”
Also read Advice from Artists Who Encourage You To “Never Give Up!” and Advice from Artists Who Say “Follow Your Bliss”.
You may also want to read…
How to Create Your Art Business Plan
What Does “Success” As An Artist Mean to You?
Successful Artists Know Relationships Are Key to Growing Your Art Career
How to Create An Art Patron Plan
The 8 C’s in Art Career Success
10 Ways to Avoid Art Career Sabotage
Most Popular Art Career Success Articles For Artists
Susan Ashley says
I think the quotes are perfect to open the doors of creating and reaching out to connect with other people. I lke the emphasis on opening up to learn many new opportunities, not just one way to be lucrative.