Life as a Professional Artist

Life as a Professional Artist:





The past two years have been brutal ones for artists and gallery owners alike. Even the savviest marketers have taken a hit and I've been utterly shocked at the many great painters and aggressively successful gallery owners who have had to fold as a result of the 2009 recession. It's definitely survival of the fittest out there!








Perhaps this is a grand time to begin re-defining our goals and re-evaluating why we're out there painting or selling art and whether we are reaching the level of success we desire. Art is, after all, a retail operation, whether we like it or not, so the sale of art requires that the artist be certain that they're running a sharp, effective retail operation with, of course, an awful lot of leeway in between. After all, the purchase of a piece of art is not a necessity but is perhaps the result of something subjective that occurs between the artist and the client.





Think on these subjects if you're an artist. Why are you creating your art and who are you creating it for? What are you doing with your art after it's completed? Are you truly committed to art as business, or is the pursuit of art your hobby? What defines success to you? Take some real time to define your goals, examine where you're at in achieving those goals and evaluate your definition of success.

The painting depicted, Last Day (watercolor by Catherine Hillis, c., 14" x 17" framed), will be available at Wide River Gallery in Colonial Beach, VA for $190.00. (804)224-9984