It's Not Easy

I often read about the troubles that artists have with galleries.
The more I read or hear about how some art galleries treat their artists, the more I am glad to be able to handle
my own art business.
Marketing experts abound in the art world, this makes me wonder how many of these people make art on a
regular basis.
There are no easy paths to a successful art career, one has to be able to stand the slings and arrows that come with the art life.
I know this is not news to many people. I just have to say it. If one can endure the rewards can be very satisfying.
The only thing I would change in my own art life is, I would've learned more about the business side of being an artist a lot sooner.
There are no magic answers to being a successful artist, it's not easy.

Longevity Matters

I hit the big 70 today. Just wanted to note it here for posterity. My art life continues, I am glad to heat and eat as an artist.
I also am glad to have several colleagues, who, like myself, just forge ahead in the art world.
I will make some drawings today to commemorate my getting to be 70.
I will also celebrate not being starving artist.

An American Paradox

The United States Artists website is full of information. In November the organization awarded fifty $50,000 grants to American artists in many different disciplines. Since the NEA gutted the individual artists grants, USA Artists has come to the plate.
There's a section on their website that states 96 percent of people want art in their communities, only 27 percent believe artists contribute a lot of good to society.
Hey , I don't make the news, I just report it.
Anyone can look this information up.

Obama And Art

I wonder what the Obama people will do concerning the visual arts. Black American artists are underserved and under valued in art america. Sad , but true. The Obama children need to see art that looks like them and art made by people who look like them in my opiniion. The White House collection recently added a Jacob Lawrence painting to it's collection, this is a good thing. Jacob Lawrence built an international art career. It's too bad he didn't live long enough to see his work in the White House art collection. Oh yes, Jacob Lawrence is an artist who happens to be black.

Shoe box Paintings

I took some of my shoe box paintings over to one of my collectors house last Saturday. There were about 20 people who came to the art party. I learned some good lessons. Here goes, people will spend money if the price is right, I did sell some work, some people will not look at the art because they are not interested, you have to be willing to gamble, you have to be able to travel light, you should never go broke, you should believe you will sell something.

I had a successful table top, counter top show, I took about 40 works under 8x10 inches in size. I am planning on doing this kind of event again soon with other people.

Artists have to reinvent themselves all the time.

The Stuff You Do

The stuff you do to sell some art is just part of what it takes to get some gas money .
I am at a collectors house and it's just OK.
More Later.

Persistence NPR Interview

I just spent two days talking to the NPR National station. Alison Bryce came to my humble home studio to speak to yours truly. I don't know when the segment will air. I did get an opportunity to speak about the plight of the visual artist in America.
I spent three years cultivating the chance to speak to NPR. I hope the essence of what I had to say gets on the air. I am weary of lay people thinking that the visual artist is a flake, and we ain,t successful. I spoke my mind for all of the visual artists that don'tget no respect. We will see what happens. Stay tuned. Real artists don't need no bailouts.

I Won't Panic

The present economy talk is enough to make one go hide out some place until things get better. Well, I ain't even scared.
I think that when the gleaners stop going through the alleys getting junk, then I will maybe get worried. These men and women
will fill a truck to the brim with castoff stuff to be recycled. If the adult beverage stores shut down , then I will panic.
I am going to continue to make my art and put it in my art bank, and when times get better , I will sell some of it and have a great time.
Doing the depression, artists were employed by the WPA program and from what I know the depression was really bad.
I refuse to panic.
That's my story, and I 'm sticking to it.

Survive Recessions

I think it's about time we hear how, people who, don't make big money each year survive economic downturns. Artists have some cool ways to get by until things get better. It's not all doom and gloom with creative people. The way survived, is to live with in my means , so far , so good.

Educate Gently

Art galleries should publish basic art buying information for patrons. Things like, not matching the sofa, understanding that art is history, a list of art terms, books on art appreciation could be recommended, a primer on multiples and reproductions, and mainly that art can be paid for on time payments. Oh yeah, forget size. Several works of art on a wall has many stories to tell.
Just some thoughts about art education.

Hard To Get Ink, Etc.

I recently called a NPR reporter, to pitch him on the possibility of interviewing a group of artists, to find out how they are are coping with the economic downturn. Well, needless to say. the idea was greeted with a lukewarm response. Dang!!
It seems that entertainment and sports get most of the coverage. The visual artist is the last person the media does any human interest stories on. Ink is hard to get indeed.

Art Information 101

There is a lack of at 101 acquisition information in many of the art magazines being published these days. New people think all of the art they see will cost them an arm and a leg. I visited a wall accessory business last weekend and I asked one of the sales people what the response was to the copies of paintings that were for sale? The answer was, people buy them to decorate. I mentioned to the person that I was talking to , people could find artists in their community and buy originals for the same price. The clerk said maybe people didn't know that. I agree that many people don't make the effort to get to know artists in their neighborhoods. Oh , another thing, the clerk said that maybe people think the art available in their communities would be too costly. I think many of the art magazines should publish basic collecting information in each issue. Every one could benefit as a result.

Living Good ,But Cheap

In light of the bad news about money, I had to post this. I go to a recycle bin to get copies of the news papers. The papers that I get are out of town editions. I have saved a lot of doughr by doing this. I have been getting these newspapers for about five, yes ,five years. This means more money for the utility bill in the winter, and more adult beverages for my house. I am willing to do what it takes to be an artist, one of the things is to be pragmatic and prudent. So far, sooooo good. I won't panic about making it in the world , as long as there is one alumniun can and some scrap metal to turn in for cash. The sky ain't falling. Resourceful people will make it in the world no matter what the circumstances happen to be. I am one of them , on purpose.

Time Files

I spoke to my neighborhood grocer today.I asked how his day was going??? He said slow. This guy has artistic ability. I suggested to him maybe he could bring in a sketchbook and to use the slow time to draw. The store has all kind of subject matter to draw. I pointed out some of the possiblilties in the store. I am not one to waste too much time these days. I ain't getting any younger, I am using all of my creative minutes to do something with what artistic gifts I have. ime flies, and it ain't comming back. Picasso made 100,000 works of art in his life time. I won't try to do that, but ,I will act as though I don't have all the time in the world to make art.

My Artist In Residence Gig

I have been an artist in residence in many places through the years.I mention this because I have been able weather many a financial storm because of the income A.I.R gigs produce. I have to say I am glad to be able to stay in the art game because of my ablity to to art instruction. Artists In Residence Gigs are good.

No Nobel Again

Dang it! I didn't get a Nobel again. Shooot! No Ferrari for me, no studio in the south of France. I guess I'll have to get by on my greenback prizes for the rest of the years. Yes, I said years. It's good to earn art money anyway. I'll just go green the Ben Franklin way.
Cheers,
Bob Ragland- NON-starving artist in Denver

Lazy Art Dealers Don't Churn

I was having a conversation with a colleague , we were speaking about the way he was being actively promoted and publicized.
There are two million artists in the workforce and not all of them are smart about getting the word out about themselves. Newspaper stories of the human interest kind can help an artist become better known. Turns out that Whistler was one of the best self promoters art careerwise. Art dealers who are savvy know what to do , to get an artist the notice and respect they deserve. I get brochures in the mail on a steady basis from one gallery and it's always a joy to look them over , again and again. Real art dealers churn the waters for their artists, they don't wait for special events, they know how to create excitement and get themselves and their artists paid.

Neglect

I am wondering if any artists have noticed the lack of coverage of visual artists in certain listings? I am making reference to those Forbes magazine top entertainers lists. I think it would be informative to the general public to list visual artists who are making a good living in spite of the economic downturn. No matter how bad times are artists still make art and sell their work. It seems the visual artist can't get any ink, no wonder the lay public thinks we are all starving. Just an observation.

Not So Hot Artist

I attended a museum opening exhibition recently. My work is in the permenent collection , some of my sculpture is in the sculpture garden. I often go out to look at the work, it's just nice to be able to see it. A lady came out and stood looking in the direction of my work. She stood for quite sometime looking. I asked her as she was leaving the garden, what she thought about the sculpture? Well, I got an answer that went like this, the womman said "I wasn't looking at your sculpture, I was looking at the mural behind the sculpture." So I ain't so hot. Reality check time for yours truly. I didn't take any offense at her comment. I told her people like her made me strive harder to be more succesful. Rejection has a way of making me stronger. I did say to the women that my art life would continue on purpose inspite her not seeing my sculpture. When you're hot ,you're hot, when you're not you're not.

My Best Effort

I try to give my best effort to my art life. So far, so good. I am so weary of all of the doom and gloom financial reports. If I spend more than I make , I guess I deserve to be stressed out. I designed a frugal lifestyle for financial times like the present one we are in. Being an artist has different kinds of rough patches, believe me , I have had my share. I am insulating myself from as much of the bad stuff as I can. Yesterday I went and bought me some adult beverages, and I had the dough to do so. My best effort is to do what I need to to have a sound art life. It's working.

Rough Economy

A rough economy should make an artist improve their skill set. Just like rejection , it should be a ingredient to get stronger. Rough economies create tough artists. No whining, just don't be trying to get ten thousand dollars for a postage stamp
size work of art.
If you got bread and shelter and a way to make your work, that's all that matters. This ain't the last time we will see a rough economy, we just will have to deal with it.

GateKeepers Part Two

I just spoke with a jewelry maker on the sidewalk in the Cherry Creek area. The jewelry maker and me were having a converstion and the lady whose shop was letting the artist use the space came out and got in the way. I have passed the place often and went in a couple times to look at some wood sculpture displayed there. Be cause of the owners gatekeeper attitude , I won't be going in again. New artists have to put up with some very harsh people in the world. Me I have very thick skin, new artists, not so much. I love the blog, I get to vent!!!!!!

New Subjects

Fall is in the air in Colorado, I am pleased to see the foalage taking on new colors. My art vision is very strong at this time. I seem to see new possibilities for paintings everywhere I turn. My senses are so sharp, I am going to have to get to work painting. The cool part about being an artist is the fact that I get to make a record of he passing seasons. I have a decent foto file to use as reference for future work. I have been taking pictures of my neighborhood for many years , my problem was , I didn't always have the knowledge or skills to use the reference properly. I have since gained the skills to use the fotos, so now I will be a painting machine. It's very gratifying to be at this stage of my art life. Now to get busy.

Living Prudently

With all of the economic turmoil in the USA, I am thinking about all of those CEO's with the big money they make. I can't help but wonder, after one makes 500k-1 million dollars a year, what else could a reasonable person want? One day I am going to make up a list of things I would do with five hundred thousand dollars. I continue to hear about golden parachutes, heck all I want is a green one. I am glad that I don't spend more that I make. This assures me less financial stress. I am fortunate to have been raised in a practical family that taught my siblings and me how to live sensibly money wise. We used to hunt down pop bottles to make money to go swimming at the community swimming pool. We also picked scrap metal to turn in to the junkman. To this day I still pick up scrap metal to make metal sculpture, which I sell to make some dough. Prudent living is my way of life.

Discipline

Continue making your art, follow your interest.
Don't listen to negative people.
Deal with rejection by persisting.
Making art is a discipline, if one can't be disciplined, they should give up and go get a boss.

Art Snobs

Being an art snob is a total waste of time in my opinion. I recently attended an opening of work by a colleague of mine. The artist is very skilled and sells extremely well. His name is Dan Sprick. An art dealer I know attended the event and was very much the art snob about the goings on. I try not be a an snob about art, I try to have an open mind about all idioms when it comes to art, be it representational or modern. I like the work of Motherwell to Wyeth. I've trained myself to be open to art, period. I just had to blog this thought. Close minded people are so negative.

Duh?

I accidently ended up making two blogs. I note this because ,I am just getting acquainted with this blog stuff. I just wanted to mention this. Check both blogs. I 'll run them both.

The Last Lecture

The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is very important to me , because as I get older I feel urgent to do all that I can as an artist. I have many art projects in the works and I don't act as though, I have all the time in the world to get them done. I have always been a disciplined artist. I am driven to get my work made, I don't stint on my time. I don't give up everything life wise to make art , I just use my time wisely. I do like having an end product to show for the time spent. I have mentioned the use of time before in this blog. It won't be the last time either.

Art Collecting Tips

Tell others please.
Visit art galleries and museums.
Buy what you like.
Avoid trends.
Buy art on the payment plan.
Get to know an artist.
Ask for sketches and small works to start collecting
Establish an art budget each year.
Make art a life long study.

Sticking To It

One of the best things an artist can do is just keep on doing what ever it takes to have a an art life. I have done so many things, all art related to be an artist. I have conducted classes in many different venues, to bring in those dollars to have bread and shelter, I have led art tours in the city and invented other art related ventures to get to the point being self supporting as an artist/teacher. I have learned the business of art and I am still reshaping that part of my discipline. I will mention two artists that have been very instrumental by example, of what it takes to be a successful artist, Merrill Mahaffey and Dean Mitchell , are the thinking man's artists. These guys are brilliant when it comes to the business of art. You the reader can google these artists to see what I am talking about. Mo' Later.

Evidence

I have been thinking about my art life and how special it is to be able to show evidence of my existence. I mean the art that I have made and will make. The art will live on. That is a very good feeling , now a days I make art with out too much financial stress. In my salad days, I had more financial concerns than I do now. I can make the work and put it in my art bank to withdraw and sell later. Art is evidence , it's history, its very special. I am very happy about that.

Art Matters

People will spend about two thousand dollars a year on latte and other things they don't get to keep. These people are the ones who often complain about not having any money to buy art. Bottled water costs the consumer about the same amount of money. I would like to see part of those coffee and water budgets spent on works of art . Art is a way to record history, as they saying goes Ars Longa Vita Brevis. One thing that I believe strongly in is , works of art can be bought on the payment plan. Galleries should post the information to let people know that fact. Art matters, to the artist and the collector.

LoveLand Sculpture Show

I attended the Loveland Sculpture Show this weekend. I am writing this from an inn in Loveland. This city is very art friendly ,big time. Every where you look you see sculpture. WAY COOL!!!!! I love the art life, I get to see stuff that other people disregard.To see 300 plus sculptors in one place is BOFFO!!!!! It's a shame there are so many artproof people in the land. I saw a whole host of creativity in one place today. I am very excited to be a part of the art world everyday. I am very grateful. Being the originator of the NON-Starving artist project in the USA,I get bragging rights. I wear my NON Starving Artists button all the time and the general public is so non-believeing about the number of artists who are making their living with their art efforts. Too bad ,soo sad. I have a report that states that there are two million artists in the population who make their living from art. Google the NEA for the information. The art life continues in spite of the non believers. Real Artists Don't Starve- they learn how not to. Everything's good in my art neighboorhood. You can email me @ robert_ragland @ dpsk12.org. and see me at www.freewebs.com/bobragland. I am one of the best art career coaches around. You can't lose with stuff I use. Cheers.

No Knowledge About Successful Artists

Yesterday I was in the Denver Art Museum gift shop and a lady heard me say something about non starving artists. She was very quick to say that artists did not know any thing about business, well, I was quick to correct her.I told her that I could name at least fifty artists in the city and state who made thier living from their. artistic effort.I forgot that a recent NEA report noted that there are now two million artists in the population that make their living as artists. More later.