Selling Art, Not Selling Out

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“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” – Abraham Lincoln Quote Art

“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.”
― Abraham Lincoln

Print available on Society6.

Being an artist can be overwhelming. You have to create and update a website, you have to market your work, and you have to go to art fairs and other events, among many other things. It’s a wonder you have time to actually create art.

How can you stay focused and productive when there are so many things you need to accomplish?

[bctt tweet=”Instead of trying to multitask, concentrate on your most important tasks”]

The secret is living in the present moment one day at a time. Most people become overwhelmed because they try to do too many things at the same time. Instead of trying to multitask, concentrate on your most important tasks. Too often we think we have to do everything all the time. That is simply not the case.

If you are feeling overwhelmed, figure out the most important task you need to accomplish, and do it. It is that simple. Forget everything else on your plate. When your attention is divided, you are not giving each task the proper attention it deserves.

[bctt tweet=”Forget about the future and concentrate on the present”]

We are too often concerned about the future. Forget about the future and concentrate on the present. The present moment is the most important moment of your life because you are living it. If you are too wrapped up in the future, you are not living in the present.

Luckily, time is constant. Each day is 24 hours. Each hour is 60 minutes. Each minute is 60 seconds. This means we can determine the amount of time it will take to complete a task. Once we know this, we can give each task its proper due.

[bctt tweet=”The future will come no matter what, but it only comes one day at a time”]

The future will come no matter what, but it only comes one day at a time. If you can plan for the future while living in the present moment, you can accomplish anything.

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What Makes a Good Artist – Amanda Palmer Quote Art

“You’re an artist when you say you are. And you’re a good artist when you make somebody else experience or feel something deep or unexpected.” – Amanda Palmer

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People are always arguing about the value of art and whether someone should or shouldn’t be considered an artist. Amanda Palmer perfectly explains my sentiments on the topic.

Who are we to say who is and isn’t an artist? Why do we feel entitled to label people? Anyone who creates art has the right to call themselves an artist. That being said, just because you are an artist, doesn’t mean you are a good artist.

[bctt tweet=”Anyone can make art, but not everyone can make you feel something…”]

To me, this is the important part of the quote “You’re a good artist when you make somebody else experience or feel something deep or unexpected.” Anyone can make art, but not everyone can make you feel something when viewing their art.

Most artists don’t create because they want to, they create because they have to. There is a force calling on them to create their art. It will eat at them until their art is complete.

[bctt tweet=”You can recognize a great artist by how their work makes others feel”]

Good artists turn that energy into something beautiful. They use it to fuel their creativity and make work that resonates with others. Anyone can be an artist, but you can recognize a great artist by how their work makes others feel.

[bctt tweet=”Only those who transcend the ordinary can achieve the extraordinary”]

Art at its core should make you feel something. Why else would we create it? Art is our way of expressing ourselves to the world. Whether you deal in the visual or performing arts, your art should make people feel something. That is the difference between artists who have staying power and those who don’t. Only those who transcend the ordinary can achieve the extraordinary.

Quote courtesy of Brain Pickings.

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“Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” – Voltaire Quote Art

“Uncertainty is an uncomfortable position. But certainty is an absurd one.” – Voltaire

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Humans as a species have always questioned their existence in the universe and their knowledge of it. Throughout history philosophers, scientists, and explorers have tested their assumptions. We have never stopped questioning what we assume to be true.

Even now, there are so many things we don’t know about the universe. We are constantly exploring new frontiers and making discoveries. What drives this curiosity?

[bctt tweet=”We are uncomfortable with the unknown”]

We are uncomfortable with the unknown. We want to know how the world works. We want to know what lies beyond our tiny part of the universe. We want to know how the mind works and what drives us.

It ‘s only through this position of uncertainty that we can expand our knowledge of the world. Don’t believe me? Just look at all the things people throughout history have been certain about.

We used to believe the Earth was flat. We used to believe we were the center of the universe. We used to believe sacrifices would please the Gods.

It wasn’t just individuals who believed these things. Entire societies held these beliefs. They believed in these ideas so much that they would persecute anyone who didn’t believe them too. That may sound harsh, but it is still happening today.

[bctt tweet=”Let go of all your assumptions about the world and become comfortable with uncertainty”]

That is why we should never pretend to know all the answers. We must question what we believe to be true and figure things out on our own. Don’t let people tell you things are certain. It is only by having an inquisitive mind that we can learn and grow as people. Let go of all your assumptions about the world and become comfortable with uncertainty.

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Voltaire Image Courtesy of Wikimedia

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” – Stephen King Quote Art

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” – Stephen King

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Our revolutionary ancestors lived in a time where they always had to be on high alert. I’m not talking about Medieval or even Ancient times. I’m talking about our cave dwelling ancestors.

Humans have lived on Earth for a minuscule amount of time relative to the age of the Earth. Evolutionarily speaking, we have evolved very little in that amount of time. We still have the same fight or flight instincts that helped keep our ancestors safe.

Their fear was in reaction to the large prey animals that roamed among us. If they were not prepared to fight off the larger predators, they would have died off like other species, and we would not be here.

Since that time, we have built thriving civilizations and have lived in relative safety. We no longer need to be in a high state of alert. Yet, we still have those fight or flight reactions. Our instincts are no longer used to protect us from danger. We feel them when we encounter something new.

Were you deathly scared before giving a speech in front of a large crowd for the first time? Did your stomach churn before going on your first roller coaster? Are you afraid of starting a business and working on your own?

These are all fight or flight reactions. In these moments, we enter a heightened state of awareness. Unlike our ancestors, we aren’t in serious danger. Our bodies are telling us to pay attention to the situation at hand.

[bctt tweet=”Instead of fearing new situations, we need to understand our reactions to them”]

Instead of fearing these new situations, we need to understand our reactions to them. Once we do, we will be better prepared to react. Beginning new things can be scary, but if you can hone that anticipation into productive energy, you can conquer your fear. You can overcome the initial bump that scares most people off. If you do, you will be one step closer to success.

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“Explore, Dream, Discover.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr. Quote Art

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do, so throw off the bowlines, sail away from safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore, Dream, Discover.”
– H. Jackson Brown Jr.

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As far as we all know, we only get one life to live. If you look back on your life, what regrets will you have?

This is the exact question an Australian nurse, Bronnie Ware, explored. She spent several years caring for patients in the last weeks of their lives and recorded their responses on her blog called Inspiration and Chai. The posts became so popular that she turned her observations into a book: The Top Five Regrets of the Dying.

The biggest regret of the dying patients was “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.”

[bctt tweet=”Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it”]

According to Ware, “This was the most common regret of all. When people realise that their life is almost over and look back clearly on it, it is easy to see how many dreams have gone unfulfilled. Most people had not honoured even a half of their dreams and had to die knowing that it was due to choices they had made, or not made. Health brings a freedom very few realise, until they no longer have it.”

What are we doing every day to live a fulfilling life? How many of your dreams have gone unfulfilled? Don’t let the expectations of others affect what you truly want to do.

[bctt tweet=”A life of regret is a life unfulfilled”]

We have the choice of living the life we want to live or living the life others want us to live. Don’t ignore what your heart is telling you to do. A life of regret is a life unfulfilled. Take Brown’s advice and “Explore, Dream, Discover.”

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“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.” – George S. Patton Quote Art

“I don’t measure a man’s success by how high he climbs but how high he bounces when he hits bottom.”
– George S. Patton

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General George Patton was especially equipped to judge the spirit and fight within a person. During his tenure as a General of the U.S. Army during World War II, he famously defeated German forces in France and Germany. His military leadership helped tilt the tides of war. He was known for his unrelenting discipline and his battle philosophy was notorious: “We shall attack and attack until we are exhausted, and then we shall attack again.”

[bctt tweet=”You shouldn’t give up because you think you’ve hit bottom”]

It is with this same spirit that we must tackle our toughest problems. You shouldn’t give up because you think you’ve hit bottom. It is in those moments that you discover your true character.

We must overcome obstacles despite all odds. We must posses that fighting spirit. We must continue on and never give up.

Will you give up or will you bounce back higher than ever?

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Photo by archer10

“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.” Quote Art

“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”

Print available on Storenvy.

This quote is often misattributed to Winston Churchill. Learn more about its origins on Quote Investigator.

Success

Most people think success is a destination you can reach. “If only I was as successful as she is.” What you don’t know is, that person you look up to is thinking the same thing. We think “making it” is a tangible status you can achieve but it isn’t.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day-in and day-out.”
– Robert Collier

[bctt tweet=”Instead of thinking of success as a destination, think of it as a mindset”]

Instead of thinking of success as a destination, think of it as a mindset. Success as a mindset means always trying your best. It means moving forward despite the obstacles. It means learning from your mistakes. It means you are always growing.

Failure

[bctt tweet=”Failure is far from fatal, it is a way to learn from your mistakes”]

People think failure is the worst thing that can happen to them. They think failure is impossible to overcome. Failure is far from fatal, it is a way to learn from your mistakes.

Things fail for a reason. It usually comes down to a lack of foresight, a lack of preparation, or a lack of execution. Instead of seeing failure as an insurmountable obstacle, think of it as a lesson learned. What can you learn from your failure? How can you improve next time? After each failure, dissect what went wrong, and avoid doing it again.

“I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed”.

– Michael Jordan

[bctt tweet=”You need to think failure as an outcome rather than letting it define you”]

An important thing to remember about failure is it does not reflect who you are. People too often attribute failure to themselves. When things go right we feel invincible but when things go wrong we feel worthless. You need to think failure as an outcome rather than letting it define you. Your projects and goals can end in failure, but don’t attach that failure to yourself. It is hard to become better when you always blame yourself.

Courage

The most overlooked attribute of successful people is persistence. Anyone can be successful if they never face adversity, if things never went wrong. The true test of character occurs when things don’t go exactly as planned. During these moments you have two choices. You can pack your things up and go, or you can suck it up and find a solution.

So many people quit just on the edge of success. It is within their grasp but instead of staying the course, they choose to give up.

If you have done your homework and know your idea can work, you can’t give up. Did you know Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because he lacked imagination? What would happen if J.K. Rowling had given up on Harry Potter when so many people told her to? How much different would the world be if great people had given up instead of challenging themselves?

We live in the greatest time in human history. We owe it to ourselves to do what we love. So, the next time you feel like giving up, think of Walt Disney and J.K. Rowling. Think of the greatness they achieved and the gifts they gave to the world. You can give your gifts to the world too.

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“Life is long if you know how to use it.” – Seneca Quote Art

“Life is long if you know how to use it.”
—Seneca

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You are sitting in a cubicle, anxious for the day to be over. You look at the clock and it feels like time is going backwards. You dread every second you have to be there, but you have to make a living somehow. Is this how life was meant to be lived?

We have all felt this before. Whether you’ve had a corporate job or not. The feeling is the same. Any time you are doing a job that doesn’t align with your values, you feel your life being slowly sucked away. We only have a finite amount of time on Earth. How can we make use of the time we are given?

You’ll hear many people say follow your passion. While this may sound like a good idea, you can’t make a living off of passion alone. If you are passionate about eating ice cream on your couch, can you make a living from it? I wish. Unfortunately you can’t.

Instead you must find your purpose. This might sound the same as a passion, but there is a distinct difference. Passions are all about you. I’m passionate about sports, reading, photography, and music to name a few. But those passions don’t have an affect on others. Purpose fills a need.

My purpose is helping artists promote themselves and their art in an authentic way.

Artists have a negative attitude towards marketing and selling their art. I want to change this mindset through my knowledge of web design, marketing, and psychology. I want to help artists share their gift with the world.

Since I started helping artists, I have felt a renewed sense of purpose. I am no longer letting life just pass me by. I have found a way to live a long life and make use of my own gifts.

[bctt tweet=”If you want to find your purpose, and live a long fulfilling life, see what needs are not being filled”]

If you want to find your purpose, and live a long fulfilling life, see what needs are not being filled. One that comes to mind is emotional connection. We live in a world that is more connected than ever, yet we all feel an emotional disconnect.

You as an artist are especially equipped to fill this need. You can create emotional connection with your audience through your words and your work. Filling this need will not only enhance your own life, it will enhance the lives of everyone who encounters your art.

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“The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.” – Anton Chekhov Quote Art

“The role of the artist is to ask questions, not answer them.”
― Anton Chekhov

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Artists have a gift. With a single stroke of the brush, they can tell an entire story. They can make someone laugh or cry just by putting their pen to paper. Their music can bring joy or sadness.

So why do we celebrate when someone says they want to be a doctor or a lawyer, but feel sorry for them if they say they want to be an artist? There is a stigma around being an artist. They think we “sit around all day and paint pretty pictures.” They think we will starve while trying to find success. There is no room for these thoughts.

[bctt tweet=”By asking questions, we create conversations”]

By asking questions, we create conversations. We make people think about themselves and their place in the world.

Asking questions also opens people up to new possibilities. Books and movies are not only great entertainment, but they also shape our future. How much of the technology we have today was inspired by a great artist’s mind?

[bctt tweet=”Artists have the ability to change the world”]

Artists have the ability to change the world. We can change a person’s mind without saying a thing. It is time we show people what it means to be an artist.

We must show people how our work inspires movements, how it can lift you up when you are down, how it asks questions about ourselves.

Here are some ways we can be an artist that asks questions instead of answering them:

Seek Knowledge

The best way to ask better questions is by learning. Every time you learn something new, you should have more questions than answers. How does this information fit into your views? How can you reflect that in your art?

Become Curious

[bctt tweet=”Curiosity should be the lifeblood of an artist”]

Some artists choose to live in a bubble. They paint the same pictures. They do the same things. They stick to their guns. Don’t be that artist. Curiosity should be the lifeblood of an artist. What new ideas can you explore? Become curious and learn to ask why.

Explore the World

[bctt tweet=”Go see what the world has to offer”]

We live in a world where you are constantly connected. We can spend our entire life staring at the screens in front of us, or we can explore the world. Exploring the world makes you question how much you know. So go see what the world has to offer.

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“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela Quote Art

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”
― Nelson Mandela

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There is a deep fascination with the impossible. If we turn the clock back just 100 years, a relatively short time in human history, there are many things that would have seemed impossible. One hundred years ago, there was no internet, there were no electric vehicles, there were no iPhones, iPads or computers. If you would have told people living in 1915 what we have at our disposal now, they would think you are crazy.

Likewise, in the sport of running, the four minute mile seemed like an impossible barrier to break. Up until 1954, no one had run a mile in under four minutes. Since Roger Bannister broke it that year, 18 others have broken the previous record. In sports, many records seem unbreakable, until they are broken.

[bctt tweet=”In order to achieve the impossible, you must believe it is possible & pursue it with everything you have”]

The point is, don’t let conventional standards make you believe things are impossible. The “impossible” is achieved all the time. Whether it’s in technology, sports, or art, people are constantly achieving the impossible. In order to achieve the impossible, you must believe it is possible and pursue it with everything you have.

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Photo by Izzard

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