Marketing Your Art the Right Way

Selling Art, Not Selling Out

Tag: quote (page 5 of 9)

"Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking." - W.B. Yeats

Quote by W.B. Yeats

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats Quote Art

December 12, 2015 / / 0 Comments

“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” – W.B. Yeats

Print available on Storenvy.

For a long time, I believed in the myth of sudden and instantaneous inspiration. I believed that an apple would hit me while sitting under a tree. I believed that lightning would strike my key while flying a kite in a storm. I believed that a tiny lightbulb would appear above my head when I had an insight.

The biggest myth about creativity is that you will have these moments of clarity. That you don’t have to do any work for inspiration to strike. That you just have to wait for the muse to descend upon you.

If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first. Click To Tweet

What I’ve learned through a lot of reading, some interviews, and a lot of effort is inspiration doesn’t work like that. If you want great ideas to come to you, you must seek them first.

Creativity is a muscle, just like any other muscle. You must put it to use or it will atrophy. If you want to be creative, you must follow the stages of creativity.

According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, creativity comes in four basic stages.

Preparation

In order to come up with new solutions, you have to first learn a lot about the subject you are tackling. This is the information gathering stage.

Incubation

Then, you must walk away. This is the stage many people neglect. They pour over the problem until they can’t think anymore. But, you must let your mind wander if you want it to come up with a creative solution.

Illumination

This is the spark of inspiration many of us have been looking for. It is that moment when all those ideas you were exploring come together and finally make sense.

Verification

Most people will stop once they have that eureka moment, but creativity doesn’t end there. Your idea must be put into action. Anyone can have a good idea, but true creativity is harnessing your ideas and putting them to use.

—

Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action Click To Tweet

Far too many people wait for the right moment before they take action. They want the benefits of success without the work required to achieve it. Luckily for you, you now know better.

If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work Click To Tweet

If you want good ideas to come to you, you must seek them. If you want to find success for your art, you have to do the work.

Taking action is the only way to make your dreams come true. Don’t wait around for someone or something to give you an opportunity. Make your own opportunities.

Buy W.B. Yeats Quote Art

Photo by TiBine

Photo by Unsplash

"I am still learning." - Michelangelo

Quote by Michelangelo

“I am still learning.” – Michelangelo Quote Art

December 5, 2015 / / 2 Comments

“I am still learning.” – Michelangelo

Print available on Storenvy.

Michelangelo is considered one of the greatest artists to ever live. His art defines the Renaissance, one of the most prolific art periods in human history.

People flock from far and wide to view his statue of David and frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. He even had a cartoon ninja turtle named after him.

Unlike many artists, Michelangelo did not die in obscurity. After his death, he was revered by the people of Florence and was given the title “father and master of all the arts”. He also lived to see two biographies written about him.

Through all of this, you might assume Michelangelo had it all figured out. You might think his mastery of painting, sculpture, and architecture would make him content with his own skills. But that is not the case.

Learning helps us grow our minds and ourselves. Click To Tweet

Michelangelo’s quote about learning shows us the futility of settling. We should never stop learning. Learning helps us grow our minds and ourselves. It helps us build our skill set and also helps us relate to others.

If you ever become content with your knowledge of a craft, remember the masters like Michelangelo. They were not happy with what they knew. They did not settle for good enough. You shouldn’t either.

Buy  Michelangelo Quote Art

"You can't TRY to do things, you must simply DO them." - Ray Bradbury

Quote by Ray Bradbury

“You can’t TRY to do things, you must simply DO them.” – Ray Bradbury Quote Art

November 28, 2015 / / 0 Comments

“You can’t TRY to do things, you must simply DO them.” – Ray Bradbury

Print available on Storenvy.

Have you ever caught yourself thinking any of these things?

“I want to try social media, but I don’t know the first thing about it.”

“I know I should build a website, but it’s just so hard.”

“How in the world am I supposed to build an email list? It sounds like a lot of work.”

You’ve attempted to build your art business, but you just can’t seem to get it right. You’ve dabbled with so many different strategies, but nothing seems to work. Why is that?

It’s because you spend too much time trying and not enough time doing. What does that even mean?

Stop testing things out for a week and giving up when things don't go right. Click To Tweet

It means you give up too easily. Stop testing things out for a week and giving up when things don’t go right. Most things won’t work right away. Everything takes time. You have to experiment and see what works.

Stop making excuses for why you haven't succeeded. Click To Tweet

It means you often hold yourself back. Stop making excuses for why you haven’t succeeded. Figure out what the problem is and tackle it head on. If there are obstacles in your way, find a way around them.

Success and notoriety are the result of, hard, deliberate work. Click To Tweet

It means stop hoping for success. Instead of hoping and praying for people to discover you, seek people out. Being discovered is a myth. Success and notoriety are the result of, hard, deliberate work.

If you want to do something, then do it. Be intentional with everything you do and take accountability for yourself.

Buy Ray Bradbury Quote Art

Photo by Igor Trepeshchenok Barn Images

"Fear is a Liar"

Fear is a Liar Quote Art

November 20, 2015 / / 0 Comments

“Fear is a Liar”

Print available on Storenvy.

This is quote and writing comes courtesy of one my readers Diana Casabar who is a Contemporary Jewelry Metalsmith.

Fear is a LIAR. What about this quote speaks to me?

Hmmm ~ It speaks to every aspect of my life and helps me to keep kind and loving thoughts of Myself in my mind.

I say it to keep me from not comparing my work to others and feeling inadequate.

I think of it when I see a call to artists and I don’t feel brave enough to submit my work for those juried exhibitions or galleries.

I say it when I’m shy about contacting old clients to let them know I have new work.

I think of it every season so I can design AND create a new line.

I say it while I’m trying desperately to bring my art to the next level.

I think of it when I’m sketching a piece, and fall off the path of my chosen brand.

I say it when I’m trying to figure out a new way to market my work.

I think of it when I peruse magazines and see other’s work, but not mine.

It speaks to my personal life too, helps me balance my family, my sport and my work.

I’m training right now to test for my third degree black belt in Taekwondo. It’s a two day test in November. It’s very strenuous. There are lots of younger kids. I’m 54 years old, with two kids and I hammer metal all day. There are a lot of days when my lungs, muscles and brain sing for attention. I think of it when they’re are singing, just to get through the workouts.

I think of it when I’m lost on a hiking trail.

I think of it when the husband is away on a trip.

I think of it when I have to clean the house, get the boy to school, let the contractor in to fix the air conditioner, mail a package, go to the grocery store ANNNNNNDDDD hammer 5 new pairs of earrings and two pendants.

Fear is a LIAR. I can do this.

—-

Thanks Diana for the wonderful words of inspiration and encouragement. If you have a favorite quote of your own, don’t be afraid to share it with me!

Buy This Quote Art

"The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all." - Richard Branson

Quote by Richard Branson

“The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.” – Richard Branson Quote Art

November 14, 2015 / / 3 Comments

“The brave may not live forever, but the cautious do not live at all.” – Richard Branson

Print available on Storenvy.

When you look back on your life, will you be happy with what you see?

If you want to leave a lasting impact, you have to be willing to take chances. Click To Tweet

If you want to leave a lasting impact, you have to be willing to take chances. Otherwise, you will look back in disappointment.

Look at the world’s most memorable people. Do you think they were cautious?

What would the world be like if our forefathers didn’t fight for our freedoms? What would life be like if Guttenberg hand’t taken a chance and built a printing press? What if Edison decided building a more efficient light bulb wasn’t worth the effort?

We must be brave if we want to achieve our dreams. Click To Tweet

We must be brave if we want to achieve our dreams. Cautious people accept their fate and life. There is nothing wrong with the cautious life. Just don’t expect things to happen to you. You have to seek them for yourself.

If you want to make a living from your art, you must be intentional about it. If you want people to recognize you for your gifts, you can’t just create and expect people to find you.

I’m not saying it will be an easy or short journey. It is scary putting yourself and your work on the line.

We fear rejection. We fear our work won’t be good enough. We fear failure.

People have fought and died for what they believe in. Is putting your art out there really that scary?

Make your life worth looking back on. Click To Tweet

Living the life of your dreams takes bravery. Stop being so cautious. Make your life worth looking back on.

Buy Richard Branson Quote Art

Photo by Ghislain Mary

“Creativity takes courage. ” - Henri Matisse

Quote by Henri Matisse

“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse Quote Art

October 31, 2015 / / 0 Comments

“Creativity takes courage.” – Henri Matisse

Print available on Storenvy.

Whether you’ve been creative your entire life, or you are just now exploring it, one thing is true. Creativity takes courage.

As creatives, we spend our whole lives fighting against the system. Our parents tells us to stop drawing on the walls. Our teachers gave us bad grades because we didn’t do their assignment the “right” way. Our bosses are dead set in their ways.

Each day we live within the confines of the establishment. Most of us fall right in line. We feel stifled and held back by the people around us, but it doesn’t have to be this way.

We can choose to be courageous. We can take the unbeaten path Click To Tweet

We can choose to be courageous. We can take the unbeaten path. We can take risks without knowing how things will turn out.

Most of us choose to accept the status quo, but there are many people out there who have created their own way. Here are a few of the people I look to while trying to form my own path:

Tim Ferriss

Tim is one of the best known examples of someone who doesn’t let people dictate his life. He built and sold his own company after deciding he could maximize his time and delegate his work.

He has written multiple best-selling books including his seminal work The Four Hour Workweek, he has one of the top ranked podcasts on iTunes, and he is also an angel investor.

Tim has built a massive following around the idea of doing maximizing your efforts to get the greatest results and has inspired many people to do the same.

Lewis Howes

Lewis was fulfilling his dream as a professional football player until an injury ended his playing career. This injury devastated him. He was broken and living on his sister’s couch.

At that moment, he could have felt sorry for himself and accepted his place in the world. Many people would. Instead he embarked on a new path.

Since that moment, he has built multiple companies, he has created an extremely popular podcast, and he recently released his first traditionally published book about achieving greatness.

In that moment of weakness, instead of giving up, he chose to seek greatness. Now he is helping people seek their greatness too.

Maria Popova

Maria is the wonderful mind behind one of the internet’s favorite blogs: Brain Pickings. While most blogs on the internet explore very specific topics, Brain Pickings features Maria’s thoughts on culture, books, and any topic that interests her.

Brain Pickings started as a weekly email to seven of her friends. Now it receives millions of visitors a month. She has built that following by exploring her own interests, and is able to sustain her blog through donations from her readers.

Although she could be making much more money through ads, she chooses to make money through affiliate links and donations from her readers. This allows her to work on things she enjoys instead of working on things that will make her money.

Srinivas Rao

Srinivas is the creative force behind one of my favorite podcasts: The Unmistakable Creative. This podcast features amazing interviews with everyone from artists to entrepreneurs to ex-cons.

Like many people, Srinivas thought he had to seek the traditional path to success. He went to business school and got a 9-5 job, but wasn’t fulfilled. So he hosted a podcast called BlogCast FM and gradually grew the podcast interview by interview. He then re-branded it into what it is today, the Unmistakable Creative. It is now one of the most popular podcasts for creatives.

Tina Roth Eisenberg aka swissmiss

Tina is one of the most popular designers on the internet. She came to the US from Switzerland and worked for several prominent NYC design firms.

In 2005, she started her popular blog, swissmiss, and ran her own design studio with clients including the Museum of Modern Art and Food Network. While building the studio she also started other side projects including Creative Mornings, TeuxDeux, and Tattly. These projects allowed her to drop all her clients to work on them full-time.

Chase Jarvis

While at San Diego State University, Chase had plans of going to medical school after graduating. A few weeks before graduation, his grandfather passed and left him all of his photography equipment.

Instead of going to school after graduating, he took a trip to Europe, where he discovered his passion for photography. While pursuing his Masters degree at the University of Washington, he licensed photos to REI, which allowed him to leave school and start up his own studio.

Since then, Chase has photographed for clients like Nike, Apple, Miscrosoft, REI, and Lady Gaga. He also launched CreativeLive which offers free classes for people who want to learn photography, design, and other creative topics, and hosts interviews with creatives on Chase Jarvis Live.

—

Be courageous and let your creativity guide you Click To Tweet

Most of us believe we can’t pursue our creative dreams. We lack the conviction to step out of our comfort zones and do the thing we love most. Instead of letting your preconceived notions stop you, let them go. Be courageous and let your creativity guide you.

Buy Henri Matisse Quote Art

Photo by Mike Kniec

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” - Stephen King

Quote by Stephen King

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” – Stephen King Quote Art

October 25, 2015 / / 0 Comments

“Get busy living or get busy dying.” – Stephen King

Print available on Storenvy.

We live most of our lives in fear. We are afraid to be alone. We are afraid of trying new things. Most of all, we are afraid of failure. This single fear prevents many of us from doing the things we want to do.

The question is not whether we have fear, the question is why. While I don’t claim to know why anyone else has fear, I do know why I am afraid.

I am afraid that I am not enough. I am afraid of other people’s judgments. I am afraid that I will fail.

When we are afraid, we don't take action. Click To Tweet

Fear is a powerful de-motivator. When we are afraid, we don’t take action. We stay inside our comfort zone. We are trapped in a bubble.

While our fears will never go away, we can acknowledge them and let them go. If we let fear win, we have given in to death. In the words immortalized by Drake, “You only live once.”

“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.

Nothing in life is guaranteed. We should be grateful every day we wake up. It can all disappear so quickly. No one knows what comes after death, so we should spend our time living in the now instead of some distant future.

If you are waiting for permission to live your life, here it is. Click To Tweet

If you are waiting for permission to live your life, here it is. That doesn’t mean you need to be a reckless or live your life like a daredevil. It means finding out what lights you up inside. Live the life you want to lead. Don’t let everyone else tell you how to live your life. Don’t go to your deathbed with all your regrets.

Buy Stephen King Quote Art

Picture by dave.see

Picture by Philipp

"What we do in life echoes in eternity." - Maximus (Gladiator)

Quote from Gladiator

“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” – Maximus (Gladiator) Quote Art

October 17, 2015 / / 1 Comment

“What we do in life echoes in eternity.” – Maximus (Gladiator)

Print available on Storenvy.

In ancient times, people were obsessed with legacy. People were not just representing themselves in the sphere of public perception. They were representing the legacy of their family name. They wanted to live a life their ancestors could be proud of.

Somewhere along the lines, we lost touch with the idea of legacy. When going through life, we often focus on the future. What can I do to become a full time artist? How do I get my work in front of more people? Where’s the best place to market my art?

We are so absorbed with our future that we rarely stop to think about the legacy we will leave behind Click To Tweet

We are so absorbed with our future that we rarely stop to think about the legacy we will leave behind. After all, it is hard to think about life after death. No one really knows what happens to us when we die. The only thing we can do is live the best life that we have.

The perfect embodiment of this idea is the late Scott Dinsmore. Scott believed the world would be a different place if “we all did work that actually mattered to us.” That is a powerful idea.

Through his site, Live Your Legend, Scott inspired thousands of people to find their passions and live life on purpose. He built a community with meetups in 150 cities and 48 countries around the world. He gave a TEDx Talk that has millions of views. But in the end, his greatest legacy was the impact he made on other people.

Instead of always thinking about ourselves, we need to look at the impact we are making on others Click To Tweet

Instead of always thinking about ourselves, we need to look at the impact we are making on others. Are you making a positive impact on the world? Are you doing everything you can to make your ancestors proud?

When you die, will your life be something you can be proud of? What legacy will you leave behind? After all, “What we do in life echoes in eternity.”

Buy Maximus from Gladiator Quote Art

"People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of." - Paulo Coelho

Quote by Paulo Coelho

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” – Paulo Coelho Quote Art

October 11, 2015 / / 9 Comments

“People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” – Paulo Coelho

Print available on Storenvy.

As creatives, we are often thought of as dreamers. We dream of our art being “discovered”. We dream of people clamoring over our work. We dream of a life where we can just create.

The thing is, we are dreamers, but often times, we are not doers.

A little over a year ago, I was a dreamer too. I dreamed that I could help artists get exposure for their work. I dreamed that I could help artists in the subject they are most uncomfortable: marketing. I dreamed that I could have my own podcast and share my thoughts with the world.

I am no longer just a dreamer. I am a doer too. Instead of letting my dreams die, I took action on them. That is the only reason you are reading this. Without action, I would be like many creatives, dreaming my life away.

Dreams will get you nowhere without action Click To Tweet

There is nothing wrong with being a dreamer. In fact, I would argue it is absolutely essential for artists to be dreamers. The problem is, you can’t just be a dreamer. Dreams will get you nowhere without action.

The only thing that separates those who succeed from those who don’t is taking action and not giving up. When I embarked on this adventure, I didn’t have everything planned out.

Often times we want a perfect blueprint of what we should be doing and when we should be doing it. We want someone to tell us exactly what to do without figuring it out for ourselves.

The path to success is not linear. Nothing is ever perfect Click To Tweet

I’ll tell you this, the path to success is not linear. Nothing is ever perfect. If you have been waiting for the perfect formula to bring you success, you will be waiting a very long time.

And that’s a good thing. If life were a formula you could just follow, it would quickly become dull. Life is about the journey, not the destination.

I’ve talked to many creatives and one commonality they all have is their unconventional paths. No one told them what to do. They discovered it on their own.

When we are children, we think the adults have it figured out. We think there is this magical switch that turns on and we’ll know exactly what to do. If you haven’t figured it out yet, that switch doesn’t exist.

If you have a dream, there is only one thing left to do: take action Click To Tweet

If you have a dream, there is only one thing left to do: take action. Instead of hoping your dreams will come true, make them come true.

Buy Paulo Coelho Quote Art

Photo by Flickr user pslee999

"Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill

Quote by Winston Churchill

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill Quote Art

October 3, 2015 / / 3 Comments

“Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

Print available on Storenvy.

Like I have talked about many times before, failure is not something to be ashamed of. Each of us encounters failure in some form or fashion throughout our lives. Artists from Walt Disney to J.K. Rowling had to go through hardship to find success.

Here are just a few notable examples of people who have failed:

Walt Disney

Early in his career Disney created an animation studio called Laugh-O-Gram Films. This studio became loaded with debt and ended up bankrupt. He could have quit after this failure, but he chose to go Hollywood instead. There Walt and his brother Roy set up another studio.

Now, Disney is one of the most iconic brands in the world, and his characters are nearly universally recognized.

Steven Spielberg

Spielberg may be known for his many blockbusters, but he hasn’t always been so successful. Before becoming the icon he is today, he was rejected from the University of Southern California School of Cinema Arts three times for having poor grades.

Spielberg went on the create some of the most iconic movies in film history. In 1995 he was rewarded an honorary degree from USC, and in 1996 he became a trustee.

Harrison Ford

You may know Harrison Ford as one of his many iconic characters like Han Solo or Indiana Jones, but Ford was not always a successful actor.

Ford began his acting career as a contract player earning $150 a week. Initially, he did not find much success. One studio official even told Ford he would never be a movie star. Before catching his big break, he had to become a carpenter to supplement his income.

Ford is now one of the most well known actors in Hollywood and has acted for over 40 years.

Dr. Seuss

Theodor Seuss Geisel was the editor-in-chief of the Darthmouth humor magazine Jack-O-Lantern, and was kicked off the staff for breaking the Prohibition law. So he began using the pseudonym “Seuss.” He later became known for his pen name Dr. Seuss.

Seuss spent years making a living by drawing cartoons for advertisements and magazines. On his boat trip back from Europe, Seuss, the rhythm of the ship’s engine inspired his first book And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street. This book was rejected 27 times.

Seuss was going to destroy the book until he had a chance encounter with a friend who had just become editor at a publishing house’s children’s section.

That moment changed his life. The book became a sensation, and he wound up publishing over 60 books including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham.

Stephen King

Stephen King may be known as one the the greatest horror writers, but it wasn’t always this way.

When King left university, he got a teaching certificate, but wasn’t able to find a job initially. So he had to work at a laundry, where he wrote short stories on the side.

King even threw away his first novel, Carrie, because he became discouraged writing. His wife retrieved it from the trash and encourage him to finish it. That ended up being the tipping point of his career.

Since completing Carrie, King has written over 50 novels and nearly 200 short stories. He has sold over 350 million copies of his books and many of them have been adapted into films and mini series.

J.K. Rowling

Before J.K. Rowling found fame with Harry Potter, she considered herself a failure. She had a failed marriage. She was jobless and raising a child by herself. She was clinically diagnosed with depression and contemplated suicide.

Rowling wrote the first Harry Potter book while on welfare. You might think after the outrageous success the books had that publishers would have killed for the chance to publish the book. You would be wrong. The book was submitted to twelve publishing houses, all of which rejected it.

We know the rest of the story. Rowling ended up writing seven Harry Potter books in total, which turned into eight films. According to Forbes, she became the first billionaire writer and the second-richest female entertainer.

—

These stories show the failures of some of the most well known artists of our time. Each one reached a low point in their careers, but was able to overcome them and move on to great things.

Failure is not uncommon, it is inevitable. Click To Tweet

If you are to learn anything from these people it’s that failure is not uncommon, it is inevitable. It is only by making it through these failures that one will find success.

Buy Winston Churchill Quote Art

Thanks to Business Insider for the list of failures.

« Older posts Newer posts »

Learn how to sell your art online

© 2024 Marketing Your Art the Right Way

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑