Stage fright has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. It’s very selective. I’m fine in front of a crowd of thousands, especially in halls where the lights are on me and I can’t see the faces of anyone past the first row or two… and even they are too…
Category: Business & Career
How to earn money – or even a living – from your artistic talents: Selling art, teaching art, and more.
Art and the Economics of Giving
Are your usual fans in a temporary financial jam? In recent years, that’s been sadly commonplace. The fact is, as of 2011, Half of Americans don’t have $2000 for a rainy day. In an emergency, even with 30 days to come up with $2000, only 25% of Americans are sure they could beg, borrow or…
Free Images, Copyright, Google Images, Etc.
Well, my recents posts on the topic of copyright — especially related to Flickr and Google Images — seem to have opened a can of worms. (Hence the gummy worms image, at left.) I did a little more research so I could refer people to the best resources & opinions I could find. Here they…
While I’m Talking About Public Domain…
Never underestimate the value of the U.S. government when it comes to surreal and absurd images, many of which are in the public domain. I mean it. And, if you’re easily offended, or if the subject of VD bothers you, avert your eyes. Seriously, this poster (at right) appears to be in the public domain. …
Art Journals v. Artist’s Journals
I wrote the first draft of this article in 2006, when the arts community was still deciding if we were “art journaling” or creating “artists’ journals.” Then, I expanded the article in 2011, weighing in on the continuing debate. (Today, the phrase “art journaling” seems preferred, so I’ve updated the article… but only a little.)…
Why Art?
Why art? Really, why would anyone take the time to create art, unless he or she is a full-time artist? The answers are clear to anyone who’s independently created art of any kind. Even if it’s a scribble or a graphic note in the margin of your class notes, if you’ve ever expressed yourself visually,…
In Business? Who Are You Reading?
Are you a professional artist, or launching an art career? Whether you’re a gallery veteran or simply considering selling your art, it’s vital to remain current about the art field as well as business trends in general. So… who are you reading, to stay current? One of the most important recent books is Seth Godin’s…
Magpie logic
I’ve been completely redesigning my office/studio this week. The room is a normal bedroom size, about 12′ x 12′, and it serves two important purposes: I write in this room, and I create art here. Writing The writing requires lots & lots of reference books within easy reach. I write on a variety of topics…
Crafts Fair Marketing – On-site ideas
Years ago, when I worked in fashion in Los Angeles, a co-worker at the May Company told a great story about a desperate ad campaign. He’d had just a few hours to write a newspaper ad for the ugliest argyle socks ever made. He wrote this headline: “You’ve never seen socks like these!” The socks…
Planning for your future
This morning, I read Seth Godin’s blog in which he posted a joke set of predictions for 2008. (He claimed to have written them in 2002. Obviously, he’d written them this week.) But, as he concluded his post, he stated his point very well: “…just think about how impossible it is for your to predict…