Articles offering advice on a variety of visual art subjects, including plein air painting, equipment, business practices and more.
For serious art collectors, there will no doubt come a day when they want or need to have all or a part of their collections appraised. Perhaps they’re donating a piece to a museum and must have a report by a “qualified appraiser.” Or perhaps they wish to […]
by Scott Livingston In today’s “exciting” economic times, many artists are scrambling to find ways to maintain their creative lifestyle without compromising artistic integrity. One viable avenue for doing so is through offering fine art giclee prints. This allows an artist to continue to paint and sell their original […]
“We are all faced with a series of great opportunities brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.” – John W. Gardner, founder of Common Cause This quote well describes the optimist’s take on the current economic mess we find ourselves in. While even the most optimistic among us may have […]
If there’s no such thing as a “free” lunch, there’s no such thing as “free” publicity, either. Although you’re not paying for expensive ad space, getting your name, project, or exhibit into the editorial content of a publication takes some time and effort. However, once you learn how […]
Thirty years ago, an artist gave me a business card bearing an embossed drawing of a skull. Gripping the skull was a C-clamp. I remember the artist vividly, but I also recall his name, Weiss, and that it’s properly pronounced “vice.” What’s more, I still have that card […]
Visual artists usually express themselves visually rather than verbally, so when it comes to finding the words to put in an artist statement, a grant proposal, the title of an exhibition, or the name of a painting or sculpture, we’re at a loss. Yet, words help communicate to […]
“Among the few consolations of what has been called [artist’s] block is the assurance that, so long as one has it, one is, indeed [an artist]. Of course, the longer it goes the more it resembes, and risks being mistaken for, proctologist’s block, real estate agent’s block and […]
With healthcare costs rising and the promise of so-called “healthcare reform” only a vague plank in political platforms, what’s a self-employed artist to do? That was to be the sole focus of this month’s column, but then I was faced with the intriguing question of how to insure […]
An artist asked me recently if it’s true that artists are often targeted by the IRS for audit, and, if so, what can you do to avoid an audit. Good question, I thought, so I asked my own tax accountant, Karen Summerhays of The Summerhays Group, for some […]
For those of us who aspire to sell our art, even make a living, our strategies may include 1) creating a web site, 2) finding a gallery to display and sell our work, and 3) driving prospective customers to those online or physical places to view and […]
It would be far too simplistic to say there are two types of people – those who set goals and plan for their life/work successes, and those who simply sit back and watch life unfold and hope for the best. But if those descriptions represent two ends […]
If you want your art to reach a national or international audience, placing it in an art book may be helpful. But which books? Should you publish your own? And how do you get the attention of editors and publishers? That’s what I’ll cover in this column, along […]
Some years ago, when I taught business planning classes for the Small Business Development Center, participants would ask me, “Can’t I pay someone to write my business plan for me?” “Yes,” I would respond, “But only if you’re ready to trust the management of your business to someone […]
“The gallery went out of business and I couldn’t get my art back.” “The gallery said they would advertise my work but didn’t.” “They acted like they were doing me a huge favor.” “When they started talking about needing investors, I got worried.” “The gallery never paid me […]
Some of us “emerging” artists are not quite ready for prime time, that is, the highly selective galleries where prices tend to start at around $1,000. For us, an artist-owned and operated cooperative gallery might be a better venue to show and sell our work. But a relationship […]
Corporations may have many reasons for starting and expanding a collection of original art. It may begin with the passion of a top-level executive. It may stem from a desire to support local artists. It may even involve a desire to impress clients or create promotional opportunities for […]
If you’re thinking of escaping the stale air of your studio and trying your hand at painting en plein air (in the open air), here are some tips from three experts – all members of the Plein Air Painters of Utah – who share some lessons they’ve learned the hard way. John Hughes, Steve […]
To the frustration of some artists, there’s usually a significant price difference between works on paper and works on canvas or other surfaces. It hardly seems fair when the cost of supplies and creative time is not necessarily less, and the cost of framing can be much more […]
Last month we focused on getting your art or a feature about your work into print in some of the national art magazines. This month we’ll look at local exposure opportunities, and not just magazines. We artists thrive on that solitary time that it takes to create our […]
