What is it that we want out of our art? Do we want a successful career? To provide for our families? To make a bold artistic statement? Is it the simple need to express ourselves? To point out the beautiful creation around us? It is a passionate drive... the reason we are here? Like many of us, it is a combination of all these things and more! [...]

What kind of artist are you? Do you tell your viewers everything in such exacting detail that they are bored out of their mind? Are you a story teller? Do you create wonderful narratives in your art? [...]

Last year around the holidays, a good friend sent me a list entitled: "40 tips for a Better Life." As I read over the 40 inspiring tips, I realized with a little tweaking, some of the themes could easily be applied to us artists [...]

There’s a common thread among artists who succeed. They are passionate about what they do and, they don’t want to do anything else. In some cases, they don’t even feel they can do anything else...If you’re passionate about your art, then this message is for you. [...]

When we have no other examples to learn from, we believe the right way–the ONLY way–is what we see around us. We look to the people around us to learn “the right way” to do things. That’s perfectly fine, if we are surrounded by excellent examples. But ask yourself: Perfect examples of what? [...]

the good news is that if you want to change the world with your art, are willing to be honest with yourself about the current quality of your work, are disciplined and determined to continually improve your work, and most importantly, have that insatiable hunger to create . . . . then it is only a matter of time until you succeed... [...]

In the creation of artwork, there is nothing quite like being in that state of mind that we call ‘the zone’. It is pure joy. It is elation. It is liberating and awakens emotions and expressions that were previously unimagined. BUT… [...]

Today we're being treated to a special double feature of Ask Stape: Read ahead to see what's on the mind of our favorite advice columnist... [...]

The journey, not the destination, is often when you learn and grow to discover the real truths of life [...]

Don’t be drawn into the unwinnable game of comparing your art to the works of other artists, greatness notwithstanding. It’s a sucker’s bet [...]

If I'm really having the time of my life in a space that I love, the Internet won't hold a candle to my studio. The key here is to make my workspace unavoidably attractive. [...]

What do I know about art? Not much, if you really want to know the truth. Yet, at the age of 46, I found myself wanting to know more. [...]

The foundation of your online art marketing strategy is making great art. duh...That's why I made that number one item on the list in my previous post How to Sell Art...I broach this subject now, because another art marketing blog that I sometimes read posted the following statement a few days ago, "Google is the foundation of your online art marketing strategy."...I don't agree. Google is NOT the foundation of an online art marketing strategy for the vast majority of artists - making great artwork is the foundation. [...]

Back when I owned an art gallery and spent most of my time selling art, I stumbled upon a little "secret" I'll let you in on - I didn't really "sell" art, at least not in the way we think of a car salesperson "selling" you a car. The truth is, I spent most of my time being a storyteller...Here, let me illustrate what I mean, here were some of my stories that tended to "sell" artwork.. [...]

One of the most difficult things to learn as one begins a journey in painting is to think of the world as a combination of flat shapes rather than realistic objects. [...]

I have learned that time spent dreaming is critical for my creativity. These moments are when my mind is free to wander and wonder. . . . I find these forays into the dreamscape are a simple way for me to clear my mind. When I return to my to-do list, I find that I have more energy and creativity to tackle the tasks at hand. [...]

Have you ever been to a gallery or museum and been grabbed by a work of art from across the room? You then move forward towards the art and delight in the beauty of the piece, which holds you for some length as you let it communicate with you. You then decide to walk right up to the piece and examine its textures and you became thrilled at the surface quality of the work. The techniques thrill you; the textures and colors send your mind into a realm of wonder and discovery. [...]

Back when I owned my art gallery, a man came in one day and wanted my opinion of his art. You see, his heart's desire was to be a professional artist...Unfortunately, this man's work was, frankly...terrible. I thought to myself that he truly should not give up his day job. But, believing in hard work and "luck", I encouraged him to continue with his artistic pursuits as long as he truly loved and enjoyed it....and I asked him to periodically show me his work so I could see how he was doing. (Plus, he assured me that, since he had a family to support, he would not quit his day job until he was 100% sure he was ready to support himself with his art). [...]

You have been given certain gifts by natural selection, the universe, the creator, or God.....choose the one that fits your believe system...And you have a responsibility to share those gifts with the world.....the world will be a richer place for it....So think about this: how can you change the world if you're afraid to get out there and share your art with people? [...]

Envy, being green - whatever you want to call it - jealousy happens. Well, it happens to me...When I analyze why I feel jealous, it comes down to feeling like I'll be forgotten, left out in the cold and eventually die. Sounds like I'm going overboard with a small, silly emotion, eh? However, jealous feelings lead to fear because they are similar to wondering if we'll survive. In my early adult life, I was jealous when my boyfriend paid more attention to other girls than me. (prettier girls, mind you). Because he was showing preference to another person, I wondered if I would lose him to that girl and be forever abandoned and alone. In a couple of cases, this fear was based in truth; I was indeed left behind. However, I didn't die, and found someone else who was better. [...]

Every work of art has a story. Not all stories are comical like these two. Some are more serious. Some are profound. Some are simple. But all stories add meaning to the dialogue. The stories enrich and deepen the connections made. Share your stories. Allow your collectors the opportunity to connect with your artwork. [...]

So how do real people in real galleries look for art? They "stumble" upon it. The usual answer to the art gallery salesperson's question, "Can I help you find something in particular?" is "I'll know it when I see it". That's because "I'll know it when I see it" is fun..."Serendipitous Stumbling" is the funnest way to find art. Here's what happens: You walk into an art gallery, your eyes scan the room and you're hoping that something "catches your eye" or "takes your breath away." [...]

We all know what we’re celebrating this Independence Day, but we contend that what the founders wrote is actually only half the story. So this Independence Day, let’s take a guess at why the founders felt it important that we had our “inalienable rights.” [...]

Step out of your comfort zone. Step out of that box that is holding you in. Jump in front of that train! Your artwork may fail. But it may succeed. Either way, though, you will have learned something and will be a better artist for it. I challenge you to try it – no, I dare you to try it! I once read something from a very accomplished and successful artist who "dared himself" to do a painting. Who can turn down a dare - especially a double-dog-dare?! (Editor's Note: We may create a slight breach of etiquette here, but we suggest perhaps you consider challenging yourself with the sinister Triple-Dog-Dare). [...]

Have you ever had those days where you just can't seem to find the creative urge? I have. Some days I look through my stacks of plein air studies and photos trying to find that spark of inspiration. Often I will waste countless hours. Over the years I have found things that have helped me find my absent muse. For me, the most effective is to go outside and paint on location. But this is not always possible or practical. [...]

Silly, isn't it, that when we truly have the time to paint, we instead wallow just a little bit in self-pity at our lack of business (or "busy-ness). This frame of mind was first brought to my attention several years ago by a gallery owner. He mentioned that, in fact, most artists do this; when business is down, they fail to take full advantage of the time to both improve their talent and build up a nice inventory for the next busy season [...]

Michael Kimmelman, an influential New York art critic is attributed to have said (as quoted by Jove Wang), "Most artists have one good idea, sometimes two. But in the best of cases, that's enough for a lifetime." Many artists, myself included, shudder at the thought of being stuck in a rut, just rehashing the same thing over and over again. However, recently I have realized that I really could spend a lifetime exploring the few best ideas I have. In my case, it is about the spiritual connection to the landscape. There are enough facets to that idea, that I could never exhaust the possibilities. [...]

I admit it, I am guilty of this more than I wish to acknowledge. But it happens. On those occasions when I do recognize and overcome my stubbornness I am better able to connect with my source of inspiration. As a result, my work is much better. With true inspiration comes powerful and sincere artwork. [...]

In this time of uncertainty, there are many challenging obstacles. What you do during this time is critical. Even if you must slow your pace, you must never take your oars out of the water. You must keep creating; you must continue marketing. It is imperative that collectors continue to see your work. If they don't see you, they will see those artists who are continuing to toil upstream. [...]

The secret is knowing where to look, what to look for, and making the time to find it...How in the world did one woman, with a limited budget create one of the largest in-home art libraries in the state of Utah? There is no doubt that it started with a passion for the arts and being willing, at time, to sacrifice what I thought I needed -- for what I truly wanted. [...]

Let's just suppose for a moment that you have been granted to make a million dollars next year working at whatever you want. Now there are a couple of strings attached to this statement: One is that you would have to work hard at it, and two - it could only be one thing. Now, please don't pick the question apart -- it's hypothetical, and I have a good reason for presenting it -- to help you discover what is your true motivation for making the artwork that you do. [...]

Over the years, I have collected quotes and words of wisdom about art. Many artists have given us a great gift by sharing their insights. Below is a mere random sampling of some of my favorite quotable quotes and pearls of advice. There are far too many to include in one article. [...]

How can I be successful when my right brain is only interested in leading me emotionally down the path of an endless stream of creative thoughts, but without the realization of responsibility? [...]

Art can be moving and powerful. It is wonderfully magical. But art is also elusive. So, what is art anyway? To truly grasp what art is would be impossible in one lifetime. It is far too complex. Even more difficult is finding the words to express what our hearts and minds are trying to comprehend. So in our attempts to speak of art, we use words and phrases, metaphors and analogies to try to make sense of it all. We speak of the spirit of art. We speak of creating a feeling or capturing the essence of our subject. We talk of works of art that have life. Yet they don't breathe or talk or feel - do they? [...]

"We don’t make movies to make money, we make money to make more movies." Walt Disney - replace the word "movie" with "art" [...]

Back in my gallery days, I sold art...quite a bit of art. In fact, in addition to being the gallery director, I was also one of the main salespeople at my gallery. While we often discuss "big picture" marketing issues in this space, it dawned on me that some of you might find it interesting to peek into my mind and take a look at my ideas regarding the some of the lower-level specific details of selling art. These ideas are not the only ideas that can help you sell art, but some specific thoughts based loosely upon what I used to do. When we left part 1 of this series, we assumed that you had organized your records, and asked the question, now what? Let's dive in and I'll show you what comes next. [...]

My Annual Trek To Tucson Each February, I get away from New Hampshire's cold and snow for a month long hiatus in sunny Tucson. I stay at a B&B that is situated near Saguaro National Park, and for the past decade, I've been that B&B's sole artist in residence. While this venture has not been a “get rich quick” scheme in any way, the opportunity to befriend the Inn's clientèle has led to lifelong friendships – and in many cases, lifelong and loyal collectors of my paintings. Business is Down But My Sales Went Up This February, attendance at the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show was considerably down. This event normally brings Tucson more than a million attendees and salespeople, filling every available room and accommodation in town. Attendance was also slightly down at the B&B; however, the February regulars there are people who come for their annual "away from it all" vacations. These are typically folks who vacation through thick and thin. Many of them are retired couples who have no debt, and enough income to enjoy themselves while away. More than a few returning clients try to coordinate their stay with my arrival, and in most cases, they have become my friends. [...]

Back in my gallery days, I sold art...quite a bit of art. In fact, in addition to being the gallery director, I was also one of the main salespeople at my gallery. While we often discuss "big picture" marketing issues in this space, it dawned on me that some of you might find it interesting to peek into my mind and take a look at my ideas regarding the some of the lower-level specific details of selling art. These ideas are not the only ideas that can help you sell art, but some specific thoughts based loosely upon what I used to do. Good record keeping is a prerequisite to selling. This was key to my art sales and it's key to yours. [...]

I would like to improve upon the famous words penned by Shakespeare: "To see or not to see. That is the question." OK, so maybe it isn’t an improvement. But it gets at what I consider the most fundamental skill an artist must develop if he/she is to create a believable painting from life. The ability to see is paramount and supersedes all other fundamental skills. How can I paint color relationships if I cannot see color relationships? Or values? Or edges? How can I draw accurately if I cannot see perspective or form? How can I organize or compose the underlying abstract patterns if I do not see them? Once I develop the ability to see, then it is simply a matter of accurately painting what I see. It's that simple. However, we often confuse what we see with what we know or what we think we see. It is easy to let our preconceived ideas get in the way of really seeing what is there. To illustrate this point, I will share a true experience that happened about 20 years ago. [...]

This Post is by Keith Bond, Regular contributing writer for FineArtViews.  Find out how you can be a guest author In his book, Capturing Light in Oils, the late (and great) artist, Paul Strisik wrote: Painters mature in a slow and natural way. . . .  It may take ten years to develop your skills.  But nothing is lost, for you've still lived all those years.  The painting you do five years from now can only be done five years from now.  You can't rush it, and it can't be done tomorrow. When I first read this several years [...]