In the weeks ahead, I’ll share animal fables, showing how each artist…er, I mean, animal… dealt with this calamitous time in history. Ants, beavers, spiders and ostriches, all have a tale to tell. [...]

When you know your work sells, then seeking a gallery or outdoor show is fine. Then, if an event or art gallery kicks sand in your face don’t give up, keep moving forward. Use your brain and eliminate a lot of your personal agony. There are times when you should not take NO for an answer. But there are others when you should never put yourself in the place to be rejected to begin with. Seek the wisdom to know the difference and then go for it. Persevere in the face of disappointment. [...]

Despite all the types of rejection, the most important part is to keep on moving forward and to not give up. If things are getting bad, take a break and seek out people for their opinion on what you may do to improve your presentation. In the end, it is all a numbers game and it does become a lot easier. It stops becoming this big ordeal and is just part of the job. [...]

Art galleries are protective of their client lists for several reasons. There are financial and legal factors to consider. Keep that in mind before assuming that a gallery is 'out to cheat' artists by 'hiding' the client list. [...]

I understand why art galleries, as a business, are protective of their client list. After all, the client list IS the livelihood of the gallery AND the represented artists (that goes 10 fold if the represented artists have an exclusive contract with the gallery!). Point-blank, to reveal that information would be like committing 'business suicide'. [...]

The old 'shotgun' approach of splattering 60+ artists on the wall to see what sticks, is dead. They will have to choose artists who are honest, have long term business goals and some genuine skill. [...]

Seven things learned from one artist's personal experience - remember this when having your next solo show. [...]

This was my shot at a custom piece - which I must say made me nervous. Custom work is not the easiest since you can never completely see what someone has in mind. [...]

Stay vigilant! Try to find out why other artists (in your price range and style) are selling well. Learn what they are doing or what their gallerists are doing to sell their work. I'm seeing pockets of success in sales today! Don't be fooled by thinking that artists who are getting awards and visibility are selling well... in some cases they aren't. In other cases, they are. I do think it comes down to savvy marketing on the artists' and gallerists' parts. More than ever, artists and sales people need to know how to get attention from collectors and close the sale. [...]

Remember, sometimes honest accounting mistakes are made. There are times when there is sickness or other things that prevent checks from being written. Gallery owners are people. [...]

The relationship between the commercial art gallery and represented artist is a business partnership. It is a relationship established with mutual financial benefit in mind – NOT charity. The foundation of the gallery / artist relationship, in this context, is a business arrangement. Artists need to remember that. [...]

The future of art galleries is dependent on us and those artists who follow. Art galleries cannot stay open if artists continue to sell work behind their backs. [...]

I have covered several factors with this series: distance, art pricing and materials. In this edition I will tackle another important factor – that being, experience. [...]

Take the materials you use into consideration when researching an art gallery with representation in mind. [...]

Artists need to consider distance when researching art galleries. [...]

You can't rely on the 'mercy purchase' OR specific forms of 'desperation marketing' (some forms can actually be positive depending on the context) if you want to be taken seriously as an artist. [...]

If you are reading this, you are already on the internet and it is full of instruction and example. Make this year the one that changes you from someone who claims to be an artist into someone who IS an artist. Create boldly. Fail fabulously if you must, but at least say to yourself that you DID something to fulfill your destiny and create. [...]

The Grants/Awards heading of your artist resume is self-explanatory -- this is where you will list grants, fellowships, awards, honors, artist residencies (not the teaching variety) and so on. [...]

It's not an option any longer... artists cannot expect someone else or even their galleries to promote their work adequately. No one has the time, money, or desire to promote your work better than you do. [...]

It really bothers me when an artist approaches me for representation via email and does not have current work to show me. I'm not interested in seeing artwork that was done 6 years ago. I'd like to see what this year's work looks like. All too often I hear things like oh, I haven't painted for 18 years now because I was busy raising a family - or it costs so much to update my site - or it takes so long for my web guy to update it, etc. I'd rather not hear excuses as to why you've taken the time to ask for representation but are not prepared. [...]

Tell me YOUR story involving a positive experience with a current (or former) art dealer. Feel free to name drop -- and by all means, offer a link to the gallery website. [...]

It’s very difficult to help artists. If I don’t tell them the truth, I’m not helping. When I tell them the truth, they get their feelings hurt. One guy offered to kick my 80 year old butt for telling him he was not gallery ready. [...]

One of the main problems with the Artist Residencies heading is that artists want to list art workshops they have participated in as a student. This section is not the place for that. [...]

So how do you answer this question? Well, that depends on what they REALLY want to know. Sometimes, they’re trying to determine if you have what it takes to be successful. Whether you’re a fresh new face or a grizzled veteran, galleries and highly motivated collectors care about this. Your answers will help them decide. [...]

Living in constant fear of being 'backstabbed' by your art dealer won't help much when, and if, the moment arrives. [...]

If you want it bad enough, you will do what it takes to overcome your self-limiting beliefs - even if it scares you to death. [...]

The Education heading of the artist resume is considered by some to be just as controversial as the Short Biography heading mentioned in Part 3 of this artist resume series. [...]

There are different ways to approach the short biography header of your artist resume if you choose to include it (I, for one, think you should include it). I have offered two suggestions. [...]

Your artist resume should be as professional as possible -- that involves being upfront about who you are. [...]

There are ways to reach Generation X and it is not too late. But it requires a change of plan. [...]

We artists can no longer depend on someone else to do our fishing for us. If we don't know how to effectively market our work, our careers may not survive. It's not rocket science and if you really hate the administrative work and meeting with potential gallery owners and collectors, by all means, hire someone else to do these things for you - but you're still the boss and make the final decisions. An informed and savvy artist is the one who will continue to thrive and get the most "bites" from the fish swimming in their lake. [...]

Major businesses today are trying to do too much with too little, and while that may work for awhile, it’s not sustainable. People switch to a smaller bank, the corner grocery store, the ugly little restaurant with the phenomenal food, the Independent Yarn Shop, because verifiable contact with humans becomes as important, or more important, than price. Big business hasn’t learned this. [...]

Yes, I know that these people are tremendously tremendously busy, which is another aspect of The Way Things Are Now, but I do so get tired of little people being ignored by big ones. [...]

I think it helps to remember that a co-op gallery is a business, first and foremost. And that running a business is a separate skill-set from being an artist. A really different skill-set. And most co-ops are run by artists. Uh-oh. It’s a little like asking your veterinarian to build your addition because he bolted your dog’s broken leg together and now it works just fine. Because he can use a screwdriver in surgery doesn’t mean he’s a carpenter. [...]

Obviously the scenarios mentioned above are just two examples of bad art exhibit opening etiquette. That said, they appear to be -- at least to me -- the most common lines that are crossed by artists during an opening. These two paths can impact how gallery visitors view you as an artist -- in the extreme these two paths can turn people off from your artwork. The last thing you want to do is make a lasting negative impression that blocks future possibilities and potential. [...]

On the serious side, there are sales to be made if we don’t get down in the dumps. We sometimes get caught up in the daily negative news and think all is lost. Please let me remind you, only 5 percent of the folks in the United States have ever walked into an art gallery. I don’t know the number of those that buy. Artists are already dealing with a precious few. Even that few leaves us several million people who love art enough to walk into a gallery. All we want is 50 new clients and 50 old buyers each year and we can live pretty high on the hog. For those of you much better educated than me, that means the meat is more tender higher up on the leg. [...]

It isn't about sales. It isn't about money, although that helps pay for supplies. If I can build some good relationships on the way, that's wonderful. I make art because I have ideas that I can only express in art and because I love it. [...]

I realize that every artist has an uphill battle when they are first starting out -- especially when it comes to exhibiting. However, I personally feel that vanity galleries are a waste of time. There are other alternatives that are considered far more legitimate within the professional art world -- such as involving oneself with an artist co-op or establishing some other form of alternative exhibit space that does not involve opportunistic vultures as handlers. However, for the sake of debate I pose this question to YOU -- Are vanity galleries always an art scam or can they be an art opportunity? Discuss. [...]

I wish I could give you a formula and bulleted list. I cannot; there are many types of collectors and venues. But here are a few things to think over...But be vigilant and know you will need to think ahead, projecting where your next market will be when your current collectors stop buying. Never rest on current or past successes. [...]

This form of online connection with art buyers will be more important in the future as younger art collectors rise to become major collectors within the global art market. Point blank -- just because some individuals do not view online art fairs, online art exhibits, or selling art online as valid today does not mean that it won't be considered a standard tomorrow. [...]