Now that you recognize that you do have an emotional connection to your subject matter, how do you put that emotion into your work? Can you simply feel strongly about the subject, and the emotion oozes out of the brush? Yes, I believe that is part of it, but I also think there is more to it than that. [...]

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If you want to be absolutely ready for unexpected opportunities, you'll need to have a "savings account" of extra works ready to go. This means you'll need to have a body of work ready at all times. [...]

Everybody is raving about Twitter. There's a reason. For some people who "get" it, it can be a great source to connect with colleagues. Many people find it to be a good marketing tool too...Now it may or may not work for you, but, if you haven't tried it, well, at least give it a shot before writing it off. We're taking away all your excuses. If you sign up for Twitter and follow clintavo by the end of the day on August 31st, you may win a free entry in the September FineArtViews Painting Competition. That's it! That's all you have to do. You don't ever even have to actually use your free Twitter account (but we're betting that you will). [...]

Early in my career, when I was trying to figure out what direction I wanted to take my art, I knew that emotion was important. I knew that the most meaningful art was painted from the heart. But I didn't know what was important to me. I wasn't sure what my emotional response was to anything, really (except my family, of course). So how do you paint emotion, if you don't recognize it? [...]

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It seems that this is a time for many of us to begin pursuing a gallery that will represent our work. Whether it’s our first real gallery, or that elusive one we’ve never had courage enough to approach before, these pieces of writing are designed to build confidence in our ability to make a good impression and put our best foot forward. [...]

In our utilitarian culture, it's imperative to remember the long term value of owning something that feeds your soul, brings you joy, enhances your quality of life, touches your heart, brings beauty into your environment and uplifts your spirit. [...]

If you enjoy art as a hobby and like to play with paint, that's a perfectly valid reason to paint; however, if you want to gear your efforts towards painting as a professional... well... that is quite a different path, and while professional artists derive joy and great satisfaction from their efforts, one could hardly say that it is all fun and games. [...]

In the first part of this series, I used an example to show the multitude of expenses an artist / business owner incurs. Some are considered overhead (they are incurred even if you don't create your art). Other expenses are more directly linked to the artwork created. In this article, I will illustrate the relation of these expenses upon large and small paintings. [...]

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As recently requested by some of FAV’s devoted readers, I’ve decided to share my experience of putting together a competent and effective artist’s portfolio intended to be presented to an art gallery...Recently having my work accepted into one of this nation’s largest and most prominent art establishments, I’ve learned that putting my best foot forward - especially when it comes to submitting my work indirectly - is fundamental to my success. [...]

So let me get back to the main question: How do you feel about having the gallery owner tell you what to paint and how to paint it? Yes, this is a slightly controversial question, and I'm not looking for a complaint session. Please don't mention any gallery names - I don't want to be sued or hurt the business of any gallery. It's hard enough for them these days to keep their doors open. This post isn't about ditching gallery dealers - it's about how you feel when they advise you as to how and what to paint. [...]

Today, I have chosen to expound upon a couple points. I hope I'm not beating a dead horse. Perhaps it will be enlightening for some of you. As an artist selling your work you are in business. As a business owner, it is important that you know what your expenses are. Once you know what they are, you can better price your product to cover your costs and make a reasonable profit. [...]

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An artist friend of mine shared with me just the other day how he is surviving the economic down turn. Before I share what he is doing now, I should give you a tiny bit of background on him. His work is well known and sells for a fair amount of money. A few years ago, his annual sales approached the one million dollar mark. During that time, almost all of his sales came from only 2 galleries. [...]

Seriously, we do appreciate the feedback. We realize most people are truly trying to be helpful. Please keep in mind that we are trying something fairly new here. An ongoing monthly contest. We are changing it and evolving it as we go. While we realize the reality that we can't always make everyone happy, we do sincerely want it to be as good as it possibly can be. We are willing to adjust things as necessary (as evidenced by our recent additions to the awards structure). We will, as funds allow, increase funding for necessary awards. If, in the future, it becomes necessary to split into two or more contests to make things work, we are even willing to do that, should that become necessary. [...]

The economics of framing art seems to be an ongoing problem to which I just can't find an answer...They way I see it, there really is no way for an artist to avoid the short end of the stick if the artist is selling through a gallery and providing the frames for the artwork. [...]

The winners of the July FineArtViews Painting Competition have been posted!...Judge Josh Elliott certainly had his work cut out for him - with 732 excellent paintings to choose from in the July FineArtViews Painting Competition, he had to somehow narrow it down to the 11 winners - we certainly didn't envy the task...Before we get to the winners, we have a couple of announcements to make: [...]

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). [...]

Lately, I've been coming across online videos and blogs that deal with the question, What is talent? Does it exist, and if it does, what exactly is it? Are some people blessed with a huge dose of it, and therefore destined to become a prodigy? Mozart usually comes to mind. [...]

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