You've worked hard to be the visual equivalent of a world class musician - don't try to show your work in the subway station. The right people are waiting for you at the right time, in the right places, make sure you meet them there. [...]

Our esteemed judge, Frank Ordaz, has completed the judging of the July 2011 BoldBrush painting competition. [...]

Individual words are subtle, harmless looking things with the potential to convey big meaning, and it is no accident when unscrupulous people apply pressure by a specific turn of phrase. [...]

'Self Portrait' by Gregory Mortenson was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 RayMar Art's Fine Art Competition. [...]

I have discovered that many of the business partnerships that Art4Love has claimed to have in the past are fraudulent claims. In other words, Art4Love released unauthorized press releases involving companies that in reality had no real connection to Art4Love Inc.,. Digging deeper I have discovered that some of the direct business associations that Chad Love Lieberman has claimed to have are in fact false. [...]

'By the Fireside' by David Tanner was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 RayMar Art's Fine Art Competition. [...]

And make sure you pay attention to the right prospects. Hint: Looking at your Google Analytics won't tell you who the right ones are. [...]

There are countless opportunities when you will be asked specific questions about your art (whether by the media – including local newspapers or national magazines; curators; gallery owners; collectors; students; or Joe Neighbor). I recently learned a few principles that I wish I had realized long ago. [...]

'At The Dock' by Derek Penix was selected as a Finalist in 2 Competitions, the May 2011 RayMar Art's Fine Art Competition and the June 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. 'Harbor at Cap Ferret' by Derek Penix was selected as a Finalist in the July 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

I'm curious to know what kind of impact the scandal will have on how the average person views art prints online -- specifically art prints that are sold on commercial art sites, such as art websites like deviantart, that focus on a social networking platform. Will the fallout from the Art4Love scandal harm the business model of commercial art sites in general? Will it be a burden for commercial websites (Think Redbubble, Imagekind, and so on.) that focus on selling prints online? Will it make it harder for artists who sell art prints online? Only time will tell I suppose. That said, in the meantime I want to know what YOU think. [...]

What does "public domain" mean? In simple terms it means that no one individual or company controls the use of the image -- anyone can use it for whatever reason he or she desires... be it for profit or otherwise. However, there are specifics as to what constitutes a public domain image. Contrary to the myths surrounding public domain and its meaning -- not every image posted online is free to use. The owners of Art4Love may have made a commercially fatal mistake by not interpreting 'public domain' correctly. [...]

Share your art with that person...and you'll enrich his life. When you enrich the right people's lives, they purchase. Who wants your art more than anyone else? The people who already own it. [...]

Think, if you will, how good it feels to be in the moment of making your art. Or how great you feel in a gallery or artist’s studio selecting a wonderfully appealing work of art for your home or office. Feel, if you can, that rush of dopamine and enjoy it to the max! It’s good for you! [...]

Selected Upcoming Exhibits by Informed Collector Artists [...]

Chad Love Lieberman since as early as 2005. I felt that it was important to inform these companies of the alleged copyright infringement involving artists from deviantART and to find out -- due to Mr. Love Lieberman's huge claims -- if in fact a partnership existed. What am I finding out? The alleged fraud committed by the owners of Art4Love goes much deeper than what many first expected. [...]

So what should I do? Set achievable goals to see the ground and where I need to be. Then set some new goals. Ask for help, if not for holding my paintbrushes, but for other things like help with marketing or networking or accounting, or whatever it is that will help me get more painting time. And most importantly, tell myself: Yes, today I can do it. Not tomorrow, or in a week or two, but today! [...]

How does FASO decide what markets to enter, what products to build, or what features to pursue? We ask ourselves: does it help people share art? Does it help enrich lives? Does it have the potential to take a powerful, emotion-inducing artwork and connect it with the right person? [...]

'Fur - Portrait of Donald Becker' by Luiz Vielela was awarded Best of Show in the May 2011 RayMar Art's Fine Art Competition. [...]

What do you want to do, win ribbons or earn money? [...]

'Oido Fish Market, Seoul' by Mehdi Fallahian was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this series I have written extensively about copyright registration in the past, including an article on FineArtViews about the importance of copyright registration in regard to protecting yourself as well as your collectors. The topic is a staple among art marketing writers in general -- but for whatever reason, many artists are confused about copyright registration. [...]

I don’t mean to sound like a laundry detergent commercial, but if you have a website through FASO (Fine Art Studio Online) and you haven’t discovered technical support, then you don’t know what you’re missing. [...]

'French Twist' by Suzanne Decuir was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

The Art4Love scandal has sparked a lot of debate about copyright and the rights artists have to protect images of their artwork from copyright infringement. I'm finding, yet again, that artists -- in general -- know little about copyright overall. There is widespread confusion about copyright. The old myths of what is -- and is not -- copyright infringement have crawled out from behind the walls. [...]

There will be times when your river seems to be flooding and you will be creating and selling ‘til your heart’s content. But there will be other times when droughts come and your river will be reduced to a trickle or may dry up completely for a season. If you have a network of irrigation canals tied into a reservoir, you can still find success and income even if your artwork isn’t selling as well. [...]

'fork and spoon' by Clare Stratton was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

I recently learned of an alleged 'massive copyright infringement' situation involving artwork 'ripped' from deviantART.com. The copyright infringement allegations involve a website called Art4Love -- which is owned by Art4Love , Inc., a New York, NY-based organization which apparently had a physical gallery space in NYC -- A4L Gallery -- and has been around since 2005. Art Consultant Chad Love-Lieberman, the companies founder, serves as the CEO. [...]

Collaboration in art is the ultimate test of placing your ego aside in order to work toward a common idea. The image of the ego driven artist may be somewhat stereotypical -- but I'd say that there is some truth in suggesting that most artists find it difficult to invite other artists into their process directly. After all, the creation of art is a private affair for the majority of artists I've known over the years. Not all are open to the idea of sharing an artistic vision in that manner. Point blank -- creating collaboration art is not for everyone. For those who can work jointly -- creating collaborative art can be a powerful experience. [...]

I am of the opinion that an MFA degree does not exactly pave the way for success as an artist -- a recent study confirms that. [...]

Art can open doors or shut them. Artists often come across as a kind of superior, elite group. On the other hand, there are also people who approach art with closed minds and big mouths. But where there is willingness to dialogue and learn from each other, rich relationships can be developed and miracles often take place. [...]

Selected Upcoming Exhibits by Informed Collector Artists [...]

Kathryn Born is the Editor-in-Chief of Chicago Art Magazine -- a site that offers Chicago art news, reviews and features... and various information about Chicago artists and Chicago art galleries. Born founded Chicago Art Magazine after "pounding around" as a Chicago-based filmmaker, artist and writer for 15 years. The site is part of a network that includes Chicago-based websites such as Chicago Art Map and Chicago Art Collection. Chicago Art Magazine began as part of Art Talk Chicago -- a Chicago Tribune sponsored blog network -- and became an independent venture in the fall of 2009. The collective of art sites are a perfect example of what artists can do to help support art in their community. [...]

What are ways we can use this common, all-too-human tendency to look for the prominent? More importantly, what are ways to do this that we can be comfortable with, that don’t feel manufactured or obsequious? [...]

'The Grizzly Came First' by Nicholas Coleman was selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

I've noticed a common complaint among artists no matter where they live -- that being, the lack of community art programs and area opportunities for artists. I always end up asking a variant of, "What have you done to support your local art community outside of creating art?" or "Have you done anything to help get your art community off the ground?" when faced with these complaints. The responses are alarmingly similar in that the majority of artists tend to make excuses about why they have not supported their local art community OR have done nothing to establish an art community within their area if one does not exist. [...]

Although it's a buyers' market and the money is still flowing, collectors are getting more selective when it comes to parting with their discretionary funds. Each of us needs to find a way to make our work stick in the minds of those who view it. [...]

'A Warm Breeze' by Dan Beck as selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. [...]

Don’t be a control freak. At some point, as you experiment and progress and add new events and try out for something you’ve never done before, you’ll find yourself overextended and missing a deadline, or misplacing a check, or forgetting to return a phone call, with consequences ranging 1 to 10. The smaller number’s better, but if you do pull a 10, the world won’t end, and the lessons learned will be unforgettable indeed. [...]

2 Award Winners for Jim Wodark! 'Dawn Patrol' selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 BoldBrush Painting Competition. 'Friendly Path' selected as a Finalist in the May 2011 RayMar Art's Fine Art Competition. [...]

I am a blog reader, but, let's set this straight: I don't read just any old blog. And while a lot of the blogs I read hang out under the FASO FineArtViews Blogs - Insights Directly from our members! heading, by no means do I read all of them that reside there. "Why?" you ask. Because I am demanding. And because I can't afford to give away very much of my 24 hour day to the blog reading arena, so I focus on the good ones. But for those of you who want to up your readership, here's a list of my demands. [...]