I have been painting for fifty years . satrted out what I call shotgun the markrt. painted landscapes, of the Serrias. lakes and streams, nostalic themes, grapes, non objectve, abstrack. cabins barns ,cars. What sold mostly Imaniary seacapes, cabins in the woods ,farme houses, steams & Rocks and abstrctsstrems,local coverd briges ,abstarts, won awards on the Serrias. Tahoo woods, above tiber line.etc. Its a crap shoot.

I agree of course that the only work that matters, that has value, is 'inspired' art. However, don't young artists who are trying to make it big sometimes have to paint what sells to get support from patrons?

I paint surrealism - and although people love my work, they aren't pretty and collectors (especially the rich people with money to burn but no appreciation for art) don't want to hang them up in their living rooms.

At a gallery opening recently, a dealer with a lot of clients said she's like to put me under contract, that she could sell a lot of my paintings... but that, basically I would have to completely overhaul my style. (I paint smooth, clean, portraits and figures. She wants rough, messy abstracts...). That's not what I do, or who I am as an artist; but I could paint what she want and support myself to working on what I really like. People who want to buy my name will have something to hang, and real art critics will only look at my real art. Still unsure about a course of action.