Tips for Survival as an Artist

Great advice from a professional artist:

Part One Set goals and write them down!, Work hard, Study, Tenacity, Thrift

Part Two Identify Your Market, Fair Pricing, Diversification, Dependability, Develop a Support System

Pictured above, Magical, Acrylic on Wood Panel, 48" x 36", by Mary Gravelle, $2,800. To purchase call Mary at (575) 956-7315 or email info@marysfineart.com

Video--Sustainable Practice: Artists Defining a New Model, a panel discussion

An important video for artists from NYFA. I gleaned some new ideas on ingenious ways to expand my art audience.

Ideas from the video:
1. Apartment Shows
2. Renting storefronts to do portraits
3. My idea that was sparked: Artist Studio Tours.

Let me know what you think. What ideas did it generate for you?

Shown above: Desert Arteries, 24" x 48", Acrylic on Wood Panel, $2,200. To purchase call Mary at (575) 956-7315 or email: info@marysfineart.com

New Term: Vanitas Painting

I had never heard of this term before so I had to click on its meaning:

Vanitas Painting

Here's the short of it from About.com:

A vanitas painting, while possibly containing lovely objects, always included some reference to man's mortality - most often a human skull (with or without other bones), but also by way of burning candles, soap bubbles or decaying flowers. It was meant not only to be a work of art, but also to carry an important moral message: Trivial pleasures of life are abruptly and permanently wiped out by death, so don't get too carried away during your earthly time, Bub.

The above is NOT a vanitas painting. Pictured above is: Number 9: Freedom from Earth's Restrictions by Mary Gravelle, 24" x 24", mixed media, framed, $1,100. For purchase information, call 575-956-7315 or email info@marysfineart.com. Link to buy it online.

Should Artists Lower Their Price in this Market?

Pricing is always an issue for artists. In times like these, it is tempting to lower prices in hopes that we will sell our work more easily. These two articles talk specifically about Free; however, they have sparked my thoughts on pricing and how not to "sell out" our integrity. What do you think? Are you lowering your prices? Are you giving stuff away for free? Or are you finding ways to add value? I'd love to hear your thoughts and ideas.

Too Much Free by Seth Godin

The New Free by Kate

Pictured above: Astral Travel by Mary Gravelle, 8" x 10", Mixed Media, Framed. $300. Call 575-956-7315 to purchase or go online at Mary's Fine Art.com