Business of Art: Ten Habits of Successful Artists

Digital media, copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle.

Today, I am revisiting a post from 2008 on an article, Business of Art: Ten Habits of Successful Artists. It's always a great idea to review what's working for the most successful in your field. Read and enjoy!

How Important is Talent as an Artist

Dawn on Boston Hill, 22 x 28 inches
Acrylic on Canvas, In Private Collection.
Copyright 2009 Mary Rush Gravelle.
Print available.

"The real issue is not talent as an independent element, but talent in relationship to will, desire, and persistence. Talent without these things vanishes and even modest talent with those characteristics grows." Milton Glaser

What this quote tells me is that talent must be catalyzed by other successful traits as an artist, as in any successful career, life path, or anything else we might happen to pursue.

I also take this to mean the practicing of our talent as an artist. If there is will, desire, and persistence, these all add up to practicing the craft, showing up to our art. Talent can flourish and grow in this environment.

I cringe a little as I write this because of my less than perfect practice of my craft. Is it procrastination that holds me back? Is it the lack of the three things that Mr. Glaser mentions: will, desire, and persistence? I have the desire. Do I have the will? I think that the most integral part of that trio just might be persistence. Persistence will trump procrastination if only we would give it a chance.

If You are an Art Patron 

What do you think? Is Mr. Milton Glaser correct in his thinking? If you think about any of the artists whom works you love, would you say that they embody all of the elements that Mr. Glaser mentions? Or is talent innate?

If You are an Artist

What is your opinion of this quotation and thinking from Mr. Glaser? Do you think that talent is tied to these other elements? Do you possess all these elements? Do they add to your talent?

I want to hear from you!

Leave a comment below.

Mary Rush Gravelle

Until Next Week 

Sir Kitty

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art

I want to hear from you! What do you think of the final painting? Did you like this technique? Did you like the video? What was your favorite part? Leave your comments below.

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

All I Want to Do is Experiment Part Three

Highways & Biways
Acrylic on Canvas, 18 x 24 inches
Copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle
All rights reserved

The current painting in my experimental arsenal is a project where I poured paint onto the canvas without the aid of brushes or other utensils and made a painting. I did use my fingers a couple of times to coax the paint to go where I wanted, like filling in tiny holes to cover the white canvas where the paint just didn't seem to want to go. Read my previous blog articles on that process here and here.

I created a short and speeded up video on the process that lasted over a week's duration, pouring a new color each day (thus the different wardrobe). I thought you might enjoy it.

My goofy self with my painting in process.
Mary Rush Gravelle

Until Next Week 

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art

I want to hear from you! What do you think of the final painting? Did you like this technique? Did you like the video? What was your favorite part? Leave your comments below.

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. 

Sir Kitty

Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.

All I Want to Do is Experiment Part Two

My co-worker, Tamara, installing her mailbox
she commissioned me to paint.

Mailbox, Acrylic on Metal.
Copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle.

This article continues from part one.

Last week I left you with my self-portrait.

After finishing that, a co-worker at the clothing design place, Christy Fisher Studio in Cottonwood, where I was working at the time, commissioned me to paint her mailbox. Another experiment since I had never been commissioned to do a mailbox. It was a new surface and shape for me to try. It was a fun project. Tamara loved the final result. Do you like it?

Abstract Southwest Landscape, Mixed-media on Canvas.
16 x 20 inches, copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle,
All rights reserved.

For my next project, I wanted to experiment with very watered down acrylic paints and masking. This was really fun and fast. I used cut paper and masking tape as my mask elements. The result was an image that looked like an abstract southwest landscape painting. Read the blog article here.

Crossing Over, Acrylic on Canvas, 16 x 20 inches.
Copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle, all rights reserved.

The next painting, Crossing Over, continued on the idea of highly watered down acrylic paints. This time I wanted to experiment with texture. I used Light Molding Paste for the texture. Read the blog articles here and here.

Tucson Saguors, Acrylic on Canvas,
16 x 20 inches,
Copyright 2014 Mary Rush Gravelle,
All rights reserved

Next up was reviving a painting I began last year and hated the colors. I wanted to see if I could revive and brighten it. Tucson Saguaros began as a very drab painting that I was going to be teaching to a class. After I painted it, I hated it and never did the class. I dug it out and brightened it up. You can read about that process here and here.

The last painting I have completed, continuing with my experimental phase, will be the topic of next week's blog article.

Mary Rush Gravelle
Artist and Author of this Blog.

Until Next Week

• Create art

• Appreciate art

• Buy art






I want to hear from you! What are your thoughts after reading this article? Leave me a comment and tell me.

About the author: Mary Rush Gravelle is an artist who resides in Sedona, Arizona with her beloved cat, Sir Kitty. Find her work and daily comments on her facebook page. Her art can be seen on her website, maryfineart.com. She can be contacted via email at: mary@maryfineart.com.