These past few months or so I have been attempting to multi-task
by switching back and forth using both my left and right sides of my brain. I
took on a seasonal part-time job working as a tax professional for a well known
corporation and continuing to paint as much as I can during my time off. It has
been a challenge for sure and reminds me of the days when I worked full-time as
an accountant and would try to spend a few hours in my studio each night when I
wasn't too exhausted.
Well, I have been retired from full-time employment for a year and
half and while I can't believe how quickly the time has flown by I have to consider
if I have been as productive as I thought I would be. After today I will
be once again be unemployed and able to devote more time to my artistic
journey.
Recently, I've been greatly benefiting from an e-course that is
being taught by successful Xanadu gallery owner and author, Jason Horejs.
This course is full of great and practical advice and this information is
exactly what I need to get my artistic goals clearly defined and propels me
towards my dreams.
Mr. Horejs writes, "Having spent over 20 years in the gallery
business, I’ve noticed a key common trait of financially successful artists:
they are constantly in the studio, hard at work. I would describe these artists
as productive and prolific. The realities of the art market today are
such, that in order to generate regular sales and establish a strong collector
base for your work, you have to have significant inventory. To a certain degree
it’s a numbers game. You have to have enough work available so that you can
show the work in a variety of venues and get the work in front of enough people
to reach the buyers. My research has shown that, on average, successful
painters are creating nearly 80 pieces per year."
Okay...this probably goes back to the accountant and tax
professional in me but I had to do the math on that. 80 pieces / 52 weeks
= 1.53846154. WOW! That's a worthy goal and one I'm going to work
to attain it.
An exciting side note this week as I work to build MY COLLECTOR BASE....I was so pleased that my piece,
"Casting Out the Darkness" found a new home with a couple from Lake
Havasu, Arizona. When I spoke to the wife on the phone, She stated to me
that she and her husband had seen the painting in January while it was hanging
at the Boulder City Gallery and her husband just loved it. So last week
while she was here in Las Vegas for a seminar she contacted me and we
made arrangements to meet up so that she could purchase the piece for her
husband as a birthday gift. Let's just say I was doing the happy dance
right there in the parking lot of the Hilton Garden Inn!