Normally I would write about this just after it happened, but I decided to wait.  What did I wait to talk about?  The Monday night artist talk hosted by Eric Matelski at Dazzle Jazz Club.  A lot of times I'll write a review of the evening, but I wanted to take a different slant on the event for this month.  I really want to focus on what Eric is trying to create and that's an artist community.

I believe that July will be the 2 year anniversary of the Monday night artist talk.  In those two years I've seen the attendance grow and the number of regulars increase.  It's nice to see people who are interested in not only art but the motivations and inspiration behind the featured artist.  I think the talk with Katie Taft last month really showed that the event is back on track. 

Throughout the evening it was clear that community is forming.  I got to see some artists I only get to visit with at this talk and we can catch up.  On the other hand, I was sitting next to an artist I admire and hadn't met, but she introduced herself to me and that's Kay Tuttle.  You never know who you're going to meet or what opportunities may arise from attending.

The event is in Denver so sorry for those outside the Denver Metro Area.  It will be on Monday, July 7 at 7pm, at Dazzle Jazz Club.  If you show up and we haven't met I hope you'll introduce yourself to me.  If you don't know what I look like you can see my photo at www.artistsuccessstudio.com.  Hope to see you there!

I know I haven't written in a while but I've been giving lots of consideration about the needs artists have been presenting to me over the past couple of months.  I get two distinct messages, I want to make a living as an artist, but I don't have the time or effort to do the business side.  This always puts me in a funny position because I have only one comment, go get a job.

There are people who due to lack of resources, time, self-confidence, self-worth or sheer guts that desire to be a full-time artist but it takes years.  I recently went back to California and stopped in on a friend I haven't seen in seven or eight years.  I know this woman for over twenty years and is truly one of the most gift artists I've ever met.  She draws, paints is a phenomenal stained glass artist and to top it all off is one of the nicest people I've ever met.

I met her while in graduate school, we were both working in the same restaurant ( I know a grad student working in a restaurant, how cliché).  She finally decided to go to school and take studio art classes.  Over the past twenty years she's done various things, but three years ago her husband died suddenly.  Confused and alone she decided to pour herself into her art.  It's amazing the amount of pain we have to be in before we're moved to change.

At this time she's a corporate artist for a grocery chain (independent of course).  She's painting murals in custom homes that are over 10,000 sq. ft so you can imagine the budget.  She's making stained glass panels for antique trains in the Train Museum.  She's using all of her creative gifts and is living life as a full-time artist.  She's incredibly happy and is even dating someone.

How much pain will you have to be in or endure before you find the path so that your words and your actions are in alignment?  Do you really believe that just because you have talent you deserve to be successful?  I heard business guru, Dan Pink, on a teleconference this week and he made one statement that stood out from the entire our of talk..."persistence trumps talent".  Think about that statement every day when you wake up and tell me who you think is going to be successful.  I'd love to hear your thoughts.

They say in real estate it's all about location, location, location.  I think this is also true for artists when they are selecting studio space.  Let me clarify something...I think it's important if you're going to use your studio as both a workspace and a gallery space, cutting out the middle man in the sales process.  One artist who seems to know the importance of location is David Castle (www.davidcastleart.com).  Not only does he look at the address of the studio, but he thinks about how he can get noticed even when he's not there.

Last month David opened a new studio a block off Santa Fe's art district on Inca right off 8th Ave.  The address is 800 W. 8th Ave, but don't be deceived...the entrance is on Inca.  What I love about the space is that the studio is in the front of the building.  Not only does David get the opportunity to have natural light come in due to the large windows, but when he's not there passersby can see his work because of his street access.

This isn't the first time that David has taken this into consideration.  I remember his first studio on Market had the same set up.  His studio was in the front of a gallery and although there probably wasn't a lot of walking traffic, the studio could be seen from the street. 

Having this type of set-up allows David to market his work 24/7.  It also gives some interest to the street.  Being off Santa Fe by a block gives him a bit of quiet, except during First Friday, but I think that will change as more people see his work splashing color out into the neighborhood.

Prospecting for window space...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses

The mystery is solved.  About a year and a half ago I went to a show at Pirate Gallery.  In the back gallery were large paintings that were striking.  There were two paintings of men, one at a sink that were mesmerizing.  They had a haunting quality, but not a bad haunting.  The faces were those of people we probably all know, thinking long and hard about what's happening in their lives.  The problem at the time was there wasn't any information about the paintings other than the prices and I didn't see the artist's name anywhere to be found.

Can you imagine my surprise when I walked into Pirate Gallery last week, this time in the front gallery only to find these large scale paintings with familiar faces.  This time I learned that the artist is Terry Campbell (www.terrycampbellart.com) and there he was in the flesh.  The paintings are huge about 57 x 83, not counting the triptych.  I was thrilled to see the works that were lining the walls.  The work is large and yet I felt it made the gallery look larger.  Along the large wall is the largest painting, actually three paintings in one called "Long Mesa Burn".  It felt like you could step into the painting and be a part of the action.

What I realized this time around is that Terry signs his work with his fingerprints.  I guess that's one sure way that a signature can't be forged.  The prints are also on the back of his business cards, that's how I made the connection.  I obviously wasn't astute enough the first time through to pick up on the fingerprint theme.  I'm getting wiser as time goes by.

My two favorite works in the show are "Going through the motions" and "Day in and day out".  The keep the theme going of the facial expressions that make Terry's work so compelling.

Feel like a sleuth...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses

Is our ego a primary component of our art?  Are artists really just putting their ego out for public display?  Is it possible to create art without the ego getting in the way?  These are all questions that come to mind after researching Dallas artist Steve Tate.  Steve has been a successful businessman and a few years ago took the leap and became a full-time studio artist. 

After attending Steve's opening at Reflection Gallery in Dallas I was intrigued to learn more about him.  What I found when reading his website and MySpace page is that he isn't listed as stevetate.com...his domain is www.shebaart.com.  Reading his information he states that he doesn't promote as Steve Tate so as to keep his ego out of the mix.  Again...is that really possible?

Those who look at the world a bit more spiritually believe that ego or EGO stands for Edging God Out.  If that's the case then keeping the ego out allows the artist to be a conduit for their art.  It gives the artist the freedom to create with a flow or fluency that might get stifled in an ego bound studio setting.  This leads me to ask (pertaining to others, I know the answer for myself) does leaving the ego outside the studio make us better artists. 

There were two pieces that really caught my attention at the opening.  They are "Copper Canyon" and "Quenched Light".  The pieces have a very organic feel.  They don't feel forced or contrived, but fit the context of a fluent creation.  Throughout my visit to the gallery Steve has a confidence that serves him well creating relationships with potential collectors.  The show was running for five weeks and I heard Steve say that he'll be at the gallery every Friday night for the run of the show...that's good marketing.

Creatively flowing...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses

The Lone Star state is big.  Dallas is one of the state's up and coming art centers and I had the opportunity to see some great art.  I came across an artist who works in oil.  JD Miller (JDMiller3D.com) is an oil painter who lays it on thick.  It looks like cake frosting.  I'm not usually attracted to this kind of work but the colors, the placement of the thick paint and the subject matter brought the whole piece together cohesively. 

While looking at the paintings a gentleman approached me and began telling me about the artist.  He is a student of the painter and knew the work intimately.  JD has a number of students who not only study with him in the studio, but out in the world as he markets his work.  It's a great combination between artistic and business mentoring.

In a separate room from the paintings was a video that showcased JD's process.  If you can't make it to someone's studio the video idea is great because it's the next best thing.  People like to see the pieces in progress, especially if they deepen the story thus creating a strong connection to the audience.  JD's student/operations manager explained that JD tries to create a story that can be recounted for years to come when the piece is in the collector's home.

The pieces that caught my attention were, "Tiger Flower Mirage", "Palm Desert Mirage", and "Still Life Mirage".  All were done in the sculpted oil format. 

It was great to see art in another part of the country.  Seeing the artist mingle amongst the guests you can see that he's constantly working on developing and maintaining relationships.  That's why after only 10 years he has the following both of collector's and students that have made him a success.

Laying it on thick...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable businesses

When considering exhibiting in a space you have to consider many details.  If you're represented by a gallery the gallery owner/director will make most of the decisions for you so don't worry.  If you're finding locales on your own the one thing to be conscious of if the space holds more than one artist is who are you exhibiting with and how do your two artistic worlds mesh, artistically and in the business world.

Fortunately at Plus Gallery, Ivar has taken the time to create an exhibit pairing two artists with extraordinary talent.  Wes Magyar and Robin Schaeffer are two of my three favorite artists he represents (the third is Jenny Morgan).  Their styles are so different as is their subject matter, but the common theme is the thought they put into their work and the continuous striving for excellence.

If you've never seen Wes' work go seek it out.  His portraits are large scale and thought provoking.  The show currently on exhibit uses the same models throughout the work.  He has one piece "Restless Diptych" that is an amazing display of thought, flexibility and invites the audience to superimpose their own story on the art.  The two components are of a man and woman in bed.  In one the man is awake and the woman sleeping, the other is the opposite.  It would be great to have people write the story and see how much this art connects with each of us.  Wes' presentation was truly a dialogue. 

Robin Schaeffer's work is ominous.  Her use of deep black backgrounds that are complex in their creation continues to set the tone of her work.  For the current pieces she first takes a photo of an object on a stainless table giving a ghost abstraction in the reflection.  The reflection seems to drip off the object adding to the feeling of intangibility.  Robin continues to showcase her talent for placing light as the differentiating factor of her art.  There is a richness to her paintings that would make Rembrandt proud.

Heads or tails you can't lose...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable businesses

I'll make it brief.  Some artists create opportunities for self-promotion that I think are unique and really work to their advantage.  It takes some ingenuity and obviously talent to find new ways to show the world what you're capable of and then use it to promote yourself and your business.

Recently I attended an opening at the Art Student's League.  The show was good, but upstairs in the student section is where I found this jewel or an idea for promotions.  The artists mingling were obviously familiar with each other's work.  They were taking turns standing in front of their art for posterity.  I noticed a woman standing in front of a portrait and lo and behold it was a portrait of the artist (No I'm not getting all James Joyce on you).

Claudia Schletz had done a portrait of herself and was photographing herself next to the painting.  I was first and foremost impressed with her talent...it really looked like her.  She told me she decided to do a self-portrait to show potential clients her skill and talent of creating amazing portraits.  I think this is a brilliant idea. 

It's this type of ingenuity that propels artists and their businesses forward...what will you do that's unique and inventive?

Seeing double...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses

The Lakewood Cultural Arts Center is currently showing an exhibit titled "Shredding Precepts: explorations in fiber".  It showcases four artists who are as varied as any group of artists can be.  The curator and one of the artists in the exhibit, Regina Benson, created an opportunity for the artists to share their inspiration, their passion and the meaning behind their art. 

The artist I'd like to spotlight is Emily Dvorin.  Emily is a California artist who has taken basketry to new heights.  Although she has studied traditional basketry for a long period of time, she has reinvented it in her "fine art" pieces.  Her work uses zip ties as the medium for creating amazing baskets.  With the introduction by manufacturers of colored zip ties her work has become increasingly colorful and interesting.

During Emily's presentation you are able to see how she is tied both literally and figuratively to her work.  She's owned and operated a craft gallery for thirty years and is finally moving on to spend all her time in her studio.  She's dedicated her time, effort and energy to continuing the journey referencing basketry and creating a woven spirit between her art and her life.

One of the things I admired most about Emily is that she is truly a public speaker.  She's able to communicate her message to an audience in an inviting, amusing and magnetic manner.  She engages her audience to the point that they become a woven entity unto themselves.  I'm looking forward to what comes forth now that she'll be creating art full time.  It's definitely a shift, but one that has been a long time waiting.

Intrigued...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses

Don't you just love to see the up and coming artists as they begin to emerge from their cocoons?  When artists are preparing to graduate from school they are immersed in a crazy world of ending one part of their lives to begin another, one where the notion of shelter and protection is a thing of the past.  Now it will be up to each of them to make it on their own in the world as an artrepreneur.

Edge Gallery has an exhibit of UC Denver students studying sculpture.  I was intrigued at what these newcomers would have to share and it's amazing.  We all have to remember that art is subjective so it's not a surprise that I'm drawn to certain pieces of others.  This is no way sets the tone for the opportunities of the others because it's all personal.

Andrew McClellan's piece in bronze of female figures was breath taking.  It's unfortunate that the piece is "untitled".  For me it makes the work incomplete.  I don't understand how an artist can't find the words to name the piece, especially since it's their creation.  I would hope that Andrew grows into naming his pieces down the road.  It helps move the story forward.

Timothy C. Flood's piece, "Shall We Dance", is made of cast aluminum.  It's on the wall and it's the markings for the feet when learning to dance.  It could be a road map for anything we're trying to accomplish in life.  That's why art is so great because it can go from the specific to the general, it works the other way as well.  The piece is whimsical, interesting and relatable.

It's great to see sculptors making coming of age in today's art world.  Let's give them the encouragement they need and deserve as they set sail for the journey of a lifetime.

Emerging...
Greg

coaching artists to create successful and sustainable art businesses