January 10, 2009

 ACE Newsletter

Double Standards for Artists and the Art World

A lot of artists are ready for a change it seems as both of our Art Marketing mini -seminars being held at the Jerry's Art Store in Raleigh have been sold out!  This store is one of several Jerry's across the nation and is associated with the huge online art supply retailer, Jerrysartarama.com!  The initial 2 hour seminar addresses the Art Marketing Myth that we examine on our own website and that is:
Haven't you wondered WHY, with the art marketing methods promoted by the Art Community and colleges over so many years, there are STILL so few artists making a living at their craft? What's wrong with this picture? Want to learn HOW award winning artists, M. Theresa Brown and Stephen Filarsky challenged the system to change this trend ? Want to know HOW they created their art as their sole means of income for 20 years and continue to do so even in today's economy? They have combined their tips, methods and techniques to create an essential and must have tool for the working artists who wants to bring home a paycheck with their art!

A simple truth is that Art schools are a business.  No matter how big, how small, how sanctified, how old, they stay in business because students pay a tuition to be there. It's that simple.  They have to bring in more money than is going out.  Simple math, right? In the meantime, the students are learning various skills to be an artist.  But being an artist and working as an artist are two very different things!  The average Art student is as vulnerable to failure or collision as the student who takes a drivers education course and is then turned loose in a car with no driving experience.   So, why has it  never dawned on the Art World that the Art students need to follow the same business model as the Art Schools themselves?

In other words, the " Art World", whether it is promoted in the form of a school, a gallery, a museum, an art workshop, a College or any other similar format has to adhere to the same business practices as any other non-art business in order to be financially successful. So why does that same "Art World"  frown upon artists doing the same thing? Exactly why are artists encouraged to operate within a whole different set of parameters? It is very much a case of "Do what I say, not as I do." And decade after decade, the same art career advice is promoted despite the obvious lack of success by the average student.
So although it is a big task, someone has to tackle the Sleeping Giant!

There is no way, in our mini seminars, we can share our stories and expertise in just two hours. We know that. But what we can do is offer the continued guidance, encouragement and positive reinforcement  in group meetings.  A once a month mentoring program is being set up at the Jerry's Store in Raleigh and is designed to help the serious artists learn and practice all that we have learned in  Art Marketing in order to make a difference, financially, in their art careers. By August we want to see some major financial benefits in the lives of artists who are serious about making changes to their current program!

Our "Art For Sale" -How to Bring Home a Paycheck with your Art- audio/book package addresses a major challenge facing most artists. And that is the shedding of any misinformation that you have been previously exposed to from the "Art World" . Much of it may be seriously hampering your current efforts and will affect your future efforts.   
We will be posting some video after the first class and welcome your comments!

Until later,

Theresa and Steve

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