Well, Steve and I have been hard at work at one of our booths-we have a studio at a location in Wake Forest, NC, a location at a local large mall where I go once  week (as in today) to work in public and chat with prospects, and a large vendor booth set up at the NC State FAir where we are showcasing both of our works. So far, despite moans and groans about the economy, we are doing quite well!

Now I also had a very interesting conversation with a couple whose son and daughter in law both work for the Museum of Contemporary Art in NY. Their son is an artist and creates abstracts that his father laughlingly said “I’m just now learning to even understand”.  I laughed with him and let him know that quite frankly,  his son was trained in that particular manner and until need presented itself in some form, he would never be able to be on his own until he changed his whole attitude about Art and Marketing.  What work the son DID have in Galleries,  occasionally sold, but then it took forever to get his 50%!

The gentleman told me that at age 34, his son was just getting to that point in his thinking where he was beginning to doubt the wisdom of his art marketing training. They shared with me that their son would like to be “on his own” but frankly, was worried about how to do it.  He and his artist wife had both apparently signed up  to attend an art marketing workshop in the NYC area back in August.  His parents encouraged it but for some reason it fell through.  I gave them my card and let them know that if their son had questions, he could join ACE or contact me or even call me.

Are you where he is?  Did you know that there is an old saying about how you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink?  I can do nothing for their son if he is not ready to learn.  An artist needs to be in that place where NOW is the time to make changes.  So if the means you are using now to sell your art product are not working, maybe, just maybe, it’s time to follow the advice of artists who are where you’d like to be financially?

Don’t think too long! Action speaks louder than words!

Theresa