So we’ll be sending out Jan newsletter when we return and I will share just HOW we are able to “live the life of an artist”. SO if that doesn’t keep you on pins and needles, nothing will!

Funny thing is that the trend today is to hire someone to unclutter your life, organize your closets, design the perfect clutter free environment, or join on line groups that make your lists for you .

Artists often need beauty and quiet times for inspiration…. it’s a perfect place for many of our classes and our art retreats. Sure you can find the beauty elsewhere as an option. But being a part of it, nourishing it and reveling in it…well now, that’s the artist’s life!

Developing a strong work ethic has never stunted any artist’s creativity. And whoever thinks that is simply looking for an easy out! So with that in mind, if you need your ego stroked and your hand held, and my “get ‘er done” directness offends you, there are plenty of other bloggers making big money soft peddling the “artist life fantasy!” So I won’t apologize for skipping the feel good stuff because if you are serious about making a living with your art, you will be more interested, and won’t mind, getting down to brass tacks and making a Plan of Action for the year!

If you read our advice on creating and artist’s business plan and think “but I just want to be an artist” or “so and so’s online advice seems easier”, then you are buying into the fantasy world that non-working artists are promoting and will have to make some intelligent choices .

Can’t accept a compliment gracefully? What we learned about dismissing or negating a compliment was that you are essentially telling the person giving you the compliment is that “his/her tastes are not very good.” Think about that and it will make sense!

Know your organizational weaknesses and make a decision to overcome them because if you do not, then every show will become an ordeal……very often it is not the work that is the biggest issue but how we are seeing it and handling it!.

Sometimes, when all is said and done, a painter just needs to…paint! Have some fun. Slop some paint on a canvas or step outside the comfort zone. That’s just what we did last weekend with an art workshop at our studio…just had fun! Complete article here! http://www.jerrysartarama.com/blog/post/2011/05/09/The-Total-Art-Experience-by-M-Theresa-Brown.aspx Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Recommend on [...]

Vorotnikov sees Voina’s lifestyle, which includes refusing to work and living on food stolen from supermarkets, as part of the group’s art.

If you take the time to go back and really think about how something began you will see the value of “simply showing up.” Even those events you feel (actually you are convinced!) might be a waste of your time or effort.