Be Flexible In Your Art Career - Tips For Artists

[jclum]

After dropping off art at a cafe 3 weeks ago for a show, they hadnt hung any of it and said they did have a chance to buy nails yet. The next day I showed up with a box of nails and a hammer and said "lets do this!" I hung the paintings myself, they didnt have to do any of the work. win/win

[lucycannon]

Thought number 1: Wow! You are AMAZINGLY coherent before coffee!
Thought number B: Navigating comfort zone vs fear is slippery, scary and exciting.
4:

[DandisDen]

I swear Rafi always seems to have the best timing on things. The Market i was going to wasn't working out. They had a barn dedicated completely to artists and artisans. My last weekend there I was between a Wood burner and a Candle maker! But it was a new thing this year and it seemed most people that went to this Flea Market didn't know the barn was open to the public (I think previous years it was used as storage) so there wasn't enough traffic for me to keep going - hoping to try again in the spring. I was also trying to force myself into doing resin, while painting, because resin geode-like coasters and trays are popular right now, and while I wasn't doing the geode stuff, i was making coasters and trinket dishes and even bought molds for bangle bracelets. I got tired of the resin really quickly and decided I'm going back to sculpting, while painting. I got talked out of the sculpting because a lot of people didn't see profit in it, but frankly, there's a large demand for the type of sculpting I wanna do, so maybe it'll work out.

[minniesartstudio]

Yes! We are all a working progress. Taking the path you need to take. I'm passionate about making my art and when I share in person folks get excited about it too! ☕ 🙃

[Piscesgyal]

It's like the universe brought your rant to me! I'm 50 and been craving to do more of my art, dare I say actually try to sell and generate an income. I know I just have to DO what I love and hope that that energy will keep me moving forward in both a rewarding and financially successful art career. Thanks!

[btomakart]

I paused this video part way through when i got the just of what you was saying ..I swear, sometimes i feel like youre talking directly to me Rafi . I know ive told you this before, but i actually used to listen to you every day in my work truck until i built up the courage to go full time with my art career. Ive been a full time artist now for 3 years and up until this point, it has been pedal to the metal. Ive lived in this room for approximately 15 hours a day, doing everything but sleeping in here while my patient wife lived in the rest of the house. Ive developed some health issues due to the stress of just trying to run a business . Not to mention, a continuous rotation of about 40 pieces at all times. Ive delt with burn out ..feelings of failure ..triumph ..etc.. . I call it the roller coaster from Hell. Ive now been diagnosed with IBS due to the stress and with that..Anxiety. Im now trying to pump the brakes a little and take time to smell the roses..Literally and figuratively . Anyways, , i wanted to thank you ...lol ...again. Youre freaking amazing ..and i totally adore you...Say goodbye "good day" (returning to video)

[linseybachko]

I've been derailed in life many times, most often by things outside of my control but a few times through self-imposed obstacles, and while the experiences suck in the moment, they were by far some of the most important moments of my life because they taught me that nothing is guaranteed in life. I learned early on to be flexible and roll with it, to think fast when an unexpected obstacle gets thrown in my path, and (most importantly) to take a moment to just breathe. In each of those moments, I often felt like the world was coming to an end, that everything I had been working toward was gone and all that work was for nothing. It wasn't until I was mentally able to embrace those changes rather than fight them and mourn the lost of what might have been that I saw them for what they really were - new possibilities, ones that I never would have considered had I kept on my previous path. Your rant/ramble is a wonderful reminder to be open to all future possibilities, not just the one you envisioned for yourself when you started on your path.

[cindydiel]

I find myself getting so stuck in my own fears. The one thing you and Klee keep teaching me is how my mindset can make a huge difference to my success. I now ask myself why...why am I putting this project off or why am I not doing something more with my career. It always comes back to fear for me. I am growing as a person as I step into art as a career. I am taking small steps, but I am taking them. I am learning that fear is just a part of things and I need to see it for what it is. Something to be faced and dealt with. Not something that I will let stop me. Thank you again. Sorry to hear there are more storms looming. Keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

[janedevries]

Oh man- I needed to hear this - in a big sucky downtime right now and felt like throwing in the towel . Thankyou so much !!

[susanjeffrey]

I agree Whole heartedly Rafi, I too need money to pay my bills, but I love painting even if at the moment.
The shit is hitting the fan, but I'm not giving up, I put my art on Print on demand sites, and FB page, I'm tweaking and trying new things, love the motivational rants and rambles. I adore you Rafi and Klee, your like a art coach, lol, stay safe in the new storm.

[beckycarpenterart]

This is so timely for me. I had internalized so many wrong messages from art youtube and instagram - someone would ask an artist "how did you get discovered" and so many artists' responses were something along the lines of, "oh I just posted art and it just took off!" Even knowing that it takes an enormous, impossible amount of luck to just post some sporadic art and get discovered, I still struggle with that expectation for myself and my art because no one really talks about the actual process behind it all. To dismiss art marketing as "oh I didn't really try" is doing the entire art community a disservice. Thank you for shedding light on the real process that goes into turning art into a career - it's much needed!

[errolmichaelphillips]

It's best to have 3 sources of income. Whether you're an artist or not.

[LearnWatercolorPainting]

Brilliant video Ravi. Thanks for sharing. I've been one of those artists that have been painting for 20 years and unable to make a decent income from it. I ended up in a seriously bad place. I carry on though because I just love to paint. And also because recently some good things have happened. One of my problems was that I was a reclusive artist and I still find it so hard to show my stuff or myself to people ... I always want to show the best of my work or myself but that often means not being out there so much. I am beginning to work around this problem though.

[wildcoaststudio]

Great advice. I think we're conditioned throughout life to seek security at all costs. Just look at the $$ companies spend on advertising to instil fear that if we don't do or buy whatever it is then we'll be destitute. My favorite are the people/companies who insist you need 'at least' a million dollars saved for retirement. It's challenging to ignore all the fearmongers in the world. The truth is though, that security is just an illusion. Unless you work for the government, no job is 'safe'. Just ask all of those who lost their jobs this year. It pays to develop a creative mindset no matter what you do. Of course we all need to meet our responsibilities, but the money thing is often (at least in my observation) about maintaining a certain lifestyle. If you want all the stuff then you need a lot of money. If you prefer to pursue other things and are happy to scale back then you probably don't need as much money as you think (I know from personal experience). It was only a couple of generations ago that most people were most of them didn't have big homes stuffed with junk. "Decluttering" was not a its an industry! Consumerism keeps so many people trapped and seems to be one of the root causes of many not following their dreams. One final thought....self-trust is important. That's my rant over....LOL.

[simonebaileycampbell]

Booya!! Will said. I guess we all need to tap into what it is we want to do. Now is the time to really let your imagination fly. No hold bar.

[Mrs.Laetitia]

I loved this rant. I loved it. I might need to re watch this every now and then

[helensimonsen]

Go and have a coffee, and thank you for all your good info to us budding artists. I would shout you a coffee if I were there.

[carlabuchanan]

I think the answer is love! I did experiments in stores, I would put a love bomb on an item then shop close by and watch. People were always drawn to it. So love your art! Give it love vibes to Express itself into the world. Wierd science stuff lol

[foxdenham]

Nice Rant Rafi... the thing that gets me through ‘the suck’ is resting in the realisation that ‘I Am’ in control of time. No... seriously. If financial imperatives (monthly commitments etc) bring me pressure, I downsize, downshift, give up (call it way at you will). I look for a do-able financial strategy that serves my art (not the other way round). This ‘stepping back’ gives me the breathing space to reevaluate and move forward. Sometimes it’s our expectations to earn a certain amount within a certain time that cause us to ‘contract’ and in turn ‘fail’. I drop the mental expectations where possible, relax into my own ‘pace’ and return to the reason ‘why’ I do ART in the first place. I’ve gone for many years without income from my art but this strategy ‘cuts me slack’. It works for me anyway! X

[palletcolorato]

You are so correct on many points. When COVID hit and my sales utterly disappeared, I was devastated. So I decided to take a break. It was the best thing I could do for my mental health. Lucky for me I have a small disability pension I survive on.

You bet it gets frustrating. Finally after the end of COVID I sold a large print of a painting I thought would never sell. Go figure. It wasn't my best work, but as the saying goes, a work of art is never completed. One has to let it go at some point. Other pieces turn out great! It has a lot to do with multiple factors. Mood, time, money, health, motivation, inspiration, and yes, for me, if it's a sunny day. Living in Canada I thrive on sunshine. For you Rafi, it sounds like coffee is the remedy. LOL!

The other fact of life is, yes some luck is involved. But... Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. Will some people have better luck, sure. Even Mick Jagger when asked about his success admitted luck was part of it. But he also busted his ass.

I hold a degree in psychology, and it's well documented that increased behavior is directly paired with positive reinforcements. The main one in business is money. Then there is the negative part where one increases a behavior (avoid painting) to avoid something unpleasant like a slump in sales. That can be a death spiral.

Rafi is correct, you gotta push through the @#$%. It doesn't mean that if you do, you will "succeed" financially. Do your best and try to stay positive in the worst of circumstances. If you have to go back to a regular job so be it. Brag about your efforts in the job interview. Every business person worth their salt will admire your efforts to become an entrepreneur. If they don't hire you, move on. It wasn't meant to be. Life can be absolute hell. I know... I've lived it.

One other thing, never put all of your eggs into one basket. Creating art is akin to investing, diversify your portfolio. That means doing the work of getting out on social media, tweak, your approach, I've been tweaking (not twerking) my approach on everything for years. That includes but is not limited to, my price points, catch phrases, consistency across platforms, etc. I'm not mobile so everything I do is on the internet. I don't have a choice in that matter.

The upshot for me, is I decided to open an Etsy Shop last year. I've only sold one painting, but my viewing statistics are now about 200 views per month. so the gears are turning. I know many people stopped using Etsy, and for them it was the right choice. If those stats I'm seeing prove to become conversions into sales, I'll be tickled pink. All the best to everyone!