Daily Painters

I took a huge gamble yesterday. I have been enjoying this daily painting process so much that I really think I'm going to continue doing it. I have been able to explore color relationships that I normally would not try on a larger piece, simply because I would have invested too much time and paint should it not work. But these smaller, simpler studies in encaustic have allowed me to be adventurous and push some of my color relationships.

So what was my huge gamble? I submitted this blog to Daily Painters. I actually discovered the site sometime in February, after I had started doing a painting a day. Most of the artists on the site are actually realists, but there are a few abstract artists as well. I am hoping that since most of my pieces are encaustic and there is virtually no artists on there in that medium, I might be able to round out that niche. And, let's face it, I would love to sell some art. But we'll see, their message back said it can take weeks to hear a decision. In any case, I'm just going to keep painting away!

Getting Serious about Art

Okay, its time to quite playing around with this art stuff. I just sent out emails to all of the job placement companies asking to be taken off of their lists. So now, it is time to make it or break it, so to speak. I've gotten great comments from the art community in general about my work, so now I need to get to it and start making a living off of it.

One thing that is incredibly encouraging about art: there are SO many ways to make a living from it. Take, for example, workshops. Say you have 5 per year, with 10 students, at $500 per person. That alone is $25,000 in revenue. Note that the revenue is before you have ever sold your first painting for a year. So once you can hang in there and get yourself established, the possibilities are endless.

I'm starting my marketing plan soon, and once it is completed, I will post it up here as my goals. I'm making a very concerted effort to ensure that my career takes hold and really can support me. I am very optimistic, but it will be hard work. But if I succeed, the work is more than worth it.

New Year, New Opportunities

When I take a look at my life over the past year, I am amazed at how much it has changed. I went from being a simpering, miserable cog in the corporate wheel to actually making more money, working twice as hard as I ever did before, and having more fun and freedom that I ever thought I could possibly have. Sometimes I feel like it surely must be illegal.

I have my wonderful fiancee to thank for most of this adventure. He has been wonderfully supportive of me working nights and weekends, and staying home during the day to paint.

And as I look at this new year, I have been very interested in the Painting a Day movement. Knowing life right now, I think I'll aim to start getting up at least 3 works per week. Hopefully, as my focus narrows, then I can start putting one up per day.