8 tips for artists on business and life from artists

We asked eight experienced artists what advice they could give to succeed in the art world.

While there are never hard and fast rules when it comes to creative careers, and there are undoubtedly thousands of different ways to "get it done", these artists offer some guidelines to help them along the way.

1. Keep working!

Don't let anyone else's opinion of your work stop you from doing what you want to do. The work will develop. I think taking criticism along the way will definitely determine the direction of your practice. It's unavoidable. But never deliberately try to tailor your work to the desires of the masses.

First of all, focus on your practice. Second, make sure you have a strong, cohesive job. Third, make your presence known. — 

Image provided

2. Stay humble

... and don't sign anything until your dad looks first. — 

Teresa Haag

3. Go out into the world and meet people 

I work alone in the studio, especially when I'm preparing for shows, for weeks on end. It can get lonely. By the time the show starts, I'm dying to socialize. These shows are very important because they make me talk to people about my art. 

Lawrence Lee

4. Think about the endgame 

Look at your art as if you were a potential buyer. One thing that many artists don't understand is that people generally want to buy art that will live in their homes with them. In areas outside of New York, Los Angeles, Brussels, etc., if you are making a piece of high concept art that is a statement of human devolution represented by rubberized styrofoam worms suspended from the ceiling above children's pools filled with artificially sweetened coffee. , you probably won't find someone to buy it for their home.

My advice: look at your art as if you were a potential buyer. If you do this, you will be able to understand a lot. Years ago I was showing in San Francisco and couldn't sell anything. I was depressed until I thought about it and did a thorough research. I found that in most of the houses owned by people who could buy my work, the walls were too small for it. — 

Linda Tracey Brandon

5. Surround yourself with supportive people

It's a huge advantage to have a community or network of people who love you and your work and support you at every opportunity. It is also true that you are the one who cares most about your art. It is possible to succeed without a good support system, but it is much more painful. — 

Jeanne Besset

6. Hold tight to your vision

The first thing I tell them is to stop letting other people steal their dreams. It's really up to us how we filter what we're told, and it's our responsibility as artists to get what we have to say to the world. It is necessary.

Creating art is like everything else when creating a business. It's about building something powerful first, then going into business, learning how to run a business, and then bringing them together. I know it sounds simple, but it's not, but that's the first step. — 

Ann Kullaf

7. Compete only with yourself

Avoid contests, contests, and judging yourself by the number of shows you've been on or the awards you've received. Look for inner confirmation, you will never please everyone. — 

 courtesy of Amaury Dubois.

8. Build a solid foundation

If you want to go higher, you need a solid base - and that starts with good organization. I specifically use Artwork Archive for organization. I can have a general idea of ​​where my work is and what I should be doing. It calms me down and allows me to think about other things. I can focus on what I like. — 

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