The Not So Hungry Artist

Monday Motivation #19

2010-05-10T05:51:00.000-07:00

"Happiness is an attitude of mind, born of the simple determination to be happy under all outward circumstances.”
- J. Donald Walters

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #18

2010-04-19T05:11:00.000-07:00

"Motivation is everything. You can do the work of two people, but you can't be two people. Instead, you have to inspire the next guy down the line and get him to inspire his people.”

- Lee Iacocca

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #17

2010-04-05T04:59:00.000-07:00

"A champion needs a motivation above and beyond winning.”
-Pat Riley quotes

found on thinkexist.com

How video games are a metaphor for real life...

2010-03-25T06:21:00.000-07:00

So I was watching my weekly podcast from ted.com when I came across this great speech by Jane McGonigal - an online game designer:

Basically the gist of her argument is that gamers spend billions of hours of each week playing video games.

She Quotes MalColm Gladwell's "10,000 hr rule" which Gladwell borrowed(I borrowed the following from here):

"Gladwell quotes neurologist Daniel Levitin, who says that scientific studies
show that 10,000 hours are required to achieve the level of mastery associated
with being a world-class expert — in anything."

The average avid gamer spends 10,000 hours on gaming by the time they reach 21.

Gamers constantly play game partially because of the challenge and also partially because they know there is a solution to that challenge.

Those who succeed in life do so because they likewise, enjoy the task of the challenge but, they know there has to be a solution to their problem whether there is any evidence initially that there is or there isn't.

If gamers (or people) would simply focus more of their problems with the personal belief that their is in fact a solution to their problem, problems will be solved quicker and more solutions will arise.

Great speech. I might have to buy a Malcom Gladwell book sometime soon - seems like a smart guy.

Monday Motivation #16

2010-03-22T05:15:00.000-07:00

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily."
-Zig Ziglar

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #15

2010-03-08T18:16:00.000-08:00

"Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going."
- Jim Rohn

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #14

2010-03-01T19:10:00.000-08:00

"Motivation is like food for the brain. You cannot get enough in one sitting. It needs continual and regular top ups.”

-Peter Davies
found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #13

2010-02-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

"The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals.”
-Rensis Likert

Found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #12

2010-02-08T05:43:00.000-08:00

“Motivation is a fire from within. If someone else tries to light that fire under you, chances are it will burn very briefly.”
- Stephen R. Covey

found on thinkexist.com

Happy Birthday Mr. Rockwell

2010-02-03T20:18:00.000-08:00

Wow, what a day wasted or a day overworked - depending on how you judge - if I have not used google until 11pm at night only to find that my idol Norman Rockwell was born on this day.

What can I say - the man was an amazing painter and I hope someday to come close to matching his talent. Until that day comes though I will sit and stare in awe at his unbelievable talent and expertise.

So what's my favorite Rockwell painting? Without a doubt Golden Rule. seen below:

With The Problem We All Live With - a close 2nd.

And I didn't even know about this one until today but Negro in the Suburbs is somewhat humorous and might work it's way up my list in the future:

Mr. Rockwell - I thank you so much for your work and your influence. You are still missed.

Monday Motivation #11

2010-02-01T05:50:00.000-08:00

“In my experience, there is only one motivation, and that is desire. No reasons or principle contain it or stand against it.”
-Jane Smiley

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #10

2010-01-25T06:13:00.000-08:00

"I think the big mistake in schools is trying to teach children anything, and by using fear as the basic motivation. Fear of getting failing grades, fear of not staying with your class, etc. Interest can produce learning on a scale compared to fear as a nuclear explosion to a firecracker.”

- Stanley Kubrick

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #9 (MLK edition)

2010-01-18T07:53:00.000-08:00

“When you are … living constantly at tiptoe stance, never quite knowing what to expect next, and are plagued with inner fears and outer resentments; when you are forever fighting a degenerating sense of ‘nobodiness’ — then you will understand why we find it difficult to wait.”
- Martin Luther King Jr.

found on
http://trueslant.com/saralibby/2010/01/18/5-martin-luther-king-quotes-for-the-obama-era/

Monday Motivation #8

2010-01-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

“Every noble work is bound to face problems and obstacles. It is important to check your goal and motivation thoroughly. One should be very truthful, honest, and reasonable. One's actions should be good for others, and for oneself as well. Once a positive goal is chosen, you should decide to pursue it all the way to the end. Even if it is not realized, at least there will be no regret.”

-Dalai Lama

found on thinkexist.com

Monday Motivation #7

2010-01-04T09:11:00.000-08:00

"Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way."
- Les Brown

found on thinkexist.com

Happy New Year's - NYC it's nice to visit - depressing to stay

2010-01-03T18:18:00.000-08:00

So me and my wife ventured to New York this past long weekend to a) get out of boring Columbus, b) take in the sites and c) see the ball drop. I guess two out of three ain't bad.

We were actually prevented from getting near enough to Times Square in order to see the ball drop. We got off at 42nd street at approximately 7pm - we should have been there about 7 hours earlier in order to get in the crowd. The NYPD kept pushing us farther and farther north. First it was

"Go to 50th Street"

Then when we got to 49th it was

"Go to 54th Street"

And so on, all the while the police continued to block off streets just as we arrived. Our Hotel was on 57th and when they told us to go up to 60th we began to run, made it to cross back over and head down Broadway but the officers stopped us at 59th & Broadway and suddenly penned us off so we couldn't even simply stand where we were. All this is and weather in the mid 30's...

Needless to say we watched the ball drop elsewhere, on a TV screen.

I did get a chance to go to the world renowned and expansive Metropolitan Museum of Art.

pic from atomicana.com

We also got to stroll through Central Park

found on F that S

We also did the whole Times Square thing yesterday. We even saw a Broadway show, I'm reluctant to say which one.

One word to the wise though, if you can put your hands on the Village Voice while you're there - do it. I was a little weak-willed after our concierge's refreshing politeness (compared to every other New Yorker's rudeness and/or disinterest) coupled with my wife saying "please" about 50 times, cost me a pretty penny. I read in the Voice earlier that tickets were on sale at the box office for considerably less than what the concierge was offering them for. I asked her about this and she informed me that they do put a 'surcharge' on their tickets. The 50th "please" from my wife convinced me to buy them at the overcharged rate anyway.

Overall it was a great trip with the exception of the concierge scam (the surcharge for both tickets would've easily paid for 3 decent meals for the two of us in NYC) and a crazy Italian lady who was sitting next to me, texting friends during the Broadway show and kept yelling "can we share?" (referring to the armrest) as she poked her elbow into me while I struggled to keep my personal space in the tiny theatre seats.

On the 2nd day I was all excited to move there but, by this morning I was kinda of done with perpetually angry, rude & impatient New Yorkers. Ah slightly boring Cow-town, C.O., C-bus how I like you ... like a brother.

Monday Motivation #6

2009-12-28T18:58:00.000-08:00

"The only lifelong, reliable motivations are those that come from within, and one of the strongest of those is the joy and pride that grow from knowing that you've just done something as well as you can do it.”

- Lloyd Dobens - found on thinkexist.com

Monday motivation #5

2009-12-21T04:34:00.000-08:00

"At school, new ideas are thrust at you every day. Out in the world, you'll have to find the inner motivation to search for new ideas on your own."

- Bill Waterson

found on thinkexist.com

Artist I Admire: Frank Frazetta

2009-12-16T09:00:00.000-08:00

This week I'd like to focus on an artist I have never had the opportunity to communicate with but, one whom I admire greatly. That artist is of course Mr. Frank Frazetta.

Style: Mr. Frazetta's style is without a doubt realistic but taking liberties to veer towards the fantasy and & science fiction works that he is renowned for.

Bio: Mr. Frazetta was born on Feb 9, 1928. He was both born and raised in Brooklyn, NYC, NY. By the time he was eight his teachers were encouraging his parents to have him attend a formal art school. He attended the Brooklyn Academy of the Arts and once he graduated he began working in a variety of fields eventually settling in the comic industry in the 50's. In the 60's Mr. Frazetta had garnished enough attention to get the calling from Hollywood to design the art for movie posters.

Today he is best known for the work he's done related to the Conan the Barbarian comic series. His paintings easily sell for six figures on average with a recent auction netting a million dollars for a single painting.

Why I admire Mr. Frazetta: One need only look at his impressive work to see why I would admire an artist of such outstanding talent. His work is so realistic that allows us to become part of his fantasy world. His men are manly and strong and his women are womanly and curvaceous. He gives those growing up reading comics or admiring his artwork something to aspire to be like. He is definitely one of the great, living American artists of the past and current century.

My favorite Frank Frazetta painting - Against the Gods:

This is without a doubt my favorite Frank Frazetta painting and definitely one of the Top 5 painting I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes on. I don't like it so much in the sense that the hero is challenging the "Gods" but more so because it represents man struggling to conquer the difficulties and challenges set before him and facing them without flinching a moment. If I could own the original of this painting I would be a happy man.

Tips for Tuesday: 5 perspectives on how to profit from art

2009-12-15T09:00:00.001-08:00

The following are 5 articles with differing views or how to start an art business and/or how to sell your art. They are all helpful but, I find the information found in 1, 4 & 5 to be particularly helpful to someone like myself. Hope you enjoy!

How to Start an Art Business by Alicia Bodine
Start a Freelance Art Business - from Internet Based Moms
How to Start an Art Gallery - from MySmallBiz.com
How to Sell Art - by Clint Watson
How to Sell your Art - from eHow

Monday Motivation #4

2009-12-14T09:00:00.000-08:00

"People who are too concerned with how well they are doing will be less successful and feel less competent than those who focus on the task itself... Some psychologists call it a conflict between ego-orientation, or between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation... but in all cases, what counts is whether attention is turned away from the task at hand and focused on the self and its future rewards, or whether it is instead trained on the task itself. The latter attitude seems the more fruitful."

-Author Unknown

Tips for Tuesday - ...for Artists who want to sell

2009-12-08T17:22:00.000-08:00

This is Tips for Artists who want to Sell - By John Baldessari (b. 1931). Mr. Baldessari is an artist who focuses primarily on text paintings and offers the great advice above is his aptly titled work to those who would dare to become artists.

Monday Motivation #3

2009-12-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

“When you face your fear, most of the time you will discover that it was not really such a big threat after all. We all need some form of deeply rooted, powerful motivation / it empowers us to overcome obstacles so we can live our dreams.”

-Les Brown

found on thinkexist.com

Artists I Admire : Gabe Leonard

2009-12-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

I like Gabe Leonard for a number of reasons but the main one is he convinced me that Artists can make good money doing what they love.

Gabe's Style: Gabe's style is mostly realistic with a tinge of cartoonish nature. His subjects are primarily human figures with a few mythical creatures thrown in here and there. It seems that he picks a theme and stays with that theme for several paintings. He's done fantasy paintings, paintings featuring classic Hollywood stars and his most recent vein has been the "Wild West" or cowboys, Indians and Abe Lincoln.

Gabe's Bio/Education: Based on his website bio, Gabe is originally from Wyoming but got his Art degree from CCAD (Columbus College of Art & Design) the premiere art school of central Ohio. He moved out LA after graduating hoping to become a background painter for a major studio. When he got there however, fate had other plans and he split time between "folding shirts" at Macy's and hocking his art on the boardwalk of Venice Beach. The sales in Venice Beach became more and more profitable until he was able to do survive from the sale of his paintings full time.
Today, he counts himself lucky that he did not get a background painting job with a major studio. Otherwise he would not have the freedom - both of his schedule and artistically - that he possesses today.

Why I admire Gabe: I admire Gabe because about a year and a half ago or so, I saw his work on myspace and started reading his blog. This was after doing a search of CCAD alumni who graduated around the same time I graduated with my Marketing degree. I e-mailed him about if he is surviving being a CCAD grad. He e-mailed me back saying not only was he surviving, he was thriving. This little bit of encouragement convinced me to start drawing again if only to see if I still had my gift. Before I could even try and shop some of my art to local galleries, my first customer "K" complimented me on my art work and asked if I could draw a certain church for her. When I remarked I already had, I shortly thereafter had my first sale. All because of Gabe's encouragement.

My favorite piece of Gabe's so far:

Thing She Saved

Tips for Tuesday - Great article from artbusiness.com

2009-12-01T09:30:00.000-08:00

So I was planning on drafting a few tips about how to be a better artist and business person simultaneously when I came across this article - I believe by Alan Bamberger on artbusiness.com about how to become a better artist and business person.

I was struck by how much good information is all in one place! Although I've never attended art school full-time I loved the part about:

"These days, a decent art education runs around $100,000. Art schools need lots of $100,000's in order to stay in business. If prospective students had any idea how tough making a living as an artist is, how good they have to be to make those livings, and how hard art is to sell, art schools would get fewer $100,000's than they do now. So art schools don't talk about the survival aspects of being an artist, they offer precious little instruction in how to make enough money to survive, and worst of all, they appear to discourage their graduates from venturing outside the academic realm to learn survival techniques. Sure, they expose students to the formal gallery system and maybe show their art to local dealers and collectors, but that's not nearly enough ammo for confronting the realities of the marketplace. "

I guess my "role model's" prodding to back away from art inadvertently gave me a wealth of knowledge about Marketing, Sales and the like as I was going through several professions I did not care for.

In the article Mr. Bamberger explains how it is just as important for an artist (a not-so-hungry artist that is) to develop sales skills as well as their art skills. One cannot survive without the other.

He also, points out that randomly blasting art galleries or art professionals with unexpected requests to represent your art and to -

"rescue [you], and whoosh [you] away to fame, fortune, and scrillions of dollars"

Is something you might want to shy away from.

Anyway, again just an excellent article on how to really get by and hopefully excel in the art business. I highly recommend it!

Monday Motivation

2009-11-30T19:46:00.000-08:00

"Motivation is the Art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it"
- Dwight Eisenhower

found on thinkexist.com

My first real post - my mission

2009-11-24T19:17:00.001-08:00

Over a decade ago- before I had entered HS or picked a major in college - I wanted to be an Artist. Pure and simple. Through in through.

I was having a conversation with a then role model of mine about 'What I wanted to do when I grew up'. I mentioned the idea of being an artist and this role model immediately told me about a relative of theirs who made the decision to be an Artist and the role model immediately shot this idea down as foolish.

Over decade later - I am finally realizing that the role model may have been completely wrong about the foolishness of becoming an artist.

MY MISSION - Is to prove that being an artist can be a very rewarding and lucrative endeavour.

If I am proven a fool in the process? Well - it won't be the first time that's for sure!

Monday Motivation:

2009-11-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

" The way to learn to do things is to do things. The way to learn a trade is to work at it. Success teaches how to succeed. Begin with determination to succeed and the work is half done already. "

Author Unknown - found on thinkexist.com