Opus Newsletter Contributor

Alice Rich is well known to the BC art community for her seminars on business issues facing visual artists and in her own right, as a photographer and painter. Since graduating from UBC and Emily Carr Institute of Art + Design, Alice has worked in professional roles with two major galleries, founded a publishing company, and is presently working as an artist and seminar leader. She also has extensive community involvement on Art Boards and committees.

Opus has asked Alice to share some of her insights with our readers and is co-sponsoring her new seminar series early in the New Year. These participatory seminars will include special guests representing a wide range of backgrounds from the professional art community. Alice's workshops will be open for registration starting in January at which time a fee schedule will also be available. Further details will appear in our December newsletter.

What keeps an Artist down? Why do their attempts to move forward stop them in their Studios? Why do many artists generate this incredible angst about who they are and where their work should be? If you were a writer you would expect to be rejected at least 100 times before your first publication. If you are an Artist it may only happen 50 times; but we don't look at it that way, we want instant success.

It makes sense to look at the bigger picture and think about having a long range plan, an action outline, or even a 'to do list' to move one's professional career along. Planning can act as a safety net that helps us to rise above the individual rejections and to keep focused on the bigger picture, i.e. the five-year reputation-building plan. Why take each situation or rejection personally as a sign that your career has just ended? By separating your creative work from your business decisions and not judging yourself and your work you can keep the momentum going. If that doesn't work, you can move to Plan B. As the colourful character, Alphonse Murphy, says in the film Rare Birds, "Always have a Plan B". In fact, his advice did not stop there - he also said, "Always have a Plan C!"

Organizing an approach to building your reputation and getting your work accepted into galleries, home décor shops or perhaps with international publishers makes sense. Learn from your personal marketing experience and the experience of others you talk to. Think through how you can use those attempts, rejections, acceptances or partial interest to move forward and build your art career. Do business people get rejected, make terrible decisions that cost them time and money or set them back or just don't get them the results they wanted? You bet they do! So why do artists so often internalize the negative and condemn the system?

I have met artists who were rejected by a gallery or, having been accepted by a gallery, were subsequently let go, and were so devastated by the experience that they never again approached another gallery. If other professionals did that our society would come to a grinding halt. What gives an artist the right to react so indifferently? Why do some artists shrivel into accepting the Van Gogh 'starving in a garret' approach as a lifestyle choice? Or take the ego laden attitude that says, "They didn't want me so 'F' them!" Closing off and retreating serves no one. The writer on the other hand, dries her tears and edits her manuscript again or sends it off to three more publishers. Like any professional, the choice to be a professional artist carries with it the responsibility of developing a tougher skin. It requires becoming able to accept rejection and criticism, using it to become stronger and better. Let go of some of those excuses and get out there for the next Round.

As we all know, there is so much talent that sits in studios waiting to be discovered and who knows what's there? Conversely, there are many galleries and publishers waiting to be introduced to the artist's work. Does it happen? Yes. And it happens according to a formula and where it happens is a marketing system that already exists. You don't have to reinvent the wheel because the system already exists and is waiting for you. The art commerce environment is available for approach and you can reap its benefits in taxable income. Remember, paying taxes is one of the surest signs that your work is generating meaningful income!

If you really can't leave your studio then you will need to find someone to represent you, but that option takes the same perseverance as going out there yourself. Today, knocking on doors and researching who may be interested in your work has never been easier. The world is open to your exploration - if one situation is not a fit then you can choose another route to find your venue. The creative solution to getting your work out there lies within the creative you; only you the artist can represent your own true values and abilities. And yes, through all the hard blows and rejections you may find a new direction or just move down the street to a better location. By planning your career and strategizing your actions you may be surprised that small steps can lead to big gains/plans and that the power of an income outweighs the trauma of the triumph.

There is lots of information available to help you develop your strategy; there are seminars and training programs, articles and books to read, tradeshows to attend; there are newsletters like this one that encourage involvement in exhibitions and community initiatives. And what about the professional art organizations? Are you a member? Are you connected? What leads to your success is attitude, encouragement, need, desire, and persistence. Find a mentor, find some publications, look around and attend art openings; and most importantly research, research, research. Then, start to write your plan, visualize your outcomes, attend motivational seminars and access the system that exists. Wipe that tear out of your eye, get that chip off your shoulder, do whatever you have to do to become a winner in your own mind. In his book, Good to Great, Jim Collins describes the "Stockdale Paradox" as a quality common to many real winners. He describes the paradox as being able to confront and recognize the brutal realities of one's situation, however hopeless they may appear, while never losing sight of the absolute conviction that you will succeed in the end.

Network with other artists, read inspirational books and seek advice from other professionals. Be realistic but be daring; be creative and have fun; take risks but with planned outcomes; be open to new directions while evaluating your personal values. Look and listen, add to the community, don't just be on the take. What do you bring? How do you serve? These could be the questions that answer your larger question.

To practice law, the lawyer needs clients, to practice business, the businessperson needs customers, to practice medicine, the doctor needs patients. To have an art practice, the artist needs patrons, clients, customers, and patience.

In subsequent articles, I will address how to build relationships with galleries and publishers. I will also offer example business plan outlines and suggest how to market yourself effectively through my seminar series in the New Year.