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Morning Art Journaling
When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love. Marcus Aurelius Before we will start discovering what Morning Art Journaling is and why it’s important, let’s find out what is just normal morning journaling and why is it trend nowadays? Morning Pages are one of these things that sound so simple that you don’t think they could ever work for you. One of the things that I have realized in life is that many of the best things are really simple but our complicated minds want to tell us they won’t work for us. What is Morning Journaling? Morning Journaling is a process of creating three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, ideally done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Journaling– they are not high art. They aren’t even “writing.” They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind– and they are for your eyes only. Morning Journaling ...
Start New Career in Art | Alexandra Novik-Khamis
I am very often hear that people don’t feel like to start something new at pretty old age; especially if all their life they have been doing totally different activities. Same with art, people don’t want to start painting after 40-50 as they are convinced that if they did not do it before they don’t really have talent then why even try. I believe that everyone can start something new at any age. A lot of painters and musicians are started their careers at very late 40s. And there is nothing wrong with it. As long as you feel inspiration and need for it then go on. Years ago, people graduated from school, got a job and worked at the same company until they retired. Today, it's unusual for a young worker to stay at the same job for more than a few years in the first decade of their career. It's also becoming more common for workers to make a midlife career change, and completely switch gears after spending half of their adult life in the same industry. People want to b...
Creativity as a Spiritual Process | Alexandra Novik - Khamis
It wasn’t that long ago that having a son or daughter who expressed interest in becoming an artist was considered a parent’s worst nightmare. But today, many parents are encouraging of their children’s interest in art. And I am as an art mentor should guide them into art world and bring inspiration for young future artists. There are many options available to help nurture budding talent, but sending a young artist to expensive private lessons isn’t necessarily at the top of the list. Yet, when I see the new undergraduates show up at my art studio, there are some who have gotten an undeniable head start above their peers. For me art education is not only teaching process but rather creative process which inspires students. One of the main goal for me as an art mentor is to bring knowledge together with joy of creative process. First of all students understand the basics of art techniques in chosen field. And then when they know the rules they can smartly break it. Art process fo...
Whether you’ve decided to take the first steps in getting your work shown in an art gallery or you’re an established artist looking to expand your presence into new cities, understanding the fundamentals for how an art gallery selects its artists is essential.
1. Offer a Unique Artistic Vision
One of the first things I look for in a prospective artist is a substantial and consistent body of work with a distinct point of view and direction. I’m looking for someone with a clearly developed style and approach, whether it’s an intriguing choice of subject, composition, palette, surface texture or lighting. To set yourself apart from other artists, present a unique, exciting body of work that demands attention. How? Build and refine your artistic vision, and consider your current body of work. Focus on the subject matter that incites the most enthusiasm. The subjects that most excite you likely will inspire your best paintings, which will, in turn, best engage viewers. Focus your thoughts and immerse yourself in one genre. This will make building a cohesive, interesting body of work much easier.
2. Be Your Own Toughest Critic
Look at established artists’ websites and social media accounts, like Instagram. Note how, even when viewed as a thumbnail, successful artists present a well-designed collection of work, with a wonderful sense of light and a beautiful palette. Now, look at your work as a collection. Do you have at least two-dozen paintings that hold together as a single body of work? If there’s room in your home or studio, I suggest hanging several paintings on one wall, as if they were in an art gallery, in order to evaluate. Ask yourself what it is about your work that’s unique. Are your landscapes more textured and bold, or perhaps more tonal in palette than others you’ve seen? Are your portraits painted from life, and overflowing with emotion and light? Is your work more subtle and moody than other still lifes you’ve seen? If you’re unsure of the answers to questions like these, ask fellow artists for feedback, and challenge yourself to push a little further into your subject matter. Many artists and galleries offer portfolio critiques. These are good investments in gaining an impartial perspective on your work. Another effective way to assess your own work is to consider the answer to these questions: What’s the message I want to send as an artist? If I had to describe my work in one sentence, what would it be? A wildlife artist represented in my gallery states, “I enjoy using color and texture to express the unique personality of each animal, whether it be a bit of sass or a touch of goofiness.” This is an artist who has edited and refined her artistic vision. That statement is a reflection of the wonderful, colorful birds she paints. She has a strong, consistent message.
3. Highlight Your Best Work
In my seminar on approaching galleries, I highly recommend editing your collection down to its strongest works. In all likelihood, unless you’re quite well established, an art gallery won’t carry more than one genre of your work at the beginning of your partnership. For example, if you’re most passionate about portraits and still lifes, don’t include landscapes and wildlife — even if you paint them occasionally — in your presentation to a gallery. Only the paintings that best represent your vision and passion as an artist should be visible on your website. Similarly, if you enjoy painting seascapes but don’t plan to present them to a gallery, take them off your website and social media platforms. Since growth as an artist is natural, should an earlier work no longer represent your current accomplishments, I recommend removing it. Paintings that are decades old may still be relevant to your current work, but if they’re not, my motto is, “Promote the best, hide the rest.”
4. Consider Location
Does your work have specific regional, national or international appeal? Cityscapes of iconic locations in New York, Paris, and Florence will appeal to most clients, regardless of location. But if you paint local landscapes, your work is more likely to be successful when represented by galleries in your area. I recently worked with an artist who lives on the Northeast Coast. However, her most inspired, dramatic, and impressive work stems from the time she has spent in the mountainous regions of New England. I proposed that she’d do well to return to the mountains to seek representation until she’d built up a larger portfolio of work inspired by the coast. Even if your work isn’t location-specific, you’ll still need to research the region where you’re seeking gallery representation. Natural light, local color, and interior design vary greatly when you move across the country. Your success in a new region may be as simple as a slight shift in the color palette.
5. Let Your Artistic Vision Shine
As you create a body of work in preparation for representation, take note of these three points: Focus on your inspiration, edit your work to its strongest pieces and always keep in mind the message you want to send as an artist, both online and in person. If you create your own unique, exciting and iconic artwork, your message will shine through.
6. Get More Exposure
In addition to art gallery representation, a great way to garner more exposure as an artist is through art competitions. Entering art contests and competitions elevates an artist’s visibility within the art world. And, winning a competition also can increase an artist’s confidence in his or her work. Both of these points help artists prepare for open calls often held by art galleries. What’s more, the prizes include cash, publication in worldwide art magazines or books, and access to judges who are influencers in the art world — and sometimes exhibitions of work.
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