How To Survive And Prosper As An Artist

The definitive guide to taking control of your career and making a good living in the art world. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, Caroll Michels offers a wealth of insider's information on getting into a gallery, being your own PR agent, and negotiating prices, as well as innovative marketing, exhibition, and sales opportunities for various artistic disciplines. She has also added a new section on digital printmaking and marketing in this emerging field.

Covers public relations, exhibitions, art dealers, rejection, grants, other sources of income, insurance, resumes, and motivation.

“Michels explodes the romantic notion of the starving artist.” —The New York Times “Michels is a tough but compassionate advocate, savvy in the ways of the world and the demands on artists in this materialistic society.” —The Miami Herald Written for fine artists ready to launch their careers as well as experienced artists who wish to relaunch their careers, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist, Seventh Edition, an acclaimed guide, empowers artists to take control of their careers to create a fulfilling life and earn a decent income. In this newly revised edition, Caroll Michels continues to demystify the inner workings of the art world and challenge the status quo. New chapters discuss such topics as: New business models for artists: Going to the extreme The use of social media and website development as marketing and publicity tools and what does and doesn’t work The confusion between the “art-buying public” and the “general public” and their differences New suggestions for establishing and calculating prices for artwork Neighborhood gentrification and the growing challenges of securing a reasonably priced live/work space How dealers find artists, how to negotiate with dealers, and how to understand a dealer’s agenda Using her own experiences as an artist as well as the experiences of her clients, Michels crafts a must-read guidebook for anyone interested in embarking upon a successful career as an artist.

The classic handbook for launching and sustaining a career that "explodes the romantic notion of the starving artist," (The New York Times) with a brand-new chapter on Internet art marketing Now in its sixth edition, How to Survive and Prosper as an Artist is the definitive guide to taking control of your career and making a good living in the art world. Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, Caroll Michels offers a wealth of insider's information on getting into a gallery, being your own PR agent, and negotiating prices, as well as innovative marketing, exhibition, and sales opportunities for various artistic disciplines. She has also added a new section on digital printmaking and marketing in this emerging field. Most notably, this sixth edition contains an entirely new chapter: "Art Marketing on the Internet." Michels offers criteria for selecting an ideal Web designer for your online portfolio and for organizing your Web presence, and shares proven methods for attracting curators, dealers, and private clients to your site. She also addresses vital legal concerns in the age of e-commerce, including copyrighting and registering your art, and finally, the appendix of resources, consistently updated online at Michels's site the Artist Help Network, is fully revised.

Discusses how to make a living at being a full-time artist and how to get started selling your art.

Far too often artists find themselves having to compromise their art and their life because they were not taught accurate up-to-date methods for dealing with business situations. Because of this lack of preparedness artists miss out on valuable opportunities, financial rewards, and access to receptive audiences. This book aims to help all artists everywhere avoid these pitfalls and get on the track to success on their own terms. Whether you are a gallery-bound artist, a conceptual artist who is not interested in selling work, an emerging artist just beginning your career, or a seasoned artist in need of a tune up, this manual is meant for you. This manual is informed by decades of experience and years of research into how to perform as a professional artist in the 21st century art world. This book is filled with easy-to-follow instructions that will help you do everything from archive your work, to start a mailing list, to write a grant, and everything else you can think of. It will even address some topics you may not think you need to know about now - but you sure will later! This is a handbook for your life as an artist. It will empower you to take your future into your own hands. For more info about this book and other GYST products visit www.gyst-ink.com

New York Times Bestseller An exciting--and encouraging--exploration of creativity from the author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: artists, inventors, storytellers-creative and holistic "right-brain" thinkers whose abilities mark the fault line between who gets ahead and who doesn't. Drawing on research from around the world, Pink (author of To Sell Is Human: The Surprising Truth About Motivating Others) outlines the six fundamentally human abilities that are absolute essentials for professional success and personal fulfillment--and reveals how to master them. A Whole New Mind takes readers to a daring new place, and a provocative and necessary new way of thinking about a future that's already here.

My memoir named Transplanted, from 110° F in the Shade to 10° F in the Sun, recounts my experiences as a young doctor of 23 years old who left the South Indian tropical town, Thiruananthapuram, and got dropped into a ten degrees frigid Chicago winter forty-eight hours later. Despite the strange foods I had to adjust to, the strange clothes that I needed to survive the cold, and even the strangeness of the English language (which I had hitherto believed I was well versed in,) I was able to mold my life and likes, and establish myself as a successful pathologist, a dedicated wife, strong yet kind and loving mother and grandmother, and now a Matriarch to an extended family of fifty two in Chicagoland. I can do it attitude, an open mind and willingness to grow, and the vigor with which I faced my challenges made me successful in accepting and assimilating the American heritage for my own. How I contributed to the melting pot of America while becoming part of it, is itself a story worth reading. Anybody displaced from a place of comfort, whether 100 miles or 10,000 miles, anyone seeking guidance to overcome adversities, and anyone interested in "the Immigrant story" will find my book helpful to survive adversity and prosper in a strange land or a strange town.

The definitive, must-have guide to pursuing an art career—the fully revised and updated edition of Art/Work, now in its fourteenth printing, shares the tools artists of all levels need to make it in this highly competitive field. Originally published in 2009, Art/Work was the first practical guide to address how artists can navigate the crucial business and legal aspects of a fine art career. But the rules have changed since then, due to the proliferation of social media, increasing sophistication of online platforms, and ever more affordable digital technology. Artists have never had to work so hard to distinguish themselves—including by making savvy decisions and forging their own paths. Now Heather Bhandari, with over fifteen years of experience as a director of the popular Chelsea gallery Mixed Greens, and Jonathan Melber, a former arts/entertainment lawyer and director of an art e-commerce startup, advise a new generation of artists on how to make it in the art world. In this revised and updated edition, Bhandari and Melber show artists how to tackle a host of new challenges. How do you diversify income streams to sustain a healthy art practice? How can you find an alternative to the gallery system? How do you review a license agreement? What are digital marketing best practices? Also included are new quotes from over thirty arts professionals, updated commission legal templates, organizational tips, tax information, and advice for artists who don’t make objects. An important resource for gallerists, dealers, art consultants, artist-oriented organizations, and artists alike, Art/Work is the resource that all creative entrepreneurs in the art world turn to for advice.