Solo Professionals Ideas

Is it fair to say that all artists have ADD, Attention Deficit Disorder. We can't focus, can't concentrate...except on art. When it comes to day to day living, when it comes to life, that doesn't come easy. A lot of artists have tremendous difficulty with the day to day stuff, you know, like having money and paying bills.

I could talk about why we have this problem. One reason is we are sponges. We soak up whatever stimulus is around. Later, that goes into the art. We know art works that way. We know we have to be sponges - that's part of the job. But if you are a sponge all day long, you end up getting very little accomplished. Plus, you have a hard time seeing you in all this. You are whatever is going on at the time. No wonder so many artists - like me - get depressed.

You complain about the money, the lack thereof, rather, but let's look at the core of the problem, and it's not galleries and others who take advantage. It's you. You can't focus on making money. You can go into the studio and create art, but when you get into the office - how is it that you seem to spend all your time surfing the net instead of sending out that grant proposal or whatever?

Learning, and more than learning - doing - the business end of your art venture is tedious to say the least. You don't want to do it. The main reason, I have to be honest with you, is that you're not good at it. Well, duh.

Let's not stop here. We are making the assumption that no one likes to do something he or she is not good at. That's not altogether true, but it surely is true for artists. We are perfectionists, the lot of us. We are that way with our art, but because early on we developed skills to match our talents, we get along in the area of making art. But making money? Getting out there and selling yourself? Forget it. What's that the gallery says? They now want 60%? Oh well, I guess I'll have to let them have it since I'm not willing to learn and do in the biz world.

A lot of good - even great - artists get trampled this way. Meanwhile, shrewd businesspeople who are artists on the side learn how to make a fortune making and selling their slick, fluffy, and sometimes downright schlocky art. Is that fair? Who said life was fair? The business world sure isn't fair. It's cut-throat. Dog eat dog and gallery eat artist.

What's an artist to do? Start a little at a time. Learn...how...to be...a good businessperson. It will take time. You'll have to work at it. It will be like exercise. You will increase the intensity of your work-out as you gain momentum.

Look, I know you suck at this biz thing. I sucked at Tae Kwon Do when I started. But now I'm a red belt. In a couple of years, I'll be a black belt. It takes work, persistence, development... It doesn't happen overnight. It didn't happen that way with your art. I know you had talent. But... You can learn to translate some of your creativity and talent into biz skills. No, it's not the same as art. But making art has a lot to do with energy. You can call it creative energy or just plain energy. Being an entrepreneur and a small businessperson has to do with energy.

Once you are willing to work out and get your business chops down, you'll be good to go. You'll make it as an artist.

You have to be willing to do the work, day in and day out. You have to recognize that this art thing won't happen the way you want unless you become part businessperson, and that's probably a talent and skill you lack. You'll have to work to get it.

You may not be the best. Probably, you won't be. But you'll be good enough. Match that with your fantastic art, and you will be dynamite. Watch out world.