Monday, October 15, 2007

How to be a Successful Artist

"Ho-Hos", Oil on Panel, 6x6 inches
Jerry Lebo, 2007



On Friday, I was driving by the 7-Eleven and could not resist a quick stop for a fix of Ho-Hos and a pair of Hostess Cupcakes. So, I am back on the junk food. I was surprised to see that Ho-Hos now come in packs of three (I recall buying them two per package). Anyway, it just means I had to eat one before I started painting the other two. They taste as I remember--but I soon discovered they melt quickly under a still life lamp. Anyway, it looks like the "Bite Me" series is not over--you can expect another few paintings in this series to come over the next few weeks.

As I lapsed back into my junk food habit, I have been thinking whether it is a good idea to keep painting the same little still life over and over, although I don’t seem to be able to stop myself. I am beginning to feel a bit like Giacometti, who used to make these miniature sculptures and carry them around in a little matchbox in his pocket. They were pretty much impossible to sell, but he said that he could not stop himself from doing it. He tried to make bigger sculptures, but they always seem to shrink until they fit in a matchbox. Fortunately, he eventually got over it and made something that he could actually sell—otherwise we may not have ever heard of him.

Well, this line of thinking made me wonder how one actually becomes a “successful artist”. If you can believe it, there are actually people (mostly economists) who study this topic. They have their own journal and publish all sorts of papers about artists. Anyway, I was looking at some of their work and this is what they are telling us about “successful artists" in the US:

1. The average age of artists in the US is thirty-nine years of age;

2. Art teachers account for less than 1% of artists, down from 5%;

3. “Designers” compose over one-third of all artists;

4. Only one-quarter of artists said they majored in art at the college level;

5. More than 75% of artists have a college education;

6. Ten states account for 60% of the artists in the US;

7. Only 24% of artists reported they worked solely as an artist; and

8. 60% of artists have other jobs, because "they pay better".

So there you go—a bunch a pretty worthless statistics. However, it does show that having a full time job is not unusual for an artist.

If you want to know more about what it takes to be a successful artist I would recommend you read Cay Lang’s book “Taking the Leap”, which puts it more succinctly. I wrote in a previous post about this book some time back. I highly recommend her book if you are interested in good advice on how to build your career--especially if you are just starting out. She says that there are three essential qualities that lead to success as an artist:

1. Curiosity
2. Commitment
3. Good work habits

Of these three, she says "good work habits" are the most important. My own experience bears this out. Since starting this blog, not only has my painting improved, but I feel more in touch with what I am trying to accomplish as an artist--and I have made a few decent paintings in the process.

I hope that helps to inspire you to get back into the studio. A daily practice is the core of all successful artists.

All the best, sixtyminuteartist.

NOTE: The above statistics are taken from Chapter 7, "The Career Matrix: The Pipeline for Arists in the United States" (Authors, A. Gilligan and Neil Alper) which appears in the book, "The Public Life of the Arts in America", edited by Joni. M. Cherbo and Margaret J. Wyszomirski. Rutgers University Press, 2000.

63 comments:

gardenbug said...

Just passing through...enjoyed reading your blog. I am an art teacher without an art teaching job. Have a room set up for painting, sewing, crafts...and never find the time to go in there. You are an inspiration.

Carol H. said...

Nice Ho Hos! I like the limited palette and the shadow on the inside of the bitten HoHo. I just found your blog yesterday, it's very interesting!

Mr. Trombley said...

Dear Sir or Ma'am, would you mind terribly to give your sources for the above statistics? Is it the aforementioned book?

shara said...

glad I followed the link; enjoyed your blog.

Anonymous said...

Adore the painting; wish I could buy it. ^_^

Snaggle Tooth said...

Just found you on the dashboard, good work! Good advice on your blog (mirrors-hmm), fun stats in this post.
I'm an artist with another job n degree in design myself-
I haven't posted my painted work tho, except my recent photos, n am having probs playing catch-up on projects lately, owe several paintings- A minute per day would take years! I do alot of unicorns.

I'll be back for updates n archive digging... Hi from Cape Cod!

Jenna said...

I love your Inmates (cows) painting. I have come to discover that I am not a good art critic, I just like what I like and I like most of what you paint so far. I am exploring my artistic side through building websites for artists:shameless plug for my best friend Jess: www.jessicaalderman.com).

Have you ever read the book, The Artist's Way? I think it is true that once you decide you are not an artist it haunts you forever. But I don't think that just because you are not and artist per se you should try to do art. So I do think it's rude to come to your site and leave my opinion, but that didn't see to stop me so best of luck, really like your cow and "painting of what you love" the red house is nice.

Employee 835 said...

This is just the blogtastic thing that I needed. I've been feeling stagnant/scattered lately re the art making. I enjoyed reading this. It gives me hope that I have not buried my fine art career in helping others to further their own.

Thanks.

ms generica to you!! said...

hmm..i think more and more artists especially here in australia...are becoming more successfull...th e belle vogue and interior magazines are now the new..art forums.th etime is really rife for "designer"artists..as i call itmore artist are becoming successfullas more affluent people want to fill their ,mansions/apartments/yachts/etc...with soem wall fodder..its an interesting time..

sixtyminuteartist said...

Mr. trombly has asked for a citation for the stats on my latest post, so I have added this to the posting. I apologize for the oversight. Jerry

melissa lanitis gregory said...

I really liked the HoHo's... although it brings back memories of the yucky taste they leave in your mouth. I recently ran across an artist who was doing a series of paintings of partially eaten (by him) candy bars, so maybe you're on to something. I myself am a part-time artist and full time mother; it is hard, and even though I've made it a point to work every morning, there are some days, like yesterday, when both boys were sick. And it's hard to be a good mom when I'm a also a frustrated artist! Although I guess I did manage at least 60 minutes...(usually I go for four hours).

sixtyminuteartist said...

Mel, Four hours! That's great. Keep it up. Love your work--lyrical and inspiring. Jerry

Kell said...

Hi! I love your Ho-Ho painting! What a Great idea! Hurray!

Real Live Lesbian said...

Yep, you've just inspired me. I've been meaning to get out my paints for around six months now. Too long, huh?

Thanks for the inspiration. Loved the Ho-Hos!!!!!

Unknown said...

Hi there!
Oh, I was very attracted to the artwork you posted...great!
By the way, you may be interested in my post on the Salvador Dali show which is currently on exhibit.
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Melissa said...

howdy!
i'm not entirely sure how i stumbled upon your blog, but i like your work very much and so i thought id leave you a comment. i also really like this post. it is very difficult for me as well to get the time to create art, but i find that when i want to bad enough, nothing stops me. and when i do set that time aside, im always so glad i did. i always feel so much better! cheers!

sixtyminuteartist said...

Liss, thanks for leaving a commennt, by the looks of things, you definately have the art bug. Don't let anything stop you! Jerry

Ahvarahn said...






The Little Guy said...

Very interesting blog

Amongst The Oaks said...

I love your inspiring blog and hope to start painting again soon. I'm particularly fascinated by your small canvases. They seem manageable for time-challenged artists. Anyway, you gotta lay off the junk food, that stuff is bad for you. Just paint it, don't eat it.

Susan said...

I'm finding your blog very interesting...great info.
I'm trying to start my blog, the words are easy enough but I can't get the images to download. That makes it seem half-baked for an artist's blog. Your 60 minutes commitment is encouraging!

Isabel said...

You had to eat the third one.
You make it seem like such a chore... well, oh well. Your picture is very nice. I like the chunky brush strokes.

MBizzle said...

I'm no art critic, but I love that painting. I'm going to try the 60 minute project with my writing. Thanks for the inspiration!

Nicole V Lozano said...

As an artist with "another job" who graduated from college with something other then an art degree, I really enjoyed your blog. Thanks for sharing your work and the entertaining info. The stats feel so real to me, which makes me hopeful and depressed all at once. I'll look into your recommended reading... I can use all the help I can get. Thanks!

Fantambino said...

Hi, just discovered your space...and immediatly loved it!!!
I like the structure, your work and last but not least, your works...
In the next year to improve my painting technique is one of my purposes (the others? uncountable: anathomy, perspective, storytelling, dynamic anathomy, findig a job, finishing my master's degree...).
Thank you for the inspiration
from an italian cartoonis-to-be
bye
Lorenzo

--David said...

Saw your blog on the dashboard, clicked in, and HOLY SMOKES!! HO-HOs!! I love Ho-Hos! They are hard to come by where I live, so anytime they have boxes of them, I usually buy 2 or 3 boxes to tide me over...And, now to see them immortalized in paint!! Great work!

Chris Bassoo said...

Posted by Christopher Bassoo, Canada

I wanted to thank you for the informative and enjoyable read. I have been sitting here with my coffee and laptop enjoying a Bassoo family evening. Again many thanks, warmest of regards Chris Bassoo, Toronto, Canada

Anonymous said...

Are you feeling be a successfull artist already? I don't think so. The successfull is always on the move, isn't it! he he

Andrew David Photos said...

interesting blog as i am also an artist even though i haven't done any painting for a while

This is because i create art with a graphics pen and tablet using my own photos

To see what i do check out this site here www.artwanted.com/rainbow3

Celeste Jean said...

Thank you for this. I now understand that I'm not the only one with a compulsive need to create. I run an etsy shop to fulfill this need, even though it makes me no money!

Unknown said...

CJ. Thanks for stopping by. You are not alone in your compulsive need to create. It means you are an artist. Jerry

Jenny said...

Great post! It's so true that setting aside time each day helps your artwork immensely. I've been doing so for the past couple of weeks and I've come farther in two weeks than I have in two months. Those were interesting statistics as well. Thanks for sharing!

Borrego said...

Great, now I want a ho-ho.

elisabetta said...

cute ho-hos painting. i just wanted to say that i admire your blog!

Kim VanDerHoek said...

Your blog is a wonderful read! Thank you for posting so much advice for other artists. I've been debating about buying "Taking the Leap" and reading that you recommend had cemented my decision. Beautiful paintings too by the way.

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Ed T. said...

I really enjoy reading your blog and all the great thoughts and information you provide. I myself am an expressionist painter, so it's nice to hear the viewpoint of a more realist view of painting.

Michael said...

I was never a fan of ho-ho's but your version of them look pretty good.

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Sandy Maudlin said...

Hi Jerry,
What a great blogspot you have. I really enjoyed looking at your paintings - esp liked Inmates and the Fig Newtons. It's awesome that you can inspire so many artists to pick up their brushes. I finally joined the blog generation and began my own art blog, too. I teach adult art classes in my studio and we do have a lot of fun. Keep up the good work.

Anonymous said...

Great post! It's so true that setting aside time each day helps your artwork immensely

Dragons Lair said...

Found you on the dashboard. I have been struggeling to find the umpf to pic up my brushes again.

Your suggestions have really helped. I went in and cleaned on the cluter out of my painting area and have set sometime this week to get started again.

Also I linked your blog from mine (very new to blogging) I hope you dont mind and if you do please let me know and i will take it down.
DraLair@gmail.com

Thanks again

Niva said...

Recently, i sketched something after some hiatus, after getting the inspiration needed reading one of ur blogs...
keep blogging!!...

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Wonderful blog.

Anonymous said...

actually, that's brilliant. Thank you. I'm going to pass that on to a couple of people.

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Jerry, you'll never know how much reading the above has helped me! After fifteen years of painting, I became so depressed I put down my paintbrush, and it has been three years now since I last did any painting. In spite of the fact that I had been in many galleries, had at least two one-woman shows, and sold many paintings, I thought I would never be a "real" artist. Why? Because I listened to some snobs who "dissed" my art as soon as they found out I didn't have a degree specifically in art. It didn't matter to them that I have two years of university education in art and design (from a 4 year university), nor that I have a degree in education. To them I would never qualify as a "real" artist unless I had that government-sanctioned piece of paper from a university "making" me a "real" artist. Now I realize, from reading the statistics, that most "real" artist do not, in fact, have a degree specifically in art. I have also met excellent artists who proclaim themselves to be "self-taught" (although I don't believe you can actually be 100% self-taught - even if you just look at other paintings or read books you are learning from others). Anyway, I have realized the people who have "dissed" me on the basis of a piece of paper are the "unreal" ones, because they can't rely on their own eyes or judgment to decide what is "art". They are pathetic people whose approach to life is to always follow what the so-called "experts" say and to base all of their judgments on someone else's thoughts (but only if they have a degree, of course)! How sad that so many people of enormous talent are or have been dismissed in this way. Think of Van Gogh, who only sold one painting while he was alive. Today he is a household name. How sad it would be if the world had missed out on his work, because of some snob or group of snobs. I am inspired, and have begun to pick up my brush and paint again. If confronted by these snobs, I am not going to say anything, just hand them this article and say "read". However, because they are so closed-minded, it probably won't do any good. But it might make me feel a little better. I will concentrate on those who can judge my work through their own eyes and appreciate it. They are "real" people.

Jonathan said...

Awesome stuff, keep up the great work. Very interesting statistics too.

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Sean Ruiz said...

The article muses on an interesting topic that I've been thinking about as well. In my point-of-view art may not be something one can succeed.

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