Mull it Over Monday: The 3 Top Killjoys for the beginning artist, sorry.

Cobalt Clues, available here.

1) Your art drama is not that interesting.   Your family, friends and most non artists will not get it. Unless it relates directly to them, most people have a limited tolerance for your latest painting ideas and art supply purchases...   Even good news can get old.  I remember telling a friend:"I hope the day will arrive when I don't have to shout from a rooftop and do a happy dance everytime I sell a painting."  That day has yet to arrive, but my allotment of bragging rights is long over!  Save the art talk for fellow artists who love to hear all about it!

2) The work you do in the near future probably won't be dramatically improved, be patient.  What I really want to say is that improvement happens over the long haul.  It's important to work the path you are on.  Stay on it long enough to use your unique successes as equally unique stepping stones.  If you haven't seen this Ira Glass animated quote about being creative, it's a must see. I think I first saw it on Linda Popple's art blog.


3) You're gonna have to paint more than many to get where you want to go. "Painting more" isn't really a killjoy-- but it's worth mentioning.  I'm grateful to every gallery that ever represented my art. But sometimes galleries aren't the end-all answer. You need enough art to go around. Try here, try there. Try this, try that. Some of it will come back to you, unsold.  It's not pretty but having a lot of art in stock gives you a minute to figure out what will work for you.