Paris! An Artist's Dream!

Paris...a trip of a lifetime!  

My husband Ed and I recently guided an ART Vacation with 10 artist/students from Hidden Talent Art School. Where do artists dream of going? PARIS of course!

Most of us traveled together from Edmonton on Icelandic Air, a recent addition to carriers at our airport.

The trip was shorter ( different route of going over the North Pole) and we got off in Iceland only to pass through customs and return to the same plane, BUT different seats- an interesting way to do it!Some of our group were visiting Iceland on the way back- another fabulous opportunity.

We checked into our hotel- 2 blocks from the Louvre in the St. Germaine area. Not enough cam be said about our location- we walked almost everywhere, we ate at amazing cafes and restaurants, we had major shopping districts 5 minutes away. Our hotel was great-a bit of renovation not quite finished but a good continental breakfast and wonderful staff.

 So off we go, jet lagged but hungry, to have our first taste of French cuisine! The Petit Zinc, a famous Art Nouveau restaurant was ready for the 12 of us- of course we Canadians ate way to early (6:30) and that's probably why they could accommodate all of us without a reservation! No one eats before 8:00 at the earliest! Our new quest- to find the perfect Creme Brulee!

THE BUSINESS SIDE OF ART- where to start?

I have just watched an interview with Michael John Angel, a famous Master realist artist who has an atelier in Florence, Italy. His students have a 3-4 year program starting with 'drawing flat' (from other drawings), then 'drawing round' (casts), and finally putting color to canvas in the final year.
In his opinion, today's contemporary artists must do 1 1/2 days of art business to 3 1/2 days of art in order to be successful.

Wow! That sure takes the romance out of it, doesn't it? 

What does an artist do when she doesn't have a brush in her hand?
At the beginning there is the 'Get to know and Love me' stage- website, social media, going to opening, networking and getting opportunities to show your art. Updating a resume, website updates, and perhaps a store on etsy or tryuing  to sell through FaceBook....oh I forgot, you must also refine and develope your style and skill- this means lots of paiting at the same time.
No wonder the vast majority of talented almost professional artists get discouraged! That's a ton of work! Even more if you have another job to support you.
I think you can see where the passion of an artists comes from- all this and we still love to paint!

This week it has been 2-8 hour days sitting in front of the computer- fixing the website ( font glitches and updates) and deciding on a few new projects( paint parties, Pino and Speed Painting). Check it out-
www.hiddentalentartschool.com

It's really my own fault, I am not tech savvy enough to get this done fast. But, I want to be able to learn these skills to be able to change things as needed. Artists tend to be a bit impulsive and when the moment strikes them- off they go. Me, too.
After a long walk around the neighborhood, I plan to spent a few hours with a brush in my hand- a real reward for all the necessary things I must do!

For all of you that are just starting this journey here are a few tips...

1. Your Data
Record all your paintings.
Number them.
Write about your paintings- where you were, what you liked, what was the challenge.
Record where you show them.
Record who buys them.
Record workshops and opportunities.
Hard copy and save all press.
Take GOOD photos of your art, number them, save them.
Write your story or some one else might!
Know your costs of materials

Yikes! That's a bit of work isn't it? There's more, but that's for a later post!