Photo courtesy of Jessica Watts Art

Nosotros asked 14 accomplished artists: "What do you wish you would have known at the start of your art career?"

Some of their advice is very practical (proceed good records!) and some is broad, sweeping and existential, but all of it tin exist applied to make your journey as an artist a niggling smoother and a little happier.

These artists address issues that all emerging artists face up at some indicate in their career.

From finding your conviction, discipline, and voice, to understanding entrepreneurship, money issues, and business tips, and dealing with success, rejection, and bruised egos, these artists accept been through it all and are here to share what they learned along the way.

Here is what they would tell their younger selves:

Untitled Study (Fahan), Julia Ibbini, Hand and Lasercut Paper over Ink on Mylar

It's a marathon, not a sprint

The road is very, very long. It takes a lifetime to develop your craft and anyone who tells you lot otherwise is just lying. There will be many tears and non much appreciation (at offset).

People can (and will) exist cruel or unconstructive towards you and your work. Grow a very thick skin.

Eye fingers are useful when gallerists, teachers, critics, or other artists are existence unnecessarily awful. Keep making the work anyway.

In that location are no lightbulb or thousand inspiration moments (ok maybe once in awhile, simply hardly ever); it's virtually chipping away each day. Acquire to feel the joy in that.

Learn as much as you can about marketing yourself and your piece of work as soon equally possible. Don't rely on anyone else to help yous with it.

Go to know the people who collect your piece of work, and keep in touch with them. They are a part of what makes it all worthwhile.

Enjoy the ride. I go a lot of people telling me that they used to be actually into art when they were children simply had to give it upwardly because of a variety of reasons (and dearly wish they could make art again). If y'all've got the guts to be making work and putting information technology out there, be proud of yourself and have fun with it.

Julia Ibbini

@JuliaIbbini , @JuliaIbbiniart
I Think She Winked at Me past Jessica Watts, Oil, acrylic, and paper on canvas

In that location is no correct or incorrect, in that location is no win or lose

When I was first starting out I thought at that place was a "right" style to approach my art and my art business. I felt like all artists knew the way ... except for me. If I could go back in fourth dimension, I would tell myself in that location is no right or incorrect way.

Rather, it'south about doing things your manner. Had I known this before I would have been less troubled about how my work was received and more confident in my vision for my business.

The fine art business tin can be very competitive: whose work is amend (fine art prizes) whose work is selling more. It took me a while to detach myself from the noise.

So, I would too tell my fledgling self that competition is the enemy. It'due south a much better utilise of time to monopolize the space in which you create value.

Jessica Watts

@jessowatts, @JessicaWattsArt
LGBTQ Rights past Melanie Reese, Acrylic and spray paint on sheet

Being an artist also means existence a business possessor

I wish I would have known how much existence a working artist today requires you to be a small-scale business professional with an understanding of art marketplace trends.

With the ascension of the internet and social media came a new moving ridge of art world–artist interaction. Artists of all mediums, practices, genres, and talent have exposure in ways that those who came before us could only dream of, merely with that exposure comes more than of a responsibility for the artist.

A website is a requirement, social media presence is a necessity, keeping an inventory is crucial, and an ability to sell artwork directly is not only possible but desirable and with that comes the responsibility of understanding the intricacies of the art market.

Melanie Reese

@Melaniereese
Screen_Shot_2016-01-16_at_5.53.18_PM_f1vggw Shangrilah, Jill Sanders, Metal photo

B.Fifty.Eastward.N.D

Be nice. Always be nice to people fifty-fifty if they critique y'all or simply do non answer to your images.

Learn everything you tin can about marketing and develop organizational skills. You tin accept 4,000 brilliant images on your hard bulldoze, but they slowly become insignificant without exposure.

Educate yourself.  Never stop learning. Intelligence is the foundation of great art. In club to stir an emotion in others, i must be able to make a viewer question their previous ideas and claiming their established thoughts.

Northetwork. Anybody needs a tribe for support.

Don't surrender … just attempt harder.

Jill Sanders

@jillsandersphotographer
Enkindling Mt. Susitna, Karen Whitworth, Oil On Console

Minimize administrative tasks and maximize making time

Paint (or create) more.

I spent then much fourth dimension doing busy piece of work early on that my time at the easel was affected. In retrospect, I should have devised a style to delegate or outsource my busywork sooner and so that my painting time could take been preserved or even increased.

For that reason, I recommend that you rent an assistant before yous think it'south necessary. If you wait too long, things are already hectic and the transition of delegating will be unnecessarily cumbersome. Another symptom of waiting too long is that things starting time to fall through the cracks as your time to reach them becomes more and more scarce. This can be dangerous. The expense and time to rent and train an assistant is worth it. Brand plans and start budgeting for it at present.

Karen Whitworth

@karenwhitworth
Cavity of Boundless Heartbeats, Caitlin G McCollom, Acrylic on yupo

Develop the business side of things early

When I was only getting started I really didn't empathize the entrepreneurial side of being an artist. It was quite the learning process to get established every bit a business aslope developing my studio do and personal vision as an artist.

I highly recommend finding a mentor who can show yous the road alee while you're getting where y'all're going.

As, I wish I would take known how of import it is to have accurate archives and records.

Years later when I was established, I had to practice months of data entry to go defenseless up. Artwork Archive was a life saver for this process, but it was nevertheless a ton of piece of work to practise all at once.

I would also tell myself to stay positive and know that information technology IS possible to be a professional creative person. I got so many discouraging messages proverb my dream was impossible, making it took much longer than I wanted to become a full-time artist. But, it's totally possible. Information technology just takes a little ingenuity and hard work.

Caitlin McCollom

@cgmccollom
Echoes & Silence, Gillian Buckley, Graphite and Acrylic

Only compare yourself to old self

I began in a identify of very little understanding of the art earth and other artists around me. I recollect that had if I had known the amount of talent that was already out there, I probably wouldn't have even started!

Back then, I compared my piece of work only to my earlier piece of work, which is a safe place to build confidence.

Gillian Buckley

@GillianBuckleyArtist
Hybrid Vigor, Julie G. Anderson,Ceramic

Don't rely on coin from your fine art ... at start

Having multiple sources of income other than merely selling your artwork is very important when you are commencement starting off and possibly throughout your career every bit an artist.

A diversified stream of income has allowed me to experiment and make the work I truly want to brand, rather than just making work that I know will sell. I learned that trying to please everyone with the type of art I make is a recipe for making pieces that are not so great.

It also made me detest making art; I was bored past it.

Create the work that you truly dear and the correct buyers volition come up forth eventually.

This way, you can stay your own personal creative path, but in the meantime, you can feed yourself and go along a roof over your head with your alternate source of income.

Julie Anderson

@JulieAndersonCeramics
Fringe V2, Beth Kamhi, Brass beads, aluminum, wood

Trust your instincts and your abilities

Your sincere delivery to your practice is the path to condign a successful creative person. That, and trusting your instincts.

Those ii things plus a electric current approach to marketing = success.

A degree in Fine Arts is not the final answer. I know many highly talented artists who feel unqualified to call themselves artists considering they don't take an MFA.  I as well know many MFA Artists whose piece of work is sub-par.

You have it or you don't. Believing in yourself is paramount to creative success and artistic happiness

Beth Kamhi

@bethkamhi
Luminous Blue Variable, Sawyer Rose, silver solder, copper, ultramarine powdered pigment

Make more work

The standard logic behind this advice is that working in greater quantity loosens you lot upwards and you end upwardly making more good work.

And this is truthful, simply also I discover that when I speed up my workflow I'm not every bit emotionally married to the final production. Each gallery submission or residency awarding doesn't feel like a personal referendum on me as an artist. When, inevitably, rejection comes my mode, it's easier to carry on when I can say to myself, "Oh, but that was sometime work anyway."

Sawyer Rose

@Ksawyerrose
Arctic Tumbleweed by Kathleen Elliot, Glass

Keep going in the face up of rejection

After most 2 decades as an artist, there is much I am yet learning, and a lot I don't even know I don't know even so. Perhaps the most of import, though, is the power to keep going in the face of declines or people non responding to and liking my work.

After pouring everything I am into my work, I assume others volition connect with that and want information technology, whether that's gallerists or collectors or curators.

Competition is tearing, the number of declines is exponentially greater, and we accept to be ok and not knocked downwardly past that. Or, at least be able to option ourselves upwardly from disappointments and proceed going.

Kathleen Elliot

@Kathleenelliot
Bird on Grenade (3 mad Swallow attached to pin) Steven Spazuk, Soot and acrylic on panel

Delivery is everything

I would tell myself to actually devote all my time to my art; to work towards my goals full-fourth dimension, stay on track, and stay focused.

When I was a young teenager, I was a big Dali fan, and one of his citations was, "No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy creative person." That ever stuck in my heed.

Steven Spazuk

@steven_spazuk
Daydream Luminescence, Laura Guese, Oil On Canvas

Put in the hours and persevere

What I wish I had known every bit an creative person only starting out is that rejection is simply part of the profession. Yous have to be willing to have a lot of "no's" to finally become a "yes." Perseverance is key, and information technology's important not to take those rejections besides seriously or personally. Keep moving forward!

Your work volition continue to better if you go along practicing your art and putting in the hours. I received advice from an art professor in college that has stayed with me to this day.  He encouraged me to just show upwardly at the studio fifty-fifty if I wasn't feeling peculiarly inspired to piece of work.

Usually, after existence in the studio for an hour or so, I would discover myself getting engrossed in my art.

Laura Guese

@Lauraguese
Moody Blues 2 by Annie Wildey, Oil On Linen

Don't wait to get serious most fine art.

Don't be fearful. Be more than willing to take risks. Be confident and believe in yourself. Nurture and explore your creativity and master your skills.

I put off seriously pursuing my art for 18 years. After art schoolhouse, I was a little lost and unsure of who I was. I traveled and barbarous into a career in business, working for an organization in New York City. Though I gained a lot of skills and matured,  the final few years of my business career I desperately wanted to brand more than time for my fine art. I didn't know how to navigate that journey alone so I sought the assist of a creative and life coach and eventually decided to pursue an MFA at 40.

I would tell my younger self to find a mentor or a creative jitney whom you tin can learn from. And, put money aside when you accept it! Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, identify your goals, and approach your art career with a business concern mindset.

Annie Wildey

@anniewildey

Looking to set yourself upwards for success right from the start? Effort Artwork Archive to manage all the details of your fine art business from mean solar day ane.