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Originally Posted by Sandra Jackson
Thank you so much, Sharon. If there's anything I learned in college, it was that no teacher or higher education can MAKE you a better artist. It's up to you to learn through experience. I became full-time single mommy right out of college, so I have recently blown the dust off my Grumbachers. The single mom gig is the main reason for my haste to sell. I do not want to present my work prematurely, though. That would be a huge mistake (first impressions being so important, and all). Thank you for taking the time to respond, too. I hope I didn't sound ungrateful (it's hard to relay emotion via text). I took a look at your site, and I love your work. That is the kind of polish I hope to one day achieve.
Sincerely,
Sandra Jackson
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When I first started out, there was no internet, no guideposts, nowhere to get knowledge and feedback. I did not know ateliers existed or that talented trained artist were giving classes or workshops.
My school was and still is in the full throes of abstract expressionism.
I did not realize that there were any figurative artists alive, except maybe the Francis Bacon genre. I thought to do fine art you had better have a very ugly bag of tricks.
I don't know wether or not you had classical figurative training in your art school, many today to my knowledge do not.
I know very few artists who have not had financial difficulty from the getgo and continue to struggle well into middle age and beyond. Even gifted ones.
The portrait field is so overcrowded today. You have to be exceptional, well trained, confidant and lucky to make a living.
Get your ducks lined up. Develop a point of view that is undeniably yours. Learn as much as you can. Try to do as much from life as you can even if it means dragooning family and friend to pose just to practice heads. Spring for a workshop or two with someone you admire. Ask artists here on the forum for feedback on the workshops they have attended. Timothy Mensching went to Marvin Mattelsons, Beth Schott to Bill Whittakers, Chris Saper to Daniel Greenes. I believe they all reported they got a lot of bang for the buck.
Good luck!