Advice on making it

[Renee Ruggles]

Hello,

This is my second post to Stroke of Genius, although I've been a visitor and member for a while.

How does a person who has worked her entire life to become a good portrait artist, but who has no advantages of connection, location or money, get noticed and/or get into agencies who can bring her more clients?

I am struggling to keep my work at the forefront of my life when life already requires more energy and time than I have. I am not simply in need of discipline or priority-setting. My story is sad but boring, so you'll just have to trust that I've come as far as I have through nothing but sheer determination and very hard work. But, I'm 42 and tired of beating my head against some invisible ceiling.

Simple things are starting to occur to me: maybe I should include my artist's statement and a cover letter with slide applications; maybe I simply have to relocate (hard to do with kids in school); maybe having a longer list of awards or exhibitions will make an impact....

Yet, I feel time is running out on me. Yes, I may have many years ahead of me, but I'm losing the ability to shrug off disappointment and keep trying to do it all. I have to work full-time and overtime to make ends meet, and my kids and home take the rest of my life.

So, my question is also, how have some of you out there managed to become career portrait artists?

I need specifics, no more vague references to keeping the faith or working harder. I have honed my skills to the point where I can demonstrate painting in front of a crowd and complete a likeness, to the point where word of mouth is reaping some rewards, and to where local forces are giving me soirees and exhibition opportunities.
However, I reiterate, I want to be a portrait artist full-time. I want to dedicate my life to capturing the beauty of individual people as I see it. I have drawn and painted people since I was small, and I've worked and educated myself until I know I am capable of providing an excellent service.

So, how do I get there?

Is there any wisdom for me?

Thanks for reading my ramble, if you have. . . and for allowing me to join this site of my peers and idols.

Renee

[Michele Rushworth]

I have honed my skills to the point where I can demonstrate painting in front of a crowd and complete a likeness, to the point where word of mouth is reaping some rewards, and to where local forces are giving me soirees and exhibition opportunities.

These things will help you tremendously, so keep doing them.

The SOG Forum Marketing section has a wealth of ideas on how to market your work. Taking an afternoon to study what has worked for others on this site would be time well spent.

How far from a big city do you live? Concentrating your efforts on marketing to a small number of people with the money to truly afford your work is probably the most important suggestion I can make. (For example, an ad in a large daily metropolitan newspaper would not be a good idea, running an ad in the program of the city symphony or opera might be.)

Another way to reach well-off people with a need for your product is to donate to private school fundraising auctions. There are several threads in this section that deal with how to do that.

Good luck and keep us posted!

[Mike McCarty]

How does a person who has worked her entire life to become a good portrait artist, but who has no advantages of connection, location or money, get noticed and/or get into agencies who can bring her more clients?

You can mark this response under the "not so cheery" category.

It's been said that there are only 5 people in the world who truly understand global finance, and 7 of them are dead.

I feel the same can be said of the ingredients needed to become a successful portrait artist. It takes 9 critical ingredients, and you better have all 11 of them.

Consider that there are about 125 artists represented on the SOG site, of that number; and I'm guessing of course, maybe half could support themselves and their families on their income. I think I'm being generous. Of those half, take away the past support of a spouse and you might cut that number by half again.

Compare all this to the number of professional baseball players, coaches, and other related jobs in pro baseball. How many of them are making a living for their families, thousands I would think. And, I would bet that the other many thousands that were washed out of this profession had excellent skills.

Would you encourage someone to drop all other pursuits and concentrate on their baseball skills in hopes of joining the prosperous thousands?

Have you heard this joke? What do a medium pizza and a professional portrait artist have in common?

Neither can feed a family of four.

As I said, this is not the usual ra-ra, but it is a rational perspective.

[Renee Ruggles]

Thank you, Michelle and Mike, for responding to my gush! Marketing to symphony patrons, etc... is a great idea I never thought of. I had to become skilled enough in my own eyes to warrant serious marketing; and, now I have to learn that skill. I will definitely check out the marketing stuff here. I live in Mid-Michigan, in a little Dow town which is surprisingly rich in culture, probably because the population is an ever-changing international crowd of Dow employees. There are a few very kind people here who support the arts, but I am three hours from Detroit, and six from Chicago. Both are driveable distances, and I do have to find a way to market there.

Mike, you're not telling me anything I don't already know. In response, I must say that I don't want much, I don't need a very high standard of living or anything. For my kids' sake, I have stuck to a home and school district; but in four years my youngest will be off to college,hopefully, and I can live in a smaller place for a lot less. I'm not lookin' to get rich, but rather to spend my life doing what I really was made to do.

Thanks for both of your quick comments, and, please, Everyone, feel free to give me more!

Renee

[Melinda Roeleveld]

Hi Renee,

Welcome to the Forum! You will gain a lot of knowledge from this, and it can become addictive, I must warn you.

I have to agree with Mike. It is better to be realistic about the sad state of many professional artists when it comes to making ends meet financially. What you can do is at least do art related jobs that could bring in more money than only doing portratis. I am really in your boat. I know exactly what you are going through. I actually think the better I get the fewer jobs I am getting! I am going into debt to go out to Scottsdale to study under William Whitaker, but I signed up a half a year ago and feel this is my final splurge.

But what I also do is teach a little, do commercial type jobs (architectural renderings for example) and I am considering looking into another source of emergency income until I get my work out there to the point that I have a sound reputation in my city. I've even done flowers for two weddings, which is an art form. I am thinking about writing and illustrating my own cook book because I love to cook international food and I've lived in several foreign countries for a number of years.. It takes time and persistence.

I want to concentrate on quality and just do all I can by studying, reading, asking lots of questions, etc. I get marketing books at the library and go to Barnes and Noble every week with my husband to read art magazines and drink coffee. I take a notebook along and write down ideas, addresses, websites, etc. My husband struggles, too, because he designs websites and busniess is up and down for him as well. We have four kids--two college and two high school! It is really tough, believe me! Just never give up your dream, and pray! I totally believe in that

I hope that helps, but basically, I want to say, you are not alone!! Hang in there!

Melinda Roeleveld

[Renee Ruggles]

I appreciate your advice. Joining this forum - and finally using it - is inspirational, to say the least.

I also do artistic jobs where I can find them; but, I know a huge problem for me right now is my lack of time spent looking for them. I work many hours on my feet as a full-time florist, and very often just come home, make dinner, apply for better jobs or take care of something my kids have going on, and just go to bed. (My job doesn't pay a living wage, so my hunt is all-consuming right now. I had hoped my new BFA would land me a great job, but it is just too depressed of an economy, here, in Michigan.)

This weekend I do have an artist's soiree, which is a dinner put on in my honor and at which I can converse with people about my work and art in general. Linda and Dan Smith of Midland, here, are putting it on for me, just out of the kindness of their hearts and their dedication to the arts. I hope to make the most of this wonderful evening, and to deserve their faith. However, Midland is such a small town, I don't forsee much work coming from this particular event. What it is is a huge honor, and validation of my work. Just the invitation by the Smiths is wonderful.

I do think I need to be closer to a larger city. When my son graduates from high school in four years, I will surely move to a place with more opportunity. I may even go sooner, but I am struggling with the decision to change his school district at this time.

Decisions, decisions! But thank you for responding to my post, and good luck to you as well.

Renee