We cannot live happily by spiritual sustenance alone nor by material prosperity alone. It is only by having ambition and by crowning that ambition with the idea of service to others, either by helping them individually or by working for some great cause, that you will find a spiritual reason for making money for yourself and others. To help others to help themselves also spiritualizes ambition. An Almighty Power has linked us all together. Whenever you help others you are helping yourself. “

-Paramahansa Yogananda

Mahatma Gandhi once stated, “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Understanding this simple concept aligns us to the power within ourselves and to the world at large. Much of the Artist As Brand philosophy revolves around this truth. Know Thyself begins the journey.

Here is a great article on The Power of Service.

Artists with a store front? Yes, artists can embrace the brick and mortar store as well as a digital shop. Check out Three Fish Studios who do it all in one space, with classes too. This is an option for a group of artists who want to make a splash in their local community as well as online.Annie Galvin and Eric Rewitzer, painters and printmakers, husband and wife, create original and affordable art in their home/studio/store near San Francisco. Go here to see how they do it.

If you are using the Artist As Brand® principles to promote your products then you know that High Touch Marketing is key to your success. That means finding the right venues to meet your people.

If you are selling a book then schools that are appropriate to your market are great places to meet your fans. Kevin Gerard is a children's book author who has visited hundreds of schools presenting his stories and selling lots of books too. 

Check out this post on the Publicity Hound and learn how he does it. This is an older interview but still relevant today.

Whenever a new idea is born it is often greeted with awe, disdain or simply, ‘What?’

When the synapses in my brain aligned to create a class on artist empowerment and prosperity, it was crystal clear as to the concept and worth of what I was manifesting. However, the idea of Artist As Brand is so unique to any education taught in any school, college or university out there, so it's understandable that there are some questions about what it is I teach exactly. This post is going to clarify the principles/manifesto of this course (some call it a movement) and exactly what value you will receive from your time and $295 investment.

What is Artist As Brand?

The goal of Artist As Brand is to connect the individual to their purpose, art and prosperity. Connecting your art deeply with your truth creates a mark that is so authentic and profound it embodies a unique power. Align this vision with your individual collectors through targeted marketing techniques and you begin to build a one-of-a-kind art empire that can sustain you financially for the rest of your life.

ARTIST art·ist [ahr-tist]–noun 1. A person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria. 2. A person who practices one of the fine arts. 3. A person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc… A commercial artist. 4. A person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer. 5. A person whose work exhibits exceptional skill.

BRAND [brand]–noun and verb 1. Kind, grade or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark or the like. 2. A mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc… 3. A kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic. 4. To impress indelibly. 5. A brand name.

The essence of these two words together can be defined thus: A creator who has made their mark!

Some fine artists scoff at the word brand. Whether you like the word or not, all visionary creators throughout time who have made their mark on humanity are brands. They are remembered for their impact on the collective consciousness of the planet and many are household names. I call the Artist As Brand workshop an artist boot camp because it is highly focused with the intention of aligning and defining (in some instances re-aligning and re-defining) the purpose and direction of an individual's career path. We start deep in the heart and move outwards connecting your talent to your marketing, patrons and collectors so there is perfect alignment.

The knowledge for this workshop is derived from 28+ years working as a professional artist inside and outside of the publishing, film and gallery industries as well as teaching higher education.

The following is an outline of the course and what students will learn and come away with. This is an evergreen online course. Students get lifetime access to the course including all future updates and resources.

MODULE ONE: DECLARE YOUR PURPOSE: You will learn your Core Virtue. Knowing your core virtue is the first step to establishing a foundation which your career is built upon. This intimate part of yourself is a driving force in your life. It goes deeper than your art. Declaring your core purpose aligns your heart with your art in a profound manner.

Design a Personal Logo/Heraldic Shield: You will create a simple image that will represent what you just learned about yourself. It will represent your Core Virtue.

Design a Vision Board: This template is defined by everything you love in your life—what turns you on and keeps you motivated as a unique individual. The Vision Board represents the niche markets that will be your domain and will make up your one-of-a-kind art empire.

Practice The Art of The Blurb: You will learn how to introduce and represent yourself to people. Most artists do not have a clue how to speak with others about who they are and what they do. This exercise is designed to increase your confidence and generate interest in who you are and what you have to offer.

Every workshop includes special lectures by esteemed individuals who encompass the Indie Art Spirit. Guests include art writer Peter Clothier, licensing expert Maria Brophy, social media master and botanical perfumer Roxana Villa.

MODULE TWO: PLAN YOUR BRAND: You will learn to design your art and product line. We will look at artists who are successful in this area and discuss new approaches to making income from your art. We will define what art and products can manifest from your Vision Board.

Create An Innovative Marketing Blueprint: You will learn to create a marketing blueprint that integrates high tech and high touch medias. We look at these two very different but synergistic marketing models. You learn how to best utilize these promotional mediums.

Learn The Simple Yet Powerful Art of Business and Commerce: Are you an art hobbyist or an art professional? This is a short lecture on straight up, common sense business practices. If you are selling art, you are a business. Start acting like one.

Connect With Artist Entrepreneur Leaders: Learn to create a community and hook up with those who are successful in order to keep yourself inspired and in the company of great people.

MODULE THREE: EMPOWER YOUR PROSPERITY: Commit to sustainability. You will design a five-year marketing strategy that takes a serious look at your finances, living situation and overall goals personally and professionally. What is possible? Connecting to your BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal).

Recognize the Potential of Team Building and The Power of a Mastermind: Your peers can be some of your greatest assets from a personal, professional and moral support capacity. You will start this process right in the class!

Conceptualize a Product Ready for Manufacture: We begin to look at the details of what it’s going to cost in labor, time and materials to create a product from start to finish.

Review: In addition participants will have access to other career enhancing promotional opportunities only available to Artist As Brand students! Some of these details can be found on the ABOUT page. Now you are ready to create your own Art Empire!

I hope this information helped to clarify the purpose and design of my class. Come on and join the Indie Art Revolution! Sign up today! Lifetime access is included and you may complete the class online at your own pace.

See what participants are saying.

To Your Artist Empowerment and Prosperity,

—Greg

A recent article in the Washington Post has put the total student loan debt in the United States at a whopping 1.75 trillion dollars! While most counties around the world provide low cost and even free college education to their citizens, it seems that ideologies in America have changed and that college education is no longer seen as a ‘public good,’ but rather one for the privileged few who can afford the prohibitive cost.

Ronald D. White wrote a great story for the LA Times about the problem of college debt. He focuses on one individual, Andrew Post, age 13. When most boys were fretting about the perils of girls and middle school, Andrew Post was attending Cal State Los Angeles, working on degrees in computer science and applied mathematics. At 18, Post was entering USC Gould School of Law. At 22, Post became a member of the State Bar of California.

Along the way, the U.S. economy took to the slow track. Like many in his generation facing the worst job market in decades, Post opted to stay in school. The Altadena resident is now 24 and has landed a well-paying job as a programmer for a website operator. But he also faces $215,000 in student loans, with a minimum monthly payment of $2,756.

Many college graduates are not as lucky as Andrew to find well paying jobs in their fields of study and instead find themselves working at low paying jobs, strapped with crippling debt. The promises for a better life and income that college educations used to provide, now seem empty and grossly overpriced.

At Artist As Brand, we have sought to help artists who may be feeling lost after graduating. Many come out of pricey art schools with no knowledge of how to make it in the real world. This course is designed to help light the way and provide clear guidance on the path to creative success.

In a recent post I celebrated Sean Fitzgibbon who finished the Artist As Brand Workshop, embraced the principles and then reaped the benefits. When he finished his graphic novel grand opus, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel” I was curious about the evolution of the story and comic, but also how he managed to fund such a beautifully printed, high end, hard cover book with a slip cover.

Sean shared that he had crowd funded the project through Kickstarter and pulled in almost $29,000. I asked him if I could interview him about the process and he graciously agreed. His responses were a gold mine of crowd funding knowledge! Below are a few excerpts from the interview.

Sign up for the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and access the entire interview!

-Tell us a bit about the journey of creating the story for your graphic novel, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel.” What piqued your interest in this particular story?

When I was a kid my family would visit Eureka Springs, AR. I was always intrigued by its charming, Queen Anne dwellings perched on limestone bluffs, steep elevations, and serpentine roads that don’t intersect.  However, the most compelling and mysterious feature to me has always been the 1886 Crescent Hotel with its bizarre, dark and varied history. Years later I stayed at the hotel and went on the ghost tour.  What lingered with me was the story of the fraudulent medical practitioner that transformed the hotel into an abnormal hospital. Elements of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein and Stephen King’s The Shining left me morbidly intrigued.  Who was he and how could something like this have happened?  After conducting extensive research, I learned of his assorted and controversial past.   

-As you wrote the story and worked out the panels of the comic, did you decide to roll out the comic as a series, or was the goal to premier the final product as a finished graphic novel? What was your strategy?

This was my first attempt at a full-page graphic nonfiction book, so the process was all new to me. I always envisioned the book as a standalone piece.  If I were putting together the book today I probably would have broken it up into smaller segments and combined them as a way to build up interest in the project as I’m working on it. However, when I was working on this book I was working on many other art projects as well so the release of various segments or chapters of the book would have been irregular. Nowadays, I’m focusing primarily on my “What Follows is True” series of books so when I’m working on larger books, I can release small segments in regular intervals and then combine them into a nice hardcover edition. 

-After you decided to produce a series or a finished graphic novel was the plan to find a publisher or did you decide to go another route and self publish?

 My original plan was to find a publisher once the book was completed so I submitted to literary agents but was unable to stir up any interest. Just as I decided to search for publishers on my own, I was contacted by a literary agent who is also a working graphic novelist. He represents both graphic novelists and children’s book authors. He submitted my book to major publishers for one year and despite the praise the book received from many publishers, none decided to take a chance on the book. Publishers have become extremely risk adverse to unfamiliar projects and authors whose work they feel doesn’t fit into a specific niche. Nonfiction books are common but graphic nonfiction books are not as well known. 

 After careful consideration I decided a crowd funding platform to fund the printing costs of my book would be the best option. I then had to figure out which platform was right for my project. After researching the various platforms, I chose Kickstarter because it’s a major platform that focuses on creative projects like art, music, film, and it is well curated with quality products and the fees are reasonable.  

-After you decided to crowd fund the project what was your promotion strategy at this point?

Most of my promotion at this point was from my website and social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I find online platforms to be a decent way to promote your work but it’s also passive and I prefer to connect with people directly, so I knew I had to come up with a more effective way to reach potential backers. 

-I understand that there is much preparation and organization for the Kickstarter campaign. Can you share some of the highlights and main points for pulling it together?

 Once I decided on using Kickstarter for my campaign I began learning as much as I could about how the platform works and how to run a successful campaign. I read various books about the platform and listened to a very insightful podcast called Comix Launch.I also had to think about budget and printing costs, production, shipping etc. and I’d use this information to set my funding goal.  

 Another important factor to consider when preparing a Kickstarter campaign is the readability and design of your Kickstarter page. I researched similar projects on Kickstarter that were successful to understand how they built their page. I made sure that not only was the site well organized and user friendly but also that the overall aesthetic worked well with my book and overall brand. Videos are also a very effective way to engage potential backers and tell them about the project, so I created a trailer for my book utilizing iMovie with images from my project. 

 Also, Kickstarter is more than a platform, it’s a community, and before launching my campaign I made sure to support other Kickstarter campaigns that were similar to mine. Potential backers see that you’ve supported other projects, and you get to see how the process works from the backer’s standpoint. Most importantly it makes you feel good to invest in the success of another project.

Thank you Sean, for sharing your process!

Sign up for the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and access the entire interview. After reading it you will be informed and inspired to create your own successful crowd funded project.

I like to celebrate individuals who finished the Artist As Brand Workshop, embraced the principles and then reaped the benefits. Sean Fitzgibbon is one of those people. He attended my live class years ago, and then slowly finished his graphic novel grand opus, “What Follows is True: Crescent Hotel.”

Sean crowd funded the project through Kickstarter and pulled in almost $29,000. He has since then been promoting the book at different venues to great effect. “I learned more about the business and marketing aspects of being an artist from Artist As Brand® than I did in both undergraduate and graduate school.”

Sean recently reviewed the new Online Workshop and remarked, “I find it so inspiring and invigorating! I can't tell you how many times I've recommended your course to various students over the years. In fact I was giving a lecture to students at the University of AR at Monticello on Wednesday and I mentioned Artist As Brand in my lecture as being one of my biggest influences in building my career as an artist.”

“I loved visiting the new additions to the course workbook such as the updated videos, artist examples and interviews. Also, the updated use of social media applications and Google Analytics and other statistics services. I also was unaware of Funnel Software. I found this extremely helpful as well. “

Sean is such an inspiration that I intend to interview him in the near future to share more of his experience. I have hundreds of success stories like this that I will be sharing throughout the months.

Take one step into the Artist As Brand Online Workshop and your art career will never be the same.

Grow a voice- by Roxana Villa

Out of the box solutions for selling art and promoting it, get people’s attention. One suggestion is to start an Art Block Party. Gather all your neighbors who have some talent to share (artists, musicians, chefs, etc.), go to the city to get a permit to close down your street to traffic, then send out flyers promoting your amazing outdoor event to showcase the talent of the community. Now you have an outdoor gallery!

Betsy McDermott Altheimer, associate director for an artist service organization called Springboard for the Arts, located in the Twin Cities had another great idea for selling art. She was inspired by community-supported agriculture (CSA), where consumers receive a monthly lot of produce through purchasing shares in a farm. She thought if it works for farmers it could work for artists. “We should just do a CSA! Only this time, the ‘a’ would stand for ‘art.’”

Altheimer believes that food systems are the perfect metaphor in the reality of today’s art scene. “People have this mythical notion of what a farmer does. In reality, there is a lot of risk. You can’t guarantee every crop will be successful,” says Altheimer. “Likewise, an artist can’t guarantee that everything they do will be great. But he can ask people to invest in the value of what they do.”

Each season, nine artists participate. By signing up for a $300 share, a patron receives nine original works, plus admittance to three parties where the artists will be in attendance. Of course where the program seems a little less than ideal is the artist’s commission — for producing 50 pieces, he or she will only receive $1,000. But it’s up to the artist to create small, sensible works with a budgetary restriction in mind. Limited Edition prints might be a way to go.

The hope is that the artists will pick up new fans and patrons who will continue to follow and collect their work beyond the CSA share. “Our version of success is when the relationship continues beyond us,” affirms Altheimer. Check out her interview and then start your own CSA. If you have other ideas let me know and I will share them in a post.

Here are two more inspirational blog posts that will pump up your powers of introspection.

1. Right now is a great time to take a good look at the past year, reflect on your accomplishments and business strategies. Go to this Etsy post for some insight.

2. Caroline Myss is spiritual teacher who says she's living the life her soul was meant to lead. Caroline says everyone has the ability to fulfill their own "sacred contract"—a set of assignments the soul is meant to achieve. This dialogue between Caroline and Oprah touches on some of the Heart Virtue work we do in the Artist As Brand® workshop. Here.

Business tips 101. Check them out...

-20 tips for dramatically better emails and more growth hacks any small business can implement.

-A pattern exists in internet communities where 1% of people create the content, 9% will edit or contribute and 90% will watch from the sidelines. 

Focus on the 1

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Peter Thiel’s Zero to One

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World Standards Day

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Emailing a busy person

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Build a channel sales program like HubSpot

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Cold calling

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No such thing as retirement

-Richard Chang is a journalist, editor and writer serving as Senior Editor for Culture OC and specializing in arts and entertainment. I interviewed him years ago to hear a reporter's perspective on the state of the arts as well as his thoughts on artist sustainability. Surprisingly it still relates to what is happening today.

Greg Spalenka: Could you be considered a champion of the arts, or do you feel your strength and purpose is to focus a critical eye on a subject?

Richard Chang: I document the arts and artists around me, and shed light on efforts that otherwise would not get widespread attention. I’m particularly interested in ethnic American art – Native American, Latino, Asian American, etc.

Personally, I am a champion of the arts, but I’m also a journalist and a critic. I have to be careful not to give the public the impression that I’m frequently taking sides in one issue or another. Even in a highly subjective field such as visual art, it’s important for me to maintain some kind of objectivity. So, while I do share a passion for the arts with my readers and subjects, I have to keep a critical eye and distance to a certain degree. I am not an activist.

GS: What are you committed to? Are you attracted mostly to the arts and entertainment fields or is there another facet you would like to explore?

RC: I love being a reporter and writer. I feel that I was born to do it. I am committed to shedding light on darkness and allowing the truth to find a voice. “Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable,” as they say. I am probably most attracted to the visual arts field, but the reality of my job is, I have to pay attention to popular entertainment. We can’t ignore the subjects that most readers want to read about. That includes TV, movies and celebrities. As part of my beat, I do cover independent film.

GS: What is the most amazing form of art you have experienced and written about?

RC: That is a difficult question. I have to say, I’m kind of old fashioned. I love painting. There’s nothing like a fantastic Kandinsky, Basquiat or O’Keeffe. I’ve had the privilege to see and write about each one of them.

GS: How would you describe artist sustainability in terms of historical longevity and in the context of making a living from your art?

RC: As for making a living, it’s undoubtedly a difficult venture. You have to have mentors and advocates. You have to have awareness of the marketplace. It’s good to have champions of your work. You need to be your own champion. Don’t stop working.

GS: Historically artists have used the gallery system as a way to showcase and sell their art. At one time the gallery system was king but that has changed within the last decade. What are some alternatives you have seen?

RC: Obviously, the Internet has had a major impact on the way art is viewed, discussed and even purchased. One can simply go online to see an artist’s work, converse about it and buy a piece or two. There are also websites such as artnet.com where you can learn more about an artist’s background and participate in online auctions.Still, nothing beats seeing work and meeting an artist in person. Alternatives to the gallery system may be venues (in Orange County, CA) such as the Festival of Arts, the Sawdust and Art-A-Fair, as well as swap meets.

GS: Most art colleges focus on teaching conceptual and technical image making skill sets with an eye on preparing artists for the publishing, gallery, and entertainment industries. Have you seen alternatives to these corporate models? What about the challenges writers face in this regard?

RC: Sure, there are alternatives. Some art colleges focus on basic to advanced visual art skills, without much attention to corporate industries. I’d say the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) is a good example.

GS: My question really pertains to venues for selling your art beyond publishing, gallery, and entertainment industries.

RC: Well, as I mentioned above, art fairs and swap meets are viable alternatives. Municipal art centers sometimes have salon shows where you can sell your work. Also, getting your stuff online and selling it there. But make sure the site and company are reputable.For a great account of the conceptual critique class, read the chapter “The Crit” in Sarah Thornton’s “Seven Days in the Art World.” It’s hilarious and illuminating.

As for being a writer, yes, there are professional pressures as well. Don’t we all face them?I think you have to be practical to a large extent, get your stuff published and get paid. Otherwise, you can write all you want, but you won’t make a penny.

GS: However, the publishing world is changing dramatically and traditional income outlets for writers are disappearing. What are some alternatives to getting paid from your writing without going through the established publishing industry? For instance how could you, Richard Chang thrive financially doing what you love now without working for Culture OC or similar publishing venue?

RC: An alternative to the established publishing industry would be self-publishing a book or writing for a blog or website. Unfortunately, very few blogs and websites actually pay. If one has considerable Internet know-how, one can create one’s own website and collect revenue through advertising. But that takes a lot of work, much of it not related to writing. I imagine the Internet will play a bigger and bigger role for writers, as mobile devices take over the world, and the printed word becomes more and more obsolete. The writing field is changing constantly, and the news isn’t always great for writers -- or content producers, as they’re sometimes called.

Editors Note- Substack and other online platforms have the option for paid subscriptions, not available during the date of this interview.

GS: It appears sometimes as if the changes are coming faster! I have observed over the last two decades the walls breaking down between the so called fine art world and popular art culture. What is your opinion of this evolution?

RC: Honesty, I think it’s great. Art needs to grow and expand. In order for a field to stay relevant, it has to evolve, change, adapt and take on new movements. How does it benefit the artist?It benefits the artist because there’s no longer a strict definition limiting what an artist can do or be. He or she can do or be anything.

GS: Lastly, please offer some pearls of wisdom for artists and creative souls everywhere.

RC: It may sound cliché, but follow your heart. Follow your passion, your vision. Fulfill your destiny. Don’t let the naysayers get you down. Remember, rejection is part of the process. Persevere. Enjoy the process. The journey is just as important as getting to your destination.

What does Artist As Brand mean?

ARTIST art·ist [ahr-tist]–noun

1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2. a person who practices one of the fine arts.

3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill

BRAND [brand]–noun and verb

1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like.

2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.

3. a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

4. to impress indelibly.

5. a brand name.

What do Michelangelo, Beeple, Geogia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Tom Cruise, Auguste Rodin, Apple, Beyonce, Frida Kahlo, Porsche, Picasso, Damien Hirst, Mark Ryden, Annie Leibovitz, James Jean, Greenpeace, Maxfield Parrish, Ray Bradbury, Joseph Beuys, and Emily Blunt, all have in common? They are all brands. A brand is a purpose transformed into a product or service that connects to people, the planet, and beyond.

The key word here is purpose, and specifically your purpose. This is where the heart of your essence resides, where your most potent art manifests, and the strength of your perseverance matures. The purpose inside you aligned with your personal vision is the foundation of your creative power. When your heart is joined with your art, a vital one of a kind signature is formed. This brand is unique to you and your intimate product.

The word “brand” is derived from the Old Norse brandr, meaning “to burn.” It refers to the practice of burning a mark (or brand) onto a products.

The artist’s mark is unique to its owner even if its a copy of something else. However the ambition of most artists is to make a mark that touches their so audience deeply, it burns this symbol into memory. The lifetime of a creative mind can burn a series of meaningful marks into the mindset of a generation, but if their passion is great its possible to start a fire that contributes a brighter light to the world.

Sign up for the October, Online Group Workshop. Your art, life and prosperity will never be the same!

Wholesale to Retail Equation

Most artists underprice their work. I have been guilty of this too but have been slowly kicking up my prices based on the following marketing formula.

• Cost of Goods = Supplies + Overhead + Labor

• Cost of Goods x 2 (or more) = Wholesale Price

• Wholesale Price x 2 (or more) = Retail Price

Cost of Goods- This is all the energy, time, and money you put into making your art. What do you want to make for an hourly wage? Work up a number.

Cost of Goods x 2- Double the cost of goods amount (or more)and you have arrived at your wholesale price. This means you have paid your bills for making the art and have made a profit.

Wholesale Price x 2- Double the cost of your wholesale amount  (or more) and you have arrived at your retail price. This means you have paid your bills for making the art and have made a profit and if you are selling the item will make twice the amount again.

If it is your gallery or other vendor who is selling your items they will be making income too.So if you are selling your art retail yourself then you should be making a nice profit overall per piece. If you are having someone else sell it retail for you then you still make a profit selling wholesale but the amount is reduced.

Got it? Great! Probably time to pump up your prices. If you want to raise them slowly over a year to two year period that is OK but look at everything you sell from here on out using the the retail equation ASAP. 

A decade ago I connected with award-winning writer, documentary filmmaker and scholar, Douglas Rushkoff after reading his book, Life Inc. The book explains how the history of the corporation manipulated the way we approach commerce, and its influence in all facets of our lives. It was a revelation and the premise of the concept fit perfectly with the Artist As Brand philosophy and curriculum…

WE ARE SOVEREIGN CREATIVE INDIVIDUALS not to be ruled by corporations, banks, governments, who harken back to the ignorance of the Dark Ages.

It’s up to us to create a new economy based on the value of what we can bring, as individuals, to the world.

Understanding the history behind life styles, and economic models we grew up with, can help us create new ones. Watch his nine minute film and you will see your potential in a whole new light.

As creative individuals we do not need to fit into outmoded industrial paradigms, or conversely, todays overly hyped technological future. Be the change you want to see in your world.

There’s something to notice about successful people: they act quickly, even if they fail.

This following piece is from Fail Fast, Fail Often: How Losing Can Help You Win by Ryan Babineaux, PhD., and John Krumboltz, PhD.

They share a fascinating story about a ceramics teacher who tried an experiment with his class. The teacher divided the students into two groups. Those sitting on the left side of the studio were to be graded solely on the quantity of their work, while those on the right, solely on the quality. The instructor informed the students in the quantity group that a simple rule would be applied to evaluate their grades: those who produced fifty pounds of pots would get an A, those who produced forty pounds a B, and so on.

For the quality group, the instructor told the students that he would assign a course grade based on the single best piece produced over the duration of the course. So if a student created a first-rate pot on day one of the course and did nothing else for the term, he would still get an A.

When the end of the quarter arrived and it came to grading time, the instructor made an interesting discovery: the students who created the best work, as judged by technical and artistic sophistication, were the quantity group. While they were busy producing pot after pot, they were experimenting, becoming more adept at working with the clay, and learning from the mistakes on each progressive piece. In contrast, the students in the quality group carefully planned out each pot and tried to produce refined, flawless work, and so they only worked on a few pieces over the length of the course. Because of their limited practice, they showed little improvement.

More...

Whenever artists decide to go it alone, make their own way,  fear comes along for the ride.

As freelancer for so many years I understand where this fear comes from. The goal of being secure in your finances, being safe in general  (food, clothing, shelter) are real considerations and pounded into our brains since we were kids. However fear is also an illusion. What would it feel like if the concept of security was an illusion too? Would it freak you out?

We live in an unpredictable world. What I have learned over these many years of going it alone is that security is an illusion. Making friends with that reality brings a sense of freedom and empowerment. I can do what I can in this moment to live in my highest potential and reap the fortunes of what life has to offer. It is a mind set most people are not used to.

The following is short post by Chris Guillebeau that touches on this concept too:

“Micro-entrepreneurship is changing the world. The best opportunities in the new economy are centered on creating your own assets. It doesn’t matter who wins a U.S. election, at least not in terms of how the economy affects you. No matter what happens, the unemployment rolls will continue to be full. Perhaps even worse, many people will remain underemployed by working at jobs that offer few benefits and little opportunities for advancement.

Speaking of opportunities, however, there are now more than ever before. It’s never been easier to take matters into your own hands. All over the world, people are thinking differently about risk and security, and many of them are taking action on their new perspectives. This is a good thing.

What is risky? Whether you work a “real job” or strike out on your own, relying on someone else is risky. What is secure? Creating your own freedom through side projects, independent work, instant consultancies, and creative self-employment of all kinds. What is freedom? The ability to make your own choices. Ultimately, freedom relates to value, which is taking responsibility for yourself by making something valuable for someone else. More...

Creating Prosperity Consciousness

I am a firm believer in balancing mind, body and spirit in love, art and life. Mind and body are generally first in line for attention, but it is the spirit– with its subtle, underlining influence that keeps us inspired. Spiritual principles can be a tricky subject with people especially if they are atheists, but I think we can all agree that there are universal laws, and intelligent energies in this reality even though we may not understand them completely.

Paramahansa Yogananda was a yogi from India who came to America in 1920 to open people's minds and hearts around the concept of a divine essence that is in everything, and how we can access this power for our well being and others. There is a well done film on him called, Awake. 

Here are some edited excerpts from one of his lectures about the superconscious mind and prosperity:

Abundance, material as well as spiritual, is a structural expression of rita, cosmic law or natural righteousness.... Every saint who has penetrated to the core of Reality has testified that a divine universal plan exists and that it is beautiful and full of joy. 

If you feel love for all the world’s inhabitants as for your own family, recognizing no inner difference between any of the outwardly different nationalities, then you are establishing a legitimate astral right to your share of earth’s capital.

Those who seek prosperity for themselves alone are in the end bound to become poor, or to suffer from mental inharmony; but those who consider the whole world as their home, and who really care and work for group or world prosperity, activate astral forces that lead them ultimately to the place where they can find the individual prosperity that is legitimately theirs. This is a sure and secret law.

Whether one prospers is not dependent solely upon one’s creative ability, but also upon his past actions, and on his present efforts to activate the astral law of cause and effect. If mankind as a whole behaved unselfishly, the power of that law would distribute prosperity equally to all men, without exception. Those who by potent good thoughts and actions rouse this astral power to create positive prosperity succeed wherever they go, whether they are in prosperous or poverty-stricken environments.

There is a way to overcome the unfavorable results of past actions. The causes of failure must be destroyed and a new cause for success set in motion. Contact the superconscious source of success and prosperity. The conscious mind alone cannot initiate a new cause that will bring positive success in any direction; but when the human mind attunes itself to God, in the state of superconsciousness, it can be sure of success; for the superconscious mind is in tune with this unlimited power.

Absolute success signifies the power to create at will what you need by developing your unlimited superconscious power.  Western brothers and sisters need to learn that the mind is greater than its inventions. 

...learn that money without health and peace is not success, and that peace and health without money for necessities do not make a complete or successful life. 

Exercise the manifesting power of affirmation. ...you must eradicate from your mind all thoughts of limitation and poverty. Universal Mind is perfect and knows no lack; to reach that never-failing supply, you must maintain a consciousness of abundance. Even when you do not know where the next dollar is coming from, you should refuse to be apprehensive. When you do your part and rely on Spirit, you will find that mysterious forces come to your aid and that your constructive wishes soon materialize. 

Affirmation: “I am always rich, for I have access to the Cosmic Storehouse. I will go forth in perfect faith, in the power of Omnipresent Good, to bring me what I need, at the time I need it.” 

You know the day destroys the night

Night divides the day

Tried to run Tried to hide

Break on through to the other side

BEYOND THE CORPORATE WORLD

Welcome to my Blogging Ensemble!

*In the early days of Artist As Brand® I would create these blogging ensembles with other talented individuals to expand the reach of our reader base. It worked amazingly well. This is an older one from 2010, but it all stills rings true! Check it out and remember when it comes to promotion, your community of like minded individuals can be a powerful tool.

I have invited some amazing bloggers, art writer/author Peter Clothier, artist licensing expert Maria Brophy, champion of the handmade Nicole at Lillyella, San Francisco painter Anna L. Conti, and popular art culture icon Miss Mindy to expound upon a subject which strikes fear in the hearts of most people in this country: creating a living outside the confines of the corporate world. It takes some courage and a plan, but it can be done! Read how to break on through to new possibilities in the links below.

*****

I remember having conversations with my Dad when I was studying at Art Center College of Design about what my plans were going to be after graduation. My Dad had worked for many years as a salesman for a plastics company. "Well Dad," my mind raced, "I am learning how to take my drawing and painting skills to another level of expertise... I am learning how to conceptualize..."

He would interrupt me, "But what are you going to do when you graduate?" I muttered something about magazines and newspapers and then quickly change the subject, "How about them Dodgers?!"

The idea that I would "freelance" was a scary proposition to my Dad, and frankly to myself. My Dad was a salesman but he still received a salary. Going your own way takes a certain amount of boldness, courage, and rebel entrepreneurial spirit. Making a living this way takes a lot of hard work, self volition, and bill shuffling until you get off the ground.

The benefits of this model help you gauge the value of your worth more directly, shows you how your career is advancing, and allows more flexibility as well as freedom to make changes. The corporate world is like a drug. It is easy to get comfortable with a check that enters your bank account every two weeks. The company sets your work time, job tasks, schedules, lunch time, goals and deadlines. Security never felt so good.

When I lived in New York City in the 1980's my neighbors who were corporate cohorts working downtown in Wall Street, could not imagine how anyone made a living freelancing. I distinctly remember them shivering when they said to me, "We could never do that!" The fear was tangible.

I created illustrations for Time, Sports Illustrated, Fortune magazines and was awed when I would walk into the 48-story Time Life building, with it's large murals by Josef Albers and Fritz Glamer in the lobby. The editors, art directors, and staff were amazing people who headed these prestigious publications for years. The Time Life empire of 28 years ended over night when Time Inc. and Warner Communications merged in 1989, becoming Time Warner. Within a short month or two the hundreds of talented people that staffed these magazines for decades were gone. Security was an illusion. Freelancing was a dance with the corporate world that had it's advantages until the economy shifted or the industries (like publishing) that I relied upon faltered.

It really was my renewed interest in the San Diego Comic Con (in 1990) that opened my eyes to the concept that artists of all kinds could make a living outside the corporate machine. Here writers and artists were forging a new model of artist sustainability with their own products. I saw my many years as a freelancer dependent on corporate America, transform into an independent art empire built by my fans and collectors. 

Now I teach others how to become empowered with new possibilities. Pulling away from a corporate paradigm that has been ingrained in our brains since we were very small is a challenge. However there are many successful creative individuals who have broken through stereotypes imposed on them through family, education, the media. Break on through to success as you define it. Become the industry of your dreams.

Peace and prosperity!

Read the other uplifting and fascinating posts here-

Persist: The Blog

Maria Brophy

Lillyella

Miss Mindy

Working Artist Journal

ARTISTart·ist [ahr-tist]–noun1. a person who produces works in any of the arts that are primarily subject to aesthetic criteria.

2. a person who practices one of the fine arts.

3. a person whose trade or profession requires a knowledge of design, drawing, painting, etc.: a commercial artist.

4. a person who works in one of the performing arts, actor, musician, singer; dancer, public performer.

5. a person whose work exhibits exceptional skill

BRAND[brand]–noun and verb1. kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like.

2. a mark made by burning or otherwise, to indicate kind, grade, make, ownership, etc.

3. a kind or variety of something distinguished by some distinctive characteristic.

4. to impress indelibly.

5. a brand name.

What do Michelangelo, Ralph Lauren, Geogia O’Keeffe, Andy Warhol, Clint Eastwood, Auguste Rodin, Apple, Sting, Frida Kahlo, Porsche, Picasso, Damien Hirst, Mark Ryden, Annie Leibovitz, Henry Moore, Greenpeace, Maxfield Parrish, Ray Bradbury, Joseph Beuys, and Elizabeth Taylor, all have in common? They are all brands.

A brand is a purpose transformed into a product or service that connects to people, the planet, and beyond. The key word here is purpose, and specifically your purpose. This is where the heart of your essence resides, where your most potent art manifests, and the strength of your perseverance matures. The purpose inside you aligned with your personal vision is the foundation of your creative power. When your heart is joined with your art, a vital one of a kind signature is formed. This brand is unique to you and your intimate product.

The word “brand” is derived from the Old Norse brandr, meaning “to burn.” It refers to the practice of producers burning their mark (or brand) onto their products. In the beginning, before multi-national corporations, before boards of directors and proxy fights, before mergers and franchises and takeovers, there were family businesses founded on individual enterprise or invention. Before the corporate image or the company logo, there was the individual name stamped on a product, a service, a laborsaving device, or a form of entertainment, usually because it was the proud handiwork of one individual.

The artist’s mark is unique to its owner even if its a copy of something else. However the ambition of most artists is to make a mark that touches their so audience deeply, it burns this symbol into memory. The lifetime of a creative mind can burn a series of meaningful marks into the mindset of a generation, but if their passion is great its possible to start a fire that contributes a brighter light to the world.

Peace and passion, Greg Spalenka

Artist As Brand Workshop at Brigham Young University.

Great group at Brigham Young University! BYU consistently inspires tremendous creativity with an entrepreneurial spirit. Thank you to Robert Barrett who saw the benefit to bring a workshop to the school.