Dear Artist, At the end of the remarkable film, Life of Pi, we are given the choice of two stories. One story is believable and quite predictable, the other implausible and wonderful. It’s easy to choose the wonderful, implausible version.…
Dear Artist, Over the last while, another raft of emails has come in from artists wondering about pricing. Some new trends in pricing also require that I update. I’m dividing my comments between artists who sell through galleries and the…
Dear Artist, This morning, Richard Wong of Victoria, BC, Canada wrote, “Nervousness got the better of me when I recently demoed Chinese Brush painting. My hands shook. I felt really embarrassed. My demo was not very convincing. What can one…
Dear Artist, At a show last fall, “The Bugaboos and Other High Places,” a collector briefly stood in front of me and asked, “What is it about the mystique of mountains, and why are mountains such a perennial subject for…
Dear Artist, Recently, Warren Thompson of Ocala, Florida wrote, “Does the IKEA effect apply to art? Is this why some artists think their work is fantastic when it isn’t?” Thanks, Warren. The IKEA effect is a cognitive bias where time…
Dear Artist, At shows, I often notice other painters with their noses pretty close to my work — trying to figure out what I’m up to. Fact is, quite a few artists can make paintings that look like mine, but…
Dear Artist, Recently, Cynthia Reid of Tucson, Arizona wrote, “Six galleries carry my art. Over the past few years I’ve had a number of instances when one gallery’s customer wants a painting that’s at another gallery. My website shows all…
Dear Artist, Yesterday, Mike Barr of Adelaide, South Australia wrote, “When jurying art, contemporary and abstract work may be beyond judgment as to quality. Traditional work, on the other hand, is more easily assessed as to its skill level. How…