Photo courtesy of Jessica Watts Art

We asked 14 accomplished artists: "What do you lot wish you lot would have known at the outset of your fine art career?"

Some of their advice is very practical (keep skillful records!) and some is broad, sweeping and existential, but all of it tin be practical to make your journeying as an artist a lilliputian smoother and a piddling happier.

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

From finding your confidence, discipline, and voice, to understanding entrepreneurship, coin bug, and business tips, and dealing with success, rejection, and hobbling egos, these artists have been through it all and are here to share what they learned forth the fashion.

Here is what they would tell their younger selves:

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

Information technology's a marathon, not a sprint

The road is very, very long. It takes a lifetime to develop your craft and anyone who tells y'all otherwise is simply lying. There will be many tears and not much appreciation (at starting time).

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

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

There are no lightbulb or 1000 inspiration moments (ok maybe once in awhile, but hardly ever); information technology'south about chipping away each day. Learn to experience the joy in that.

Learn equally much as you can about marketing yourself and your work every bit shortly as possible. Don't rely on anyone else to help y'all with information technology.

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

Bask the ride. I get a lot of people telling me that they used to be really into fine art when they were children but had to give it upward because of a variety of reasons (and dearly wish they could make art once again). If you've got the guts to be making work and putting it out there, exist proud of yourself and have fun with it.

Julia Ibbini

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

In that location is no correct or wrong, there is no win or lose

When I was first starting out I thought in that location was a "right" way 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 time, I would tell myself there is no right or wrong way.

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

The art business concern can exist very competitive: whose work is better (art prizes) whose work is selling more. It took me a while to detach myself from the noise.

So, I would as well tell my fledgling self that competition is the enemy. Information technology'south a much better use 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 sail

Being an creative person also means being a business owner

I wish I would have known how much being a working creative person today requires y'all to be a small business professional with an understanding of art market trends.

With the rising of the internet and social media came a new wave of fine art world–artist interaction. Artists of all mediums, practices, genres, and talent have exposure in ways that those who came earlier 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 responsibleness of understanding the intricacies of the fine art market.

Melanie Reese

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

B.L.E.N.D

Bdue east nice. Always exist nice to people fifty-fifty if they critique y'all or merely do not reply to your images.

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

Due eastducate yourself.  Never terminate learning. Intelligence is the foundation of cracking art. In order to stir an emotion in others, ane must be able to make a viewer question their previous ideas and challenge their established thoughts.

Network. Everyone needs a tribe for support.

Don't surrender … just try harder.

Jill Sanders

@jillsandersphotographer
Awakening Mt. Susitna, Karen Whitworth, Oil On Panel

Minimize administrative tasks and maximize making time

Paint (or create) more.

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

For that reason, I recommend that yous hire an assistant earlier you retrieve it'due south necessary. If yous expect too long, things are already hectic and the transition of delegating will be unnecessarily cumbersome. Another symptom of waiting as well long is that things start to fall through the cracks as your fourth dimension to accomplish them becomes more than and more than scarce. This can be unsafe. The expense and time to hire and railroad train an banana is worth it. Make plans and start budgeting for it now.

Karen Whitworth

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

Develop the business side of things early

When I was simply getting started I really didn't sympathize the entrepreneurial side of being an artist. It was quite the learning process to go established as a business alongside developing my studio practice and personal vision as an artist.

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

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

Years after when I was established, I had to practice months of data entry to go caught up. Artwork Archive was a life saver for this procedure, merely it was still a ton of work to practise all at in one case.

I would likewise tell myself to stay positive and know that it IS possible to be a professional creative person. I got and then many discouraging messages saying my dream was impossible, making it took much longer than I wanted to become a total-time artist. Just, it'south totally possible. Information technology just takes a little ingenuity and hard piece of work.

Caitlin McCollom

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

Only compare yourself to quondam cocky

I began in a place of very little understanding of the fine art world and other artists around me. I think that had if I had known the amount of talent that was already out there, I probably wouldn't accept even started!

Back so, I compared my work only to my earlier work, which is a prophylactic identify to build conviction.

Gillian Buckley

@GillianBuckleyArtist
Hybrid Vigor, Julie K. Anderson,Ceramic

Don't rely on coin from your art ... at showtime

Having multiple sources of income other than just selling your artwork is very important when y'all are first starting off and possibly throughout your career as an artist.

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

It as well fabricated me hate making art; I was bored past it.

Create the work that you truly dearest and the right buyers volition come along eventually.

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

Julie Anderson

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

Trust your instincts and your abilities

Your sincere commitment to your practice is the path to becoming a successful artist. That, and trusting your instincts.

Those two things plus a electric current arroyo to marketing = success.

A degree in Fine Arts is non the terminal respond. I know many highly talented artists who feel unqualified to call themselves artists because they don't have an MFA.  I too know many MFA Artists whose work is sub-par.

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

Beth Kamhi

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

Make more than piece of work

The standard logic behind this advice is that working in greater quantity loosens yous up and you end up making more than good work.

And this is truthful, merely also I find that when I speed up my workflow I'one thousand non equally emotionally married to the terminal production. Each gallery submission or residency awarding doesn't experience like a personal referendum on me as an artist. When, inevitably, rejection comes my way, it's easier to deport on when I can say to myself, "Oh, only that was quondam work anyway."

Sawyer Rose

@Ksawyerrose
Arctic Tumbleweed past Kathleen Elliot, Glass

Keep going in the face up of rejection

Later on nearly two decades as an artist, there is much I am still learning, and a lot I don't even know I don't know yet. Perhaps the nearly important, though, is the ability to go on going in the face up of declines or people not responding to and liking my work.

Afterwards pouring everything I am into my work, I assume others will connect with that and want it, whether that'southward gallerists or collectors or curators.

Contest is trigger-happy, the number of declines is exponentially greater, and we take to exist ok and not knocked down by that. Or, at least be able to pick ourselves up from disappointments and keep going.

Kathleen Elliot

@Kathleenelliot
Bird on Grenade (iii mad Consume attached to pivot) 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 immature teenager, I was a big Dali fan, and one of his citations was, "No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist." That ever stuck in my mind.

Steven Spazuk

@steven_spazuk
Daydream Luminescence, Laura Guese, Oil On Canvas

Put in the hours and persevere

What I wish I had known as an artist just starting out is that rejection is simply office of the profession. You lot have to be willing to accept a lot of "no's" to finally become a "yes." Perseverance is key, and information technology's important non to take those rejections too seriously or personally. Keep moving forward!

Your work volition go on to improve if you keep practicing your fine art and putting in the hours. I received advice from an art professor in higher that has stayed with me to this day.  He encouraged me to just show upwards at the studio fifty-fifty if I wasn't feeling particularly inspired to work.

Commonly, after being in the studio for an 60 minutes or so, I would find myself getting engrossed in my art.

Laura Guese

@Lauraguese
Moody Blues II past Annie Wildey, Oil On Linen

Don't expect to get serious virtually art.

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

I put off seriously pursuing my art for eighteen years. Later on art school, I was a little lost and unsure of who I was. I traveled and roughshod into a career in business, working for an organisation in New York City. Though I gained a lot of skills and matured,  the last few years of my business career I badly wanted to make more than time for my art. I didn't know how to navigate that journeying alone so I sought the help 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 coach whom y'all can larn from. And, put money aside when y'all accept it! Lastly, and possibly well-nigh importantly, identify your goals, and arroyo your art career with a business mindset.

Annie Wildey

@anniewildey

Looking to set up yourself upwards for success correct from the start? Endeavor Artwork Archive to manage all the details of your art business from day one.