Blondheim Art Original Paintings

Prairie in Summer
8x10 inches
oil on linen panel

See my paintings HERE

Art Notes Blog HERE


Upcoming Events:

ART IN THE HOUSE

Linda's Annual Chili Bash
Saturday, November 3, 2007
10AM - 6PM
Directions to the studio are on my web site contact page.

Country Roads
Leesburg Art Center
November 1- December 15, 2007




Painters Tip


I think artists have to make decisions in their career path. You can go for fame, prestige, and a name brand, or you can aspire to actually making a living with your art. There are a few who actually achieve both but fewer than you imagine. Many of the artists who achieve prestige and recognition are not in fact, surviving on their art. Many of them are teaching in colleges and others have families who support them financially, while they go out and look important. The number of artists who actually make a full living from their art by teaching workshops and painting are few.

I know quite a few including myself who survive because we are willing to live lower on the food chain. We are also more concerned with being a working artist than we are with prestige. We don't think that selling cheapens our art. Many in the high circles of art consider it to be prostitution. I've never understood that. My Daddy taught me that I should never be ashamed of hard work. I did my share of cleaning houses, cooking for wealthy people and selling clothes at a department store to get where I am now, at the bottom of the food chain, but surviving. :>)

It seems that there are parallel universes for artists. One path leads to poverty and prestige. The other leads to income and disdain from the art snobs.

I think the secret is to go about your business of painting, doing good hard work to improve, good marketing, and faith in yourself. Let the others sort it all out and worry about the politics. You just stay on the path. Hard work pays off eventually. 20 years ago, I never thought I would be where I am today, making a living and enjoying the life of a working artist. If I had listened to all of the nay sayers, I would be sitting in an office somewhere, bored and depressed.