The trouble with success in art

[@StephaniePanayi]

This reminds me of David Bowie’s advice: “Never play to the gallery” - That it’s dangerous for an artist to base their work on other’s expectations.

[@christinakentart]

So true!

[@JCarrera_ll]

👩🏼‍🎤

[@Artist_Kevin]

Definitely caught myself chaising Themes instead of dreams to cater to upcoming shows. Lost myself in the process. Now I've learned a whole bunch of styles and techniques, but no longer feel like painting. So, taking a break from oils... I got caught up with what they wanted, what my partner thinks they want. No longer will I let people stir my pot. Get your own.

[@SepulvedaBoulevard]

Much to think about - I find myself scouring old sketchbooks for orphaned ideas waiting to be realized. Looking forward to seeing you at Studio Gallery next year😃

[@ronschlorff7089]

Very good idea, there is "gold" to be found in them there pages!! Good luck! ;D

[@christinakentart]

I do that as well sometimes :) and yes, see you at Studio Gallery!

[@dorisr6424]

Very relatable and sage advice. Take your years as a professional artist divided by your successes and if you’re batting anything over 300, you are doing great. Good luck with the landscapes.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you!

[@Kurtiscott]

Oh, that lovely (and powerful) beginners mindset. Appreciate the reminder

[@christinakentart]

Yes :)

[@ingridzeeb3805]

This is so true. The most liberating moment for an artist is when she can free herself from the expectations of others. Only then will you be able to push your limits and reach another level as an artist.

[@nimble_and_kind]

Ah, the internal battle. Thank you for sharing your journey through that dilemma. Your art is gorgeous.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you!

[@chuckolsen6882]

Christina, your landscape palette is as stunning as what you brought to the cityscapes. Dylan was hated when he went electric but he was called to, as you are being called to those hills. Give in to them and create. Chuck

[@ronschlorff7089]

Will like the upcoming movie about him, " A Complete Unknown", possibly cuz I am too, and I always have been!! ;D LOL

[@jacob1-b9j]

Hi Christina. Big fan of yours I wanted to share a few ideas I had since I also have similar thoughts that affect my art practice 1. Being undecided on what to focus on is actually a blessing in disguise. Me, I am a person who wants order in everything and sometimes being undecided can be stressful but it actually is a good thing because a) it proves that a decision is based on the fact that art is very important to me and hence the type of art I focus on and b) because being able to do multiple different things is actually a strength. 2) I think that based on your ability you should try this formula. a) every 3 months you switch medium/ subject etc. In the 3 month period you can have a preferential medium and a secondary medium in which you will work on only during the weekends. If you follow this stretegy after twelve months you will have done 6 full months of a medium and other 6 full months of the other medium interchanging every 3 months. Additionally, the weekend idea allows you to keep practicing the secondary medium twice a week even in the 3 month stint of you focusing on the other medium.

[@MaxMut.]

Hi Christina, congrats on your full sale in your successful art show, a dream come true by belief and persistence.. I was born naturally gifted as a painter and l never needed to sell Art for a living. l explored pretty much the hole spectrum from drawing to painting my own photographs, turning in to 3D and develop new worlds in digital and so on, And my contribution on your creative unfolding is that you have to play both, Your niche that already works And simultaneously undiscovered lines of creation.. Thanks for love Arts”

[@christinakentart]

Thank you! And that’s great to have such a broad creative practice, keep exploring!

[@MaxMut.]

❤️

[@bocolewish]

I sold a lot of my storm landscapes at a gallery, but it was restrictive when the gallery owner said "I could have sold 10 of these". I'm not a copy machine. Ugh. Yes, follow where your spark is leading you. You will be refreshed when you return to some cityscapes. A sold out show is outstanding and impressive and will fuel your future sales, even in other subject matter.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you! Great point, I definitely don’t want to feel like a copy machine. Thanks for sharing your experience ❤️

[@motypest]

thank you Christina, very necessary words and very timely =)

[@ronschlorff7089]

Christina, good comments and "soul bearing" on this one. Yup, the conflict between risk and reward is an age old one. I suppose even in exercise, "no pain no gain". But it is so easy to go back to the comfort zone cuz, well it's comfortable. I loved Sonoma and did my first Plein Air competition there in 2002, still going on, I think. Keith Wicks was/is the coordinator there still I believe. Anyway, I "chickened out" early on and went for a career in Environment Science instead, cuz it was a "big thing" then, and steady work for a long time, but I still did art all the time, permitting, on the side. I admire the bravery of you and all others who went for the main goal of painting and stuck to it. Best of luck in your future with that. : ) Lately, I have been doing small portraits in studio and enjoy them as a break from my outdoor landscapes because it's a bit too warm here in southern Az for that yet, but the mountains still will be there when I get back to them, in about a month. And I suppose the city will still be there when you get back to it later. Yes, we all procrastinate to one degree or another and there is even a National Procrastinators Association of American I understand; but it has no members yet, since no one has gotten around to actually joining it. Hope that made you laugh!! Cheers!! LOL :D

[@christinakentart]

Haha I love that! Glad to hear you have found an enjoyable change through portrait painting. And it’s true, the city isn’t going anywhere, and now that I’m back I’m excited to paint it again :)

[@ronschlorff7089]

@@christinakentart Cool, very cool. I don't do architecture much, but it is a nice genre, and "time honored" of course by the "masters". Have a great and prosperous rest of year!

[@glenn599]

I like your style of painting in both urban and natural scenes.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you!

[@kznsq77]

It is impossible to grow forever, so the main problem of success is a decline for a while. But if you are in decline, it is joyful to think that the next success awaits you :) Thanks for the video!

[@christinakentart]

So true! It’s important to keep in mind that everything will change.

[@Wildflowerartstudio]

This resonates with me - so i feel like if you really enjoyed doing the Night/cityscapes and don't dread them, then follow that. But like others have said, create those Nightscape paintings but also find time to do the landscapes that you enjoy. It is a hard one! You are doing amazing, keep going. Maybe you will find some Sonoma Nightscape scenes? Your collectors will start to appreciate the direction that you go, you are building an audience, so go for it! Maybe try and survey your audience as you go?

[@matineesonmainstreet2005]

Split the difference. Do a little of each. A few decades ago, I plein air painted in a big city, because I lived there. Sometimes I did cityscapes, sometimes I worked in the parks, and sometimes i did neighborhood groupings of houses. (I even did a few paintings of my daughter.) My work got into shows. I was in charge of a regional art group (for a while), and I sold artwork from all three types of work I did. That's why I say split the difference. Do a little of each if you are attracted to different types of subjects. At least you will know that some ofthem will sell, and maybe the different subjects will interest other clients. I remember painting a flower garden and water fountain and I had two different buyers interested. The gallery begged me to paint a second one, which I did, But I didn't like doing that. I really try to be true to what interests me. I hae a few night paintings and they interest people. But I on'y do them when I see something that grabs my attention. Good luck.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you! Yes, I think that is the route I will pursue. I don’t want to just paint for the galleries - I want to stay focused on what inspires me. Thanks for sharing your experience ❤️

[@andysdestination8671]

You been bringing out very good points about art work and showing your art work in your videos. This is why I’m your fan for this. I am beginning artist with painting and drawing and video maker. I just made a video on Tik Tok and KZbin about procrastinating. I got a lots of views on Tik Tok about it the other day. They seem to understand how encourage yourself to do of what you like doing. See you in the next one. Cheers 😎😎🔥🔥🔥❤️❤️❤️

[@christinakentart]

So glad you like the videos, and congrats on your TikTok success! Hope it continues for you :)

[@petergates7962]

To paraphrase for a moment, if you paint it they will come. Your work is fabulous, maybe find a motif you can follow and do a series.😁

[@cookiemonster3147]

. 💖 success is where the mind stops questioning

[@AidenBlake82]

In the mind of a beginner possibilities are infinite and in the mind of an expert they are few?? How a beginner can consider infinite possibilities?? you become an expert "because" you can consider infinite possibilities otherwise you are not an expert! ;) let me tell you something about myself Christiana: Creating artworks to me is like hiking... when you want to go hiking you must prepare some different things. also you must consider the weather and check it with forecast. That's how you can walk through that day of hiking... The other thing is that I am too tired these days.. I really have no urge to create anything... But I do understand what you are talking about and I think this is great that you take the risk and you speak about these matters in public social media! I like your style and I think you can go somewhere so flashy with your artworks... Good luck! :)

[@christinakentart]

Thank you! The idea as I understand it relates to the fact that experts can get tied up in the “right” way of doing things, while beginners don’t know what is the “right” and “wrong” way, and can be open to more possibilities. But it is true that expertise can also broaden our horizons, in hiking as you say as in art :)

[@AidenBlake82]

@@christinakentart precisely! :)

[@janmorrison4141]

I really appreciate your self-awareness. Another Buddhist concept is the 8 worldly concerns : gain and loss, pleasure and pain, praise and criticism, and fame and disgrace. These are traps as they are mistakes for effective ways to gain happiness and avoid suffering. I'm a writer and painter. When I start thinking like an author or a gallerist I lose my way. Sure I love getting strokes for my work and feel terrible when it is rejected, but those feelings are like my hunger for junk food. If I become conscious the hunger abates at least for awhile. You are leaps and bounds in the right direction so keep on being introspective and it will serve you well.

[@christinakentart]

So true! Great to keep the 8 worldly concerns in mind, and not let them push us around :)

[@turnervinson]

thanks for sharing. I've thought about sharing things like this with my own career journey, but then I don't...

[@christinakentart]

Glad it resonated! Honestly it feels awkward to share. But I know other people can connect with and learn from my experience, and that is really encouraging for me.

[@charleholst3881]

I heard a story about Jackson Pollock. If it isn’t true, it ought to be. After Pollock had his first really successful show, he stopped painting for about a month or six weeks. Hen asked why, he replied,” I didn’t want to start painting fake Pollocks.”

[@2209009pm]

Don't feal bad, my work rarely sells so now I create for my own entertainment.

[@rockindavebyron3960]

How about a combination of the 2? I think it would satisfy both worlds. You are an AWESOME & INSPIRATION ARTIST, Keep On Creating, Rock On & God Bless.

[@MadisonBriggsArtchick]

Art that comes from your heart is art that has meaning and will find the right audience. It is the difference between good and great! Love the new landscapes!

[@christinakentart]

Thanks Madison! Yes, I think so :)

[@RobJMeronek]

If you’re looking for something different that might help your landscapes, perhaps try working on smaller scale items, like individual leaves or a pinecone or a single stick. They would be more studies than works, but might bring new light into your larger works in time. Even just drawing smaller items might help. 🖌️

[@christinakentart]

That’s a great point, sometimes when I think of painting nature, I focus on the grand vistas. But a pinecone or stick can make for a wonderful painting subject :)

[@alokasiablackmagic3444]

I haven't sold any of my paintings yet but I already quit my full time job

[@edwardteach3080]

It’s interesting what artists consider success, vs what they don’t. Something no one has really dug into though. What art is so beloved by artists, that it never makes it into the marketplace? Personally I don’t want to know what paintings sold for thousands. I want to know what will never leave the walls of an artists home or studio.

[@christinakentart]

That's a great question! For me, I really love to sell my paintings, even my favorite ones, since otherwise they will pile up in my closet (I have a small apartment and very little wall space). So for the most part, I'm very happy to sell my best work, because I know other people will display it and enjoy it in their homes. The only exception is a small sentimental painting I did of a loved one, that one I will keep. That, and my sketchbooks.

[@edwardteach3080]

@christinakentart That’s an awesome way to see it! It’s always been a curiosity of mine. The art that artists choose to keep for themselves. Love the videos

[@ajwaus]

Thanks!

[@christinakentart]

Thank you!

[@CC-hc6bl]

Think about Picasso - his whole career involved searching. Being good at something doesn’t mean you might not be better at something else. If you never try, you never know.

[@christinakentart]

So true!

[@_xBrokenxDreamsx_]

yeah essentially you have two strategies struggle through life making what you want or become financially independent as fast as possible giving the audience what they want then faff around after that.

[@Art.ASMR-You2]

❤

[@mikesusko2844]

7:20 Sometimes it doesn't matter what you paint,but how you paint it.

[@TheObSeRvErTheObSeRv]

As Picasso said PAINT, PAINT, PAINT.!!!

[@christinakentart]

All the advice I need :)

[@hotlineoperator]

Could this work for professional artist "fake it until you make it"

[@jonathanohnona9191]

Doesn't mean you can't do both. What about combining them... do landscapes of rural scenes... the old gas station on the side of a road. The old barn, or tractor in a field, etc... at night. Or tents and bon fires out at night. As a bridge to getting to straight landscapes.

[@guillermoperezsantos]

Life has many, many ups, downs, turns and dead ends, try to stay focus in a long term big objetive, cuz every day life changes a lot and way too fast and it can be very very distracting. And also invest your earnings in important things like a place to live ;)

[@christinakentart]

Good point! I’ll try to keep the bigger picture in mind :)

[@n.enesse]

This sounds like me, but with my career. I'm successful in cybersecurity and have a whole career/ branding around it but I would love to do art but what if I'm not as successful?? 😭

[@christinakentart]

I feel you, I had a successful economics career before switching to art. I ended up making the switch, but it was a long and difficult transition.

[@mateussarmento7692]

I like the landscape stuff Christina but I feel that you will always not feel satisfied by how many city paintings you do because you dont let youself do what you want to do in the moment because of success, money, priorities all that kind of stuff.That thought will always come to mind until you say to yourself I'm good enough they way I am right now and I feel I want to do landscape so I will do it. Once you come back to the city you do the same for the city paintings. But not when you are in a mindset that you should do whatever it is not what you are doing in the moment. You know thats more alignment with flow of the moment, feelings and sensations which I believe is more important to art expression. Maybe when you feel this dilemma you can treat it as call for creativeness like painting a landscape with you in the middle painting building I dont know. Just dont ever limit yourself.

[@christinakentart]

I agree, I think trusting my inspiration in the moment is the way to go :)

[@steffen3]

very easy solution. paint landscape AND city scape.

[@johnhoffmanpaintings8512]

it really isnt that easy..

[@ronschlorff7089]

@@johnhoffmanpaintings8512 right, it's like vanilla and chocolate ice cream. If you love chocolate, you'll want to eat it all the time, and you will eat vanilla if that is all there is, but you'd be dreaming about eating chocolate again!! Hope that makes some nonsense!! ;D LOL

[@christinakentart]

Yes, in the end I painted a series of landscape paintings before returning to my cityscape paintings, and I’ll probably continue to rotate between the two

[@scottbranham4839]

Your over thinking it...!

[@johnhoffmanpaintings8512]

this video resonates with me so much im only 4.19 in and had to pause to put that.. ok back to it..... thank you for this and your thoughts great video. My dilemma that I have struggled with for a few years now is that I love to use too many mediums. I sell and get lots of portrait in pencil and charcoal commissions , but I know thats not what I want to do, im getting lots of sales with my corvid ink and watercolour paintings and prints of, but that also not what I want to do , what I do love is still life with oils and i think these are my better works but I dont sell as many but this is where my heart is...its driving me mad on what and how to steer my art. I bet there are many out there just like me. anyway love your work and your videos I look forward to them every week.

[@christinakentart]

Thank you! I feel you, often the works that I feel are my best are not the ones that sell. It is a difficult balance when it is a source of income.

[@c.s.102]

Maybe your ego/critic wants to protect you from disasters ha! I am a hobby painter and I tell my critic voice to give it some time.. take a step back please so I can learn from and to trust new exploraitions. Thank you!

[@christinakentart]

Yes, so true! My ego is usually trying to keep me safe, even if it doesn’t always know the best way to do it.

[@OlafSager]

too hasty, can't you see the nature behind you wants to listen, for me it is too quick... earth is heart, feel more, think less, what do you want with this race art is not racism

[@scasey1960]

Nobody pays art today - can you give it away? Run an art gallery instead. The tax rate for appreciating art is 50 %.

[@carlkligerman1981]

I was my (former) gallery’s best seller for four years straight, two decades ago now. Cityscapes. Anytime I tried something else it wouldn’t sell, and the gallery eventually wouldn’t take the work, asking for more versions of ‘Anatomical Traffic’, you know “why don’t you just paint more of those?” 😂! You can imagine how many paintings I made on these themes, semi-abstract urban crowds and alleyways and so on, nocturnes and main streets at noon, I simply exhausted the subject, and honestly I just couldn’t do it anymore. Eventually I quit painting for a living. Being a long haul artist has a rhythm to it, I call this cycle from the swamp to green fields: it take several years to approach a new subject and resolve an original language with which to paint it, and I think that time is REALLY important if you want to keep pushing yourself forward as an artist. I’ve had good years since, I did a long series of floral semi abstractions that I’m really proud of but have no intention of offering for sale, and now I’m back in the swamp tackling the figure and realism, learning ‘proper’ anatomy and drawing technique and finding another aspect of my own voice. And I’m happier not having to worry about paying my bills when I make art and can’t ever see myself going back to having to. I chose intrinsic success over extrinsic, but everybody is different I guess. Unless one gets big name ‘HUGE’ most careerist artist end up stuck becoming what Picasso ‘cookie cutter’ artists, pumping out variations of essentially the same painting over and over again. Some artists can do this and I don’t denigrate it at all, I’m just one of those artists who could for a while but eventually chose my own evolution over commercial expediencies. Success in art is definitely a double edged blade, and not at all easy to handle.