Book Description

Reviews (17)

Fine Artist Guide to Marketing & Survival in Buisness World
Caroll Michels is a life long art consultant who has written this book to share her experiences and expertise with the fine art community. Well written and with plenty of helpful references, Michels' book is an excellent addition to any artist's library.

The stuff they should teach you at those art $chool$
Artists: If you are serious about gettin' famous, makin' heaps of dough, havin' all of those ... critics write about your brilliant swag, and seducin' actresses or actors, you gotta start right here with this book. Otherwise, pack it up and become an art historian or janitor at the Getty.

Seriously, this is the best book you can buy if you are considering hitting the "scene" with your goods.

Sure, she has some "cliche" statements about "getting organized" (but in all fairness, what artist doesn't need to be reminded to get organized?!) and the like, but wow...the sections on how to price your art, marketing with a brochure, the importance of contracts (!!!), grant building, etc etc. are a veritable cornucopia of practical goodness.

This book is so good that I almost burst with pleasure after reading it. I'll be willing to bet a Picasso that her consulting advise is beyond compliment.

They need to stop printing this book!
This book has some good ideas, but it is very dated. It refers to search engines and sites that no longer exist, and doesn't address new technologies and sites. A new edition might be worthwhile, but I'd pass on this one.

The Journey Begins
I am supposed to be a painter. Famous? who cares. I just want to make a living doing what it is I was put here to do.

Thank you Caroll for your book. I read it the first time three years ago. This time I'm taking notes and DOING it. One thing each day to get me to a point where I could transition careers and (pretty much) paint all the live long day.

The most tragic thing in life is wasted talent. Because of this book, I won't have to TELL my children that they can do anything, I will have SHOWN them how its possible.

A book pointing you to other books
I was disappointed in this book. Lots of "resources" listed, but the nuts and bolts boil down to the old "how to" cliches, like Get organized! A computer can help you do this! Many gallery owners are meanies! Far less than what I was looking for. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

This book will ignite your heart!
Dorrell's words come at a time when so many artists hunger for this type of direction and guidance. Never has an artist been so open and engaging with the reader with regards to the technical and personal requirements needed for today's artistic development. Paul Dorrell, fully qualified in his life long experiences, bears his soul and in doing so offers himself as a lantern for all aspiring artists. This book is a must read where artist professional practices are discussed, and for all artists and non-artists interested in an honestly reflective story about the validation for life.

Strangely compelling
I surprised myself by readng Dorrell's book in almost one sitting. It was compelling largely due to the fact that he shared details of his own life which makes him seem approachable and the information he shares more accessible. Books of this nature can be ponderous but his is not. I not only learned tons but feel I have spent a day with a friend who dares to be real. I am a developing artist and now feel it is at least possible to find some level of success from reading this book. Also, his thoughts on the sometimes snobby ways of those involved in "art" were refreshing. He seems one cool dude and this was one cool read.

Finally a down to earth book offering guidelines to artists!
I enjoyed the book very much, especially learning what steps need to be taken in presenting your work to a gallery. As an artist, that is one of the hardest things for me to master. Paul's advice and storys about his journey as a writer and gallery owner were inspiring. I am happy to have found a book that is enjoyable to read, but also gives you good advice in dealing with the "artworld" at the same time!

an inspiring resource for artists, an inspirational read
What a great read, couldn't put it down. I am a working artist and designer of Landscapes and historic gardens. I work in the creative field. What a great resource and inspirational read this book is!!!! Couldn't put it down. This man really understands the art wold and the problems we deal with every day. This is such an enjoyable book, highly recomended!!!!
Spiritual, fun, and perceptive, a thouroughly enjoyable book.
Rob at www.groups.yahoo.com/group/THEARTISTSGARDEN.

Practical Advice for ALL Artists
Paul Dorrell has taken anecdotal evidence and true-to-life experience to deliver a book that is both refreshing and reassuring. For those of us pursuing the artist's life, it came as a comfort to read of his trials and tribulations, not only as a gallery owner, but also as an writer. His candor and humor only add to a great read! I read it in one sitting.

I am a composer and writer and I found this book incredibly helpful. I reccomend it to all artists: painters, musicians, sculptors, writers, et al. Especially if you deal with consumers of art (i.e. "snobs"), Mr. Dorrell's advice is priceless!

If you create, you need this book! ... Read more

Book Description

In one handy volume, here are 187 easy ways for you to become a more successful artist. Inside, award-winning artist and art coach Kathy Gulrich shares some of her most insightful, and helpful, artist tips. You'll learn how to:

- Get your bio, artist statement, and resume finished once and for all
- Get your artwork into galleries and shows
- Keep your collectors coming back for more
- Develop - and learn from - your artist community
- Organize your studio - and yourself
- Be even more creative!

187 Tips For Artists is perfect for the artist who wants to get off to a great start - and the seasoned artist who's looking for an extra edge. No matter where you are in your art career, you'll find down-to-earth, practical artist tips that will help you become more successful - starting today! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Simple and Easy to Understand!
This book is easy to read and understand. This book doesn't bog you down with a lot of heavy theories and rhetoric. It's simple, organized, and you could open the book to any page and it shows you something that you could start doing right now that will help you take the next step with your work. It keeps the business of art as fun as the creative side of it!

Definitely a Good Addition to your Book Collection!
I adored this book! As someone very new to creating art, I thought the tips were very helpful and to the point and fun! I really liked that the book gives lots of tips for the business aspects of art AND for being a more creative artist. Plus these tips will apply to your other interests as well! :-) It's been a great addition to my growing collection of books!

Straightforward Advice
This book is perfect for someone who doesn't want to get mired down in art speak. The advise is easy to follow and straightforward. It has helped me organize my thoughts and most importantly pushed me into action regarding my art career. Many thanks!

Specific ideas to focus work and marketing plan
I received this book as gift and find myself returning to it again and again. It has helped me tremendously in keeping my marketing plan focused and in using my time much more efficiently. Perfect for the creative, but maybe not so organized type.

NOT for a working artist
I gave this book, along with others, to an artist about to go public, and he hated it. I quote from his letter:

"... surely misbilled and is a rip-ff. There are 206 pages in the book, each page has one paragraph and in many cases only one sentence. Several pages in the middle of the book are completely blank. The tips are a bit of a joke -- let me give you some exmples: 'Live in the present. Don't waste time recreating the past, or imagining the future. The's only one moment you can truly experience, and that's the one you're in.'"

"The book isn't worth $11.95, it's not worth a dollar in my opinion." ... Read more

Book Description

Essential reading for artists, art dealers, and gallery owners, The Artist-Gallery Partnership: A Practical Guide to Consigning Art offers a unique and thorough discussion of consignment that clarifies all aspects of this crucial art world relationship. The book presents a provision-by-provision explanation of the Standard Art Consignment Agreement, a model contract between artist and dealer suitable for use. The contract is flexible, making it ideal for establishing consignment arrangements that are mutually beneficial. It covers agency, consignment, warranties, transportation responsibilities, insurance coverage, pricing, gallery's commission, promotion, return of art, and much more.

The Artist-Gallery Partnership provides artists and dealers with guidelines for sound business negotiations as well as ideas for resolving disputes. The revised edition contains a new chapter on state consignment legislation, and includes a sample of the Standard Art Consignment Agreement, an inventory sheet/receipt for artworks on consignment, and the texts of the art consignment laws enacted in more than thirty states. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Best Book of Its Kind!!!
I own a small gallery because I love art and artists, but I was not prepared for the variety of business and legal headaches that this field could produce. During yet another frantic call to my attorney, she recommended this book to me and life has been considerably calmer ever since.

Let's face it: art is a business and if you are an artist or a gallery owner, you can't afford to be without this information. I use this book to maintain records; I check paperwork against it before visiting my accountant; I use its sample forms and agreements every time I get the place ready for a new exhibit; and I follow this book's advice with every sale and display we make. This book should be required reading for everyone who has anything to do with art consignment...

Ted Crawford normally writes pretty good books, but...
Tad Crawford has written many useful books for working artists. This book primarily focuses on the state laws for all 50 states. It has some info on the nuts and bolts of gallery/artist interactions and good examples of sample contracts, but overall I was disappointed.

Most of the book focuses on reciting the state statutes. I would have liked more "juice" on navigating the minefield that can occur in artist/dealer relations. Of course, a contract should allow an artist to avoid such messes, but more examples of things going wrong even with contracts would have been useful. It is a good reference book if you are past the point of no return and need to know the legalities of your particular state so you can proceed accordingly. I found Tad Crawfords other books more useful. ... Read more

Book Description

Because launching a new museum or expanding an already existing one can be a daunting task, it is imperative that you have sound advice. "Starting Right" provides this guidance in a handbook that was designed to explain the basics of museum planning in an evening's reading. Free of technical jargon, "Starting Right" defines what a museum is, both philosophically and historically, discusses the pros and cons of establishing your museum, outlines where to get help, and proffers advice on all aspects of museums from the choice of a building through collections care, registration, exhibitions, conservation, staffing, financial management and fund raising. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Starting Right, A Basic Guide to Museum Planning
This is an excellent "how to do it" guide if you are considering establishing a museum in your community. It is easy to read, and gives very specific guidlines to determine if your museum plan is feasible from both financial and community support considerations. If so, there are specific steps (from writing a mission statement to establishing a collections policy) to follow for prudent setup and running of a successful museum. Additional resources are listed for each step along the way. ... Read more

Book Description

Now every designer can reap the benefits of having the perfect mentor. In this career guide, Jeff Fisher shows off his winning personality with ideas and solutions to nearly every career dilemma, including: - Building a recognizable and reputable firm - Presenting a professional image all the time - Mastering client communication - Learning from (and salvaging) mistakes - Determining fees for work - Finding happiness along with financial success

Here, designers won't find any of the dry, stuffed shirt attitude that's doled out with most business advice. Instead, they'll enjoy a fun mix of personal anecdotes and industry research to help them take their careers to the next level. This is a must-have resource for all creative professionals. ... Read more

Book Description

2004 Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market is the single most important reference you'll ever own. With it, you'll learn how to build a successful career by selling, publishing and licensing your work more often, for more money.

2004 Arist's & Graphic Designer's Market is the only resource that provides more than 2000 completely updated market listing and industry contacts, including such hard to find information as art director names, guidelines for getting in touch, type of work desired, pay rates, product specialities and more.

Nine comprehensive sections cover every possible opportunity, including greeting cards & gifts, magazines, posters & prints, book publishers, galleries, advertising & design markets and more! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

very helpful
I found this book to be an excellent help to those wanting to make a living with their art. It has lots of "how to" information , interviews and tips from sucessful artists. Being a visual artist myself, I would like to see more information under the gallery section. The information in this book gets outdated fast, so buy the latest edition.

This book is good for commerical artists, not fine artists
This book is trying to be too many things to too many people. It is primarily a book aimed at commericial artists, with a few token gallery pages. I alerted the publisher's of this book of a scamming "art consultant" two editions ago, and this person is still in the book. I don't think facts are checked too thorougly, and having visited some of the galleries in person, I think the editors rely too much on gallery self-disclosure. If you are a commercial artist trying to break into the field or want to design greeting cards, it might be a helpful resource. If you are a fine artist seeking gallery representation, I would suggest the annual "Art in America" guide that comes out annually in August. It is a much more accurate and comprehensive listing of galleries region by region, although they by no means get all the galleries in a particular geographical region either. Frankly, I think this book is not benificial for fine artists, and the fact they put "artist" in the title is misleading. There is a world of difference between marketing commerical and fine art, a distinction lost on the editors of this book.

Alibris is a bad company!
I order the 2004 artist market an good this 1994 artist market. they will not refund my money!

As valuable as my pen and ink
As a professional illustrator I've come to depend on certain things to help me in my freelance business. A clean pen tip, a full bottle of ink and the AGDM. Each year, this book features new and interesting prospects. The 2004 edition is no exception. I'm continually browsing through lead after lead. As an established illustrator, I receive numerous e-mails from artists who are looking to "break in" to the freelance market. I tell them that the AGDM is something they NEED to have. The detailed information is critical in helping an artist recognize who and who NOT to send samples to. There are many factors that have contributed to my success as a freelance artist, the Artist's & Graphic Designer's Market is one of them.

a "must have"
If you're an artist, illustrator, cartoonist, just starting out or a seasoned pro, this is one that belongs in your book collection on a yearly basis.
The 2002 edition starts out with an intro from the editor (thank you Mary Cox for this invaluable book) and a "Keynote Address" from speaker/consultant Ilise Benun on self-promotion.

The 2nd section continues with "Business & Marketing Seminars", tips and guides that are very informative. Lance J. Klass, president of Porterfield's Fine Art Licensing (one of the best in the field) writes "Ten Secrets to Success in Art Licensing", and anything Mr. Klass writes is worth reading, reading again, and memorizing !

The terrific Jim Hunt, cartoonist extraordinaire, writes "From the Front Lines...Practical Advice from Freelancers to Freelancers", and interviews 3 successful illustrators...I like the answers to Jim's question: "Besides having a really "cool boss", how has working for yourself changed your approach towards getting up and going to work each day ?".
Of these and the 8 other articles, there will be at least half that you'll find fit in to your line of work, and you're sure to learn, and be motivated by them.

3rd section: "The Markets". Listings on the many places you can market your work, and this needs to be updated yearly, as you'll find new entries, and very important, many new contact people on the listings from previous years (each listing is marked with an icon if it's new or has a change of address/contact person).
The listings run the gamut from greeting cards to record labels, and there are 4 "Insider Reports" included.
Many of the listings have web sites, which I always check, to see if the style represented is one I'd fit into.

4th section: Artist's reps, web sites, glossary and indexes.
It's a great book...it will help keep you in touch with what's out there, make you realize that there are a lot of opportunities to tap into, and if you're ever feeling "stuck", open it's pages, and send some post cards, slides, etc. to one or more of its market entries...it will get you moving, and you never know, you just might get a positive response. ... Read more

Book Description

Filled with successful strategies for serving clients in today's flourishing art market, this definitive guide provides techniques for increasing sales opportunities and revenues in an ever-expanding field. Not just for art consultants, this excellent resource can serve artists, gallery owners and staff, and anyone interested in selling art to the corporate market. Details are provided on how to generate leads, navigate new markets and reach top decision makers, establish a profitable fee/commission structure, then write and present winning proposals. Art sources, how to handle and install art, art program management, professional ethics, marketing, publicity and advertising are all addressed, with sample contracts and forms provided.

Susan Abbott, coauthor of "Fine Art Publicity," assists Fortune 500 companies in acquiring and exhibiting art and developing art-related public relations programs. An eminent speaker who regularly conducts corporate art training seminars in the United States, Canada, and overseas, she lives in San Francisco. ... Read more

Book Description

How to sell one's art isn't taught in art schools, yet it's an essential ingredient in getting work displayed and attracting art commissions. This straightforward, inexpensive guide is written for artists who want to present themselves and their work in the best possible light to the largest possible audience. Topics include creating a winning marketing package, getting a gallery, finding an artist representative, and obtaining free or low-cost advertising. Also included is a thorough resource listing that includes inexpensive sources for slide development, contact information for artist representatives, suggestions for durable mailing packaging, and contact names for foreign news media. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

How to Make Money as an Artist
As an student of art, I found "How To Make Money As An Artist" highly informative. I will definitely use the book as a useful and needed reference. Mr. Moore's sound, artful insights are practical, his advice is based on successful experience and his book is written in a refreshingly readable and natural style. I particularly appreciated his motivating and respectful tone; one from an artist to his fellow artists. I could relate to this writer.

I take issue with a person who wrote that artists would do better buying a book on how to start up a small business. I question whether the reviewer is, in fact, an artist at all because clearly, he or she misses the point. Artists, like all professionals, relate to their own kind. Mr. Moore's expertise as a successful artist is directed at, and appeals to, artists who, like all of humankind, learn best from their contemporaries.

Any one can open a mutual fund. It takes a special sense to impart the nuanced wisdom that Artist Moore has done for his colleagues so masterfully in this book.

no news flash
It's no secret that if you're an artist (or do anything of an "artsy" inclination) that, sadly enough, sometimes what you're selling has little to do with your product (err, art) but rather your package (that would be you). I think most of the advice given in here is common sense, like you need to market yourself and act professionally. I also believe that this book could benefit from the use of anecdotes -- I would like to hear some stories of successful fine artists. Now for the specifics. The author's gems of advice for your resume are "Don't set your resume on a typewriter" (yes! a typewriter! I checked to make sure that this book was really published in the year 2000 and indeed it was) and "Use serif type. This is the most important advice you will ever get about typography..." He then goes on to state that the reason that print media often uses serif type is because it is "easier" to read -- right here is where the author starts losing credibility because usability studies have shown that actually sans serif fonts are the ones easiest to read. But no, he claims that sans serif is good only for "art directors and graphic designers" -- and naturally, no self-respecting artiste would want to be confused with a designer now, would they?! Another point of contention (out of many) is that he is a proponent of artists using free website hosting services such as Compuserve or making use of your space on AOL. I don't know if anything would scream "I am an amateur hack" then having your "professional" website hosted on Geocities, complete with annoying pop-ups. I'm sorry but to make your sale and complete your marketing package, you've got to be professional, and professionals are willing to shell out a little money to get something that looks like you've got it together. Another favorite piece of advice is that the artist should chop up color photocopies (or something printed from your all-in-one home fax machine/copier -- horrors!) to create business cards. Believe me, I know that artists are on a tight budget and all, but again, that is not the image you want to be projecting. Lastly, if you are an aspiring artist and did not get your BFA/MFA in Art, and have never had a gallery show in your life, this book is not going to help you break into the business in any way.

Aside from these nit-picky details, there is the fact that this is ostensibly a book about making money. But really it's not. Essentially an artist is an entrepreneur, and any basic business book is going to tell you that to have a successful business, you will need a business plan, some sort of way of tracking your finances/expenditures, profit loss statements etc. How else will you even know what is making money and working for you? I know it's unsexy as hell but any smart and savvy artist would need to know these basics if they really want to make it (it's a pity that they rarely mention this reality in school). I would recommend that you steer clear of this book and check out some really basic entrepreneurial books with an accounting bent instead. And pick up a couple of basic graphic design ones too to understand how to put together a compelling marketing package.

This book gave me some direction
I bought this book a couple of weeks ago and it was an easy read. It has a lot of good tips in it. I really appreciated the part about websites, since reading this book I built my own art site and I have more knowledge about making money in the arts. My only dislike is that in the back of the book there is a lot of resources for artists, but it's just for American artists. It'd be nice if there was a list of resources for Canadian artists too. ... Read more

Book Description

This manual is a guide for both artists and gallery personnel. Artists and dealers often fall into the trap of believing that all that is required to sell fine art is the mounting of an exhibition. But the "field of dreams theory", "Exhibit it and it will sell." doesn't work! Many artists and dealers have not been taught how to focus their energy and limited resources in developing successful marketing plans. "Marketing" and "sales" are words which are often used interchangeably but have dramatically different meanings. Marketing consists of the steps that lead up to and results in sales. Well planned and executed marketing leads to multiple opportunities to make sales. The author, Marcia Layton, a marketing specialist, has brought together all of the ingredients of art marketing, including positioning, pricing, distribution, and promotion. Replete with specific examples, this guide assists artists and gallery personnel to develop a specific plan which will lead to increased sales and success. Successful Fine Art Marketing is not a generalized marketing manual - it is focused on art, artists, and galleries. ... Read more

Book Description

This guide to the ins and outs of today's dynamic illustration business tells budding illustrators everything that their teacher didn't know or their art director didn't tell them. Using an entertaining, running narrative format to look at key concerns every illustrator must face today, this book covers finding one's unique style and establishing a balance between art and commerce; tackling issues of authorship and promotion; and more. In-depth perspectives are offered by illustrators, art directors, and art buyers from various industries and professional levels on such issues as quality, price negotiation, and illustrator-client relationships. ... Read more

Book Description

55 interviews with art dealers--from postwar giants like Leo Castelli and Betty Parsons to the art magnates of today--create a well-rounded picture of how the art world operates, how galleries work with artists, how prices are established, what it takes t ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Art Dealers: The Powers Behind the Scene Tell How the Ar
This book sheds real light into how New York based art dealers from the 1940s to the 1980s lived, worked and thought about art. There are many interesting anecdotes, opinions and brief biographies inside this book filled with short essays about some 25 dealers who hepled shape the world of art as it is still known today.

Formulaic Padding
This is a mere formulaic padding of the prior edition of this book. There are a few new chapters. In some cases, these chapters address dealers who have come into prominence since the 1985 edition. Other dealers given equal attention were added for reasons that shall remain mysterious, as they address players never known or soon to be forgotten. The original chapters related to figures such as Sydney Janis and Leo Castelli have some historical interest. The new chapters tend to be shorter and tend to suffer from a narrow focus on the personal background of the dealer and the editors' apparent effort to prompt the dealers to speak to art world issues that may have been new or compelling in 1985 (e.g., the "new" role of auction houses) but which are certainly capillary today. The upshot is that I learned quite literally nothing about the contemporary art market. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Where To Seek Job Opportunities and Funding Sources For Your Work,
If you're an artist, you intuit it. Art is there within you. This book is for those who on some level know what they truly are -- either you are trying to learn how to do this artistic life better, or you are trying to decide whether or not to do it at all. How can you take this vague idea of being an artist and make it a reality? Get clear and make a plan.

How will this book help? By pointing you in some directions, showing you where to get information you may need. By giving you the experience of others who have gone before you who may have done something you can benefit from, and who have been gracious enough to pass it on. By helping you to see what kind of a plan you need. By helping you make a plan. Bottom line, as an artist you have an even greater need to make long-term plans than other folks. Income will likely come at irregular intervals. You'll have to save money whenever you can, get good credit, maintain a fuel-efficient vehicle, and find the way to do your art. Yet we all must budget for rent, food, telephone, transportation, clothing, health insurance, gas and electric - the stuff of day-to-day living.

Inside this book are practical suggestions and ideas to help you cope with artist's life including: Housing, Telephone, Home Office, Car, Health Insurance, Finances, The Internet, Legal Assistance, Grants, MFA Programs, Theatre Companies and Artist Retreats, Working Overseas, Putting Together Your Artist Portfolio.

Art That Pays will give you ideas and practical, concrete suggestions. If you are an artist and you have decided to pursue it, this thing you are embarked upon is noble. We hope to give you some encouragement because you can never have too much support. And we hope, perhaps, to make you smile at least once or twice, if not in amusement, at least in recognition of the absurdity, joy and wonder that is this life we have. ... Read more

Book Description

For first-time bidders mystified and intimidated by the auctionprocess, Best Bids spells it all out—from the preview to the bidding andfrom small country auctions to giant internationals like Sotheby's andChristie's to bidding on the Internet. Readers will learn how to bid, how toconsign an object for sale, how to evaluate an item, and how to recognize afake. Best Bids is filled with illustrated examples and advice fromexperts in the field and covers twenty-five categories of collecting fromChinese Ceramics, Paintings, Silver, and Rugs to American Furniture, Books andManuscripts, American Folk Art, European Ceramics, and Collectibles. Best Bidsis a complete and long-needed guide for enthusiasts and for the avid viewers ofPBS's Antiques Roadshow. ... Read more

Book Description

A successful international artist offers a no-holds-barred approach to making it in the arts and selling your work.

"This profound, funny book, full of hard truths and smart advice, is must reading for artists. Read it and you just might transform your life and jolt your art career awake! Are you ready for some high voltage inspiration? Then come listen to the master's voice."

—Eric Maisel, A Life in the Arts

"The best bunch of advice I've ever seen for someone who is serious about this crazy addiction called art."

—Barnaby Conrad, artist and best-selling author. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

For the serious artist
That want to be able to sell their work. Innis lays down a lot of information, and he has some strong opinions. While you might not agree with all he has to say, he offers straight forward advice and no holds barred points of fact.

Besides all that, it is just an interesting book to read and fun too. He offers some tips on how not to be a "pigeon" (fat lazy birds that beg and simply follow the crowd) that are just good advice and can be applied to endeavors other than painting. His writing is humorous and often blasts certain types of thinking and institutions.

He gives advice on what kind of materials he feels are best, plus tips on how to arrange certain things in you life to be able to paint.
His plan on how to launch your career is straight forward, simple to understand and seems very realistic. The hard part is the work. This is no "pie in the sky" method, Innis insists that a painter have 2 or 3 hundred paintings under their belt before presenting work to the buying public. He wants the artist to be a good draftsman before trying to paint. He wants the artist to use a professional writer and a professional photographer to create a catalog of work. He doesn't offer any "secret" tricks here, just a solid method to becoming a professional well paid artist.

The one area of disagreement I have is that he is a little to emphatic when it comes to certain materials. He advocates using acrylics on inexpensive canvas with large brushes. While that is fine for many types of work, it simply doesn't cut it with others such as the seascapes I tend to paint. I use fine linen (yes it is 200 bucks a roll but it feels so nice) and I use expensive oil paints (the colors and the strengths of pigments make it worth it). I also use many small brushes for detail work. But these differences don't really effect the reading of the book, he just gives his reasons why he uses and prefers the types of materials he uses. He does make a really good point about staying away from watercolor and I have to agree 100 per cent on this.

All in all, for any one that is seriously considering trying to launch a career in painting, a career --not a weekend at the park selling 25 dollar paintings-- then this book is a must read and I highly recommend it.

Crusty but tasty
One of those gotta-have books for the artist. I laughed my way silly as I read through this book and pestered my friends with quotes from it for months! Unless you're married to an abstract expressionist who makes their living with grant money, you'll think it's funny and right-on too. He's sarcastic, biting and not a little cranky when it comes to Academic, Museum and Gallery commentaries. But hey - my experience as an artist has been pretty much the same, so I can't fault him for tellin' it like it is. And he does it with buckets of humor.

I guess you would call Joe a modern impressionist painter - if you want a classification for him. So he comes from a realist point of view rather than an abstract one. However, Joe is certainly not anti-abstract, he's just anti-pretensiousness (I made that word up I think?). Joe's been there and done that. He spills his guts and lets us know what works and what doesn't on the way to becoming a well-known and successful artist. I have no doubt, if you have talent and the guts to follow his program you can make a very nice living as an artist.

Highly recommended. ... Read more

Book Description

Create and Be Recognized is the first survey of a compelling, always surprising art form -- outsider photography. Presented here is the work of seventeen largely self-taught artists who have used photography or photographic elements in their creations, including such luminaries as Adolf Wolfli, Howard Finster, and Henry Darger, as well as discoveries from little known, equally dramatic artists. As with most outsider art, the work here is fuelled by singular passions, marginalized mindsets, and extreme circumstances, falling outside mainstream picture-making. Employing collage (affixing photos or reproductions to a background), photocollage (photographs cut and pasted together to form a new whole), and tableaux (works based on manipulation and staging), the artists here present work that is, by turns, lyrical and frightening, and always fascinating. Published to coincide with a major touring exhibition of the same name originating at San Francisco's Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, Create and Be Recognized documents an emerging and important facet of contemporary photography. ... Read more

Book Description

Paul Durand-Ruel (1831-1922) is widely credited as the dealer who "made" the professional careers of Renoir, Degas, Manet, Monet, Sisley, Pissarro, Puvis de Chavannes, and other painters of fin-de-siècle Paris. Driven by the conviction that the work of the Impressionists was an artistic revelation, he led the fight against critical opinion and brought these artists to the public. His event-filled life is the subject of this absorbing biography.

Durand-Ruel risked his name, his fortune, and his family's future to become the outspoken champion of Impressionism, an art form that in France provoked only insults. By 1900 his gallery dominated the international market for Impressionism, and he had inspired a new generation of collectors, from merchant princes of Moscow to steel barons of Pittsburgh. This volume, deftly crafted from unpublished documents and letters, and illustrated with 40 black-and-white images, is an important addition to our understanding of Impressionism and collecting, as well as a dazzling tour of French and American art and cultural politics in the years before World War I. AUTHOR BIO: Pierre Assouline is one of France's leading historians and biographers. His many books include An Artful Life: A Biography of D. H. Kahnweiler. ... Read more