advice to young artists (and old)

There is one thing I can say from the bottom of my heart and from everything I know about art. There is no excuse--ZERO excuse for not getting your work out and in front of people. I have known hundreds of artists who say either "I dont like to sell my work" "I dont like to show my work" "maybe next year" Bologna! Every artist wants his work to be admired and especially sold. There is no room for wallflowers! If you cower in a dark corner of fear then you are useless as an artist--go drive a milk truck. Get your work and name out into the light and face up! The more you get your name out the more other artists will bad mouth you and knock your work. That to me is glory. I had a friend tell me my art show was "unfocused" and scattered---- I put it together in six months worked myself into a near heart attack and hundreds of people came and yet someone who never sold a single painting and never had a show told me I was "unfocused." Always a bridesmaid never a bride, always a critic--never an artist. Live everyday like it is your last and put every ounce you have into your art--I dont care if you are broke, poor, sick, sad or tired. Grab your brush and paint yourself into a good head or at least express the pain you are in . There is no excuse for hiding and no excuse for bad mouthing others when you are not in the game yourself. Friends come and go and relationships come and go--art is your constant. Passion is like good soup--it keeps you healthy and young. Dont be an "artiste" poser--be an artist.


You turn my head
I spin my wheels
Running on empty
You know how that feels

I'm on a roll now
Or is it a slide?
Can't be too careful
With that dangerous pride
If I could only reach that dial inside
And turn it up

Face up...Face up or you can only back down
Face up...Hit the target or you better hit the ground
Face up...There's still time to turn the game around
Face up...Turn it up
Or turn that wild card down
Face up...Turn it up

Don't complain
Don't explain