BJs WORKSHOP
SO YOU WANNA BE AN ARTIST?
BY BUSTER JONES
SO YOU WANNA BE AN ARTIST?
BY BUSTER JONES
MAKING A JOYFUL AND FULFILLING LIFE WITH ART WORK IS THE
DREAM OF MANY TALENTED, AND DESERVING PEOPLE. MAKING A
LIVING IN ART, THROUGH SALES, TEACHING, COMMERCIAL ART, OR
ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO ART, WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE
FOR MOST ARTISTS. WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT, YOU CAN MAKE A
GOOD LIVING WITH ANY OF THESE ENDEAVORS.
I LIKE TO COMPARE PROFESSIONAL ART TO GOLF AND PROFESSIONAL
GOLFERS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. ONE THAT COMES TO MIND: I'VE NEVER SEEN
A BAD GOLFER WIN ON THE PRO TOUR, BUT I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF BAD
ART WIN CONTESTS, AND SELL TOO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS WHO MAKE A GOOD
LIVING WITH GOLF, EVEN ON THE PROFESSIONAL TOUR, BUT MOST OF
THE MONEY, PRESTIGE, AND GLORY, GOES TO A SELECT FEW. THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WITH ART.
DREAM OF MANY TALENTED, AND DESERVING PEOPLE. MAKING A
LIVING IN ART, THROUGH SALES, TEACHING, COMMERCIAL ART, OR
ANYTHING ELSE RELATED TO ART, WOULD BE A DREAM COME TRUE
FOR MOST ARTISTS. WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT, YOU CAN MAKE A
GOOD LIVING WITH ANY OF THESE ENDEAVORS.
I LIKE TO COMPARE PROFESSIONAL ART TO GOLF AND PROFESSIONAL
GOLFERS, BECAUSE I THINK THEY ARE PRETTY MUCH THE SAME.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONS. ONE THAT COMES TO MIND: I'VE NEVER SEEN
A BAD GOLFER WIN ON THE PRO TOUR, BUT I'VE SEEN PLENTY OF BAD
ART WIN CONTESTS, AND SELL TOO.
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL GOLFERS WHO MAKE A GOOD
LIVING WITH GOLF, EVEN ON THE PROFESSIONAL TOUR, BUT MOST OF
THE MONEY, PRESTIGE, AND GLORY, GOES TO A SELECT FEW. THAT'S
PRETTY MUCH THE SAME WITH ART.
THE QUESTION IS, WHERE DO YOU FIT INTO THE PICTURE? THE REAL QUESTION IS, WHERE DO YOU
WANT TO FIT IN? DO YOU WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST MAKING YOUR LIVING OFF OF THE
SALES OF YOUR OWN ART? ARE YOU REALLY SURE?
ONE THING I'VE OBSERVED ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AS PROFESSIONAL
ARTISTS, OUTSIDE OF HAVING A LOT OF ARTISTIC ABILITY, IS THAT THEY SEEM TO HAVE AN
UNCANNY ABILITY TO MANAGE. THIS MANAGEMENT ABILITY IS MOST IMPORTANT. YOU COULD
RELATE ARTISTIC ABILITY AND MANAGEMENT, TO ARTISTIC ABILITY AND CREATIVITY. I PERSONALLY
HAD RATHER HAVE MORE CREATIVE ABILITY, THAN ARTISTIC ABILITY THAN ARTISTIC ABILITY. AND,
IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, AND I HAD TO COMPETE WITH OTHERS AND MAKE A LIVING OUT OF ART, I
WOULD FIND SOME WAY TO GET THOSE MANAGEMENT SKILLS UP THERE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING
WITH. OR ABOVE, MY ARTISTIC ABILITY.
WANT TO FIT IN? DO YOU WANT TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ARTIST MAKING YOUR LIVING OFF OF THE
SALES OF YOUR OWN ART? ARE YOU REALLY SURE?
ONE THING I'VE OBSERVED ABOUT THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL AS PROFESSIONAL
ARTISTS, OUTSIDE OF HAVING A LOT OF ARTISTIC ABILITY, IS THAT THEY SEEM TO HAVE AN
UNCANNY ABILITY TO MANAGE. THIS MANAGEMENT ABILITY IS MOST IMPORTANT. YOU COULD
RELATE ARTISTIC ABILITY AND MANAGEMENT, TO ARTISTIC ABILITY AND CREATIVITY. I PERSONALLY
HAD RATHER HAVE MORE CREATIVE ABILITY, THAN ARTISTIC ABILITY THAN ARTISTIC ABILITY. AND,
IF I HAD MY DRUTHERS, AND I HAD TO COMPETE WITH OTHERS AND MAKE A LIVING OUT OF ART, I
WOULD FIND SOME WAY TO GET THOSE MANAGEMENT SKILLS UP THERE ON AN EQUAL FOOTING
WITH. OR ABOVE, MY ARTISTIC ABILITY.
LOOK AROUND YOURSELF. WHEN YOU LOOK AT ARTISTS SUCCESSES, WHAT IS IT THAT STANDS
OUT? FIRST, THEY HAVE SOMETHING GOING FOR THEM. THEY SAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, MAYBE
A LITTLE, SOMETIMES A GREAT DEAL, DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS AND THEN THEY, OR "SOMEBODY" IS
DOING A BANK-UP JOB OF GETTING THEIR WORK TO THE BUYERS, AND SELLING IT. THEY ALSO HAVE
A "PLAN". IT'S LIKE TRAVELING WITHOUT A ROADMAP. IF YOU'RE JUST GOING DOWN THE ROAD A
SHORT WAY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO WITHOUT IT, BUT EVEN THEN, YOU MAY GET LOST.
OUT? FIRST, THEY HAVE SOMETHING GOING FOR THEM. THEY SAY WHAT THEY HAVE TO SAY, MAYBE
A LITTLE, SOMETIMES A GREAT DEAL, DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS AND THEN THEY, OR "SOMEBODY" IS
DOING A BANK-UP JOB OF GETTING THEIR WORK TO THE BUYERS, AND SELLING IT. THEY ALSO HAVE
A "PLAN". IT'S LIKE TRAVELING WITHOUT A ROADMAP. IF YOU'RE JUST GOING DOWN THE ROAD A
SHORT WAY, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO DO WITHOUT IT, BUT EVEN THEN, YOU MAY GET LOST.
THERE IS ONE VERY IMPORTANT FACTOR THAT HAS TO BE FIGURED IN,
AND THAT FACTOR IS COMMITMENT. I HEARD OF A KAMIKAZI PILOT
DURING THE WAR WHO FLEW 32 MISSIONS. HE JUST WASN'T COMITTED
TO WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
ARE YOU WILLING TO EXPEND THE ENERGY? DO YOU HAVE THE
RESOURCES? DO YOU HAVE THE TIME? DO YOU HAVE THE DESIRE? IF
YOU HAVE A FAMILY, ARE THEY WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR YOU? AND
ARE YOU PREPARED TO ASK THEM TO?
AND THAT FACTOR IS COMMITMENT. I HEARD OF A KAMIKAZI PILOT
DURING THE WAR WHO FLEW 32 MISSIONS. HE JUST WASN'T COMITTED
TO WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
ARE YOU WILLING TO EXPEND THE ENERGY? DO YOU HAVE THE
RESOURCES? DO YOU HAVE THE TIME? DO YOU HAVE THE DESIRE? IF
YOU HAVE A FAMILY, ARE THEY WILLING TO SACRIFICE FOR YOU? AND
ARE YOU PREPARED TO ASK THEM TO?
NOW LET'S SAY YOU HAVE MADE YOUR MIND UP AND WANT TO GIVE IT A GO. YOU WANT TO MAKE
YOUR LIVING OUT OF THIS TALENT THAT ONLY ONE IN A HUNDRED HAPPEN TO BE BLESSED WITH.
THIS WONDERFUL THING CALLED ART.
NOW COMES THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, THE PLANNING, THE ROADMAP. I BELIEVE AT EACH
SECTION OF THE PLANNING STARTS TO COME TOGETHER, SOME TYPE OF TIME SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE IS IMPERATIVE. YOU MAY BE MORE DICIPLINED THAN I, BUT IF I'M NOT SCHEDULED TO
BE AT A CERTAIN PLACE, IN MY PLAN AT A CERTAIN TIME, I'M GENERALL NOT THERE AT ALL. SO
DEVELOP A TIME LINE, A BUSINESS PLAN, IF YOU WILL, SOMETHING THAT SETS GOALS FOR YOUR
WORK.
YOUR LIVING OUT OF THIS TALENT THAT ONLY ONE IN A HUNDRED HAPPEN TO BE BLESSED WITH.
THIS WONDERFUL THING CALLED ART.
NOW COMES THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, THE PLANNING, THE ROADMAP. I BELIEVE AT EACH
SECTION OF THE PLANNING STARTS TO COME TOGETHER, SOME TYPE OF TIME SCHEDULE
SCHEDULE IS IMPERATIVE. YOU MAY BE MORE DICIPLINED THAN I, BUT IF I'M NOT SCHEDULED TO
BE AT A CERTAIN PLACE, IN MY PLAN AT A CERTAIN TIME, I'M GENERALL NOT THERE AT ALL. SO
DEVELOP A TIME LINE, A BUSINESS PLAN, IF YOU WILL, SOMETHING THAT SETS GOALS FOR YOUR
WORK.
UNLESS THE QUALITY OF YOUR IS REALLY OUTSTANDING, OR INVARIBLY SUPERIOR TO MOST OTHERS,
YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR MARKET. EVEN IF YOUR WORK IS OUTSTANDING, IT WILL TAKE MAXIMUM
EFFORT TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR. YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR WORK OUT WHERE A LOT OF
PEOPLE CAN SEE IT. THE BEST WAY TO SELL YOUR WORK IS FACE TO FACE WITH A PERSON WITH A
LOVE FOR ART, AND MONEY TO BUY. I'VE BEEN TO A FEW, STRIKE THAT, A LOT OF SHOWS WITH
NOTHING BUT LOOKERS. THAT'S REALLY TOUGH WHEN YOU DRIVE A THOUSAND MILES AND DON'T EVEN
MAKE GAS MONEY. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU CAN COUNT ON IT. BUT WHEN YOU AND YOUR ART
MEET PEOPLE WHO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR ART, SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS. THE CUSTOMER
SEES YOUR WORK. THEY MAY ASK A FEW QUESTIONS: " WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PAINT THIS"? "THINGS
LIKE THAT. IS THIS A REAL PERSON OR SOMETHING YOU MADE UP?" THEY WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU
AS WELL AS YOUR ART. AS YOU TALK, A RELATIONSHIP IS FORMED, A SALE OFFEN RESULTS, AND YOU
GET TO SEE HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO YOUR WORK. THEIR RESPONSES CAN REINFORCE YOUR
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR WORK, OR MAKE YOU SEE YOUR WORK DIFFERENTLY SO YOU CAN IMPROVE IT.
ART NEEDS TO BE SEEN. GET OUT THERE AND SHOW IT.
YOU NEED TO FIND YOUR MARKET. EVEN IF YOUR WORK IS OUTSTANDING, IT WILL TAKE MAXIMUM
EFFORT TO GET YOUR FOOT IN THE DOOR. YOU HAVE TO GET YOUR WORK OUT WHERE A LOT OF
PEOPLE CAN SEE IT. THE BEST WAY TO SELL YOUR WORK IS FACE TO FACE WITH A PERSON WITH A
LOVE FOR ART, AND MONEY TO BUY. I'VE BEEN TO A FEW, STRIKE THAT, A LOT OF SHOWS WITH
NOTHING BUT LOOKERS. THAT'S REALLY TOUGH WHEN YOU DRIVE A THOUSAND MILES AND DON'T EVEN
MAKE GAS MONEY. THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, YOU CAN COUNT ON IT. BUT WHEN YOU AND YOUR ART
MEET PEOPLE WHO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR ART, SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS. THE CUSTOMER
SEES YOUR WORK. THEY MAY ASK A FEW QUESTIONS: " WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PAINT THIS"? "THINGS
LIKE THAT. IS THIS A REAL PERSON OR SOMETHING YOU MADE UP?" THEY WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU
AS WELL AS YOUR ART. AS YOU TALK, A RELATIONSHIP IS FORMED, A SALE OFFEN RESULTS, AND YOU
GET TO SEE HOW PEOPLE RESPOND TO YOUR WORK. THEIR RESPONSES CAN REINFORCE YOUR
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR WORK, OR MAKE YOU SEE YOUR WORK DIFFERENTLY SO YOU CAN IMPROVE IT.
ART NEEDS TO BE SEEN. GET OUT THERE AND SHOW IT.
"WORK ISN'T TO MAKE MONEY, IT'S TO JUSTIFY LIFE." - CHAGALL.
CHAGALL MAYBE DIDN'T NEED THE MONEY BUT MOST OF US DO, AND UNTIL WE
GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN BE MORE SECURE IN WHAT'S COMING
TOMORROW, LET'S THINK ABOUT A NECESSARY EVIL, MARKETING.
AN INSTRUCTOR I ONCE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN TO SHOWS WHERE
HE WOULD PRAY THAT HE WOULD SELL SOMETHING SO THAT HE COULD EAT.
HE FINALLY MADE IT TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE COWBOY ARTISTS OF AMERICA.
THAT'S THE MOST ELITE GROUP IN AMERICA.
BY THIS STAGE OF THE GAME YOU SHOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT WHERE YOU ARE
HEADED WITH YOUR ART. IF NOT, YOU'D BETTER GET BUSY ON THAT. I WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU ON WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FIVE OR TEN YEARS FROM NOW.
LET ME SAY, IF YOU LIVE ON THE PLAINS OF TEXAS, IT MAY BE A LITTLE TOUGH TO DO SEASCAPES.
YOUR COMPETITION WAKES UP EVERY MORNING WITH THE SOUND OS WAVES CRASHING OVER THE
ROCKS. I SAW A WINDMILL THAT WAS PAINTED BY A PERSON WHO LIVES BY THE OCEAN ONE TIMEAND
THOUGHT I'D BUST SOMETHING LOOSE LAUGHING. GET THE PICTURE? DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO AND
SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW. THERE IS A MARKET FOR FOR YOUR WORK, FOR MY WORK, FOR
ANYBODYS WORK.
GET TO THE POINT WHERE WE CAN BE MORE SECURE IN WHAT'S COMING
TOMORROW, LET'S THINK ABOUT A NECESSARY EVIL, MARKETING.
AN INSTRUCTOR I ONCE HAD TOLD ME THAT HE HAD BEEN TO SHOWS WHERE
HE WOULD PRAY THAT HE WOULD SELL SOMETHING SO THAT HE COULD EAT.
HE FINALLY MADE IT TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE COWBOY ARTISTS OF AMERICA.
THAT'S THE MOST ELITE GROUP IN AMERICA.
BY THIS STAGE OF THE GAME YOU SHOULD HAVE FIGURED OUT WHERE YOU ARE
HEADED WITH YOUR ART. IF NOT, YOU'D BETTER GET BUSY ON THAT. I WOULD LOVE TO
HEAR FROM YOU ON WHERE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE FIVE OR TEN YEARS FROM NOW.
LET ME SAY, IF YOU LIVE ON THE PLAINS OF TEXAS, IT MAY BE A LITTLE TOUGH TO DO SEASCAPES.
YOUR COMPETITION WAKES UP EVERY MORNING WITH THE SOUND OS WAVES CRASHING OVER THE
ROCKS. I SAW A WINDMILL THAT WAS PAINTED BY A PERSON WHO LIVES BY THE OCEAN ONE TIMEAND
THOUGHT I'D BUST SOMETHING LOOSE LAUGHING. GET THE PICTURE? DO WHAT YOU LOVE TO DO AND
SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW. THERE IS A MARKET FOR FOR YOUR WORK, FOR MY WORK, FOR
ANYBODYS WORK.
WHERE IS YOUR MARKET? BETWEEN FINE ARTS AND COMMERCIAL ART, THERE ARE SOOOO MANY
MARKETS FOR ART WORK. I HAVE A LIST OF PROSPECTS THAT WOULD REACH ACROSS MY HOUSE.
EACH SALE BREEDS ANOTHER SALE, SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS. DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND
PROSPECTS. GET PEOPLE WHO BUY YOUR WORK TO SUGGEST FRIENDS OF THEIRS WHO MIGHT ALSO
BE INTERESTED,THEN CONTACT THOSE FOLKS.IT TAKES WORK TO MARKET YOUR ART, BUT WHO CAN
REPRESENT IT BETTER THAN THE CREATOR?
PRICE? LET ME SAY THIS. I THINK A LOT OF ARTISTS, MAYBE EVEN MOST, THINK TOO MUCH OF THEIR
OWN WORK. ONE OF MY STUDENTS TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT WITH ALL THE LESSONS AND MONEY
THEY HAD SPENT, THEY FELT LIKE THEY DESERVED THE HIGH PRICES ON THEIR ART. THEY EVEN
COMPARED THEIR TRAINING TO THAT OF A DOCTOR. IN MY OPINION,FORMAL TRAINING DOES NOT AN
ARTIST MAKE. NOR DOES THE LACK OF FORMAL TRAINING LIMIT THE ABILITY OF AN ARTIST. THE PROOF
IS IN THE PUDDING AND THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT IS WHEN A BUYER SAYS, "I'LL TAKE THAT" AND
THEN PAYS YOU FOR IT. THAT MEANS THE ARTIST AND THE BUYER GOT TOGETHER ON THE PRICE, AND
BOTH WERE HAPPY.THAT'S CALLED SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
BE REALISTIC. IF YOU'RE STARTING OUT, NOBODY'S HEARD OF YOU, THEN YOU NEED TO PRICE YOUR
WORK LOW SO IT WILL SELL. COVER YOR EXPENSES, MAKE A LITTLE PROFIT AND KEEP THE PRICES
AS LOW AS YOU CAN MANAGE UNTIL YOU START BUILDING A REPUTATION. SOME SWEET DAY
SOMEONE WILL SEE YOUR WORK, LOOK FOR YOUR NAME ON IT, AND SAY, "I'VE HEARD OF YOU!"
THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN YOUR MARKETING AND BUSINESS PLAN.
MARKETS FOR ART WORK. I HAVE A LIST OF PROSPECTS THAT WOULD REACH ACROSS MY HOUSE.
EACH SALE BREEDS ANOTHER SALE, SUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS. DO SOME RESEARCH TO FIND
PROSPECTS. GET PEOPLE WHO BUY YOUR WORK TO SUGGEST FRIENDS OF THEIRS WHO MIGHT ALSO
BE INTERESTED,THEN CONTACT THOSE FOLKS.IT TAKES WORK TO MARKET YOUR ART, BUT WHO CAN
REPRESENT IT BETTER THAN THE CREATOR?
PRICE? LET ME SAY THIS. I THINK A LOT OF ARTISTS, MAYBE EVEN MOST, THINK TOO MUCH OF THEIR
OWN WORK. ONE OF MY STUDENTS TOLD ME ONE TIME THAT WITH ALL THE LESSONS AND MONEY
THEY HAD SPENT, THEY FELT LIKE THEY DESERVED THE HIGH PRICES ON THEIR ART. THEY EVEN
COMPARED THEIR TRAINING TO THAT OF A DOCTOR. IN MY OPINION,FORMAL TRAINING DOES NOT AN
ARTIST MAKE. NOR DOES THE LACK OF FORMAL TRAINING LIMIT THE ABILITY OF AN ARTIST. THE PROOF
IS IN THE PUDDING AND THE ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT IS WHEN A BUYER SAYS, "I'LL TAKE THAT" AND
THEN PAYS YOU FOR IT. THAT MEANS THE ARTIST AND THE BUYER GOT TOGETHER ON THE PRICE, AND
BOTH WERE HAPPY.THAT'S CALLED SUPPLY AND DEMAND.
BE REALISTIC. IF YOU'RE STARTING OUT, NOBODY'S HEARD OF YOU, THEN YOU NEED TO PRICE YOUR
WORK LOW SO IT WILL SELL. COVER YOR EXPENSES, MAKE A LITTLE PROFIT AND KEEP THE PRICES
AS LOW AS YOU CAN MANAGE UNTIL YOU START BUILDING A REPUTATION. SOME SWEET DAY
SOMEONE WILL SEE YOUR WORK, LOOK FOR YOUR NAME ON IT, AND SAY, "I'VE HEARD OF YOU!"
THAT'S WHEN YOU KNOW YOU'RE MAKING PROGRESS IN YOUR MARKETING AND BUSINESS PLAN.
I'LL TELL YOU OF A MARKETING PRACTICE OF A FRIEND OF MINE.
HE QUIT A JOB AS A PRFESSIONAL SADDLE MAKER ABOUT
40 YEARS AGO AND DECIDED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH ARTISTIC
ABILITY TO MAKE A LIVING DOING ART WORK. I ATTENDED A
SHOW A FEW YEARS BACK WITH HIM IN MARSHALL TEXAS,
AND I SAW RIGHT AWAY THAT HIS SUCCESS WITH ART WAS
LARGELY THE RESULT OF HIS MANAGEMENT SKILLS. ALL OF
THE ARTISTS GOT TO THE SHOW A DAY EARLY IN ORDER SET UP DISPLAYS.
HOWEVER, THAT WAS ONLY ONE PRSHOW FUNCTION FOR THIS OLD SADDLE MAKER. DID THE MOST
GOOD HIS MOST IMPORTANT TASK WAS TO TAKE HIS LIST OF CONTACTS THAT HE HAD COLLECTED
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND HE STARTED MAKING PHONE CALLS. IT WOULD BE MY GUESS THAT HE
STARTED A WEEK OR TWO AHEAD OF THE SHOW. I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT HE DIDN'T CALL ALL THE
NEWS MEDIA PRIOR TO THE SHOW AND NOTIFY THEM THAT HE WOULD BE AT THE SHOW. THIS IS
CALLED HUMAN INTEREST AT NO CHARGE. MOSTLY, THE CALLS HE MADE, ONE ON ONE, DID THE MOST
GOOD. THESE CALLS COULD COVER A WIDE AREA. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO TRAVEL
LONG DISTANCES IN ORDER TO VIEW NEW THINGS BY AN ARTIST WHOM THEY HAVE COLLECTED. A
FEW DOLLARS INVESTED IN PHONE CALLS AND MAIL OUTS BEFORE A SHOW CAN PAY OFF IN ADDED
SALES. YOUR BUYERS BOUGHT YOU BEFORE, THEY'LL BUY YOU AGAIN.
HE QUIT A JOB AS A PRFESSIONAL SADDLE MAKER ABOUT
40 YEARS AGO AND DECIDED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH ARTISTIC
ABILITY TO MAKE A LIVING DOING ART WORK. I ATTENDED A
SHOW A FEW YEARS BACK WITH HIM IN MARSHALL TEXAS,
AND I SAW RIGHT AWAY THAT HIS SUCCESS WITH ART WAS
LARGELY THE RESULT OF HIS MANAGEMENT SKILLS. ALL OF
THE ARTISTS GOT TO THE SHOW A DAY EARLY IN ORDER SET UP DISPLAYS.
HOWEVER, THAT WAS ONLY ONE PRSHOW FUNCTION FOR THIS OLD SADDLE MAKER. DID THE MOST
GOOD HIS MOST IMPORTANT TASK WAS TO TAKE HIS LIST OF CONTACTS THAT HE HAD COLLECTED
OVER A PERIOD OF TIME, AND HE STARTED MAKING PHONE CALLS. IT WOULD BE MY GUESS THAT HE
STARTED A WEEK OR TWO AHEAD OF THE SHOW. I'M NOT REAL SURE THAT HE DIDN'T CALL ALL THE
NEWS MEDIA PRIOR TO THE SHOW AND NOTIFY THEM THAT HE WOULD BE AT THE SHOW. THIS IS
CALLED HUMAN INTEREST AT NO CHARGE. MOSTLY, THE CALLS HE MADE, ONE ON ONE, DID THE MOST
GOOD. THESE CALLS COULD COVER A WIDE AREA. SOMETIMES PEOPLE ARE WILLING TO TRAVEL
LONG DISTANCES IN ORDER TO VIEW NEW THINGS BY AN ARTIST WHOM THEY HAVE COLLECTED. A
FEW DOLLARS INVESTED IN PHONE CALLS AND MAIL OUTS BEFORE A SHOW CAN PAY OFF IN ADDED
SALES. YOUR BUYERS BOUGHT YOU BEFORE, THEY'LL BUY YOU AGAIN.
I've thought about where and how I've spent my life, and I think a good
explanation in a very short sentence would be, "around the fringe," which
would be an appropriate title for a series piece: BJ's "Around The Fringe." I
believe a lot of folks can relate to that. The phrase, "around the fringe," is a
golf phrase. When you hit your approach shot to the green and inquire
about the balls location, someone replies, "Not bad, it's around the fringe,"
meaning your not "on," but you're in pretty good shape. I've been doing art
work since I was five, carving wood and clay ever since I can remember,
cast my first bronze in 1973, and it's been one of the most enjoyable
ventures of my life. Art certainly has opened doors that would have been
closed to me otherwise. Around the fringe is not all that bad."
see you around the fringe.
buster jones.
explanation in a very short sentence would be, "around the fringe," which
would be an appropriate title for a series piece: BJ's "Around The Fringe." I
believe a lot of folks can relate to that. The phrase, "around the fringe," is a
golf phrase. When you hit your approach shot to the green and inquire
about the balls location, someone replies, "Not bad, it's around the fringe,"
meaning your not "on," but you're in pretty good shape. I've been doing art
work since I was five, carving wood and clay ever since I can remember,
cast my first bronze in 1973, and it's been one of the most enjoyable
ventures of my life. Art certainly has opened doors that would have been
closed to me otherwise. Around the fringe is not all that bad."
see you around the fringe.
buster jones.
Copyright © 1998 by Buster Jones.. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: All text and images on this and other linked
pages are copyrighted property of the artist or author and may
not be copied in any form without express written permission
from the owner. Legal remedy will be sought for copyright
infringements.
DISCLAIMER: All text and images on this and other linked
pages are copyrighted property of the artist or author and may
not be copied in any form without express written permission
from the owner. Legal remedy will be sought for copyright
infringements.
