I Am A Success Because…

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art, art success, Artist, career success, how to be successful, success, success defined, success definition, successful art business, successful art career, successful artist, what is success

What defines success? It’s a good question. So many see it as money/sales and fame. While I am really happy that my artwork sells, it isn’t the biggest part of how I define my accomplishments. It’s actually quite small…

I thought today would be a good day to remind ourselves of all of the “good” in our lives and what truly makes us a success. It’s a simple little exercise that might take some thought, but surely success can be found in even the smallest of things…

Pick one or more ways you are successful and leave a comment.  I would love to hear from you!

I will go first…

I am a success because: in my life, the people around me have always underestimated me. When they said “you can’t do it”, I always did. Whether it was mucking horse stalls in Florida’s Summer heat, defeating cancer naturally 15 years ago or selling my art and earning a living with it. When they said “no way”. I’ve done it!

Making M.O.N.E.Y. While I Sleep…

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abstract art, abstract art for sale, abstract prints, art for sale, artists, buy art, buy modern art, buying prints, canvas prints, career, goals, hard work, making it as an artist, making money, modern art, modern art for sale, money, perseverance, print sales, prints, prints for sale, selling prints, sharon cummings, strength, success, successful artists

 

I am back this morning from a 3 day getaway with my daughter.  We had a blast in Orlando enjoying the Gaylord, noshing and shopping!  While I was away, I sold 15 prints between Etsy, Society 6 and Fine Art America.  I still have to smile big when I realize how amazing it is to “make money while I sleep” or in this case vacation.  For years I resisted selling prints of any kind.  I thought they would reduce the value of my originals.  But the opposite has been the case.  I’ve been able to raise the prices on my originals and commissions and enjoy a steady income from my prints.  I no longer have to paint 6 hours a day plus promote myself for another 6.

Of course it wasn’t easy to get to this point with my prints.  Many countless hours have been spent over the last 2 years using intensive social media promotion to get my prints “out there”.  I have blogged, Tweeted, Facebooked, Buffered, Houzzed, Waneloed, Pinned, Tumbled, Link’d, Stumbled and Googled my way to sales 7 days a week (except for small bits of time off here and there).  And for the past year, I have had a group of 12 other artists and photographers that I cross promoted with daily. On average, I’d say I spent 4 hours a day promoting myself and cross promoting others.  Whew!  That’s a lot!  Especially when all I really want to do is create.  However, it has finally paid off and I can now make sales even when I am on vacation and doing nothing to promote myself. Since May 1st, I have not done any cross promoting and very little self promotion.  About 30 minutes a day 5 days a week.  And I get weekends free again!

Hard work…….it can pay off!

If you have goals for your life, do not give up!  And for goodness’ sake, do not listen to those who tell you that it can’t be done. 🙂

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What Is Success Anyway?

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art career, asian, asian theme, botanical, botanical art, botanical photos, botanical prints, career success, Family, floral, flower, flower art, flower photography, flower photos, flowers, happiness, koi pond, lily pads, lotus, lotus flower, love, meditation, mom, mother's day, mothering, pond, relationships, sharon cummings, spring, success, successful art business, successful career, yellow flower, yoga, zen

 

What makes a person successful in this life?  Is it dying with a big ol’ pile of money?  Is it having the most friends?  Is it the big house and fancy car?  Is it being recognized by others for your achievements?  Is it being pretty and well liked?  Is it bagging a perfect spouse?  Getting that kid into Harvard?

Over the years I have dramatically redefined my perspective on personal success.  Everyone has their own criteria, but for me it has nothing to do with any of the above.  I have come to realize that true success has little to do with worldly achievements and everything to do with the inner peace that comes from not needing them.

Am I a successful artist?  Absolutely.  I am not getting rich off of my creativity, but I am earning a living.  If my spouse died, I could support myself entirely on my income.  I only have to work a few days a week now thanks to years of time investment.  I make money while I sleep and on the days I do not work too.  In my own mind, that is success.  I ignored those that said I couldn’t do it and I worked hard to achieve my goals.

Am I a successful Mom?  You bet.  I turned away from my abusive upbringing and defied the odds.  I did not perpetuate the abuse and I’ve helped my autistic daughter find her own voice.  I have supported her every step of the way and encouraged her to love herself just the way she is.  I did not teach hate or prejudice and as a result she has friends of all races, religions and sexual orientations. She is now enrolled in college and doing all of the things normal folks do.  She didn’t go for an Ivy League school, but one that fit her goals.  She didn’t win a bunch of awards or get a perfect SAT score.  But she is happy.  To me this is one of my greatest achievements and I feel pretty successful as a parent.

Lastly, am I successful overall?  The are so many ways to achieve success: Relationships, Job, Health, Family, Hobbies, Fitness, etc. The simple answer for me is:  Yes.  The detailed answer would be far too long to expect the average blog reader to get through.  I am at a point in my life that I no longer concern myself with how others view me.  I am satisfied and happy with who I am and all I’ve done. In the end, that is all that matters.  So, yes, I am truly successful.

Do you see yourself as a success?

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When Things Fall Apart…

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When I first started to write this post it was going to be about the pros and cons of art licensing.  However, a quick Google search will turn up a gazillion articles on exactly that.  So I will keep this writing to two points.

There are two important factors in any healthy relationship including those between a potential licencor and licencee:  communication and listening with intent.

When all of the elements are there for success such as an enthusiastic and hard working sales person on their end and a seasoned professional artist with great content on the other.  What can go wrong?

Whether it is a marriage, home purchase, licensing agreement, etc. there is always a deal breaker.  And to avoid that, you must learn a few skills such as listening with intention.

This is an important point.  Listening with intention simply means that you pay attention to what the other party is saying with the intent to “understand” and not just “respond”.  Once you set your own feelings and thoughts aside and gain an understanding of the other person, you can then know exactly how to proceed. When someone is clear and direct with you, it is always in your best interest to fully comprehend.  And when they are not, ask questions if you are uncertain.  Never assume anything.

Communication is defined as any act by which one person gives to or receives from another person information about that person’s needs, desires, perceptions, knowledge, or affective states.  In other words if you have a great idea, share it with the other person.  If there is something you want to do that involves them or their content, call them or email them with your intentions.  Sucker punches never feel good.  Keep them in the loop.

If you have aspirations to be a great sales person no matter what you are selling it would be in your best interest to hone in on the above skills.  There are many books, self help workbooks, CD’s and seminars to help you along the way.  These tools are investments in your future.  I encourage you to pursue them.

When things fall apart like a big contract or art sale, stop and do an autopsy on the entire process from the first phone call to the last email.  Ask yourself some key questions such as:  Did I communicate clearly with the other party?  Did I give them as much information as I could to facilitate trust?  Did I read their emails carefully and ask questions where there was uncertainty?  Did I respond to their questions adequately?  Did I validate them?

Today’s offering is “Clear Purpose”….fitting I think. 🙂

Are You A Perfectionist?

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As I start off the new year with new work I am reminded to strive to be my personal best.  For my entire life I have been labeled a “perfectionist” by family, friends, bosses and coworkers.  I used to think this was a bad thing.  A judgement call against me.  But today, psychology has established that there are two types of perfectionism.  Normal perfectionists pursue perfection without compromising their self-esteem, and derive pleasure from their efforts. Neurotic perfectionists strive for unrealistic goals and consistently feel dissatisfied when they cannot reach them.  I was happy to learn years ago that I was in fact “normal”. 🙂  I always have goals in mind that I know I can accomplish and I write up a plan to achieve them.  I work hard to get through the outline I created and when I arrive I have a deep satisfaction in my efforts.  Like anyone else, I do not like setbacks, but I do not let them “get me down”.  I just rewrite the plan to get me back on track.

All of the goals I have set for myself in 2014 are attainable.  Today I start the work!  

I hope each of you reading my blog can strive for “your own personal best” this year and not some unrealistic standards set by society/your family/your mate/etc.  Set goals…..write out a plan….and get busy!

2013 An Intermission…

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2013, 2014, anniversary, art, art prints, Artist, auld lang syne lyrics, Family, friendship, fun, good fortune, good news, happy new year, january, joy, life, love, marketing, new year, paintings, photography, positive affirmations, positive energy, positivity, prints, romance, selling art, sharon cummings, success, successful artist

 

I am interrupting my regularly scheduled blog to make a reflective post today.  Yes, my blogs have been scheduled for the past two weeks because I felt it was more important to spend time with my husband, family and friends.  I took an intermission.  I scheduled rather than leave each day empty because I’ve had a lot to say in 2013 and I felt some bore repeating.  From all of the great comments, retweets, shares and likes I have received, I know it was the right choice.   

For me 2013 was an amazing year both personally and business wise.  There were a lot of changes and in retrospect each of them were positive.  Sure I made some mistakes, but there is no success without some failure.  

One of the changes I made was to focus on marketing my prints.  For years I resisted selling prints with the mistaken belief that it would somehow cheapen my original work.  I have discovered the opposite to be true.  While my prints sales continue to increase, the sale of originals remains steady at much more appropriate pricing.  I no longer feel like I am under appreciated.  I can live off my prints and create for the sheer joy of it without a single worry about selling originals or commission work.  I can now explore photography and digital work with great passion that is undiluted by constant struggling for sales.  This is a great place to be as an artist!

Personally, I have had to let go of some negative people who were keeping me from being my best.  A few friends and even some family members no longer have a place in my inner circle.  I am what they call “middle aged”…..And I find in this second half of my upcoming life that I plan on being a lot more selective than I have been in the past.  Mistakes will be forgiven, but abuse will not be tolerated in any form.  With this said, I have finally found a wonderfully small yet supportive group of artist friends who consistently promote my work, share experiences and send me love/support when needed.  And I do the same for them.  In 2013 I learned that with a better attitude, I can attract better friends.  I have also renewed my relationships with my sister and brother and have found great friendship, love and support there as well.  I celebrated 10 years with my wonderful husband in a romantic getaway that restored and invigorated us.

I have so much great work and camaraderie planned for 2014.  Everything is in place for me to have the BEST year of my life!

My hope is that each of you reading this blog can reflect back on the passing year and see the good in all of your experiences.  That even in the negative you can find the good lesson.  I wish that each of you look to 2014 with optimism and grace.   Happy New Year!

Should old acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind…..

So You Wanna Work From Home?

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“I work from home.”  Most people really like the sound of that, but after living the “dream” for over 10 years, I can tell you that there is definitely a dark side.  Most people probably picture me drinking wine, smoking dope and cheerfully splattering paint around my studio.  I might be listening to some classic rock while I work and taking frequent naps as desired.  They might assume I only work a few hours here and there and that I can go on vacation anytime I want to and just leave it all behind.  I am an artist, so people are always nice to me too.

The fantasy above could not be farther from the truth.  The fact is that this “working from home” career has been the absolute most challenging and stressful job I have ever had.  There are things about it that I absolutely love and wouldn’t trade for any other position.  Creating is my passion and if I could afford a team of employees, that is all I would do most of the time!  Let me break down my experience:

Pro:  I get to set my own hours.  Con:  I work all of the time.

Pro:  I can work in my jammies if I like.  Con:  All my clothes look like Ernie the paint man’s rejects.

Pro:  I get to do what I love…paint and create.  Con:  I also have to do everything else including but not limited to cleaning, purchasing, marketing, customer service, technical support, etc.

Pro:  I have no pesky coworkers mucking up my productivity or causing drama. Cons:  It is very lonely and I have no one to talk to all day.

Pro:  Since I do it all, I can always make sure everything gets done to the highest of standards. Con:  When things go wrong, there is no one to blame but myself.

Pro:  I can run to the store, do a load of laundry, exercise the dogs, fix meals, etc. during the day.  Con:  The family often expects me to do all of those things on top of my demanding job because I am “home”.

Pro:  There is no bad hair day.  Con:  Without the critical eye of female coworkers 5 days a week, I often go way too long for haircuts and pedicures often scrambling at the last minute when invited to a dinner party.

Pro:  I have running water.  Con:  My job is a very MESSY job!

Pro:  When a lot of work comes in I can make a lot of money in a short period of time.  Con: I cannot delegate or share my load so at times I get overworked and exhausted.  Also, there can be long dry spells without any work (i.e. cash flow)

Pro:  I do not have to drive, fight traffic and worry about being late.  Con:  There is no con here!

Pro:  I have been able to always be home for my daughter after school, every single day of her school life.  Con:  Again, there is no con here and ALL of the cons above are worth having been able to do this for my girl. 🙂

 

Thank You…

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Thank You…

If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.

Meister Eckhart

This is one of my favorite prayers and I say it first thing every morning when I awaken and last thing before I go to sleep.  I am truly grateful for my life.  I have had a hard one, but I have always had gratitude in my moments of prayer.  I understand that my presence here is a gift from the Universe. Challenges are what allow me to see all of the good in my life with absolute clarity.  Right now I have so much love, health, friendship and success that I can see no other way to live it but in gratitude.  I still struggle at times, but even in the darkest hours there is always something to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving!

I Am An Alien…

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It’s been suggested in various groups that I might be an alien.  Why?  Other artists see how much work I produce and how much I market myself.  They wonder how I can do so much and be human.  I’ve addressed this in other posts, but it all boils down to focus for me.  Some experts might even call it OCD. 😉  I will say that as I am ageing that my focus has gotten a little blurry sometimes and I do forget to do things on occasion.  I also get tired.  But this time of year I am hyped on the excitement of the season.  I absolutely thrive on painting gifts for people to share with the one’s they love.  The thought of the joy my work will bring is out of this world!  And getting ready for my first show has me smiling at the speed of light.  It’s a full creative moon! There are UFO’s everywhere (unbelievably fun objects).  It means more hours of painting and more hours of promoting, but just maybe the Mother Ship has a spa waiting for me come mid December…..

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/night-sky-landscape-art-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

I am on F.I.R.E.!!!

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abstract art, art, buy, career success, contemporary art, fire, fire art, fire canvas prints, fire paintings, fire prints, growth, happiness, happy, health, joy, life changes, lifestyle, modern art, orange, orange art, orange canvas prints, orange paintings, orange prints, personal growth, prints, sharon cummings, success, warm, warmth, wellness

 

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/fire-water-260-by-sharon-cummings-sharon-cummings.html

 

Ever had a moment when you realize that all of the good you have been dreaming of just starts to happen to you?  When you find yourself surrounded by positive and life affirming people? New friends show up in your life that bring you happiness and good times?  Your career just takes off in an upward direction with no slowing down in sight?  Where your family life is a comfort, support and joy to be in?  Where you feel at your physical best?  I am sooooo there!! It has not happened by accident and it certainly was not an overnight.  I’ve have had to make some tough decisions in the past year with regard to certain friendships that had to go.  Even some family members had to be removed for my emotional well being.  I have also had to work really hard at my business to see the results I believed I could achieve.  I have had some therapy with some loved ones to work out long standing issues.  And I have made some changes to my diet and lifestyle.  The key word here is CHANGE….The things around me weren’t changing on their own…I had to actually do something!  Those “somethings” have been some of the hardest things I have had to do.  But now that I have made the necessary adjustments to my life, I am on FIRE!!