How much work does it really take to become a successful artist?

Success requires tremendous work and hustle - there’s no way around it. One successful artist traveled constantly for eight years, doing 25-30 shows per year and putting 280,000 miles on their van to build their collector base and reputation. Even after achieving success, they continue working hard every day. Nothing comes easy in this business. You have to do the work consistently. Whether it’s the physical work of traveling to shows, the digital work of maintaining your online presence and email marketing, or the creative work of producing new pieces, success comes from sustained effort over years, not overnight. Be prepared to invest significant time and energy into building your art business.

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Asked by an artist wondering about the path to success · Answered by William K. Stidham and Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2017-03-20