Is it realistic to expect success in my art business within the first few years?

No. There are no artists who have had real, sustainable success very early in their careers, and there never will be. There’s rarely anyone who’s truly successful at anything early in their career. It takes time—often five, ten, or fifteen years of consistent work. The reason experienced artists give valuable advice is precisely because they’ve been doing it for years. There is no shortcut, no hack, and no secret formula. The most difficult way—doing the hard work consistently over time—is actually the easiest way in the long run, and it’s really the only way that works.

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Asked by an artist seeking shortcuts to early success · Answered by Patrick Shanahan · art-marketing-podcast · 2021-02-13