Why do artists who have been creating for decades still struggle to sell?

Many artists in their 70s, 80s, 90s, and even over 100 show up asking for help getting their art seen and sold. This reveals a profound truth: artists will create until they physically cannot anymore, and the desire to have work seen and sold never leaves. The problem is that most artists make decisions through a short-term lens—thinking 3 months, 6 months, a year ahead—when they actually have 20, 30, 40, 50 or more years left in their careers. They avoid doing the hard things (marketing, telling their story, being consistent) and keep treating art as a hobby instead of a business. Decades pass with no email list built, no real marketing momentum, no customer base—and it gets harder as you age. The heartbreaking part is reaching late in life without ever having built that foundation.

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Asked by artists in general · Answered by Patrick · Art Business Webinar · 2026-08-03