Thursday, December 30, 2010

The New Year's Masquerade Ball

What is your truth? Is the artist image you see yourself as true? Do you show up in life, dwelling on failures, masquerading as something less than you’d like to be? A Powerful Self-Image is essential to success, be sure it’s real. Know yourself and discover, that an artist can become more of whatever it is that they want to be. Start journaling for the next month on your powerful self image and ask if what you are writing is true. Get involved in finding your truth.

Don't show up at the masquerade ball without knowing who the real you is. 2011 is the best time ever for you to discover your Big Picture and have the best year ever!

To a most Happy and Prosperous New Year full of wonderous artistry!

RD Riccoboni
Author of: The Big Picture for Artists A seven step guide for making a living with your art.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Are you making a living with your art or just getting by? Here's the Secret.



Have you identified and decided exactly what you want to accomplish in making a living with your art? Most artists have NOT and won’t learn what take to do so in school, pounding the pavement in search of galleries or entering competitions. It's exhausting! Then after much of nothing getting accomplished you get discouraged, disgruntled and give up. That’s unnecessary. You must find out what it takes for making a living with your art and keep it running. Starting is not most artists problem to making a living, staying continuing and finishing is what is.

Most folks and the artist is no exception fail in business for these three reasons:

1. They never decide what they really want to accomplish with their artistry.

2. They don't find out what it takes to get where they want to be with making a living with their art or their business.

3. They fail to get back up when they get down, sidetracked or criticized because they haven’t answered questions one and two, and listened, then followed through to solving other people’s problems they perceived as rejection which their service they can provide answers to with their talent.

So identify and decide exactly what you want to accomplish in making a living with your art.

Find out what it takes to making a living with your art and keep it running.

When you run into obstacles keep moving forward and focus on what you really want to accomplish by finding ways to be of service and enrich lives by solving other people’s problems with your talent.

You see and experience what you get. If you don’t know what to look for you’re not going to get it. All persons are naturally goal achievers and goal oriented. Your brain is always trying to align your outer world with what you’re seeing and expecting your inner world. Once you train your brain to look for what you want you will begin to see what you want and it’s already all around you. We filter out and ignore almost 100% of these things so we don’t go crazy. You see, hear and experience what you focus your mind on. It’s utterly ridiculous that an artist can do this to create their craft and yet completely flop when trying to making a living doing the same thing. Your art doesn’t just happen because you vision it. The artists who just talk are BS’rs we all know that. You have to work with a plan to get it made, you have tools and supplies. You monitor progress and hold yourself accountable to finish up…or maybe you don’t??

When you focus on new goals give your mind a new set of eyes to see new things, circumstances, situations, and persons and so forth to focus on and that’s how your goals begin to get accomplished. So be precise and clearly define your goals, they give you vision! Then get in action because goals alone are just a wish list of hot air. These goals must be clear and precise with an effective plan on how you going to do it. Draw a out a plan and get on it, it can change later. The goals will only come about if you have clear directives that you give your brain to see what you need to accomplish your goals with an effective plan and management system that is effective to keep you on track and monitor your progress through the unknown. A sound plan with reinforcements, accountability, and support of the correct people you will need all along the way.

Self discipline is the important Secret to artistic success – Not New Year’s Resolutions. Self Discipline is when you give “yourself” a command and follow it.

That’s the secret of what separates the thriving artists from the starving artists.

The Big Picture For Artists is a seven step guide with a plan that will get you on the path to focus on exactly what you want for making a living with your art.

So Live in your truth and that is You are a creator. Life is magic and you are an artist. It does'nt get much better than that, especially when you know how to achieve your goals.

Make sure you are on track with your Big Picture!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Are you reaching high enough as an artist or settling for seconds.


Every day I have persons come to my studio and gallery, many of who are artists, they scrutinize my art work as my employees and I watch them painfully go over every detail in the art pieces they can possibly remember, I have even seen some take out magnifying glasses. If they decide to engage us in conversation, my counterparts and we always what know is coming.

The sad story they are clinging on to for dear life about if only they could just make their art look like this, then, they’d be good enough or perhaps even worse, just start to become an artist.

What they are doing to themselves is what they’ve been taught about how they should accept their own artistic brilliance. Which is they are not good enough unless they can be compared to an artist they percieve as successful.

Fearing acceptance from the outside stops many a great artist from developing their original brilliance within. They fear public scrutiny from critical sources from professional to personal and set up sort of a color wheel of artistic procrastination that leads nowhere from years of accepting negative comparisons in stories of being successful. Is this you? The good news is there are critics on the artist’s side but they can’t see or hear them do to

The great critic or artist overlooks comparisons to others work and sees something new and brilliant in things that have been done before and appreciates them no matter how small. They are looking for art that is stretching and growing their own appreciation through the artist who made it.

Do not take criticism that compares you to other artists, that is nothing more than settling words coming from a person who seeks and condones the scrutiny of being in or coming second place in themselves. Many times they prize themselves in believing and perpetuating the starving artist myth These beautiful souls cannot find their own personal brilliance, they will never be a great artist they know nothing of success. Besides whom wants be a knock-off of a great artist other than a person who wants to feel important on the exterior?

Don’t seek acceptance by mimicking other artists like methods out there may teach you, seek your own way. Why would you want your art to look like everyone else’s? When you do this you set yourself up to be a flash-in-the-pan one hit wonder. When you are compared to a so called great one, who is it that we all remember? The great one that the artist was compared to!

This is why there are so few great artists in a world of artists. What people seek in your art is your best. So do your best always and build your confidence of success from the inside out.

No artist is successful unless they feel it inside first. Everything else is outside and can come in and be taken away leaving you emptier than you felt before it arrived. Inner success can never be taken away, it is part of your artist spirit.
Criticism has its place, however never seek advice or acceptance from people who know less about your own art than you do. This will set you up for failure.

You have talent. The thing inside you that says "I want to do something" that is the beginning of talent. Have the courage to explore that.

A mentor can help you stretch and grow but your AIM of what you want must be clear to you first! Seek a mentor for building your artist success who comes from intergity.

Nobody can reach what your originality can do if you can do it. That is the artists’ life in everyone, what an honor and privilege. So do it.

Best Wishes to you on creating the best big picture of your artist journey. Now get to work on your craft.

RD Riccoboni

Above is my painting "Manhattan Dawn" from my American collection.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Discover the Unknown Artist


Successful artisans don’t wait to be discovered; they discover themselves first and act on that artists call a long time before the, galleries, the customers, or the crowds do.

A key step to business success as an artist or any one for that matter is to stop and ask yourself some important questions: What makes you truly happy? What gives a deeply gratifying soulful fulfillment to you? What is the definition of artistic success to you? Can you draw a little stick figure picture of it? Is it the same as living a successful life without your art being in the big picture? Is it different? If it is different, can you draw a little stick figure picture of that? The answers you reveal may surprise you… and can very well be the spark of an awakening to your true motivation, passion and purpose in life and the discovery of your “artist voice.

What are three of your top goals for making a living with your art?

What is preventing you from being empowered and reaching your artist goals?

What is frustrating you about making a living with your art?

What solutions have you tried so far that have not worked for you?

What's your biggest fear you need to overcome in order to live an empowered artist life?

What worries you about being an artist? What are you afraid will happen if you don't do something immediately about this fear or challenge?

What would you be willing to do to feel more secure and confident about overcoming artistic adversity?

If you could have one question answered about living an empowered artist life, what would it be?

Is there anything else you'd like to tell me about you or your situation as an artist?

Is it time to get your art show on the road? These are many questions we go over in The Big Picture for artists as well as discuss and share real business tips that can help you take off on the road to making a living with your art.

To your artist success!
RD Riccoboni


RD Riccoboni is known as the American painter of love, happiness and joy. He's an artist and best-selling author, and succesful gallery owner who creates art works in vivid color, bold contrast. He encourages everyone to: love what you do and do what you love and you will be drawn to success.

Mynew book The Big Picture, for Artists, A Seven Step Guide for Making a Living with your Art will be out soon.

Write me at RDRiccoboni.com and make sure you get your copy reserved.
http://rdriccoboni.com/

Saturday, July 31, 2010

Would you like to be a published artist?

Most successful artists know this truth, their story combined with their passion creates their success which they share with others as a service from the heart.

These artists have a big picture in their minds of exactly what they want to do with the art they create and where they want to go and ARE going with it.

When I was young having had the opportunity to meet some wonderful artists who practice their crafts in many different mediums, inspired me to pursue an art career as well as change my outlook on things. Like the time as a young man one night out on the town dancing with friends I met another young artist and we had a brief conversation about art and being artists. This man told me he wanted to be a famous artist and he was going to be. I asked how he planned on doing that. He told me two important things which I never forgot and that was to “be of service with your art from your heart” and “people understand symbols.” A few weeks later I discovered him again on the street in New York City selling his T-Shirts on the side walk where I had to purchase one. Something inside me told me, he was unique and his t-shirt creation was a special art piece, so I never wore the shirt, just treasured it.

That afternoon we talked more about art at his little table on the street. I left feeling inspired and wanting to paint a picture as soon as I got home. I am thankful for his wisdom everyday and advice to me, which helped my own career in the arts tremendously. Within a short time of telling me those things this artist did indeed see his art career reach phenomenal heights. His name was Keith Haring, and though he left us way too soon his art changed an entire generation and brought awareness to the human condition through the symbols he created. Thank You Mr. Haring!

Are you an artist with a fabulous, uplifting success story to share with the world? Just a few words of wisdom and insight can change an up and coming artist life, no matter who, how old or what culture they come from.

Did you always know deep in your heart you could make it as an artist, painter, musician, actor, writer, dancer, singer, photographer, designer and you have!

You’re an artist who has perhaps overcome challenges in life, broken the artist stigma’s out there, laughed at the nay-sayers and succeeded, thriving and prospering at making your craft into your fulltime vocation and sharing your talents with others, enriching your life and those around in your community. You went for it and you’re a role model for the arts community.

How’d you do it?

What’s your story?

Who inspired you?

What is your vision and mission as an artist?

What’s your one business tip you can share with other artist’s so they too can succeed like you?

If you where to speak infront of an eager audience of young and sincere ears what would you tell them?

I’d like to know your story in under 300 words, and share your insights, inspiration, wisdom and talent and you may be selected to participate in an upcoming publication project.

No sales pitches please in your story, the story will be rejected.

To: Beacon Artworks, with

Your contact information, (email)

Your website link

Your Biography Highlights (5 to 10 of your most significant artistic accomplishments)

One video clip of you, under 3 minutes long, related to your art/story in a link if you have one.

Again: No sales pitches in your story, the story will be not be considered.

Should your story is selected we will contact you and you may then decide to have your website included for people, future clients, prospects, etc. to contact you.

Submission DEADLINE: Midnight September 17, 2010, PST

Please forward this to your artist friends who should be included too!

Contact me through the gallery at:

beaconartworksgallery@gmail.com

RD Riccoboni
Artist and Founder
Beacon Artworks Corporation
San Diego California