Help 100 artists build businesses that support the lifestyle they want.
That’s my Big Audacious Goal. Everybody needs one.
How did this come to be my B.A.G.?
A month ago I was sitting with some friends on a beautiful Portland roof top. These friends are the people that I meet with every two weeks to discuss business. They’re my mastermind group. (Since I’m a secret evil genius, I must have a mastermind group, yes? I digress).
My friends all have Big Plans to achieve their Big Audacious Goals. They encourage me to dream big.
When I started The Abundant Artist, it was simply to explore the idea of the Starving Artist – and sometimes share my marketing knowledge with my fellow artists – but then people started coming out of the woodwork, emailing me or calling me and asking for advice on selling art online. I decided I’d roll with it and see how many artists I could help. It’s been fun.
Now, I’ve made some mistakes along the way. I’m an action-oriented guy and I’ve gotten a little too big for my britches now and again, but all-in-all, I’d say that I’m having a blast and that things are looking up.
But now my Big Audacious Goal is tripping me out.
I’ve given myself three years to achieve it.
Help 100 artists build businesses that support the lifestyle they want.
So, in my mind, this mostly means artists are receiving their primary source of income from their art, and they don’t have to work a day job or complimentary career unless they want to.
But it could mean other stuff too.
It could mean artists who are already making their primary living from their art make the transition to a better-managed business.
It could mean artists employing other people, creating jobs and fulfillment in other ways.
It could mean artists moving from making art they don’t care about because they have to make a living, to making art that inspires them, and still making a good living.
Why Am I Doing This?
I like challenges, but that’s not really why. I’m doing it because of what it says in my beautiful graphical header above – The Starving Artist is A Myth. There are lots of artists making a great living, but far too many who are not, and I want to change that. Perhaps it’s because I’m an artist myself and somewhere I still battle that demon deep inside. Mostly, I just want to make a difference, and this is an area where I feel I can do that.
That’s why I’m starting The Abundant Artist Community. It opens next week.
What’s Your Big Audacious Goal?
My Big Audacious Goal is to get known nationally (in Canada at least) for my landscape and scenic photography. I have been selling on line as well as in an open air market. While people who see my work are full of compliments (even using terms such as “poetic”), I need to develop my work as a brand to drive sales so I can make a living aas well as buy new equipment to expand the range oe my work.
Can you quantify that a little more Robert? Nationally known – meaning you are in a certain newspaper/magazine? Have recognition from some body? Sell a certain number of paintings?
My B.A.G.? I’d love to be able to make a comfortable living as an artist. I’m not confident enough just yet to put a deadline on it, but there it is.
Love your blog, keep up the good work!
What does comfortable mean Mike? Can you put a number on it?
Good question…for me, “comfortable” wouldn’t take a whole lot. Say 1.5 or 2 times what I’m making now as a corporate lackey.
To someday be on Oregon ArtBeat. LOL
My Goal as overwhelming as it is requires giving birth to myself once again. After building a following for my work which was mostly sculpture in clay. I was sick for the last few years, still taking whatever energy I did have and made art. Finally diagnosed with toxic mold in my body from using clay with a compromised immune system. I watched them remove every bag of clay from my home, hopeful to finally know I could regain my health , but trying to process the grief of having to give up my passion; clay. I know my art will evolve into new media, but it is hard being weak and starting a new path, and building all over again.
Wow, Dori. Getting your health back is huge. My wife has struggled with health issues since she was young. You won’t be completely starting over from scratch – the insight and wisdom you’ve gained as an artist will help you in whatever your new medium/venture is. I’m really curious to know more about what you’re going to do. Do you know yet?
in a perfect world, i’d like to be able to sit on a tropical beach and sip mimosas and eat lobster. that would be nice. maybe if we can ever automate farming to a crazy degree, then we can all do that.
Well, my B.A.G. used to be, in my 20’s, to open a huge warehouse type art studio where all artists of all kinds could come and have studio space to work from, whether they were college students or adults in the field. At the time I had none myself and would loved to have been able to go where others of my kind were working, other than college studios. I wanted to be able to have a place where they could show their work and sell it and no longer have to worry about finding a place to do and sell their art.
Now? I would just be happy to sell my own art online and be able to be debt free! Of course, I would love to be able to make more than enough money so that I could still help all the others I wish to.
That’s a good goal. I have a friend in Portland who wants to build an open-studio space as well. do it!
My B.A.G. intends to replace and exceede my current salary within 2 years. I will accomplish this by painting people’s “dream portraits” and in doing so, I will create my own dream of being a prosperous and abundant artist.
Double Like!
My B.A.G. would be to make $25,ooo in one year. I want the majority of my sales to be through an online webstore off of my future website. The question for me is, how do I market so people find it and buy it there.
JeMA – you need to be a part of the Abundant Artist Community. Let’s hit that goal. It’s totally achievable!
My BAG is to make a decent living from my artwork. Specifically, to make as much selling my art as I could make in a “regular” job, e.g. $75-100K. My plan is to do this primarily through selling to corporate and hospitality accounts.
Hi Cory, I am so stoked about your BAG! What a wonderful idea. I gives me incentive and hope. I have read and begun to follow that which you have put out since I found you just a couple of days ago. I love your enthusiasm. I am a mid-life disenchanted artist, who has worked in the art field in one way or another, but never like I had hoped…as a freelance artist. Out of fear/ignorance of the business of the art world. So I look forward to the coming months learning how create my art business. Thanks for sharing the vision.
I design socially and environmentally responsible artisan jewelry. I contribute 10% of my profits to Women for Women International (www.womenforwomen.org) to aid women survivors of war. My goal is to earn enough money to act as a sponsor for 10 women and help them build new lives for themselves.
My BAG is to have one of my portraits hung in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
My b.a.g is to be one of those 100. I enjoy my job but I’m 2-3 years out of art collage and I havent found the motivation or the desire to work hard at anything or have the money smarts to move or travel… I am half in tears by saying thank you so much for believing in this greater “creative” good. I feel like I have a title shot that I could acutally win. bless you and the horse you rode in on.
James M.L Kirkland
Hi!
I’m not an artist myself but the french girlfriend of an American Artist. In fact He discovered recently that making Art makes him happy and that he doesn’t need to keep looking for what he wants to do in his life. We plan to live in Auvergne, in France and just have a simple life, close to Nature, growing our own vegetable garden, having B&B, to welcome and meet interesting people from all over the world. I really would like to help him succeeding in life with its art to ensure our project, but I’m really novice in the Art world… So I’m looking for help.
Here is his blog and facebookpage
http://chris-wanderingartist.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wandering-Artist/137834922923817?ref=ts
Hi, thank you so very much for sharing your passion and positive energy to make this world a better-love-filled place. I am at this stage at least, a starving artist! I work a day job and paint / draw when I get home at night.. I want to switch the tables and make art my primary source of income, and my B.A.G is to help animals, in particular African wildlife through my work. Thank you for sharing on a topic that I dont find the easy part – marketing.
My BAG is, through producing solid, powerful paintings, to become independent financially through my art, become nationally known (featured in prominent magazines) to get good gallery representation in multiple cities, to teach 2-3 workshops a year (one abroad), and to be able to build my own studio, near my home.
WHAT’s holding me back? Disorganization! I know a thousand organized people who have tried to help me, but it seems a personality trait….
My BAG – I have a persistence to make sure every day matters – and I do this through daily painting. I’ve been painting everyday for 464 days, including Christmas and I have no intention of stopping. Daily painting is a reminder to live each day without reservation or excuse!
BUT that’s not my only BAG – I ‘m also collecting entries from every cancer survivor – when gathered, they’ll span a distance from Boston to Florida. . . Okay, that’s 11.9 million entries – as young adult cancer survivor myself, I thought this would be, er, um a fun little side project. The Big C Visual Journal will provide those going through treatment a big positive dose of stabilizing impact upon seeing a visual representation of all those who’ve survived.
Oooh, off I go – I’ve got some BAGx2 work to do!
In the near future my BAG is to paint 10 pet portraits. More long-term is to make $1000 a month with my art/work.
Thanks for the encouragement, Cory!
Interesting that this popped up just now for me. I did just last week revamp my B.A.G. and am in need of a shout out. I am a newly dubbed environmental artist and as part of my exploration of this title I have created a massive project that happened to evolve around a trip to Portland. I need all the help I can get pimping it. http://kck.st/f45Psq
I’d love to have you paint Portland. I think my city is gorgeous! Good luck.