Over the last 50+ years I have heard countless people say "I wish I had talent and I want to paint like you." The fact is that most artists who are long time professionals got that way through endless hours of hard disciplined labor in front of an easel. I work seven days a week and paint 7 days a week, fifty weeks a year.

 Few people have the commitment to be a successful artist. Many, who express this desire, will never be an artist nor do they have the real desire and commitment to do this. It sounds very romantic to be a professional artist, but it is really hard work. Far too many people spend a fortune on supplies, workshops and lessons only to find that they simply don't have the patience or commitment to learn to paint well. Their dream is short lived and they have wasted their resources in a frustrating experience.

 My advice instead, is to live vicariously through your favorite artist, achieving the pleasure associated with an artist's life the easy way, through patronage and support of artists and the arts. This will be so much more satisfying than a dream not based in reality. The fact is that there are too many artists for society to support. Many artists live marginal lives, doing odd jobs with little financial support. They could use the support and patronage of those who are interested in art, love it, and who love being around artists.

 At one time in history, this was common. Most artists had patrons who supported them, offering lodging, yearly stipends, and public support of their favorite painters.They provided referrals for artists to other affluent and influential people in society. If you have a great desire for art and living the lifestyle of an artist, consider being a patron rather than an artist. Rather than being just another hobbyist you will be revered and adored in the arts community.

This country painter loves her supporters…..

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It seems to me that it has become more important to do business with people we trust and have a comfortable relationship with. As the world becomes less personal and less one on one in business, I crave a more meaningful interaction with people. I begin to notice the good service I get at a restaurant, or in a store more than I used to,perhaps because it is rare. 

I think the same applies in any relationship you have with an artist. Art is a serious and joyful investment. A fine painting is something you will display with pride. A painting serves your deeper emotional needs as well as your more simplistic need for something to brighten or decorate a room. When I purchase art, I am also committing to a relationship with the artist who paints it. That relationship enriches my experience so much. 

I know artists who are not kind people. They are arrogant andcare little for the collectors who support them. Frankly, I would never buy a painting from them, no matter how beautiful. I must feel good about the artist I buy from. Most of my collectors become my personal friends. We have a rich experience together along the journey of life and art. I wouldn't want it to be any other way.
If you are considering a purchase of art, I urge you to get to know the artist and about their dreams and focus. You may find a treasured friendship waiting for you.

If you are attracted to an artist's work, the chances are that you will have things in common. If you love the coast, find an artist that loves it and who paints there frequently. If you love Tuscany or Provence, look for an artist who paints and travels there, who is in love with it too. If you love paintings of the west and the Rockies, find a painter who paints there. And if you love North Florida, look around here for the painters who loves it too. There is no artist who will understand the place you love more than one who loves it too. 

That's why I don't paint Europe, or the South West or California, though many Florida painters try to emulate painters who paint those places, because they are popular. I paint what I most treasure andmy heart and soul go into that subject. Find an artist who loves what you love the most and you will know he/she is the right one to collect for you.

Country painters love the woods…..