http://www.art-e-world.co.uk Home of the artist. en-us http://www.art-e-world.co.uk/images/DenBrown.jpg http://www.art-e-world.co.uk 100 133 Hi everyone, I trust you all had a good Christmas and New Years celebration. I have had an extremely tough decision to face which brought me to the point where one has to take stock of their situation in the cold light of day and decide what it is that takes priority. In my world "Family" ultimately comes first. It's not an option. It's a matter of fact and non negotiable. I realise others are willing to take that risk however that is one area I will not entertain the slightest thought. Despite that this year I've had to change my tack which is a sailing term for when you are moving across the water and you aim for a particular place but you have to zig zag in order to get there as you harness the wind to power your sails to get to your destination. Life can be like that. This year will see me launch my own art work for sale. Something that I had never really been comfortable to do. It's a wierd thing really because the public take it forgranted that all artists will want to sell their work and actually it's not always true. I am one of those artists who can't rubber stamp their works of art. To explain, some artists can reproduce their works over and over again, almost to the point it's hard to tell the difference. As for me my works are pretty much one off's and for that reason, I find it hard to let go and want to sell. The other thing is how do you put a price on your own personal artwork. The nuts and bolts is that you break it down into materials, and time. That's alright but if it's something that has evolved into a final product then that is even harder to decide. The public sometimes think that a piece of art is way over priced and I would agree with them to a point. Some is but we are talking famous names and the art world ramping those silly prices. Like the art that gets sold at auction. Lets be realistic these are for investment purposes and not because of what the art is really about. If my art fetched £100,000,000.00 and it was something that took me at best a few months to do I would have the buyer's head examined. It doesn't warrant that kind of money. This is where people have more money than sense, and they know at the end of the day because of who it's done by it will only go up in value. So where does that leave us. It comes down to common sense. Art ultimately has to be affordable or it doesn't get sold. So who decides the price, well here on this site it's a bit of both the artist and myself. Our prices are extravagant they are relistic. One of the classic comments I get from time to time is from my friend the Sue who is a regular person, likes what she likes and tells it how she sees it. I showed her one of my pieces and she said. It just looks like paint spread across a canvas. It didn't touch her soul at all. That's fine, I have no problem with that. She said a kid could have done that. I said here some paint and a paint brush have a go. This is the difference, we can all say a child painted that or we could do better. I would happily challenge anyone to have a go, just to prove a point. The real truth is that art connects with a person, whether they want to admit it or not. That's why I do abstract, it's not because there are no rules but that says a lot about me anyway. It's because it connects with a person at various levels. Whether it's purely from a pleasurable point, which art should give or from a challenging point, it's the immediate reaction that you get from it that decides whether you buy it or not. I have a piece of work on my living room wall. It's probably the most powerful painting I have ever done. My eyes are constantly drawn to it, but that's because it's unfinished but I know exactly what it needs to be complete. When it is it will be fantastic. I'm not what I call a copy artist, in other words I've stopped painting pictures and landscapes as such and moved into the realm of the active creative mind. That takes the viewer to a new level. I guess it's a new chapter of being an artist. You can move between planes as an artist and the level of freedom you have in your life is what allows you to explore this with an energy that doesn't restrict you in anyway. I shall be uploading a series of recent work, and as well as my old works. That way you can see for yourself the broad spectrum of art I have enjoyed throughout my life. I am actually booked for an art exhibition this year over at Stanmore library and it's my third attempt but that's a different story. So if you live locally, spend awhile taking in something extraordinary, artists have a habit of surprising people. Thanks again for taking time to read this article it's nice to be back and I'm hoping this year will be the real beginning to something beyond my expectations. From Denis Brown CEO of Art e World Ltd Strangely enough people sometimes get the wrong idea of being self employed, or starting up a business. They think it's only for those with an unlimited resource of money and people. I understand now why so many businesses go to the wall. It's not about the fundamental idea, it's not about planning, it's not about research, it's not about the current climate, it's not about global markets, it's not about the product, it's not about the branding, it's not about the slogan, it's not about the team behind you, it's not about your strengths or skills set. Then what is it about. It's primarily about timing. It's about all the above coming together all at the right time, which determines whether you succeed or fold. We could sit around and debate this to the end of time, but let's not go there. Lets learn some very simple but sensible lessons. Your product needs to be key to your audience. They have got to want what it is you've got. If you're competing against others then you need a selling edge that persuades others that you're the one to go for. The amusing comment I heard the other day at a "Open Studio" was from a visitor to another visitor who said "Affordable Art" who can afford these prices! It did bring a smile to my face. Art e World is exactly what an affordable online art gallery should be. It shouldn't be out of peoples budgets. Yes, we all have a certain amount of disposable income and yes we can decide what it is we want to buy. I would love to encourage you to buy more art. Not because I necessarily want to make a huge fortune out of it, but because essentially it's unique and it's hand made, it's been created and not manufactured by machine. Anyway getting back to the original theme of this article. There is no recipe for success that works every single time. It really is very much an unknown entity. If I had a magic wand, I would have used it by now! which means Harry Potter still has it in his possession. Maybe I should have been a writer! When you hit hard times, and the business is looking grim. You have two choices you cut your losses, and you jack it all in. Or you reach deep within and remain focussed stick to your guns. The hardest thing is the fact it can be a huge gamble. I've had friends who have staked a couple of hundred thousand in debt and it's been luck that has got them through. Yes sometimes it defies all logic or reasoning when we take such huge risks. I have a family and yes sometimes I feel how much further? how much longer? what more do I have to do to make this work? That's when I have to dig even deeper into what my real strengths are. Discover whether or not I'm made of the right stuff. It's not for the faint hearted. It's for those who don't just give up at the first obstacle. I'd rather be the painter than the CEO, but sometimes if you have a dream. You've got to go for it heart and soul. Hold on to it, and run with it all your might. If you fall down at the first hurdle, you just get up, and you keep getting up and you keep on going. Building a business takes every ounce of energy you have, every waking moment, every sleepness night, every scrap of paper you've written things on. Every idea that's got you out of bed at 3am in the morning so you'd log on to your computer so not to lose it. Just for the record. This isn't advice so no lawsuits please, it's my own personal experience it's my blog which might help or not. Take it or leave it. A lot of people who go into business for themselves for the first time, can get burned. It's one of those areas that should come with a goverment health warning. Stress, high blood pressure, eating disorders, poor sleep pattern... let me know when I've put you off. Actually that's the bit that bought a smile to my face, it's not funny really but the truth of the matter it comes with the territory. You wonder why people do it. It's because they want to make it for themselves and not have to work for some big corporate company where they are just a number. Enough... I'm totally done in for today. Here's to tomorrow and another day ahead. I hope this was useful, and that you are encouraged, or so put off that you stick with what you're happiest with. Is the grass greener? That is a good question. The answer to it lies with you, but do you have what it takes. From the CEO. Just sometimes and I mean only sometimes, do you have to take stock and regroup your thoughts about a particular matter. This is one of those lessons that you can apply to anything. From a choosing what you're having for dinner to making the ultimate decision of a career change. Some people would say that's far too simplistic, well that depends from your point of view. For others it doesn't need to be that complicated. At Art e World we had to do a regroup. What that meant for us was looking at what we were initially saying we wanted to achieve and then saying well it's not working... Why isn't it? What do we have to do to make it work? then go and do it. Luckily for myself and I hope others who have a certain level of flexibility it's that simple. Let's take it a part and start over again. Everyone's worry is well it was a great idea, why aren't you doing it anymore. The truth of the matter in a lot of cases in life, is,it's about being sensible and realistic. Usually that's where most of us are asked leave the room as usually its not one of our strong points. However on this ocassion I think I've learnt my lesson finally and can stay. What's the down side for not learning your lesson at this point. Well, it's very simple. You lose more time, more energy, more sleep, more confidence and possibly more hair (not sure if that bits scientifically true)and eventually if it all fails you lose the business too. For the most stubborn, that's exactly what will happen and all of those closest to you will say "I told you so" or "I tried to tell you" and you wouldn't listen. In someways this lesson in life is very similar to taking a jog around the block, and again and again and again. Eventually you stop and you think to yourself enough is enough and you go back to the drawing board determined to get it right(If you have friends let them help you and if you can't do research to see where you're going wrong). So hopefully if you recognise any of these traits within and it's hitting home then that's really good news. It means there is hope. With hope anything can be achieved. Lesson nearly over. So what is the future of Art e World, as I had this conversation with my son yesterday who was clearly disappointed when I said that the viewing galleries were closed now and all that we wanted to do had to be reconsidered and thought through again. Once I explained it to him that smile had returned. I said that Art e World will be the umbrella company to provide all the other areas that we want to focus in, all in good time. Realistically yes that then makes all the other ideas feasible when we get the business up and running and financing the other projects we want to get involved in. That doesn't mean anyone failed it meant that you took on board that it couldn't all be done at once but in order to achieve it you took it one step at a time. Good lesson. Thanks for reading and if it helped, then that's great. Signing off and have a good week from the Chief Exec.