I have been thinking a lot lately about how to be a successful artist in our current society. Now more then ever, there seems to be an urge in many people to spend time making art. Painting, drawing, beading, wire wrapping and mixed media journaling are few ways people are creating. I am very happy about this art making trend since I have been making art since I scrawled on my white slip with a red crayon when I was 3 and then wondered why everyone made such a fuss. I have wanted more partners in crime, more people to enjoy art making fun with. I felt so strongly about encouraging people to make art that I became an art teacher!

I have been spending sometime learning about business and trying to apply what I have learned to being an artist and surviving economically. Somehow, we art makers have to change our processes and images. We need to figure out a way to flourish as working artists. We need to become Art-Tra-Pren-Eurs!

Art-tra-pren-eur is a word I just made up. It comes from the root word, entrepreneur which means a person who attempts to make a profit by starting a company or by operating alone in the business world, esp. when it involves taking risks. What we art-tra-pren-eurs have to learn to do is to make a profit in our world. How are we going to do this? I have some ideas that I plan to share with you in this week's posts, but I would like to hear your ideas and if you want to be an art-tra-pren-eur or a customer of an art-tre-pren-eur.