If someone asked you if you were working for a living or living your dream, what would you say?  Are you following your heart and fulfilling your life’s goals… or are you just another cog in the wheel of a corporate machine living paycheck to paycheck and hoping for a better tomorrow?

Well, you know what they say… “Hope Springs Eternal”
(From An Essay on Man by Alexander Pope).

Or, as a friend of my loved to say – “How’s that working out for you?”

So just how long do you intend to wait for someone else to change your life?

For those of you willing to step up to the plate, take charge of your own destiny and follow the ‘path less taken’, I have a solution for you.

Watch this informative video on 20 Ways to Make Money Now on the Internet  to learn how YOU can leave corporate enslavement behind and Become Your Own Boss.

This life-altering eBook was created by leading marketers Jim Cockrum and Stuart Turnbull.  The awesome music for the video was donated by my husband, Art Hughes.

Safe Journeys to a Brave New World,
Joelle

I know that many of my friends in the Art Community have been waiting for me to release my new product “Art Marketing Success”.  I am very pleased to announce that it has just been launched.

Sorry it took me so long to release it – but I wanted to make it the best product I possibly could so that you, as artists and art sellers, would have leading-edge marketing solutions for creating your own successful online art business.

To discover my quick and easy methods to getting started selling artwork online, or to learn internet marketing and traffic generating techniques that will explode your art sales, or if you just want to claim your free “7 Keys to Art Marketing Success” mini-course then here’s the link you are looking for =>
http://www.artmarketingsuccess.com

I’ve included some great art-related bonus products to teach you how to create your own art merchandise, set up a blog site to promote your art, and even a video on creating screensavers from your art images.

Here’s to your success!

Joelle Rene’

When I was a young girl I excelled at one thing – Daydreaming! For many years it was my favorite pastime. The recurring theme in these dreams was that I would someday live on a ranch up in the mountains and own a horse named ‘Star’.

Needless to say – I never lived on a ranch or owned a horse. I went to college, got a degree in Computer Science and started working full time in a room with no windows developing software. Sundays were a nightmare for me because all I could think about was having to leave home and start the week all over again Monday morning.

I never slept on Sunday night.

I lived that life for a very long time.

I was miserable. But I never stopped dreaming.

Then I realized something. I had been waiting for years for my life to magically transform. I wasn’t doing anything about it – just wishing for it. It was time to take responsibility for my own life and stop blaming others. It was time to follow my heart and TAKE ACTION!

Once I understood that I alone was responsible for everything in my life – then I knew that I alone could change it. All the power was in me all along. Just like Dorothy’s ‘Ruby Slippers’ – the magic was always there – I just had to learn to recognize it… and then focus it on my goals and follow through.

The power to follow our hearts, travel our own unique paths and fulfill our Dreams lies within each and every one of us.

So what are you waiting for? Isn’t it time to start living your Dreams?

The year was 1985 and Bruce Springsteen was ripping up the charts on his ‘Born in the USA’ tour.  With songs like ‘My Hometown’, ‘Downbound Train’, ‘Born in the USA’, and ‘Cover Me’ he sang about a world in turmoil and the hard life of the everyday man.

That was 1985.  Today, with unemployment soaring, the devaluation of the dollar and euro, the housing market crisis, the repercussions of becoming a global market,  and all the other woes of our current economic situation, times certainly do seem to be “Tough and Just Getting Tougher”.

Big companies continue to downsize, laying off long-term employees without a care.  It is, after all, about the sacred and all powerful – Bottom Line.  Somehow the well being of the employees rarely figures into the equation.  So there you are, beating the pavement with millions of others praying for the privilege of yet another chance at life-long enslavement.

Is that really what you want?

Let me suggest an alternative.

Why not work for yourself?  There are countless opportunities to make money online without ever leaving the comfort of your own home.  That means:  no boss, no commuting, no one telling you when (or if) you can take a holiday, no work clothes, no bag lunches or spending a fortune on restaurants or fast food, no time constraints,  no day-care for the kids, etc. 

Is working for yourself easy?  No.  It takes motivation, dedication and hard work.  But then, was working for someone else easy?

Does success happen overnight?  Not usually – but with perseverance the rewards can be beyond your wildest dreams.

Do you have what it takes to walk the path less traveled?

If so, here is a suggestion that may very well transform your life of unappreciated servitude into a dream come true:

This is not a Scam.  This is not another “Get-Rich-Quick” scheme.

John offers a step-by-step video tutorial course on creating a long-term profitable business on the internet.

Want Proof?  Follow the Masterclass link above and check out the testimonials some of his students have written. 

By the way, I am one of John’s students and everything I know about internet marketing came from taking John’s Masterclass course.

Now it’s up to you.

Here’s to your success!

You’ve probably all heard the age old phrase “A picture’s worth a thousand words…”, but have you ever considered how motivational an image can be?  Let’s start with our blog graphics for the headers and footers.  Before I added custom graphics I really wasn’t very inspired when I looked at my blog template.  Even with all the plug-ins and widgets added – it was pretty boring.

However, once I got my custom graphics made (from Planet-Divinity of course!) everything changed.  The graphics made the site looking exciting and promising.  Suddenly I wanted to be posting blogs and spending time on my blog site.  It wasn’t just any old site, after all, it was ‘My Blog Site’.

When it came time to develop my first information product I once again found myself lacking the motivation and drive to create an awe-inspiring product.  It just looked like words on a page and as a visual artist – well – that didn’t exactly thrill me. 

Then I ordered my eBook graphics.  Having the graphics was transformational for me.  Not only did the graphic images add ‘Perceived Value’ to my product, but it made me want to create a better product.  I felt that I needed to ‘Live Up To’ my graphics. 

Check out this totally cool graphic Planet-Divinity created for my next eBook.

See what I mean?  So thanks Steve!  Your work is awesomely cool and amazing.

Here’s some Great News for Musicians…  CD Baby Singles has launched!  What does that mean to you?  You no longer have to wait until you have an entire CD of music before publishing it through CD Baby.  You can submit your singles with a one- time fee of $9 and receive speedy delivery to their digital partners: iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody and more. You will also receive a free barcode for your tune.  In just two days your music will be up and selling on CD Baby.  So why not get started making money with that awesome new song today?

But wait – there’s more…  CD Baby has partnered with Rightsflow, a leading license clearing firm, which allows CD Baby artists an easy method for paying for the mechanical licenses for cover tunes.  Let’s face it – for many musicians just getting started – performing cover tunes is the way to go. 

CD Baby provides a One-Stop-Shop for you to sell your music on the latest and greatest download sites and even provides you with the contact information for your opt-in customers which will help you build your fan base.  Let CD Baby handle the business side of distributing and selling your music so that you can do what you really love – PLAY! 

CD Baby

What they see is who you are.  At least – it’s who you are in your viewers eyes.  The majority of your customers will know you from your web presence alone, so it’s important to choose the artwork that will be in your online galleries and stores carefully.  Put your best art out there.  If you are a multi-talented artist that works in many different mediums and styles – you may want to select a body of work that is similar in style and subject matter.  Help your customers understand and connect with your artistic vision by presenting a portfolio that conveys a sense of continuity.  You want them to associate a particular style of art with YOU.

I knew an artist in Santa Fe, NM who painted giant blue dogs.  Her paintings were brightly colored and rendered in a simple, almost child-like style and they were extremely popular.  You could recognize her work at a glance and immediately connect the artwork with the artist.

That’s what you want to create in your online identity; instant recognition.  So even if you are skilled in multiple venues, hone it down to a single body of work – at least for now while you are establishing your presence and building a following.

In determining which style to publish, you might decide to go with your favorite subject matter, or you might choose types of art that are known to be good sellers.  Landscapes, for example, tend to sell well. Nudes appeal to a more restricted audience. Through the eyes of an artist there may be little difference between rendering the sensuous curve of a reclining nude and capturing the seductive line that delineates the boundary between the gently rolling Smoky Mountains and the blue sky heavens above.  Trust me – not everyone perceives the world with an artist’s unique vision.

Keep in mind that there are those who purchase art for art’s sake and those who buy it because it matches their sofa.  It’s up to you to decide which audience to appeal to, if any.  I personally have elected to forgo the more marketable subject matter and paint what I love.  If it sells – it sells.  Painting is my joy and I do it for me.  If others appreciate it as well, so be it.

If your primary goal is to become financially successful by selling your art, spend some time researching current buying trends.  Check out the art categories in eBay and see which types of art are in demand and selling well.  You can also join art-related discussion groups or forums and chat with other artists about their sales successes.  You might have the world’s finest collection of representational paintings of poison dart frogs – but if there is no demand for them – they won’t sell.

If, however, you paint those poisonous frogs with a slightly different slant – one that catches the eye and compels the viewer, then you may have found a niche in the art marketplace. You never know what magic can happen when you put your heart into it and then let it unfold.

Keyword search tools such as Wordtracker can also help you determine how many searches are done on a particular style of art.  Try running searches on your different types of artwork or subject matter and see which ones score the highest.  You may just find that your poison dart frog paintings are actually great sellers if you put them in the proper category.  Who knows?

This morning I was answering a message on Facebook… and my new friend brought up the question that I heard time and time again when I was teaching art classes.  “How do I find time to paint?”  Most artist begin pursuing their art careers while holding down full time jobs, raising families, shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc.  I was certainly one of those multi-tasking artists and I still remember asking that same question myself.  It’s not an easy one to answer – but I promise you that if you are truly inspired to create art you will find a way.  In a nut shell – YOU HAVE TO MAKE TIME! 

So with that in mind – here are a few suggestions. 

Figure out when is the best time for you to paint.   Are you a morning person?  Is it easier for you to be creative at night? 

Next – if at all possible – find some place in your home where you can set up your art supplies and have everything ready to go.  This doesn’t mean you must have a separate art studio.  My first few years  I painted in the corner of my dining room. 

Now comes the Magic of Creating Time.  Figure out what time consuming activities you can eliminate from your lifestyle and in what ways you can organize your life and daily tasks that will allow you to have the time you need to paint.

If you are responsible for the shopping and cooking… you can save a lot of time by keeping  on-going shopping lists for every store you shop at and then do all of your shopping and errands in one trip.  It saves time, energy and gas as well.  As for the cooking – if you meal plan when you shop then you can do several days of cooking at once.  Cook everything you can ahead of time and freeze it.  While you’re cooking – you might as well get the laundry done at the same time.  Multi-task whenever possible.

Turn off the TV.  Watching television will not help you achieve your goal in becoming an artist.  If you really need to watch a little TV to unwind in the evenings – then set limits.  Watch it for an hour while you eat dinner.  If you’re too tired to paint in the evenings, or that’s simply not the best time for you to be creative, then use that time to take care of other things so that you will have more free time in the morning.  On the weekends I get up very early just to have a few extra hours in front of the canvas.  The house is quiet then and I can be very productive.  It might work for you as well.

If you like to spend some of your precious free time playing computer games or randomly surfing the net – why not spend that time going to art websites instead? 

Get Organized.  Find ways to organize your life that will result in daily tasks being less time consuming.

Seek inspiration.  There is an unfathomable amount of free information on the internet about art, creating art, selling art, etc.  Seek and you shall find it.  Buy Art books.  Subscribe to Artist Magazines.  Join art discussions and online forums.  Join Facebook Art Groups.  Take art classes if you can.

If you really want to learn to paint – then you have to paint your way there.  

Enjoy the Journey!

Do you ever wonder why some artist’s work receives so much traffic while yours receives a bare trickle or none at all?  Well, for starters, they could be driving a lot of traffic to their website via various promotions or social networking strategies or linking to it from other sites or already have a huge fan base.  Or – They could be using Key Word Rich Titles and Tags and letting the search engines do the work for them. 

Take a look at the painting below.

The actual name of this painting is ‘Sandcastle Fairy’.  How many people will ever see this artwork if I simply title it ‘Sandcastle Fairy’?  Since ‘Sandcastle’ is probably not a term that is highly searched in art work, the only keyword that has much power is ‘Fairy’.  A search for Fairy could produce hundreds (if not thousands) of pages of fairy art or fairy related items and my painting will probably never be seen unless the viewer has lots and lots of time to spend browsing all those pages.  Trust me – they probably won’t.

Let’s assume I want to sell an 8” by 10” matted print of this image.  A better title might be:

Sandcastle FAIRY Moon Hummingbird Ocean Flower Lizard Faerie Fantasy 8×10 MATTED ART PRINT

This is an example of a Key Word Rich Title.  (Granted – not all titles are this long so I may need to eliminate some of the keywords.)  I have told the viewers that it is an 8×10 matted art print and supplied a variety of related keywords.

Now anyone searching for art, print, art print, matted, matted art print, 8×10, 8×10 matted art print, fairy, faerie, fantasy, hummingbird, ocean, flower, lizard, moon, or sandcastle may locate this artwork.  I have significantly increased my chances of being found by the search engine.

The title does not have to be a proper sentence – it just needs to relate to the subject matter and be filled with appropriate key words.  If you already have a large fan base searching for your work then include your artist’s name in the title as well, or at a minimum add it to the key word or tag list.  You can add the actual name of the painting to your description.

Populate your key word or tag lists in the same manner.  If you can add more key words than you included in your title do so.  For example, a key word list for this image might be: art, artwork, painting, print, poster, fairy, faerie, fantasy, fairies, matted, girl, hummingbird, moon, ocean, beach, Hawaii, island, lizard, flower, plumeria, wings, sandcastle, pink, green.  Include your name in the tag list as well.  That way – when fans are searching for your work they have an easy way to find it. 

You get the idea.  Make your Titles and Tags Key Word Rich.  It could make the difference between never being seen and selling more than you dared to dream.

For my fellow artists… I send you my heart-felt gratitude.  The visions that you have lovingly rendered are priceless gifts that enrich my life in so many ways.  Your art has helped me to find peace in a chaotic world, beautified and personalized my home and studio, reconnected me with memories of my childhood, filled my head with visions of the future, and most importantly helped me to reevaluate my beliefs and better understand who I am now and who I want to be.  Thank you.

Now back to the subject at hand.  When you are ready to start selling your art online – your choices are almost endless.  There are so many wonderful online art sites available it really is hard to know where to start.  First you need to decide how you want to sell your art.  Do you want to be a self representing artist and handle the sales yourself or would you rather have a print-on-demand (POD) company manage the end-production, sales and shipping portion of the business?  Of course you can always do both.  Following are examples of each type:

Etsy is an online marketplace exclusively for artists selling their own work.  It has a very user friendly interface that allows you to quickly upload images of your art, input descriptions as well as your own pricing and shipping policies.  They also provide you with a store front and unique URL so that you can direct customers to your Etsy store.  There are no membership fees for Etsy but they do charge a small insertion fee and receive a percentage of the sale.  Once a sale is made the artist is notified and then ships the artwork to the customer.  So if you are looking for a sales site for self representing artists – check it out at Etsy or See My Etsy Store Here.

Imagekind provides a print-on-demand service that simplifies the selling process significantly.  You upload high resolution images, determine the pricing and fill in the descriptions and you are ready to sell.  They handle everything else.  Here you are provided your own portfolio – similar to the Etsy store, as well as a unique URL.  A wonderful aspect of Imagekind is that they allow the customers to purchase your artwork in various sizes and have a wide variety of photo and art papers as well as canvas to choose from.  You can also have your work matted and framed or have the canvas stretched and mounted ready to hang.  Imagekind has a yearly membership fee and the artist receives a percentage of the sale.   If you are interested in selling your art through a print-on-demand service go to  Imagekind or View My Imagekind Portfolio Here.

These are just two examples of online art marketplaces.  So what are you waiting for?  Get out there and start selling your art!  I can’t wait to see it.