The best art is often where you least expect it
they could be missing out on a huge opportunity and shooting themselves in the foot, so to say. You can sell to the masses and not lose credibility, just look at Damien Hirst.”
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“As a publisher, you often don’t know what you’re looking for in a new artist until you see it. It’s important that we’re open-minded and don’t rule anything out. Sometimes great quality art is found where you least expect it. For example, I encourage artists to keep hold of the work they’re going to throw in the bin – often it’s the best stuff because they’ve painted it for themselves without overthinking it or holding back.”
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Help can go a long way
“There’s no doubt that establishing yourself as a successful commercial artist without any help can be done, but for many new talents, building credibility and a strong presence on your own can be tough. You have to find the hours to create enough work, often whilst holding down a separate part or full-time job, alongside networking and promoting your art. You also have to take into consideration the costs, from framing to buying supplies, hosting events and even creating your own brochures. “In contrast, we work with our artists on a retained basis. We help them find a studio and we support them throughout their formative years because it’s in our interest to make them as successful as we possibly can. We can protect them – we don’t let their work go to the wrong place. It’s a partnership. We’ve got to make sure our artists are well and happy.”
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Education isn’t everything
GLYN WASHINGTON
“Having come from an art college background myself, I know that to be a great artist, it doesn’t matter if you have an education or you’re self-taught. Anybody can be taught to paint, but you can’t be taught to have a great vision of what you’re going to put down on canvas. That’s what makes an artist.”
CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF WASHINGTON GREEN FINE ART
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You are your only limit
“Half of the time artists just need to be told ‘it’s okay to do that’, and to be given the freedom and encouragement to really express themselves. An artist is only limited by their own imagination, and having the ability to break through that barrier is what truly sets a great artist apart from the rest.”
Glyn Washington has lived and breathed the contemporary art scene for more than 30 years, representing and nurturing some of the finest artists and sculptors in the world. Here, he shares the things that really matter when it comes to forging your art career…
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You should never give up too easily
“The best thing you can do as a new artist is paint, paint, paint. Put yourself out there and be proactive. Visit art fairs and don’t be afraid to speak to other artists and immerse yourself in their work. Study the market and identify your own niche. It may be cliché but most importantly, don’t give up. I view hundreds of art submissions every week and, just because something may not be right for us at this moment, doesn’t mean it won’t be in the future. Many of our artists were just about to quit in the months before we spotted them, but through being persistent have gone on to become best sellers.”
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Being published can be life-changing
“I will always be in support of the commercial art business – publishing is not a dirty word. Some people think working with a publisher is detrimental to your career, you become commercial and essentially ‘sell out’, but over the years we’ve helped a lot of artists change their lives. Only a select number of artists trying to get their work into museums and public galleries will be successful and, by ruling out commercial gallery representation,
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