A lot of people feel a bit out of their depth when it comes to buying abstract art for their home or office. While interior designers and art advisors can be valuable resources to help with this, I want you to feel empowered to select abstract art for your space and enjoy the process of collecting.

One of the most powerful lessons I ever learned was to see through my mind’s misconception about why I found certain paintings so appealing. I thought it was because the colors were beautiful and harmonious (and sure, that was true). But time and time again, I would select and mix a palette of gorgeous, harmonious colors and yet I’d find that my finished painting lacked impact and excitement. It had a dull quality.

A lot of artists have a hard time writing their artist email every couple of weeks or every month, despite the fact that it’s one of the best ways to generate income and foster a closer relationship with your community. And many of the artists who do write the newsletter are even more afraid to look at the analytics to see their open rates. It can be disappointing to see a low open rate, but there are lots of things you can do to increase your open rate—which can help increase your confidence and your enthusiasm for writing your newsletter. After all, it feels good to write to people who want to read your words, right?

Here are ten good ideas for ways to increase your artist email open rate. Take a look and see if there are any you can apply to your newsletter!

As artists, we are keenly aware of the multitude of other artists out there and the work that they’re doing. We see their work in the galleries where our work is exhibited, in our artist guilds and collectives, on social media and other online sources, and in art magazines. With all of this input, it’s impossible not to compare our artwork and our artistic journey to that of others. This can be beneficial to us, but if we’re not mindful, it could also derail us.

Summer is coming to a close. In fact, the kids may be back to school already where you live! I’ve always loved this time of year, even though it’s been years since I went “back to school” in the fall. This time of year is just about as powerful as the start of the year in January! Everything seems to grind to a halt in the summer, or at least go at a slower pace. All of a sudden, things heat up quickly!

This summer I’ve been encouraging you to visit art exhibits no matter where your summer travels take you, whether you’re heading to the shore or overseas. I’ve highlighted some of the summer’s most exciting art exhibitions in New York City and Chicago. Today, I’m taking you to the mountains of North Carolina, to the artsy city of Asheville.

Your travel collage kit will help you stay creative and productive while traveling, allowing you to capture and transform your summer experiences into beautiful collages. Rather than being derailed from your art practice, you’ll be racing back into your studio with your new inspiration in hand!

With Independence Day celebrations behind us, summer is in full swing. This is a big month for vacations and travel, and I hope that you’ll heed my advice to be sure to visit art exhibits no matter where your travels take you, from Antwerp to Anchorage to Australia and anywhere in between.

When summer hits, we’re ready for a fresh start: summer clothes that haven’t seen the light of day in about nine months, new travel adventures, hot weather drinks, and frozen treats that we weren’t in the mood for during the winter. You may be feeling that your art practice is also ready for some fresh changes, too. After all, we need to keep evolving, shifting, and experimenting to keep our practice energized.

As we find ourselves surrounded by the beauty of the world, it's hard not to be inspired by the sheer variety of colors that nature, our cities, and cultures present to us. As an artist and a lover of all things color, I've found that the most thrilling adventures happen not when we're simply observers of this beauty but when we become active participants in its creation and integration into our lives.

As we find ourselves surrounded by the beauty of the world, it's hard not to be inspired by the sheer variety of colors that nature, our cities, and cultures present to us. As an artist and a lover of all things color, I've found that the most thrilling adventures happen not when we're simply observers of this beauty but when we become active participants in its creation and integration into our lives.

As we find ourselves surrounded by the beauty of the world, it's hard not to be inspired by the sheer variety of colors that nature, our cities, and cultures present to us. As an artist and a lover of all things color, I've found that the most thrilling adventures happen not when we're simply observers of this beauty but when we become active participants in its creation and integration into our lives.

As we find ourselves surrounded by the beauty of the world, it's hard not to be inspired by the sheer variety of colors that nature, our cities, and cultures present to us. As an artist and a lover of all things color, I've found that the most thrilling adventures happen not when we're simply observers of this beauty but when we become active participants in its creation and integration into our lives.

Artists, have you ever submitted your art into a public exhibit? If you have, do you make applying to exhibition opportunities part of your regular art goals? I firmly believe that exhibiting your artwork leads to powerful results, both for your professionalism and for your “reach.”

Artists, have you ever submitted your art into a public exhibit? If you have, do you make applying to exhibition opportunities part of your regular art goals? I firmly believe that exhibiting your artwork leads to powerful results, both for your professionalism and for your “reach.”

Artists, have you ever submitted your art into a public exhibit? If you have, do you make applying to exhibition opportunities part of your regular art goals? I firmly believe that exhibiting your artwork leads to powerful results, both for your professionalism and for your “reach.”

Artists, have you ever submitted your art into a public exhibit? If you have, do you make applying to exhibition opportunities part of your regular art goals? I firmly believe that exhibiting your artwork leads to powerful results, both for your professionalism and for your “reach.”

Artists, have you ever submitted your art into a public exhibit? If you have, do you make applying to exhibition opportunities part of your regular art goals? I firmly believe that exhibiting your artwork leads to powerful results, both for your professionalism and for your “reach.”

As artists, we have a very natural tendency to emulate our teachers and our artistic heroes. In fact, this type of imitation is part of our artistic development as we gain new skills and try lots of different styles. But in order to create a lasting career, we each need to forge our own path, developing a unique style that is deeply meaningful to us. That doesn’t mean that all of our paintings will look the same, but it means that we will have tapped into our unique “why” behind what art means to us and what that authenticity shines forth in our work, marking it as uniquely ours.