Post #240470 by little lost tiki on Fri, Jun 30, 2006 8:50 AM

Well said Miles!
An artist should be an ambassador of his times as well as a well-read translator of his own inner-dialogues and should always be in motion.Look at any artist of merit and you see their range in terms of both subject manner as well as an evolving style.What you said hit home in a lot of areas.Bro-Deals truly do suck.It's mostly a lonely journey,where you have to filter what you hear on the outside and what your innards tell you.The true friends are the ones you don't expect anything from-they're the ones you GIVE paintings to (for birthdays/holidays/etc.)Everyone else must be examined.Certain "periods" of an artist's career will attract certain admirers.An artist needs to expand his fan base in order to grow.Certain subject matter can then be abandoned for the moment in an artist's visual vocabulary.Growth, career-wise seems like a very hard thing.First, there's the new costs for promotion/better supplies/prints (around $500 a scan if you want a truly classy and professional print-and that's just the scan!) Miles, you've worked hard to get where you're at, you didn't get there by luck,very few do.It takes a committed effort and lots of time,which sucks if you wanna paint sometimes!You are a true artist.If you decide to explore other subject matter,good luck to you.Knowing your love for tiki,it may pop up in other forms later.Us tiki fans should be grateful for all the paintings you've done already and how much joy you've brought to us all! Mahalo and much success wherever your crazy artist mind takes you!