Canyon Light
Succeeding as a Fine
Artist With Savvy
Goal-Setting Strategies
Cotton Creek
2007, oil, 27 x 40.
Collection John and
Dana Griffith.
OPPOSITE PAGE
Tall Cottons
2007, oil, 60 x 48.
Collection the artist.
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BELOW LEFT
BELOW RIGHT
Sailing
Flowers and
Crystal
Blue
Conversing
2007, oil, 10 x 8.
Private collection.
American Artist
miles per hour, for four years. This probably wasnt the best
course of action because, just as in other areas of life, balance
is important in art. But somehow lifes challenges and adversities seem to motivate me like nothing else.
Rather than chase a vague goal of learning how to paint
better, Brown wrote a detailed plan that included setting time
aside for studying art, obtaining a specific set of drawing skills,
networking with other artists, and painting both field studies
and studio work. I also set goals for my yearly income,
including how many paintings I realistically needed to sell and
how many galleries, shows, and events I wanted to be involved
in to accomplish my long-term plan, says Brown. One of the
short-term goals the artist set was to complete one painting a
day for an entire year. My first year of painting I did 350 field
sketches; my second year I did 327, the artist recalls. I also
painted between 120 and 140 studio works. Painting became
my highest priorityother interests and hobbies were put on
the back burner, and I became an avid student of art, taking
classes and reading books about the masters.
Brown would read for hours on end, scrutinizing pages
filled with works by the artists he admired most: Anders Zorn,
Edgar Payne, and John F. Carlson. He now advises students to
not only read the masters writings but also to dissect their
methods and paintings, and then apply that knowledge to their
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field studies. Keep in mind, too, that field studies are just
thatdont go out and expect to create a masterpiece every
time, he advises. Enjoy studying new techniques and experimenting with how the masters painted. Their teachings, combined with mentors advice, peer groups, and workshops, can
give a comprehensive understanding of what makes art great.
Following the example set by the Old Masters, Brown tells
serious art students to practice their drawing skills. Schedule
specific times during the week to sketch, the artist says. Also,
take sketching materials with you wherever you go, whether
traveling by car or on an airplane, waiting for an appointment,
or even going to parties or your kids soccer games.
Daily practice in painting and drawing techniques, as
well as diligently studying the masters, were important first
steps for Brown, yet the artist realized early on that these
alone would not be enough to get him where he wanted to
go. After a year of weekly art classes taught by Hazel King,
an 86-year-old icon in the Nashville art scene, Brown next
set his sights on obtaining the best instruction he could find
through a workshop with Scott L. Christensen in Jackson
Hole, Wyoming. He credits this particular workshop in
2002 as one of the most important events in his career.
Under Christensens influence, Brown learned that fine art
and the great outdoors pair together perfectly. And not only
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To read a transcript of a recent live online
chat with one of Roger Dale Browns
mentors, Dawn Whitelaw, visit the Critiques
section of www.myAmericanArtist.com.
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American Artist
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BELOW
Docked
Sunflower
Blue Creek
Enjoy studying new techniques and experimenting with how the masters
painted. Their teachings, combined with mentors advice, peer groups, and
workshops, can give a comprehensive understanding of what makes art great.
Although he will always have a special fondness for landscapes, Brown deliberately paints a variety of subject matter,
knowing that each genre has something to teach an artist.
Painting figures helps sharpen drawing skills and the ability
to create form, which then carries over to landscape painting,
explains Brown. Still lifes are wonderful to help build skills
in observation and composition as well as to learn subtle relationships between value, color harmony, and temperature.
As Browns confidence and skills grew, so did his ambitions to build a thriving career as a gallery artist and workshop
instructor. His goal has been to teach six workshops annually
and to participate in national exhibitions and paint-outs every
yeara strategy that resulted in not only good rsum material but also important networking opportunities. I have given
advice to a lot of people at shows and in workshops and, in
return, I have received valuable information from them. For
instance, early in my career, I learned how to interface with
gallery owners and find a gallery with the right mixture of
artists for my work. Its important for artists to research galleries before approaching them to make sure its a good fit.
When you find one, ask for an appointment and be ready to
submit a professional-looking portfolio.
Although setting clear goals was an effective way to
jump-start his career, two ethical decisions Brown made
from the start also helped increase the demand for his work
and teaching: First, he decided to paint only for himself and
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