Comments on: Tips for Survival as an Artist–from Michael Shane Neal: Part 1

By: jorge

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:48:13 +0000

Excellent!

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By: jorge

Thu, 30 Aug 2012 16:47:23 +0000

In reply to Brooklyn.

I agree on several levels.
I agree with the advice as well: with qualifiers
having work as a Pro Photo for 30yrs I can assure you that best self assessment , is the hard edit. Are you really ready to quite your’ “day job”?

I could be way off but when I hear advice like.that above , and forgive me here: I smell trust fund!

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By: Twitter Tweekly from @abstanfield — Art Biz Blog

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 13:37:21 +0000

[…] for survival as an artist http://wp.me/p1voEr-R via […]

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By: Ananda Leeke

Mon, 25 May 2009 16:40:37 +0000

Great insights, comments, and sharing.

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By: Tommy Thompson

Thu, 21 May 2009 20:57:21 +0000

I have known Michael Shane Neal for more than 5 years. He is the most skillful, articulate, disciplined artist that I know. I do not know exactly how many hours per week that Shane works, but I do know that he is a very dedicated, successful artist–not the starving kind, although I have known him to grow a few tomatoes in his backyard with his kids one summer! Shane is the most dedicated teacher and is the most sharing, giving human being to others. He runs a very successful business, along with a small staff. He is the youngest portrait painter to ever paint and hang a portrait in the U.S. Capitol–No one else can say that! His work requires a good deal of traveling, but he also reserves time for his small family. You will never meet a nicer gentleman that this guy. By the way, he teaches his workshops dressed in a white shirt and tie–and they stay clean too. This guy is the ultimate professional and will someday most likely fill the shoes of his mentor–the venerable portrait painter of Presidents–Everett Raymond Kinstler. Every aspiring portrait painter needs to take at least one workshop with Shane in Nashville. I count Shane among my best friends. Tommy Thompson

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By: Eroica

Thu, 21 May 2009 14:55:54 +0000

He sounds very disciplined, I know when I work, 18 hours a day is normal for weeks on end, 7 days a week. But then I’ll go through periods of not working at all, most of the other established artists I know seem to go through that as well. The thing that I like most about this is he encourages discipline, learning, working, the full scope of what it means to be an artist. So many young people I meet don’t even sketch an hour a day… you have to have a passion for it. Great article anyway 🙂

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By: Alyson B. Stanfield

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:37:58 +0000

Brooklyn: It should be noted that Shane didn’t mention if this was a 5 or 7 day schedule. So it might be more like 60-90 hours a week.

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By: Alyson B. Stanfield

Wed, 20 May 2009 14:31:37 +0000

Thanks for these comments. I find it interesting that of the 5 points, the comments really focus only on one: time. I don’t think Shane is exaggerating. I know from running my own business that it is quite easy to put in a 12-hour day. Eighteen, however, would do me in.

I’m turning this into a DTT. Look for it tomorrow.

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By: Brooklyn

Sun, 17 May 2009 15:01:27 +0000

@Grove:

Thanks Grove. As per your request, my site is at http://www.BrooklynHurst.com

Take care.

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By: Patricia

Sun, 17 May 2009 14:51:31 +0000

It is entirely possible that Mr Neal paints whenever he is awake and not having to do business things. And perhaps there is some exaggeration as well. He probably doesn’t do a whole lot of housework or running around for the family but really, if he isn’t using a VA, then he is doing it all himself and being in business means that not only has he to do his own accounting, purchasing, research, maketing, business forms design and printing, photos, etc, etc, but also he is painting. That’s really two full time jobs in one.

Of course if he’s successful and not also a control addict he would be offloading some of the business work to a VA and devoting more time to painting and family.

An artist, scientist, whoever has a passion for what they are doing doesn’t just stop after 8 hours. They immerse themselves in it. This means that they are still “working” even after hours.

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