Give Your Art Away

  Your precious art is not doing you any good in your basement.  It's just stacking up and up.  I'm writing this to encourage every artist out there to escape the packrat mentality and share some of your art.  I'm not saying to give away everything or give away your bad art; I've kept some early works that are special to me.  It's always good to clean out and create new and better work.  
  The other plus side to this is more exposure for your art and more possible commissions.  I like having a website, but seeing a work of art in the flesh is something completely different and way more powerful.  This is why museums are still around and why people still buy paintings.  The painting has a special aura which a photograph can't capture.  
  Another good idea is to make art for birthdays or as any gift.  This week, I made a watercolor card for our neighbor's birthday.  We could have bought a card for $5, but there's no magic in that.  I'm not especially good with watercolor, but I consider it good drawing practice to make a watercolor card.  
  Lastly, give away your nice sketches with a commission.  I always give my patrons preliminary sketches that go along with the commission..what am I going to do with it anyway?