Spectrum Fantastic Art Live debuted in Kansas City last week with an aura of inspiration. Truly one of the most amazing groups of talent in one place I have ever experienced. Much credit goes to Arnie and Cathy Fenner along with their dedicated team. They pulled together a professional show that included educational panels and speakers as well as an awards show that blew the lid off any other art awards show existing today. Academy awards look out! I presented the Institutional, Silver and Gold winners on the stage of the beautiful 1927 Midland theater. More pics on the floor of the show here and here.It was wonderful seeing sooo many friends and their creations all in one place. It reminded me of Comic Con in the very early days. I was selling posters, prints, postcard sets, music, as well as signing lots of books, Magic cards, and meeting new collectors. Roxana was doing even better as her scents had people sniffing the air and making a beeline to her elegant showcase.I moderated a panel titled, Artist As Brand, Rise of the Artist Entrepreneur with Michael Whelan, Donato Giancola, William Stout, Virginie Ropars, and Arnie Fenner. Lovely group with much synergy. A large crowd joined the conversation.Three days before I set up a booth with Roxana for the show, I presented an Artist As Brand® workshop at the Aladdin Hotel to ten individuals who traveled from across America to experience the seminar together. More on this soon. Greg Montana was Skyped in for a live coaching session and Roxana gave an inspired presentation too.The poignant documentary film by Maria Cabardo, Better Things, Life & Choices of Jeffrey Catherine Jones premiered at Spectrum Live too. This is a beautiful biopic. Well done!
Sign Up deadline is Now.
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! and Artist As Brand are aligning to bring creative empowerment and prosperity to artists in Kansas City, May, 2012.
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is a natural extension of the eighteen-year success of the award-winning Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art annual.
I designed the Artist As Brand Workshop for all artists who desire clarity of purpose in their art, and want a proven method to attract fans, patrons, collectors. It is open to all serious artists, students and professionals. Learn the secrets of connecting the power of your essence with your art directly to the people who will buy it, and see how these principles can be applied at an event like Spectrum Live.
All participants will receive free access to all three days of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live. The workshop is held at the Historic Aladdin Holiday Inn Hotel, just blocks from the convention center.
Learn more about the workshop on theABOUT page.Read the REGISTER page before signing up.See what art professors, professionals, and college students are saying on the RESULTS page.
Register Here
Sign Up deadline is May 6th.
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! and Artist As Brand are aligning to bring creative empowerment and prosperity to artists in Kansas City, May, 2012.
Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is a natural extension of the eighteen-year success of the award-winning Spectrum: The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art annual.The Spectrum book has come to symbolize the vibrancy, diversity, and overall excellence of this international art community. Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! is an art fair in which creators will be able to sell originals and prints while promoting their work to patrons, collectors, and potential clients. Whereas the ubiquitous comic con focuses on all facets of popular art culture, Spectrum Fantastic Art Live! focuses on the artist and their sales.
This focus makes it a perfect fit with Artist As Brand! I will be presenting a workshop three days before the event. It is open to all serious artists, students and professionals. Learn the secrets of connecting the power of your essence with your art, to your collectors, and see how these principles can be applied at an event like Spectrum Live.
All participants will receive free access to all three days of Spectrum Fantastic Art Live. The workshop is held at the Historic Aladdin Holiday Inn Hotel, just blocks from the convention center.
Learn more about the workshop on theABOUT page.Read the REGISTER page before signing up.See what art professors, professionals, and college students are saying on the RESULTS page.
Register Here
I am presenting a three day workshop May 15 (Tues), 16 (Wed.), 17 (Thurs), before the May 18-20 Spectrum Live event in Kansas City, MO. This is a great opportunity for all artists to learn the Artist As Brand principles and then see how it applies at an event like Spectrum Live, where I will have a booth too!Which artists know how to present themselves in a unique and professional manner? Who stands out? What can you do that nobody else is doing? How to present yourself at a shows like Spectrum Live is only a small part of what you will learn in this course. You will be empowered and prepared to manifest your own art empire. Get ready to see your professional art career from a very different perspective.And receive a free 3 day pass to Spectrum Live!Read the REGISTER page before signing up.Learn more about the workshop on theABOUT page.See what art professors, professionals, and college students are sayinghere.
"And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to bloom."
- Anais Nin
The last two weeks were filled with Artist As Brand workshops in San Francisco at the Academy of Art UniversityandGallery Nucleus.
Every venue I have taught at has its own unique personality. Individual talents that grace each class are special in their skill sets and personal visions. However when the workshop begins differences recede as a common purpose reveals itself. The desire for self empowerment, courage, confidence, hope, possibility fill the room. Creating an art business outside the confines of the corporate world is an opportunity to energize our inner resources and confront the fears that hold us back.My goal is to fire up people's inner power. This is not about pumping up false egotistical pride, but the real power that comes from knowing yourself. The ancient Greek aphorism, "Know Thyself" got it right.Starting from this centered place allows the other core elements of who you are to start sprouting through. These loving desires blossom into unforeseen markets of possibility. Watching individuals awaken to this wisdom is truly a magical process.For many this creative bud is so tightly bound (from years of neglecting pure expression) it takes some nurturing to open. I have seen these petals of perception reveal newfound awareness the first day of the workshop, sometimes it takes three, but evolve beyond the workshop.Our intention as creative beings is to continue blooming until the day we throw off this mortal coil. This can include our art business too, if you choose. Pulling strength from your core purpose will sustain the vision.I bow to all my students planting the seeds of success with their clarity, talent, and volition. Keep growing!PeaceGreg
Bee Prosperity for Flowers of Fortune Art Card Set & Game
It's that time of year again when the world of popular art culture collides with the city of San Diego. I have been frequenting this event since 1990. I was part of Allen Spiegel's booth ASFA for many years and then decided to trek out on my own and acquired a booth. Preparing for this event takes weeks sometimes months, and when it is over takes a solid week to recover. It costs money to create product, pay for the booth, hotel, meals, etc. hence the investment can be large. Not much sleep is allowed, everyone is running on reserves of nerve energy as meetings and parties go into the wee hours. Then you get up early to man your booth, sell your wares and conjure up new fans and patrons. The cycle starts up again for four days straight.
Even though Comic Con is a lot of work most exhibitors return year after year, because of the events vitality. Seeing my artist friends come from all over the world to hang out for a week is inspiring. I love the show and tell facet.
Gracing the Dawn for Flowers of Fortune Art Card Set & Game
Setting up a booth is an art unto itself. Read this article on Roxana's Illuminated Perfume Blog about our strategy for this years booth. Every year we strive to make it more interesting than the last. My other goal is to out do what I manifested the year before in art. This time I have created and devised a Limited Edition Art Card Game! Called Flowers of Fortune (website coming soon) there is a scratch off game facet where participants can receive my posters, prints, card sets, and cash. The odds are very good in that there is a prize for every 40 cards. However everyone is winner as fortunes and special quotes are waiting beneath the scratch off designs.
Roxana formulated a beautiful perfume to accompany the Gracing The Dawn card. Come to the booth 5553 and experience this exquisite essence. You will swoon. (Illustrators area) Enter through the double doors of Lobby G, near Starbucks, the booth is on the right front wall. Look for the Shabby Chic booth with the Gracing the Dawn banner.
Don't forget to attend this! I am moderating an Artist As Brand panel discussion Friday 23, 6:00-7:00 RM 8, with Arnie Fenner, Mark Murphy, Ciruelo, Tara McPherson, Donato.
See you all soon!
Art and Empowerment
Greg
Greg Spalenka
In this high tech world it can be easy to forget the importance of human connection. An infant and mother understand this crucial bonding, and as we grow this personal connection to touch and intimacy never really leaves us. In life our relationship to others reflects how successful we are at communicating our passions, desires, ideas. Union is key.
In business and commerce this facet of interconnectivity is called networking. In art networking we endear ourselves to our peers, fans and patrons to help build our art empires. Our supporters become the mortar between the bricks. I am always on the lookout for alignments, new connections and venues where I can meet extraordinary individuals. I contacted Peter Clothier whom I learned about through his lecture at LCAD. Though we initially met online which culminated in an interview of him for my Blog we also recently had a lovely lunch together. It is truly wonderful to meet like minded souls in person! We realized our viewpoints were deeper than expected and are now talking about collaborating on some workshops.
Mark Murphy whom I just interviewed is another alignment with who I am collaborating with. Roxana my wife and I are part of his Survey Select exhibition opening this Thursday, and I am presenting an Artist As Brand workshop in San Diego in conjunction with the show.
Two fantastic networking opportunities are coming to California. The Illustration Conference is this week in Los Angeles! Artists are coming from all over the US to this event. I will be there networking and meeting awesome new people. Who else is going?
How about the largest event for popular art culture in America?! The San Diego Comic Con is held next week July 21-25. I will be there at my booth 5553 and moderating an Artist As Brand panel discussion Friday 23, 6:00-7:00 RM 8, with Arnie Fenner, Mark Murphy, Ciruelo, Tara McPherson, Donato. My new Flowers of Fortune limited edition art card set and scratch off game premiers at Comic Con too, (and at FlowerFortune.com on July 21) where you can win one of my giclee prints, other printed items, and up to $1000.00.
Events like Comic Con increase your fans and patrons. 125,000 people move through the doors of this convention in five days. Imagine if only one in every one thousand people stopped by your booth. Being a part of this event for over 20 years has taught me the value of growing your support group in venues like this.
Some people will argue that it costs too much to be a part of these gatherings. All promotion has a price. This is an investment in yourself.
Events like these are important to the artist for exposure, new ideas, inspiration, sales, support, and new connections. Like the mother and her new baby, union and bonding with your peers and your buyers will bring you closer together. Technology has it's place, but remember the importance of face to face.
To artist empowerment,
Greg
What words define success for you?Money, Fame, Possessions, Power? How about Home, Happy, Charity, Love?Maybe its a fusion of all those things. Accomplishment can manifest in different shapes and colors. How we define success is a large part of how we define ourselves.For a long time my success was defined by the magazine, newspaper, or book cover I had graced an illustration with. I received a nice hit of ego gratification as well as a check that I normally received in the mail two months later. My life in publishing dictated my moods, and my finances, and this defined much of my success. My competitive spirit kept me going but at times it was a blessing and a curse. Arnie Fenner, Editor of Spectrum picked up on it, “Greg is constantly in competition with himself; the challenge he cheerfully accepts when he gets up each morning is to out-do what he has done before. It’s a good day when Greg artistically kicks Greg’s ass: he’s been doing it so consistently for so many years that it’s a wonder he has anything left to sit on.”It's true I don't have much to sit on.In this LA Times article called, What makes Sammy run wild. We read how Hollywood talents obsessed with success, can find themselves in frenzies when the industry's harsh reality clashes with their desires.
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