Persistence

Dandelion- Detail; acrylic on board

I am often asked what it takes to make it in this competitive world of art. Though there are many things, including luck, that factor into the potential for success, I would argue that the single most important contributor to an artist's success, is persistence. A plain old dogged stick-to-it attitude will take you places that God given talent will not. I have seen many naturally gifted artists wither and disappear because they did not possess the passion or the drive to plow their way to profitability in the art world. For whatever reason, the hard road seemed too rocky, or their psyche too fragile to make a go of it. I have also seen other less talented artists succeed through sheer force of will and make a career for themselves (or like some of us, through utter lack of any other viable skill). The common denominator for success has always been and will always be how hard you are willing to work to achieve your dreams.Like the dandelion that forces its way through seemingly the smallest of cracks to bloom improbably amid an expanse of concrete, the successful artist sticks to it and does it anyway.