Hope & Inspiration on the Cover of a Magazine

There is too much buzz kill in the air and every where!

These days, you don't have to look far to find information telling you how to survive the economic downturn, what to do about the Orphan Works Act, and other assorted downer material. Talk about harshing one's mellow...sheesh...enough already!

Was Spiro Agnew actually right about something?

Not that some of this information is not valuable, and admittedly this blog has contributed or post or two to the cacophony of hand-wringing over conditions much out of our control. I think I finally know what disgraced former Nixon Vice-President, Spiro Agnew, meant when he used the phrase, "Nattering nabobs of negativity." Okay, that may too harsh too, but the point is we should all take a collective moment to deeply breathe in the good and forcefully exhale the bad.

The art print market owes a debt of gratitude to Art World News for its contributions

Just in time to rescue us from our summer doldrums the May issue of Art World News arrives. Without looking further than the front page news items, it is totally possible to gain a new fresh positive perspective about the art print market. There are headers for two stories in the magazine detailing the launch of new art publishing operations. Kudos and bravo to the David O'Keefe Studios and Legacy Fine Art Publishing for launching their businesses in the teeth of arguably the worst economic times the business has seen in most people's memory.

Getting started is more important than when to get started

In the days I sold tradeshow space, there were always those newbies who fretted in anxiety over when to get started or that they were missing an important show, such as the Atlanta Decor Expo as it is now known. I counseled them in the long run it was important they got started and not when. In other words, if you have a good plan, adequate finances and art that sells when seen, it's where you will be in 5 or 10 years that matters and your start date would be of near zero importance. The same could be said for these new publishing operations. They are starting now in tough times, but today's economic times won't determine their ultimate success.

Take a tip from Time magazine founder, Henry Luce

The main story in AWN's May issue is about a gallery owner in the St. Augustine, Florida area. Len Cutter has not one, but five galleries. He says the only businesses that are suffering are those not working hard enough. I would add to that smart enough. But, it brings to mind that Henry Luce, the great publishing entrepreneur who brought us Time and Life magazines. He audaciously launched Fortune magazine in 1932. This was right in the heart of the Great Depression. Inarguably, this was the worst economic times the U.S. has ever seen. At the then princely sum of $1 per copy, he was not giving it away either. Nearly 75 years later, Fortune remains one of the most important business magazines in the country, if not worldwide.

Conceive it, believe it achieve it!

If you have been feeling down about your prospects or anything else for that matter, let these examples raise your spirits and enthusiasm for your business. We only have what we have to work with. What we do with it rests largely on our perceptions of our prospects. The adage, "Seeing is believing" holds true here. A quote from sculptor Constantin Brancusi is apropos, "To see far is one thing, to get there is another." Art World News brings us real life examples of those who are getting there. You don't have to look far to find inspiration to change your attitude from doom to zoom. See you at the top!