Having Fun With Acrylic Paint!
The Value of Being a Member of an Art Association
After I had been painting for a while, I decided to join a couple of local Art Associations. My motivation was simple, I wanted to meet other artists with the hopes of finding potential mentors as well as learn about how the art world worked from the artist's point of view. The punchline of this story is that I highly recommend joining a few associations or clubs because there is so much value for both beginners and experienced artists.
I’ll share my wonderful experiences starting with making friends with other artists. You have to have the right mindset going in, meaning you have to be outgoing enough to initiate meeting people and be willing to share your own story. My approach was to be honest about my experience and interests. What I found was that the more experienced artists are very helpful and are more than willing to share tips and advice.
Another aspect of being a member is being able to participate in art exhibits that the association is either running or has been invited into a particular venue. For me, this was a surprise opportunity and one that I have benefited from greatly. I sold my first painting (beyond friends and family) at my first exhibit. That was a great boost of confidence and the ability to interact with the public at the opening reception was a lot of fun. At that same event, I also got my first commission which was something I had not even considered, much less prepared for.
Lastly, one of the big values of being a member is having a network of artistic friends that enable opportunities to be shared. I have benefitted a lot from being connected to artists who have let me know of events, activities, and more on items that I would not have otherwise found out about. These have led to some wonderful results in my artistic journey.
Even if there is not an art association or group close by, I very much encourage you to seek out one of these organizations and find a way to make new friends and be exposed to potential new opportunities. It may do wonders for your art journey!
