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I read and follow several art related articles across the internet. Here's link to really great and concise article on medium.

Why You Should Buy Art From Living Artists

It is amazing when I think about all the achievements for 2019. I have to pinch myself to make sure I’m not dreaming.

Let’s list them?

1. Finally all my art postings across the various platforms, Fine Art America, Red Bubble, Society6, Artpal, Zazzle, and Shop Vida have paid off. My art is on home décor products, and apparel, prints, and has sold one or more items from five of the platforms eleven months of the year! Economics was not
the goal, only presentation and representation of my art. However it is very flattering and nice when a stranger orders a dress, scarf or pillow or blanket with my art on it.

2. To improve the quality and craft of my works I watch a lot of video’s on YouTube. One particular series of video’s that I enjoy is from Artists Stefan Baumann. I have implemented many of his teaching and found success. I have been awarded “Special Recognition” for my art works Sep, Nov, Dec in three
international jury shows.

3. My art work has been exhibited in digital format in my first brick and mortar gallery show for the entire month of October in Zurich Switzerland.

4. The first week of December my art was on display in a Miami Florida gallery during Art Basel 2019.

5. An increase in outside commission works for the year.

6. Creation, production of the Artists Friends Podcast distributed across the internet with thousands of listeners. I am very grateful for the participation of my two good artists friends Diane Hunt and Constance Brosnan. We’ve been meeting weekly in video conferences and having so much fun motivating and inspiring each other. So, why not record part of our sessions and share with the world?

7. Substantial increase in social media presence due to the advice and recommendations of Gary Vaynerchuck. I follow his postings religiously and have attempted to put in practice his advice. I am a long way from achieving the maximum recommendations.

2019 was the year of education and partial implementation. I think that years in the future my memories will return to this year as a major mile marker in the art career. It’s hard to believe that I only launched this fantastic journey in 2017!

2020 Set For Success!

Once again my art will be exhibited in Zurich Switzerland for the entire month of January. Following in February I have several international contests in the works. I’ll announce dates and locations when and if I am accepted. Plus, in March I’ll be participating in an international gallery show in Barcelona Spain.

During 2019 my studio art production exploded! So many works and now the unique problem of storage. However I am fired up for setting new increased works production for 2020.

What a wonderful life. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this recap of 2019. I know that I have forgotten many achievements for the year, so please have a blessed and Happy New Year.

I am so honored and humbled that my art work is on display in Miami FL this week Dec 02 - 08 during Art Basel week. The work will be on digital display on one of two of the big 7x7 foot monitors. If you're in the Miami area visit the gallery located at: Eduardo Lira Art Gallery 2065 NW 2nd Ave,
Wynwood Art District, Miami, FL 33127 open 11 am to 8 pm. The Art Basel Artweek in Miami is probably the biggest art event worldwide! Over one hundred thousand art lovers visit Miami during this week each year. Various art fairs, galleries in the art district Wynwood and art events
inspire the visitors year after year.

You don’t have to be wealthy to start collecting original works of art. Especially works of art that matter to you! We’ve all read about art collectors that choose pieces based on how much they’ll appreciate in value over the years. You should be buying art because it moves you emotionally, it touches your soul and gives you some kind of fulfillment.

Let The Art Inspire You!

Collecting starts with “knowing what you like and what you can afford.” Research, and research! Look for artists that inspire and capture your imagination. Attend local art walks and fairs, you’ll find art for your collection, and make meaningful connections with local artists and galleries.

Make the most of your money

You don’t have to have millions of dollars to start building an art collection. But how you allocate your art collecting budget matters.
Let’s say you have $100 to buy art with. You have a decision to make here: Do you want to spend that money on several less expensive pieces or one to two more impressive ones? Choose quality over quantity, but what about covering the white space on your walls?

I once read a statement from an art dealer, “If you’re just looking to fill space to avoid visual boredom, that’s decorating, not collecting.”

Forget “Good Investment” Thoughts

With emerging artists who are still experimenting with their styles and working to grow their fan bases, it’s “impossible” to make such predictions.
There is one area where you can improve the chances the value of a piece will hold or increase. When you find artists you like, choose iconic pieces that best represent their body of work. For example, if a particular artist paints both nature scenes and portraits, but is best known for their paintings of mountains at sunset, a mountain painting would be the better buy.

Be choosy about your source And Set A Purchase Budget

It’s best to buy your art directly from the artists or a gallery. Either way, there’s a guarantee that the work is authentic. Establish an art collection budget, on a monthly basis, put way in a savings account a few dollars specifically for art. Based upon how large your budget grows, plan on purchasing at least (1) new piece each year. Of course this is all up to how fast you want to grow your collection and how much you spend on each piece. Creating an art collection budget may seem obvious. Sometimes we have to be reminded of the obvious. Setting aside a few dollars each month specifically targeted for collecting art, can and will grow!

What a wonderful feeling to know that not only are you collecting something of beauty. But you’re helping another human being grow in their potential and provide a living for their family, the artists!

Recent success with my art career has prompted me to think about and investigate why? What is it that I am doing now that I wasn’t doing a year ago?

Let’s review!

To help me improve in my art marketing, and craft/skill achievements, I watch a lot of YouTube video’s. One series of video’s that I follow religiously are those of Stefan Baumann. He is an art coach, teacher and professional artist. If I could afford it, I would join his personal coaching program! Since I’m a poor starving artist I have to be satisfied with watching his video’s on YouTube.

He repeats his teaching philosophy in several of his video’s, but the points that really work for me are the following:

1. We don’t paint things! With each piece of work we create, it’s practice for the next one. We should work on each creation as though it was going to sell for a million dollars!

2.You have to get your work out to the public. Look for art contests and exhibitions, and research the winners style and art.
Look for juried art shows and enter, them. Don't think about it! Enter your creations.

3. Create works of art for the show or contests! When you work in this manner you are improving in your skill without thinking about it.

4. When your persistent in entering these shows are contest. Your chances of winning an award are increased. Maybe not first place around, but special recognition or finalists is a nice start. (One caution, research the shows, to make sure they're valid, and look for low or free submission fees.)

The past three months I have followed his advice, and seriously worked hard to improve my art craft and skill. Success, success! Combined with interactions, conduct on social media, my art is gaining attention.

Another, secondary achievement with entering “International online art contests” and you win awards. It’s YOUR ART that has spoken for you! How many times have we heard artists say they want their art to speak for them? Well, here is your chance!

To answer the blog title question! The reason to enter art contest and exhibitions is not vain glory, it’s to improve your art skill, and to let the world know you are a working artist, and your art has something to say! Now get to work, and be successful!

There's only a few days remaining to see my art in my first gallery exhibition. Located in the Artbox Gallery Zurich, Switzerland. Giessereistrasse 1 8005 Zürich right at the "Schiffbau" in the urban art district of Zürich. The exhibition "Show It" has been running the entire month of October, and it has been a GREAT honor to participate. My work can be viewed in digital format on the Artbox 55in monitor. Gallery operation hours: Monday thru Friday 10 am - 6 pm and Sat 10 am - 4 pm. Sun Closed.

If you're in the area, please visit the gallery and take a snapshot with my art and post on social media. Thank You!

With holidays just around the corner as they say. Everyone begins to scramble around and get upset when thinking of that perfect unique gift.
How about giving some original art? If you're gift giving budget cannot afford original works of acrylic, oil, water color etc. How about prints, or unique
original art on apparel and home decor products. Just about every home decor product you could think of has the potential for original art work to
place on it. Here's a short video presenting one of my shops with original art: Clyde's Art Story Episode 24 Make sure you do some shopping price comparison here's the page listing all the art sites where my art is available on various
home decor and apparel products. CJ Kell's Art Works

Top quality products all with 30 day money back guarantee, plus the sites offer discounts at various times, so keep any eye for some great savings.
Give a special gift of original art to create that lasting joy all year long.

What one likes or dis-likes in art is something very personal. A piece will speak to you or touch your soul. You will identify with what the artists is trying to say, or not! However, when starting an art collection on a budget one can become so frustrated or even depressed. You don’t have the funds for an original Van Gogh, or Picasso, Thomas Kinkade to name a few. Prints, are available, however you are also interested in creating a collection that may mature in value.

Why not consider, current working artists? There are thousands of artists world-wide that create works very similar in style, to the named famous artists
and more. When developing your aesthetic taste. You can utilize many of the various artists platforms available on the internet.

Fine Art America is one of the largest. You can search by artist name, or style, and categories. Red Bubble, Society Six, Art Pal, are
other sites to name a few.

Once you find an artists work that touches your soul. Search Face Book, and Twitter, Instagram, and Google for their personal web site. Reading the artists statement, biographies should give you an idea as to the state of their career and if they’re on an upward trajectory. Plus, with the above sites,
you should be able to see the progress in their craft. All key pointers to future value of their works.

You don’t have to be wealthy to start collecting original works of art. Especially works of art that matter to you! We’ve all read about art collectors that choose pieces based on how much they’ll appreciate in value over the years. You should be buying art because it moves you emotionally, it touches your soul and gives some kind of fulfillment.

Collecting starts with “knowing what you like and what you can afford.” Research, research, Look for artists that inspire and capture your imagination. Search through Instagram, Face Book, and Fine Art America, artists sites. Also, attend local art walks and fairs. There, you might find art for your collection, or make meaningful connections with local artists and galleries.

You don’t have to have millions of dollars to start building an art collection. But how you allocate your art collecting budget matters. Let’s say you have $100 to buy art with. You have a decision to make here: Do you want to spend that money on several less expensive pieces or one to two more impressive ones? Choose quality over quantity, but what about covering the white space on your walls? I once read a statement from an art dealer, “If you’re just looking to fill space to avoid visual boredom, that’s decorating, not collecting.”

With emerging artists who are still experimenting with their styles and working to grow their fan bases, it’s “impossible” to make such predictions.
There is one area where you can improve the chances the value of a piece will hold or increase. When you find artists you like, choose iconic pieces that best represent their body of work. For example, if a particular artist paints both nature scenes and portraits, but is best known for their paintings of mountains at sunset, a mountain painting would be the better buy.

It’s best to buy your art directly from the artists or a gallery. Either way, there’s a guarantee that the work is authentic. Establish an art collection budget, on a monthly basis, put way in a savings account a few dollars specifically for art. Based upon how large your budget grows, plan on purchasing at least (1) new piece each year. Of course this is all up to how fast you want to grow your collection and how much you spend on each piece.

Creating an art collection budget may seem obvious. Sometimes we have to be reminded of the obvious. Setting aside a few dollars each month specifically targeted for collecting art, can and will grow!

What a wonderful feeling to know that not only are you collecting something of beauty. But you’re helping another human being grow in their potential and provide a living for their family, the artists!

In the process of learning how to collect original works of art. You will come across some strange terminology. Emerging artists, a term you will often encounter. Cheryl McGinnis, art curator/collector, gave the best explanation I have ever heard. Most artists are “emerging” regardless of how many exhibitions or how many art galleries that represent them. In her opinion, unless the works of an artist is in the collections of the worlds major museums and galleries. High level, respected national and international institutions, the artist is NOT established. This is only important for pricing and appraisal's.

Thus most artists are still emerging in their careers. Please don’t confuse this with your love of a particular artists work, or quality. It is simply a term that you’ll hear and read while researching the background of working artists. Galleries and professional art dealers use the term all the time.

Speaking of galleries, the traditional way that art is sold. Bargain’s can be found, and in some cases an easy way to finance their higher priced works. However, always keep in mind that a gallery usually splits the price 50% or less with the artist. The pricing will always be higher because of exhibitions, operating costs, etc.

If your favorite artist is represented with a gallery, check out this service as a possible method for financing. Artmoney.com An artist friend recommended this site.

Art Aesthetics

What one likes or dis-likes in art is something very personal. A piece will speak to you or touch your soul. You will identify with what the artists is trying to say, or not! However, when starting an art collection on a budget one can become so frustrated or even depressed. You don’t have the funds for an original Van Gogh, or Picasso, Thomas Kinkade to name a few. Prints, are available, however you are also interested in creating a collection that may mature in value.

Why not consider, current working artists? There are thousands of artists world-wide that create works very similar in style, to the named famous artists and more. Some artists copy exactly, and are very proud and good at it.

Collect With Your Heart

Last and the most important thought! You must really love the work, and it will be pure enjoyment looking at the piece everyday of your life. Buy with your heart, and not only as an investment or expectation in future value.

For new collector's of art the number one confusing or disturbing issue they encounter is price. Why is their such a diversity and range of prices for some works of art? Some works of art with what appears to be very little detail sell for a high price, and other more detailed intricate works are priced low. Why? There’s a very long answer for this, however I promise to keep it brief.

I’ll use my own pricing structure as an example. When I started this art journey, pricing created a lot of anxiety. I spent hours researching YouTube and other internet resources to come up with a comfortable consistent structure. I start out using the square inch method. I take the width, height and multiply, then take that number and multiply with a dollar figure. This gives me a base rate for any size of art work.

I then spent some time searching the internet for emerging artists with a similar background and style. Reviewed their web sites for their price range.
In addition I searched my target market area for what art similar to mine are selling for, and I adjusted down or up my prices. In this manner, my own price range is not that drastic from one piece to another. There are also other factors to add in, framing, material, shipping, packaging etc.

As a new collector, look for consistent pricing, across all sizes, and price growth. Large swings up or down, may be a risk, unless the artists can really justify a major event in their career. For you the collector growth in pricing is a good thing, as long as there is a gradual climb. Because you're collecting art for beauty, legacy, investment, and most of all FUN.