Artist Spotlight: Robert Green

How did you get started and then develop your career?

Robert Green: A few years before retiring from a long career in the corporate world, I started thinking about what I was going to do to keep myself busy and challenged in retirement. I decided to go back to a childhood interest in art, but I knew I wanted to paint professionally, not just as a hobby.

At the same time I was studying and developing my painting skills, I was also laying the groundwork for my art business. I got a lot of good advice and guidance from a couple of artists and gallery owners I knew. I also read as much about the business of art as possible. (Eric Rhoads Art Marketing Bootcamp was invaluable!)

So the day after I retired, I launched my “retirement career” as an artist. Because of all the preparation work I had done, I was accepted into the finest gallery in my community as my first gallery. And the business has taken off from there.

How do you describe success?

I have a number of measures of success, but the most important is simply “Getting Better.” Each year I gather all the work I have done that year into a photo folder which I compare to the work I did the year before. If the work is clearly better, then this year has been a success! I define my business success in terms of being able to raise my prices. If I can raise prices without hurting sales, then I feel like the business side is succeeding.

How do you find inspiration?

I’m lucky in that I seem to find inspiration everywhere I look. My problem is finding the time to paint everything I would like to.

What is the best thing about being an artist?

Learning to slow down and REALLY LOOK at all the beauty around me. Since taking up art, I feel like I am seeing many things for the first time.

Who do you collect?

That has really changed since becoming an artist myself. I get the greatest pleasure in acquiring pieces from other artists I know and have met. Because of that, my modest art collection is much more eclectic.

To see more of Robert’s work, visit: www.robertgreenalaskanart.com