The painting above, Bicycles in a Row, by RD Riccoboni
When artists come to me and asked me for gallery show, or how to get a gallery show, I asked him a few questions about discipline, consistency, and quality of their portfolio, and usually wind up giving them an exercise that has worked for me and I will share it with you. Many an artist comes back and visit, thanking me sharing this suggestion and that they now have an show, or new client by using this creative tool. I am so grateful to be of service.
I usually speak in the context of art, so when I say work I’m usually referring to ones craft or skill in the arts, you can apply this to anything.
One of the best ways to increase your value and worth is to always do your best work, and show your best work in all you do. You'll learn to cooperate and not just your success but the success of others around you on a fun journey of co-creation and co-operation. You will learn to focus on making decisions that lead you to your future, and serve the highest good of others with your knowledge. We live in an abundant universe and everything we do is part of that divine perfection and unlimited and the power to create is something that flows through you. The keys in this toolbox are Discipline and Perseverance and will promote your radiant success.
The price of success is discipline. Make a habit of what unsuccessful people hate to do. “You know what I hate to do”, they say; you can hear it all around you in the complaints. You do the opposite. In other words, we all visualize to realize whether it's a good thing or a bad thing. See the good in all and what it can teach you. Then discipline yourself to serve the world from your heart with gratitude, appreciation and kindness in doing what you love to. By thinking and focusing on your vision about what you love to do, creates a vibration that calls the action, creativity from your higher source or inner being, not your ego, to you, so first you create through vibration then comes the action! Artists, writers, actors, musicians and athletes call it being in the zone.
I’m not talking of tedious work here, that’s your ego, It’s very easy to become busy being busy, something you don’t want, balance is the key here, so keep an eye on your action so as not to get lost and sidetracked from your vision that you love, when in action, re-group by focusing daily holding your vision, trusting the process and continue taking action to get there. Like planting seeds, this all needs nurturing and patience. So tend to your soil and foundations, give them the ideal growing conditions and trust that the seeds will sprout and grow.
If you’re and artist you can’t expect to get a show or exhibition without any art of yours being created. The same goes for the rest of us to. In order to get the seed to grow you have to prepare the soil.
Unless you turn what you want over to your higher self, source, spirit, god force, nothing will happen. Perhaps this is why so many people say “Let it go and Let God” a lot of people mistranslate that as, “let it go and be apathetic” don’t do this, that’s not what it means at all.
Here is the exercise: I advise them “Have a body of work to show a gallery which consists of absolutely their best work. As an artist, you want to know yourself deep down inside that this is your absolute best work.” "Don't you agree?" I ask.
The way to do this is, to make 20 different pieces of art in the same theme. A collection, a body of work, that is your very best. How to get there is to do this exercise called "20 times perfect" I then begin to tell them that they are going to make 20 pieces of art, and out of those 20 pieces of art, select the very best piece out of the group of 20 they just made and set it aside. This is your perfect piece, he or he Now take those 19 other art pieces and put them away. Now we are going to repeat the process and do it again when you're finished with those 20 pieces for your exhibit. Do it again, take the very best one from the second group and put it with the other very best one is you have completed. Do this 20 times and you'll have 20 pieces of your very best work. When you present this to a customer, a gallery owner, or anyone asking to see your portfolio, you will know deep in your heart that this is your very best work as you bring it into the light and present it. This vibration will be picked up by the person you are showing your work to. They in turn will know that this is your very best work.
Is this a lot of work? YES, So is creating a lot of work with no direction!
Will you get the job? Would you get the show? That is to be determined, but you have to let yourself a great lesson in persistence and discipline doing the thing you love, knowing deep inside that you have expressed and shown your very best work and you are a professional. Besides you will have built an amazing portfolio that will knock the socks off anyone who sees it. Create what you love to create! Get in the zone and do it, release the outcome to the universe, but keep creating and nurturing your garden! Creativity flows through us, not from us and practicing this will open up your channel that taps into the unlimited power source where all brilliance comes from.
Here is my story with 20 times perfect. In 1994 when I was living in Los Angeles and my art career was just starting to blossom locally, early one morning I received a fax at. My roommate at the time Gary, came running in the kitchen hollering "oh my! Oh my!" On our fax machine, seemingly out of nowhere, was a letter from a art historian and art book publisher in London, England. Aubrey Walter had sent me a fax saying he had a postcard with my art on it above his computer for the last year he had been looking at it. He was in the process of compiling a book of American artists and wanted to inquire if I had any other samples of my work to share with him as the picture on his postcard, my painting, was one of his favorites and had brought him joy every time he looked at it. He wanted to know if I had more work and if I did he would like to consider me as being part of his next art book project. He needed at least 20 slides of my best work and if possible to have delivered to him within one week. While my jaw dropped and my roommate Gary was ecstatic as he was leaving for London England the next day to visit a friend of his. Did I ever pay attention!
You see, A few months prior to that I had spoken with an artist friend who had achieved good success in getting gallery shows in the area. He had advised me to always have a show ready to go to hanging off my best work. He said it should always be at least 20 pieces. so I thought to myself why not have three or four shows ready to go? I had some time on my hands so I created a large body of work and photographed it in slides. All of my very best work. I already had them labeled and into presentation sheets! All I had to do was put them in an envelope and send them to Aubrey! I decided to send about 80 slides just in case. My roommate who left for England the very next day and delivered them to Aubrey's office. Talk about grateful! And being in the right place at the right time and everything just flowed perfectly. Within a couple days I received a fax from England stating "my goodness! Your work is beautiful! I believe you deserve your very own book. What you think?" Well I can tell you what I thought and by 1996 I had a book about my art internationally published and selling on four different continents. Life can change at any moment when you are prepared and in the mindset to accept it.
Learn to be aware of your surroundings and attitudes, the previous exercise of relaxing and replenishing will help you fine tune your awareness; we are like magnets and sponges so pay attention to what's going on around you. As you attract what you want, that energy begins to attract more and more and like compound interest, whatever you put in comes back to you multiplied. When we pay attention, and come from integrity, we can embrace healthy challenges, and applaud other's successes. Everything is right on time, never too late and now you are taking action on your dreams.
You are the source responsible for your abundance. Believe in yourself confidently and lovingly, knowing that you are love loving and lovable. Create goals that are clear. Having clear goals for your self is an act of self-love. When your goals are clear you can move in positive ways toward your desires and your ultimate future. By doing this you will create joy and confidence. The best way to act on your goals is to have clear goals based on your hearts desires and true passions of what you want in life. When you know what your passions and hearts desires are you can make choice decisions that will improve your life greatly then get into action with discipline and perseverance.
You become successful by using discipline as a creative source method.
Use your talents to serve the world from your heart with gratitude, appreciation and kindness. This is how you make the world a better place.
Wishing you Success always,
RD Riccoboni, the Art Traveler
The painting above, Bicycles in a Row, by RD Riccoboni
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