I am so very tired of self-styled art gurus, market gurus, and profiteers.  They are a constant measure of success, but, man, oh, man, oh, man, I wish they’d all take a flying leap at a doughnut ready to fall off a cliff’s edge.

 Artists, be aware that, when you start getting hoards and loads of email, snail mail, phone calls, and knocks at your door from these barracudas, pat yourself on the back for a job well done as you slam the virtual, proverbial, or literal door on their noses.  Don’t give them the time of day. Don’t respond.  Don’t do anything except block their email addresses, phone calls, and, when they show up at your door, report them to the local sheriff as harassment or as door-to-door solicitors if your town and/or county has an ordinance prohibiting them.  Valid art agents will send you a nice letter on fine stationary with an agency name you can check for validity.  Or they will introduce themselves with credentials without a sales spiel on the phone.  Okay?  Got it?  Good.  And, for heaven’s sake, if you are achieving success on your own and are happy with your sales, your work load, and your schedule, do you really want to get bigger?  Remember, bigger means more hoops to hop and less freedom to do what you want, when you want.  Got that, too?  Okay.  Get back to painting, now.

Oh, do be aware that the pests will be like fruit flies and biting gnats, so…forewarned is forearmed.  Pass the human fly-swatter, would you?