Sell Your Work, Sell Yourself

Question: How are you a salesman?

Mark Landis

There is a Documentary about him on Netflix, it’s called “Art & Craft” — he’s one of the most successful art forgers. It’s quite amazing he would recreate Picaso’s, among other

things magic markers and canvases bought at walmart.

He convinced over 45 museums to hang his paintings on their walls.

You or I could not tell the difference between an authentic Picasso and one from Landis. So what makes Picasso’s work with millions and Landis’s a scam?

“You might think that the pleasure you get from a painting depends on it’s color and it’s shape and it’s pattern. And if that’s right, it shouldn’t matter whether it’s an original or a forgery. — but our brains don’t work that way —When shown an object or given a plate of food, or shown a face, people’s assessment of it — how much they like it, how valuable it is — is deeply affected by what you tell them about it.”

— Paul bloom, Psychology Professor

So this is where I say that every successful artist and creator is a salesman.

Are you placing your work on in your portfolio unaccompanied by context or explanation?

A smart creative displays case studies, not portfolio projects.