My website, Art Careers - The Business of Art, did not reach the reserve price in the auction.   Not a surprise... in fact, it was a relief.  A few friends pointed out ways to increase the site's value -- and selling price -- dramatically.  I'm following their advice.

So, Art Careers has now moved from the /success/ folder to the root directory.  If you're typing in the URL, that means it's now http://arts-careers.com/ instead of anything longer and more difficult to remember.

I've put a redirect on the site, so anyone entering the old links will land at the new location.

I think I've fixed all the links and images at the site -- there are 72 articles there, so I may have missed a few -- and I'm feeling very pleased with myself for completing this (slightly complex) move myself, in just one day.

This news won't affect most people, but I'm posting this as a signpost for anyone who's lost the URL, or confused about the move.

I may be selling that website later in November or so.  I'm still undecided.

Meanwhile, now you know where it is.

Note: His music -- at the start and conclusion of this two-minute video -- are far louder than the rest of it.

Are you selling art at eBay, or planning to?

First, see my article, eBay, Facebook and other artists' dilemmas.

If you decide it's worth selling art at eBay, despite their new rules, here's my best advice:

Keep in mind that eBay can enforce its rules at any moment, without warning. If that happens, your account (and/or your bidders' accounts) could be closed.

If that's your only point of contact with people who buy and collect your art, you'd be back to Square One, rebuilding from

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After three weeks of eBay experiments, I've reached an obvious conclusion:

eBay may be fine if you've already been selling there and have an established customer base. Otherwise, your results may match mine.

History: I've sold art at eBay -- off & on -- for over 10 years. I discovered eBay when it was just a few months old, and hardly anyone had heard about it. Each time I relaunch art sales at eBay, I have to build from scratch. That's okay; usually, I just have to remind my f

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Today I received this in the daily Abraham-Hicks mailing:

Everything you do is for the purpose of the joy that it is giving you. And so, when you don't see something through, it means that it stopped producing the joy that you were hoping to receive.

Of course, it is always better if you have anticipated something and you've stayed lined up with it. If you're lined up with it, then it's joy when you're thinking about it even before you start, and it's joyful as you start, and it's intoxicating as you're going, and it's fulfilling as you do it, and it's satisfying as you finish it and you're in alignment the whole way on that.

--- Abraham

I like that as a goal for everything I start!

I just stumbled onto a great idea: Dysfunctional Family Bingo.  I think it's a brilliant idea for anyone stuck in boring/awkward family situations, particularly at the holidays!  (Bookmark it for family reunions and seasonal gatherings.)

At Instructable: DIY Hybrid Cars

Also, for those going gluten-free (or simply without graham crackers in the cupboard), you can make cheesecake without a crust.  Really.  Just grease the pan and the cheesecake produces its own brown, slightly drier crust.  Most people will notice that the crust isn't made of graham crackers, but they won't realize you omitted a crust altogether.

Are you a professional artist, or launching an art career?

Whether you're a gallery veteran or simply considering selling your art, it's vital to remain current about the art field as well as business trends in general.

So... who are you reading, to stay current?

One of the most important recent books is Seth Godin's Linchpin. It's changing about 70% of how I spend my online time, and almost everything about my online art/business activities. (Godin is talking about art, but not nec

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This morning, I talked with HT about More Cowbell.  I discovered that, without reading Godin's book, Linchpin, the SNL clip may need some backstory.  Also, a couple of other people asked me about this, so...

Edited from my comment to lebo_superman :

You can be Walken, encouraging others to shine and supporting their unique talents.  Or, you can be Farrell, putting amazing energy into what you do,  no matter how humble or mundane.  Or, you can emulate both Walken and Farrell.

Otherwise, even if you're the Blue Oyster Cult and enormously talented, you're just the supporting cast. 

It's vital to stand out, doing what you do with as much energy and flair as you can, regardless of what others say and how most people respond.

The people who matter most -- your 1000 True Fans -- will absolutely love you for it.

Whether or not you were already familiar with the "More Cowbell" routine, if you read this and had an "ah-HA!" moment about what's going on in that skit, I think you'll enjoy get a lot from reading Linchpin.

I'm only 12 pages into the book Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin. 

I can already tell you that -- even if you have to stand in the middle of a bookstore and read it there -- you must get your hands on this book.

12 pages into this, Godin is already articulating everything that has me frustrated, scared and angry about what's happening to our economy and our society.  It's brutal to read.  I can't pretend otherwise.

He's talking in terms of art, too... "art" as I define it: The things you do that are unique, and make you sing in the shower because you love what you do.

As he says on page 2:  "This book is about love and art and change and fear.  It's about overcoming a multigenerational conspiracy designed to sap your creativity and restlessness.  It's about leading and making a difference and succeeding.  I couldn't have written this book ten years ago, because ten years ago, our economy wanted you to fit in, it paid you well to fit in, and it took care of you if you fit in.  Now, like it or not, the world wants something different from you.  We need to think hard about what reality looks like now."

On the next page, he says, "My goal is to persuade you that there is an opportunity available to you, a chance to significantly change your life for the better."

And then, he rolls up his sleeves and delivers one "ah-HA!" moment after another... with a sledgehammer, just in case you're thinking of backsliding into passive, knee-knocking submission to the system.

Hugh MacLeod recommended this book to me in such imperative terms, I didn't hesitate to buy a copy.  He was right.

This is not one of Seth Godin's amusing, clever books.  It's far more than that, and... well, it's the truth you'll need to create your own map and rise above the denial and confusion that's stressing the daylights out of most people.