I am a slave to my job (Insurance Claims) that pays well. I was stupid enough to get caught in this trap at an early age.

I am always the bad guy. I am always out to screw or deny a claim. I always go out of my way to explain the process and assist the insured or claimant through the process. I pay no more than what a claim is worth, yet I am the bad guy.  You have seen them, the attorney ads. I deal with those law firms......rarely does the attorney even handle a case.  I negotiate with someone who porbably makes $15 an hour.  Some strange reason people think they get more. In reality, the non represented people get the same value as a person who is represented.

I have been in this business for 15 years and cannot wait until I finish my schooling in Massage Therapy.  I am tired of ignorant people abusing me and corporate ladder climbing supervisors who will throw you under the bus the first chance they get.

I am tired of living in a Toxic City state.

To the younger people, don't become a slave to your job.  I was happier when I made less working for myself. It is much harder to correct your path the older you get.  I forgot my love of art and how I enjoyed working with my hands.

Like so many before me, if I only knew then what I know now.

I remember my father giving me some advice when I was young.  Learn a skill or trade that will help you get to where you want to go or be.  I started out with that idea and then forgot it somewhere along the way. I sold my soul for the nice house, credit card bills and nice cars.

For what my advice is worth.

Be realisitc with your goals and search your soul as to what drives you.

Define in your mind success and be reasonable.  Being a world famous artist someday is not reasonable and quite shallow. You have to dig deeper and first understand how you think and work and perfect on that.  What will make you famous? What do you bring to the table as a master? What does your work tell the view or listener? How do they relate. Art is a form of language, if you can't even explain or understand your own, how can anybody else?

Look up people who you admire and read about what made them tic? The finished painting or song is but a small percentage of what is really art. When I finished a painting I was sad, that journey was over. The emotions and some cheap wine of course are so many. The ideas and images I saw before painting them. The excitement when I started to see the process work and I stood back as a viewer and seperated myself. Presently I have ordered a 3 disc documentary on Picasso with him in it. I will be able to step into his life for a breif period and watched how he thought and worked.

Stand outside and be the viewer and ask, do they get it? Will they understand my language? Now if they don't understand it, does it have that quality to grab them and make them want to know more about you and your work? My first and last show, Toxic City generated interest and was provacative. Most did not like to look at it because it made them feel uncomfortable but they couldn't help it. To me that was success. It is how I feel working for corporate and I repeat the cycle for the color of money. Now of course this is not a picture one would hang above their couch and I knew that. It still sits in my garage, gathering dust.  I think there are a number of artist who don't understand colors and contrast and how they relate or compliment each other.  My recommendation is get a color wheel (sounds corny but it will help) and practice with colors and see how the interact. Some rules are good to follow or bend a little. You might be surprised at the power your work will have by following some of the rules.

Networking and searching.  Attend the artwalks and start talking to people.  Where do the artists hang out. In Vegas we have a Weekly Vegas magazine which is mega commercial ads for the night clubs and casinos...however in the back there are sections for buniesses looking for models and artis. They range from coffee shops to actual galleries. 90% of the time you are getting exposure and this is what you want.

Write, write, write down your plan. If you dream all the time, then you will never wake up to do it.

There are key moments in your life that were life changing.  They are always passing by and you can't see them. Instead of being a reed floating down the river of life, be a captain of your small boat.  Success is not waitin for your boat to come to the harbor. It starts when you leave it.

Motivate yourself. Visualize your success and goals being accomplished. Taste them and smell them when you start to get discouraged.

Before you consider the above, you need to be honest with how you define success. You have to be crystal clear.  If money is how you define success, then there are easier avenues to travel to make money. 

Lastly, what must you sacrifice or risk to start you on your journey?

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 Jason defines success as:

 #1 My wife, she is the best thing to have happened to me and she is the one who helped me find myself. 10 years now and our marriage isn't perfect, lord knows I am strange enough.  She is my motivation.

#2 Is when someone responds after looking at my work and they turn around and say, "I get it, I understand what you are saying."

#3 When change professions and have more time to paint.

#4 Build a spa big enough to where I can finance my own galley.

#5 When I will be able to give back to the community to kids who never had exposure to things like creativy and different forms of arts. 

#6 Bring together the art community to help the mentally ill and homeless on the street. They were human and loved at one time and deserve compassion. What about their story, can it be told on canvas or in a song?

#7 Being a guest at a Univeristy to speak about my work. This one might take some time and I am shy anyway.

I have this strange idea that ANYBODY can learn how to draw or paint.  Like reading, there is a place there a person can go and be in a different world and not be afraid to express their feelings.

Even if I miss one of them, I will have succeeded in others.

Life is too short and I would rather die knowning I tried than to never know at all.