The arts can be a challenging career path, but Matthew Gwyer has figured out the stepping stones needed to become successful and wants to share his findings with you.
Young artist Matthew Gwyer has been developing his work since 2014. He has presented many pieces of his work in art galleries and manages his own website where you can buy his artwork and learn his process.
Matthew Gwyer has agreed to share his knowledge about succeeding as an artist because he believes in equal opportunity for all, and that more people should be able to pursue a career in the arts. He hopes that people will take the advice and apply it to their own work – artists helping artists, and supporting themselves financially as well.
Tip one: build your supplies. Matthew Gwyer has been experimenting with all sorts of different styles and tools. The materials don’t need to be expensive, but you do need to prepare yourself to be gathering supplies. After your initial purchase of supplies, it is easy to reuse what you have already bought for different projects.
“Instead of going out and purchasing materials at my local art store, I would much rather use what is already available to me. I recycle items and turn them into a canvas for my art instead of throwing them in the garbage where they will accumulate as waste,” says Matthew Gwyer, sharing how he keeps his work sustainable.
Tip two: don’t strive for perfection. Art comes in all shapes and sizes, and it isn’t something that you have 100% control over. Art shifts and changes as you create it, and it’s important to allow yourself to have patience with your work.
Tip three: don’t worry about how much art you are creating. If you create just one piece a month, that’s great. Remember that not everyone works at the same pace, and it’s important not to get hung up on a piece you’re struggling to finish.
“Sometimes I leave pieces unfinished if I don’t feel like I can pursue it with interest – I just sort of just stop,” says Matthew Gwyer.
Tip four: Get out there. Start connecting with other artists in your area and look into getting your work featured in galleries. There is great importance in networking when it comes to the arts, so start thinking of ways to get your work known.
Tip five: Experiment. Don’t let yourself get hung up on one style; it’s essential to let your work evolve and change as you grow as an artist. A big contributor to that change would be experimenting with other styles. Let yourself explore the possibilities.
Tip six: Have fun! It is important to have fun while you work. Discover what about the work is the most fun and let yourself get lost in that enjoyment. Art is never about making money; it’s always about expressing yourself and having fun.
Matthew Gwyer wishes you the best of luck as you pursue art. If you are more interested in Matthew’s work, you can visit his website and view the work that he has done.