Over 40, Not Over the Hill

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When someone describes you as a "mature artist, it usually means your advanced age. Whether being "mature" is good or bad for you in this case, depends mostly on the other person's attitudes about older people. And on how young that person is or feels.

Mature artists come from many walks of life. Many are retirees in a second or third career. They now have the time to pursue what was once an interest. Others may have interrupted showing and selling their art for a period of time for family, health or economic reasons.

When someone describes your artwork as "mature," it is usually a positive comment. In this case, experience is a plus. Your work shows refinement of technique and expressive development in subject matter.

You get more than grey hair as you age. Mature artists can use both their age and experience to advantage instead of buying into prevailing attitudes. After all, they are part of the generation with the money to either buy art or pursue it as a second career, either as an artists or as a dealer. And they have accumulated a lifetime of skills and connections that simply take time to get and to get good at.

The extra years also qualify you for the "mature artist" category of grants and places in educational programs. Recently three mature artists each won a grant of $100K from the Bush Foundation. Not bad money for a few gray hairs. For artists of later years who want to further their education, many arts programs welcome mature artists, seeing them as a positive addition to the student body.

And put away your pride to take advantage of senior discounts. If you find it hard to admit your age, console yourself with the extra money in your bank account.

Mature artists who have been able to support themselves continuously have adapted to the many changes in the way art is shown and sold. If you want to add more strategies for sales, join A.C.T. Art Business Mentor, Margaret Danielak for a lively discussion in "It's Not Your Mother's Art World: Sales Strategies for the Mature Artist".

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