(Transcription)

Ann Rea: So my name is Ann Rea and I am the creator of The MAKING Art Making Money Program. This is my puppy Rebel, which her name is indicative too of the tone of the Making Art Making Money Program. We are rebelling against the art establishment. And I asked Dorothy, who is a student in the Making Art Making Money Program just to share her experience because she just completed her knowledge check, which means it’s kind of her exit test, and so I’m just gonna ask you a few questions, Dorothy.

QUESTION: What was your biggest challenge when you came into the Making Art Making Money Program when it came to selling and marketing your art?

Dorothy McPartland: Okay, so my biggest challenge was, selling and marketing my art. I had tried to start a business with not any kind of knowledge, just doing it on my own. And I was doing art fairs and stuff, and so my biggest challenge I think was to really just feel comfortable in selling my art. Because other artists, I would go in at art fairs and be in their booths, I’d look at, and I know you’ve talked about artist statements, but I would think, ‘oh wow, these people have these very serious artist statements and commitments, and I love to paint, and I want to share my art and sell my art, but maybe I don’t have what it takes’

Ann Rea: Maybe you weren’t serious enough?

Dorothy McPartland: Yeah exactly, I thought, ‘oh, I’m not serious enough’. And so, taking the course and going through the steps, especially in the second step, second course, it’s like I found out, you know what, I can do this, I’m simple, but that’s my thing.

Ann Rea: Right, not all of life and not all of art is serious, there is art and there is fashion, and there is other products that are more playful and fun and whimsical, and we need all of it.

Dorothy McPartland: I loved that you said your approach to taking the semester is going to be the same as your approach to other things in life. So I’m like, okay, so I can do this and be myself, I don’t have to all of a sudden be this other person.

Ann Rea: First of all, you can’t be anybody else but yourself, that’s impossible, that’s number one, and no one is that good of an actor. And number two, your strength lies in your truth. Your strength lies in exactly who you are, and you know that now that you’ve been through the eight courses, right?

Dorothy McPartland: Definitely, and also, one of the interesting things I found out in taking the course is that, and you had mentioned this too, it’s that I really want to be a part-time businessperson in art, and the Making Art Making Money course is still right for me even though that’s my goal, is to work part time.

Ann Rea: Yeah, there is no mandate from anyone that you have to build a full time art business or rely on it for your sole income. If you want to do that, it’s certainly possible, but it’s no less important, it’s no less valuable if you decide hey, I just want to do this part time. That’s cool, you get to.

Dorothy McPartland: Exactly, and then also in going through the course I’ve learned that maybe aside from my art, and I guess it’s the value above and beyond, is that I in the past connected with people a little bit through a workshop type thing, so maybe I would like to, I’m thinking of exploring that more.

Ann Rea: Okay, all right. So let me ask you this,

QUESTION: What’s been your biggest takeaway so far in the Making Art Making Money Program?

Dorothy McPartland: I have to say without a doubt the biggest part is that I am not alone, I am in a community of other artists, and I get so emotional when I think of it, because even the people that I haven’t study-partnered with, which I’ve had several study partners, but there’s no way you could partner with everybody because they’re a large group and it’s getting bigger and bigger. But yet when you’re in the community, just in our closed group, I gain so much, there are people that I haven’t spoken to face to face, but I love to see their contributions and I learn from them. So the biggest part is, it’s so much different, if you were in a classroom you could never know this much about so many different people in your class. So I feel like this is the best way to take a course. I don’t know if there is any other, I mean, this is my experience, because this is the first time I’ve done anything like this.

Ann Rea: Yeah, well I’m really proud of our global community.

Dorothy McPartland: Oh my gosh.

Ann Rea: And I think that they’re very warm, they’re very welcoming, they’re very intelligent, they’re very savvy, you get the benefit of all these different perspectives from all over the world, different levels of experience, and you can’t do this alone, it’s too hard, it’s too lonely, so why not do it together and have fun? We don’t have any, let me ask you this,

QUESTION: Did you sense at any time, did you sense any jealousy or competition amongst others?

Dorothy McPartland: Oh my gosh, no, and I delayed jumping in because I was just holding myself back, just a few weeks, but I saw how warm and inviting everybody was, and then we all are like that when somebody new comes in, it just couldn’t be a more welcoming and I guess, you just feel like you could trust everybody there. Because we all encourage each other so much, when someone says that they passed a certain plateau and they met with someone, yeah, we’re like woo, you have the little, whatever guy, but we’re all so happy and I feel so proud of everybody and I know that they feel that way too, that’s why I think I said to you, I feel we’re all on such a journey together and even when we’re at different points, I’ve spoken to people at all different places that are right with me, ahead of me, in a different place, and it’s always helpful. I always come away with something that stays with me. And also the course stays with me. I was away a couple of weeks, but everything in the course is in me now, I practice things from the course. The semester, it just becomes such a part of your life. I’m thrilled with it.

Ann Rea: Oh, that’s wonderful, oh good. Well, that makes me feel great because that’s why I’m doing this, and I love that your biggest takeaway has been the community, because there isn’t a community like this anywhere else, unfortunately, a lot of artist communities are just infected with jealousy and competition, and that’s a very toxic and unhealthy place. We have the opposite.

Dorothy McPartland: Ann, it starts really with you though. And I know that the other artists in the course feel that way too, because you set the tone for everybody. And you’re just so warm and inviting, and so that’s what set the tone for our online class, and you’ll come on and just say, okay, what’s up, does anybody have any questions for me? And you’re so accessible to all of us, and I know that that’s made a difference for everybody.

Ann Rea: Oh good.

Dorothy McPartland: Yeah, I really feel that by you setting the tone, it helps us.

Ann Rea: That’s my job.

Dorothy McPartland: Yeah, but we’ve all had teachers or professors, that that’s their job, but,

Ann Rea: But they’re not always so good at it. Well let me ask you this one last question.

QUESTION: So let’s just say someone is kind of thinking about joining the Making Art Making Money program, they want to apply, they’re not sure about applying to enroll, they’re kind of sitting on the fence. What would you say to them?

Dorothy McPartland: I would say to them that it’s probably one of the best decisions they could ever do to join the class. I joined, and it was right before midnight, I can still picture myself on the couch and I was all set to do it, and I’m like, I just did it. I pulled the trigger, I did it, and I went to bed, and I had a big smile on my face, I had the best night’s sleep. I thought about it and thought about it, and after I had watched your videos, I couldn’t believe you had that yoga position. I am not limber like that, and I was like, how?

Ann Rea: Let me tell you, my ass hurt, because it took, those videos took all day, it took like 10 hours and I never moved, and I was like, my ass is broken, I’m sure of it.

Dorothy McPartland: You are limber. So that was very impressive for me to see that. And you were talking about such deep and meaningful things to me, and so I would tell anyone, it’ll be the best decision, you’ll be so happy with yourself, you’re gonna get so much more out of it than you could possibly expect. ‘Cause personally I thought it was gonna be a business course, and that’s how I had in my mind, okay, this is gonna be art business, which it is. But it’s so much more, it’s so so much more than a business course because you just learn more about yourself, more about your art, more about your reasons for creating your art, and more about who your art is for. So it all comes together, there is no reason any artist who wants to do this as a business, make art, make money, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t join this right away. There’s really no reason not to, and they should. I feel so strongly about that. Along with all my study partners and everybody, I feel so privileged to be able to say this to you. So really, I don’t hesitate for it to be recorded, because to me, I’m honored for you to ask me this and for me to be able to tell everyone how much it’s meant to me.

Ann Rea: Thank you, well, I am just happy that it’s given you what I hoped it would give you. I was basically, I say this at the end of the Saturday trainings, but I mean it, I just want for other artists what I wanted for myself and that I couldn’t find. And that I just couldn’t find, and so.

Dorothy McPartland: And that’s what you’re doing for us and that’s what all the artists in our community want for each other too, so that’s why it’s such a special community and course.

Ann Rea: It is, and what I love is some of you have even met in person, and traveled to do so.

Dorothy McPartland: My gosh, Ann on my remembering process, with a couple of my study mates, we all met with you somewhere in a really exotic fun location and one of my study partner’s husband was a musician and we were dancing, we were all so happy to be together. So I expect it to happen.

Ann Rea: I’m gonna tell Grammy Dan, I’m gonna tell Grammy Dan about that. So every now and then someone will say the remembering process was fantastic, just for those listening, the remembering process is just one of 135 lessons and lectures. And he’s a former student of mine, I’m in his book, The Remembering Process. And so every now and then I’ll just shoot him a little blurb and let him know how much my students have benefited, and he loves to hear it. He absolutely eats it up with a spoon.

Dorothy McPartland: We loved thinking of that, of our remembering that we were all together with you, and all just exploding with joy over how great all our art businesses were going.

Ann Rea: Maybe we’ll do it in Fiji, I think Fiji calls.

Dorothy McPartland: Well, that’s exciting.

Ann Rea: Wouldn’t that be great, I’m gonna remember that, I’m gonna remember when we were at Fiji. And I think we should also, Tony Robbins has the most highly ranked resort, and it’s in Fiji, and I think that’s where we should do it.

Dorothy McPartland: Oh my gosh, well, we’ll do that.

Ann Rea: All right, well I just want to thank you so much, Dorothy, for being willing to take the time out of your busy day to share what you’ve learned and how things have changed for you, and just also being a great student, because you’re in there, I can see who’s active, I can see who is supporting other artists and cheering them on, and that’s what makes all the difference, makes all the difference.

Dorothy McPartland: I agree, well it’s my pleasure, Ann, thank you.

Ann Rea: You’re welcome, all right, so I’ll see you in Fiji.

Dorothy McPartland: See you in Fiji.

Ann Rea: Yeah, it’ll be great, I’m looking forward to that.

Dorothy McPartland: Oh, as will all of our study partners will, everyone in our group will. Oh, thanks so much Ann.

Ann Rea: You’re welcome, thank you Dorothy.

Dorothy McPartland: Good night.

Ann Rea: Bye.

Dorothy McPartland: Bye.