It's so nice to hear two artists reflecting with pride on earlier challenges, as a treasured memory. New artists who feel discouraged comparing themselves to someone with a bigger studio, or a longer exhibition history need to watch this! One thing that stands out to us is that these artists were serious from day one, even showing a handful of pieces at a small craft show. At every stage, it's important to take yourself seriously, and value your work as you hope others will.
Yes...used to ride a bicycle at night in 100° heat 4 miles one way to cut sections out of good cardboard boxes behind the IBC bank of Laredo Texas to take back to my one room apt to paint on..salute to. Humble beginnings.
I love this video, I relate from the very beginning. I will never forget being told by a veteran artist that and I quote, "you're just all over the place, no composition, your colors don't blend, I would recommend you wait about 3 years before showing your work at a festival." That 6 years ago, I didn't listen to him, I made 2K+ at my first show and I've never looked back.
My first art show I had eight paintings and sold five; so, that put me in shock. I was happy though that there were people who liked my subjects after continually being told by other artists in the show that floral still lifes don't sell. Before deciding to do the show, I had already resigned myself to the notion that if I love what I paint, someone else will. Nervousness turned into pride, excitement and gratitude. It took a little longer to learn to not give creedance to the nay-sayers of all kinds of beliefs. Believe in yourself. There's room in art for everyone.
Lol that puppet is a dead ringer! I’m glad you do videos. Love you guys. Kinda sad I found you after you moved to PA. I’m in Daphne, AL so I could have actually drove to one of your shows. 😩 But I guess I can see you now whenever I want. Lol. I put my stuff out there. I do arts and crafts shows. I find I create the most the week before the event. So I’m trying to be more productive and I also sign up for a lot of shows. I love this channel. (Did I say that already?) lol I’m blessed by y’all and your info. ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🥰🥰🥰
I CLOSED THE DOOR OF MY OLD BORING LIFE AND I FOLLOWED MY HEART ...I KNEW THAT I WILL MAKE IT ...WITHOUT KNOW EVEN HOW AND WHERE .....NOW AFTER 25 years i travelled in 7 countrys and i do what i love ...
I absolutely love the Rafi puppet. That’s so cool. I just love all your videos. Your advice and inspiration is much appreciated. You and Klee are fantastic humans. ❤ Love you both.
I absolutely love the puppet Rafi intro! I think it's so inspiring that you all reflected on your beginnings and your determination to put yourselves and your art to the public regardless of how scary it must have been. It just shows in perspective that all artists start from somewhere.
A friend does crafts & talked me into doing shows. It Motivated me to finish projects. I believe in myself but, NEED pep talks to keep going. Your channel helps.
I love ya’lls channel. I got into selling shrink plastic jewelry on Etsy ages ago but I had been making it years and years before that. The way I started out was really small. I bought cheap cutters cheap shrink plastic, I baked everything in my oven and slowly over the years it grew into a huge conglomeratiton of stuff for my art. My suggestion to anybody is to figure out what you like to do and then just get the few tools you need to produce some stuff and as time goes on you’ll increase your inventory of tools and maybe make a crafts room at home to work out of. The progress never really stops.
Rafi's been muppetized! Building on some of your comments in this vid, I just had my very first art festival and art walk the night before that. It was amazing! I tried to put my best foot forward but very glad I decided to dive in. Made some sales, met some great people who were also willing to join my mailing list, even one professional networking opp presented itself outside my art. Finally having an unexpected comparison to one of my photographic idols might have been icing on the cake (I'm a photographer). Your videos on shows and putting yourself out there were a big inspiration! Cheers!
Dear Rafi and Klee, I see that SO many folks love you, appreciate you, go to you for inspiration. My Path is at a branch. I'm taking it...and you are my "New Path Sherpas" ( Note: I absolutely know that painfully experienced, who have seriously paid their climbing dues, sherpas on Mount Everest, gather around the camp fires at night, when the newbies are exhausted and asleep, and the sherpas sigh and rub their sore legs and already know the lessons for the next day.... ) I adopt you as my New Path Sherpas!!
Thank you! I just quit my full time job to start my art career, just had my first art show, now starting a business. Really have no idea what I’m doing and I appreciate your videos - it’s honest and it’s insightful and it’s inspiring. Excited to watch more
Wow im a beginner artist , and Im starting to take my art journey more serious this time and I still struggle with the confidence, but i just gotta get out there and make with what i can! Thanks for sharing your experience i needed to hear this, i have been inspired today!
I started doing art when I used to watch my mother do art at a community art space.i kept getting incouraged to do some but felt I couldn't.finally did something and found I love it,sold a number of works,won a prize in a show and have had a number of gallery shows Also had work displayed at parliament here in NZ. Not trying to show off but just want people to have a go.We all have talent and can do something.I found a new purpose in life, Just jump in and do it.Love this channel 😃
Hi Rafi, I really admire your can do attitude. I know what its like to feel the need to wait until everything is perfect before making the leap into the public sphere. Perfectionism is a pain and it will never be the perfect time! Keep it up the great work. Cheers, Simon
Had my First Art Show last night in Niagara Falls, NY. I had a great experience. Watching your videos helped me along my JOurney over the last year. THank you . Keep up doing a great thing for Art as well as the up and coming artist out here.
We tend to put so much pressure on ourselves sometimes to "get it right the first time". Which if you really think about it is just silly. How are we supposed to even know what that is with no experience? Wanting it very much and constantly doing the things, even if badly, taking the leap of faith in ourselves that we will handle it & be OK, and taking those chances and opportunities as they arise and enjoying the process. Being able to laugh at myself "silly human!" & play goes a long way, and treating myself with kindness as I would for a friend.
Once more! Your speak make so much sens! I quit my job for a full Time artist and hard times make me feel to never give up and keep pushing with what i love the most! One life so definitly worth it to get oyt there! 😉😉❤️thanks again
Watching your videos is a joy. Another idea for artist on a budget is to look for wholesale art stores, some might be online though. We are Fortunate to have a few near by. My first one I went to had limited supplies but they were sold cheaper that major stores and you could buy cheap cut up mat boards which we painted on since me and my friends were to broke to buy canvases. Maybe set up a stand at your local antique/ Boutique?
Ah yes! Stepping outside The Comfort Zone… I’ve just done that and it is terrifying but exhilarating at the same time! Thank you for sharing your journey and the encouragement to be brave 😊❤️🙏
Great video and love the puppet too. Very inspiring, I'm just getting back into art myself and trying to find time to practice my drawing skills and eventually want to get back into painting so I can start putting myself "out there"! Thank you!
So happy I found you guys. My paintings are on my walls. I love feed back, I laughed at myself because I don't know if I could sell my paintings, they are part of me....I'm going to try a UA-cam channel. I tried the gallery route , Noone wanted them.
Thank you for the inspiration guys! I always appreciate your message. Im trying to take your advice and keep creating through the fear and doubt. When you have time I was wondering if you had advice on jobs you took to support your art career or that you have Heard others have, that did not consume their creative energy. I just quit my full time job because it was taking over my brain so I can focus on art but I also want to have some kind of none art related income so I dont put so much pressure on myself. Thanks for all you do and good luck with the repairs.
It sounds like they quit an old life to start a new one. They could focus on just that. I had what I wanted as someone with a new art career (custom and portraits) in Santa Fe, NM but I was over a decade past needing to come home to FL to heal. But in transfering my Section 8 housing, I lost it. Now finding ordinary work I can do is priority, next to my spiritual studies and Qigong (that make it possible for me to live out of my car on a spinal injury). My friend back in "The Land of Entrapment" sent me this link knowing I'm putting off finishing portrait work and starting new for lack of a workable, controlled space... prioritizing applying for work and research (which I'm pretty slack with... in store and cafe environments).
O gosh guys I need help i’ve been invited to a gallery and to do workshops.. I just find socialising difficult I find it very draining I just don’t want to. I was invited to an event and didn’t show up grrr why
It's so nice to hear two artists reflecting with pride on earlier challenges, as a treasured memory. New artists who feel discouraged comparing themselves to someone with a bigger studio, or a longer exhibition history need to watch this! One thing that stands out to us is that these artists were serious from day one, even showing a handful of pieces at a small craft show. At every stage, it's important to take yourself seriously, and value your work as you hope others will.
Well said! Yes. When you make that choice in that way, nothing and no one can stop you!
Yes...used to ride a bicycle at night in 100° heat 4 miles one way to cut sections out of good cardboard boxes behind the IBC bank of Laredo Texas to take back to my one room apt to paint on..salute to. Humble beginnings.
Yes!!
I love puppet Rafi!
Same! Love this intro.
I love this video, I relate from the very beginning. I will never forget being told by a veteran artist that and I quote, "you're just all over the place, no composition, your colors don't blend, I would recommend you wait about 3 years before showing your work at a festival." That 6 years ago, I didn't listen to him, I made 2K+ at my first show and I've never looked back.
My first art show I had eight paintings and sold five; so, that put me in shock. I was happy though that there were people who liked my subjects after continually being told by other artists in the show that floral still lifes don't sell. Before deciding to do the show, I had already resigned myself to the notion that if I love what I paint, someone else will. Nervousness turned into pride, excitement and gratitude. It took a little longer to learn to not give creedance to the nay-sayers of all kinds of beliefs. Believe in yourself. There's room in art for everyone.
YYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Puppet Rafi is fucking awesome!!!!!
Lol that puppet is a dead ringer! I’m glad you do videos. Love you guys. Kinda sad I found you after you moved to PA. I’m in Daphne, AL so I could have actually drove to one of your shows. 😩 But I guess I can see you now whenever I want. Lol. I put my stuff out there. I do arts and crafts shows. I find I create the most the week before the event. So I’m trying to be more productive and I also sign up for a lot of shows. I love this channel. (Did I say that already?) lol I’m blessed by y’all and your info. ❤️❤️❤️🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🥰🥰🥰
Yay! We will visit :}
@@Rafiandklee oh that would be awesome!
I CLOSED THE DOOR OF MY OLD BORING LIFE AND I FOLLOWED MY HEART ...I KNEW THAT I WILL MAKE IT ...WITHOUT KNOW EVEN HOW AND WHERE .....NOW AFTER 25 years i travelled in 7 countrys and i do what i love ...
Yes!
“A snack tray”. U r killin me Klee 😍😝🤣😂😂😘❤️
I absolutely love the Rafi puppet. That’s so cool. I just love all your videos. Your advice and inspiration is much appreciated. You and Klee are fantastic humans. ❤ Love you both.
We love you Holly!
I absolutely love the puppet Rafi intro! I think it's so inspiring that you all reflected on your beginnings and your determination to put yourselves and your art to the public regardless of how scary it must have been. It just shows in perspective that all artists start from somewhere.
Yes! We ALL start somewhere and it's usually not posh :)
You've come such a long way! Bravo! Love your puppet! Will we see a Klee puppet?
You will, we want to do a fun art related question and answer thing with them for next year.
Puppets are awesome! Is it bad I want more videos with the puppets?
Lol! No, I want more puppets in our future.
A friend does crafts & talked me into doing shows. It Motivated me to finish projects. I believe in myself but, NEED pep talks to keep going. Your channel helps.
I love ya’lls channel. I got into selling shrink plastic jewelry on Etsy ages ago but I had been making it years and years before that. The way I started out was really small. I bought cheap cutters cheap shrink plastic, I baked everything in my oven and slowly over the years it grew into a huge conglomeratiton of stuff for my art. My suggestion to anybody is to figure out what you like to do and then just get the few tools you need to produce some stuff and as time goes on you’ll increase your inventory of tools and maybe make a crafts room at home to work out of. The progress never really stops.
It really doesn’t 😊
Love the puppet and you two :)
LOL!!
Rafi's been muppetized! Building on some of your comments in this vid, I just had my very first art festival and art walk the night before that. It was amazing! I tried to put my best foot forward but very glad I decided to dive in. Made some sales, met some great people who were also willing to join my mailing list, even one professional networking opp presented itself outside my art. Finally having an unexpected comparison to one of my photographic idols might have been icing on the cake (I'm a photographer). Your videos on shows and putting yourself out there were a big inspiration! Cheers!
That’s awesome!!
Thanks for this! Starting with nothing right now and terrified of the impending doom everyone promises is at the end of this road.
Totally LOVE the puppet! LOL Brilliant move!
Dear Rafi and Klee, I see that SO many folks love you, appreciate you, go to you for inspiration. My Path is at a branch. I'm taking it...and you are my "New Path Sherpas" ( Note: I absolutely know that painfully experienced, who have seriously paid their climbing dues, sherpas on Mount Everest, gather around the camp fires at night, when the newbies are exhausted and asleep, and the sherpas sigh and rub their sore legs and already know the lessons for the next day.... ) I adopt you as my New Path Sherpas!!
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Thank you! I just quit my full time job to start my art career, just had my first art show, now starting a business. Really have no idea what I’m doing and I appreciate your videos - it’s honest and it’s insightful and it’s inspiring. Excited to watch more
RAFI and KLEEEE!! Yaaaayy!! Thank you Both for the Motivation and Inspiration!!
Great to see you both!!Thank you,Thank you,Thank you!!
Thanks so much!!
Wow im a beginner artist , and Im starting to take my art journey more serious this time and I still struggle with the confidence, but i just gotta get out there and make with what i can! Thanks for sharing your experience i needed to hear this, i have been inspired today!
You can do it!
Just do something , anything . Most people don't even get that far. And don't stress over it. It should be enjoyable
I started doing art when I used to watch my mother do art at a community art space.i kept getting incouraged to do some but felt I couldn't.finally did something and found I love it,sold a number of works,won a prize in a show and have had a number of gallery shows Also had work displayed at parliament here in NZ. Not trying to show off but just want people to have a go.We all have talent and can do something.I found a new purpose in life, Just jump in and do it.Love this channel 😃
Hi Rafi, I really admire your can do attitude. I know what its like to feel the need to wait until everything is perfect before making the leap into the public sphere. Perfectionism is a pain and it will never be the perfect time! Keep it up the great work. Cheers, Simon
Thank you so much!
"RAFI AND KLEE!!! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!" I'm gonna think of puppet Rafi everytime there is a new post from Here on out! 😆😁😃💖
Lol!
Puppet Rafi!!!!! :D I love it!! Thanks for telling your stories.
Had my First Art Show last night in Niagara Falls, NY. I had a great experience. Watching your videos helped me along my JOurney over the last year. THank you . Keep up doing a great thing for Art as well as the up and coming artist out here.
That is awesome!
So glad to hear you both are presently working on your house. I was worried that something bad had happened in your lives. Thank God I was wrong.
❤️❤️❤️
I like your sense of humor👏👏👏And puppet it was like sentimental journey to childhood🙌Muppet Show. Thank you👏👏👏
It brought me Beck to childhood!
Man, I love your attitude. So refreshing! Thank you.
I appreciate that!
We tend to put so much pressure on ourselves sometimes to "get it right the first time". Which if you really think about it is just silly. How are we supposed to even know what that is with no experience? Wanting it very much and constantly doing the things, even if badly, taking the leap of faith in ourselves that we will handle it & be OK, and taking those chances and opportunities as they arise and enjoying the process. Being able to laugh at myself "silly human!" & play goes a long way, and treating myself with kindness as I would for a friend.
Beautiful!
You two are so real!
Oh m god! That puppet is perfect!
Once more! Your speak make so much sens! I quit my job for a full Time artist and hard times make me feel to never give up and keep pushing with what i love the most!
One life so definitly worth it to get oyt there! 😉😉❤️thanks again
You got this!
Watching your videos is a joy. Another idea for artist on a budget is to look for wholesale art stores, some might be online though. We are Fortunate to have a few near by. My first one I went to had limited supplies but they were sold cheaper that major stores and you could buy cheap cut up mat boards which we painted on since me and my friends were to broke to buy canvases. Maybe set up a stand at your local antique/ Boutique?
Yes!
I needed to hear this video today. The self doubt certainly finds ways of creeping in 🌿
It does!
Love this for people just starting out.Thanks for this
Thank you!
New subscriber... you and your wife's comments are hilarious and true 👍 🤣 keep up the good work 👏
Welcome aboard!
Thanks for the inspiration. You have helped me move beyond my creative inertia. I will save this for future inspiration.
Ooh much awesomeness 👌
Thought for a a second we where getting the rafi , klee and friends puppet variatry hour😝
Very courageous beginning!! Thank you 4 sharing :)
❤️❤️❤️
Ah yes! Stepping outside The Comfort Zone… I’ve just done that and it is terrifying but exhilarating at the same time! Thank you for sharing your journey and the encouragement to be brave 😊❤️🙏
❤️❤️❤️❤️
Great video, thanks for sharing !
Thank you..
Great video and love the puppet too. Very inspiring, I'm just getting back into art myself and trying to find time to practice my drawing skills and eventually want to get back into painting so I can start putting myself "out there"! Thank you!
Yes!!
So happy I found you guys.
My paintings are on my walls. I love feed back, I laughed at myself because I don't know if I could sell my paintings, they are part of me....I'm going to try a UA-cam channel. I tried the gallery route , Noone wanted them.
Thank you for sharing! Inspiring story to say the least. ❤
I love your story. It makes my heart happy you guys have come so far. It gives me hope.
Gets started 🤔😇
❤❤❤❤❤❤LOVE YOU:RAFI & KLEE❤❤❤❤❤❤❤🎉
Great video and as usual, inspiring!!!!
Thanks so much!
Thank you for the inspiration guys! I always appreciate your message. Im trying to take your advice and keep creating through the fear and doubt. When you have time I was wondering if you had advice on jobs you took to support your art career or that you have Heard others have, that did not consume their creative energy. I just quit my full time job because it was taking over my brain so I can focus on art but I also want to have some kind of none art related income so I dont put so much pressure on myself.
Thanks for all you do and good luck with the repairs.
I've had friends that delivered newspapers and uber-ed... hmmm this is a great question. We might talk about this on our podcast and get some insight
@@Rafiandklee Thank you I really appreciate your reply. I never knew you had a podcast. I will check it out
It sounds like they quit an old life to start a new one. They could focus on just that. I had what I wanted as someone with a new art career (custom and portraits) in Santa Fe, NM but I was over a decade past needing to come home to FL to heal. But in transfering my Section 8 housing, I lost it. Now finding ordinary work I can do is priority, next to my spiritual studies and Qigong (that make it possible for me to live out of my car on a spinal injury). My friend back in "The Land of Entrapment" sent me this link knowing I'm putting off finishing portrait work and starting new for lack of a workable, controlled space... prioritizing applying for work and research (which I'm pretty slack with... in store and cafe environments).
Wow Yvonne, you sound like a champion.
Go forth. You can do it!!!
Lol 😂 my current story in the nutshell. Thanks guys 💖
👍👍
James 😁
Thanks you two!
Thank you guys !
Awesome IDEAo !!! :)
O gosh guys I need help i’ve been invited to a gallery and to do workshops.. I just find socialising difficult I find it very draining I just don’t want to. I was invited to an event and didn’t show up grrr why
It’s draining because we think we are on trial. You are not. Just be yourself… and invite a friend. It makes it easier.
The founder of a supply company I used to use liked to tell the story about how he got his start with a gallon jug of honey and some jars.
Im trying to make a body of work right now. I feel like I’m not fast enough at cranking out art.
It evolves
Put a smile on my face ahahha Very cooool puppet
Puppet of the system :D
♥️♥️♥️🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘😘
Is it accurate to assume that when you began…you had no children in the home to care for?