Show Notes:
Learn the magic of marketing with us here at BoldBrush!
https://www.boldbrush.com/
Get over 50% off your first year on your artist website with FASO: https://www.FASO.com/podcast/
Order your exclusive da Vinci BoldBrush paintbrush set! https://brushoffer.com/collections/boldbrush
---
Today we sat down with Arthur Gain, a portrait painter who absolutely lives and breathes painting in every way both as an artist and as an instructor. We discuss how meditation helped him realize his true calling in life which was representational painting, the useful nature of making portraits of your favorite movie or TV characters, and how he personally manages his time to keep track of all his projects. Finally we discuss his upcoming 8-week online painting bootcamp, some excellent marketing advice when it comes to social media, and finally he reminds us of why it is so important to paint what you truly love.
Arthur's FASO Site:
https://www.arthurgain.com/
Arthur's Upcoming Bootcamp!:
https://allaprimaacademy.com/
Arthur's Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/arthurgain
Arthur's X:
https://twitter.com/artgain
Arthur's YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/c/arthurgain
---
Transcript:
Arthur Gain: 0:00
like a pearl diver, diving deep into into the abyss to find something in the sand. So you go into the darkness into your own subconscious into your own fears or limitations of your body or anything. And eventually you get back to the surface and you have a pearl in your in your hand. And for me it was it was painting. It was art.
Laura Arango Baier: 0:29
Welcome to the BoldBrush show, where we believe that fortune favors the bold rush. My name is Laura Arango Baier, and I'm your host. But those of you who are new to the podcast, we are a podcast that covers art marketing techniques, and all sorts of business tips specifically to help artists learn to better sell their work. We interview artists at all stages of their careers as well as others were in careers tied to the art world in order to hear their advice and insights. Today, we sat down with Arthur game, a portrait painter who absolutely lives and breathes painting in every way possible, both as an artist and as an instructor. We discuss how meditation helped him realize his true calling in life, which was representational painting, the useful nature of making portraits of your favorite TV or movie characters, and how he personally manages his time to keep track of all of his projects. Finally, we discuss his upcoming eight week online painting bootcamp. Some excellent marketing advice when it comes to social media. And finally, he reminds us of why it is so important to paint what you truly love. Welcome, Arthur to the BoldBrush show. How are you today?
Arthur Gain: 1:37
Thank you so much for inviting me. I'm fantastic. I'm really grateful to be here. Be part of it. How are you?
Laura Arango Baier: 1:45
I'm doing great. I'm very grateful to have you on. And we're also in the same time zone, which isn't a very frequently for me to have. Yeah, it is. It is. Um, but it's great. It's great to have you. Also, because you have a very interesting background that I'm really excited to dive into. And also you have your hands in so many things at the same time that I'm over here wondering if if you are somehow able to get an extra 24 hours in your day that maybe I'm not able to. But before we get but before we dive into your time management, um, do you mind telling us a little bit about who you are and what you do?
Arthur Gain: 2:28
Well, it's simple. I paint people and I teach people to paint people. And I enjoy everything about it. I also Yeah, like Ken things in between talking about painting, or looking at painting, already reading about painting, and thinking about painting, sometimes dreaming about painting. So for me, life is mostly about paintings and teaching. So yeah, it's very simple, as I say, and this is what I do.
Laura Arango Baier: 3:00
That's a great live.
Arthur Gain: 3:03
It has Yeah, it has some good size.
Laura Arango Baier: 3:08
Yeah, that's great. Um, and it makes me wonder, because since you seem seem to love to live and breathe, painting, was it always that way? Do you feel like it's a path that you knew you were going to take? Since you were very young? Or did you somehow land in that path?
Arthur Gain: 3:25
Well, it's, I think it's difficult to answer this question directly, or just in one sentence, because like, when you look back at the inside, everything looks logical. And we can say, of course, he was going to be up there. Of course, he was going to draw or painful. He's like, Yes, I think it was my greatest passion. Back in the day when I was a kid to draw. I do every time everywhere, and everything I was thinking about. Mostly it was syllabi, stuff, you know, heroes, characters, movies, I watched my cars, airplanes, all such things. But it's hard. I cannot tell that I went this way, straightforwardly, you know, with education or with career path. People are choosing us to choose, you know, when they are graduating from college or something. So my journey was something like I know. Not direct, not straightforward. But when it clicked back when I started to do it for real for the first time in my life, and I started to start the classical approach to study academic drawing things. Then I realized that it was something I was going to do for The rest of my life. So, yes or no and everything in between. So this is my answer.
Laura Arango Baier: 5:07
That's great, though. Um, because, you know, I feel like not everyone's path is very, you know, ever we see it like you said, you know, from hindsight, it's like from point A to point B is very obvious. But it really is a whole journey in there that when you're in the journey, it's really hard to tell where the heck you're going. But then afterwards, oh, yeah, that makes sense. Yeah, yeah. Um, but you started out as an illustrator, right? You started out doing, like, studying illustration and maybe doing some more commercial work? If I'm correct,
Arthur Gain: 5:39
yes, it was more even even more mundane. I will say I started as graphic designer. Long time ago, I was 16 years old, when I started to work, or in my first creative agency, very young. No, and I was doing a lot of stuff after in game development in creative industries. Eventually, I was working in huge agencies. I became creative director, myself, big clients. And though the last years, it was my own little agency. So we were doing some, yeah, some services. But it was in the beginning, it was graphic design, and after illustration, and also web design, and like things, like interactive things, and yeah, so everything commercial, I would say.
Laura Arango Baier: 6:44
Interesting. Yeah. I think the interesting thing too, as I read somewhere, in one of your other interviews, or in your description, in a few places, that it is actually, when you traveled to the east, and you started to get into in traditional yoga and Buddhist meditation that that's when you sort of had your shift. Do you mind sharing why that was? And then when it clicked?
Arthur Gain: 7:14
Oh, you mean why did I move? Or? Well,
Laura Arango Baier: 7:17
why did you why did Buddhism and yoga have that effect on you? You know, why? Why did it make you make you go like, Oh, I'm, what am I doing? I want to be a representational painter. I don't want to be, you know, doing these illustrations.
Arthur Gain: 7:30
Yes. Okay. If we put it simple, it is Chi kowski his for the first first concerto. I know when I was living in the jungle, you know, we had we had quite a nice bungalow, because open space, everything would surrounded by trees, you can see the sea everyday sounds fantastic. So we were practicing your community, me and my partner, my wife. And every morning you wake up, you know, like before sunrise or near the sunrise like 6am. And near near the equator, in the tropics, sunrise and sunset, they almost the same time for draw the year. So it's like, your circadian rhythm is very settled, you wake up and you go to sleep at the same time. So you're waking up very early, and you're doing a lot of cleaning things, you know, because yoga, like traditional yoga, or orthodox yoga is all called Mighty, maybe 50 or even more percent about cleaning, clean your body, clean your mind, a lot of practices. And suddenly, I just did this. Like there was music in the room. And there was first concerto Tchaikovsky first concerto, it blew my mind especially that like how the first movement ends, this type of you know. And they felt that yeah, I belong to, to this culture to European culture. Somehow, I was already doing some exercises, I was drawing some comic book type of manga things because I wanted to improve my just how I how I draw figures and like heads. So but when I was listening to classical music after that, again, again, again, I started to think about the Renaissance about old masters which led me to, I enlisted to new masters Academy. They were just starting out with Glanville poo and Steve Houston who became my mentor after afterwards. So I started to study to teach myself how to draw realistically. And after that, I moved to bark drawing. So he barks. Yes. So for me, for me, it was like that the moment when it clicked, but generally speaking, I think it doesn't matter what you do, you can do Buddhist practice, you can do different types of yoga, or you can just do any kind of endeavor which narrows your focus, where your mind and your body are focused on something, which is important to you. And when you strive to achieve something, you know, to pull for self exploration or just for development in anything, eventually, he you will start to remember and listen to something which is buried deep inside of you, because what was interesting, like I remember, I started to remember the smells and some pictures from my childhood a very long time ago, like when I was two years old, three years old things which I never remembered before. And yes, and I also started to, to remember how I used to draw how I used to, to flip through the books. I even remember the paintings, which impressed me when I was kid. I didn't know back in the day what what anything about the paintings, but there was a magazine in my parents apartment, with, with, with paintings with art, that it was because of metamorphoses of the ball. I think it was like a series of four drawings of the ball. Oh, I started as realistic and after just getting less less less representational, like towards some sort of super machismo. I don't know this type of presentation impressed me a lot. There was Salvador Dali, of course, like for young person, it's but what is really, what is it interesting that it was entry wise painting, it is called clobbers. With Hilda just sitting and turning away towards the window. I still remember this painting. I probably I was like five or six years old. And it was it was absolutely interesting, easy for me. But I forgot about of course, like you keep forgetting you move on. Life just goes on. But when I was in this type of my life, and in that period of my life when I was practicing, I remember such things. So it and I was I was so surprised to learn later years after to learn which painting I was looking at what impressed me so yeah. Yeah, I don't know did have a good Christian, because I just, I just wanted my memories Yeah, but just to conclude. The point is when we're busy with our normal life, like like I am now with kids with my chores, with my things with my deadlines, with my projects with everything. We do stuff, right we we paint with the business, pay the bills, take wall green coffee, it feels everything. So we have we are fulfilled like to the top. But when when you in some sort of retreat we enable let's move on to a new day. Or sending around the world when you're crossing the ocean for three weeks on the small sailing boat. You got nobody but yourself. You got you got nothing but your own memories and your own your own soul, if I may say so or just your mind. And sometimes it's fascinating, but very often it is something opposite to discover things inside of you. Like your fears or obstacles which you have to face. But as a reward, you can get deeper into something which is really important to you. And yeah, and it is how yoga led me to representational art. So strange. It's one of the strangest experiences.
Laura Arango Baier: 15:04
It's awesome. I love it. And it's because, you know, I think you make a great point, you know, we live our lives almost like we're going through the motions sometimes, and it's very easy to get carried away by the flow of life. And not, you know, spend some time in quiet reflection, especially today, because we are so surrounded by technology and things trying to get our attention all the time, it's very hard to get some time to ourselves. And in that self reflection, you know, you realize there's a whole world inside of you that, you know, it's like uncharted territory. And so much is in there that can really tell you where to even go, it's funny, you have to look within to understand your direction of life. It's, it's so crazy, but I feel like, you know, especially with painting, so much of painting is also, you know, self discovery, and understanding tuning yourself. Yeah. So it makes perfect sense, you know, in those moments of clarity that you're like, ah, lightbulb, this is it. Yes, yeah. So, now that we've mentioned that, I'm very, I'm laughing a little bit, because you mentioned how, when you were a kid used to draw late, you know, superheroes and used to draw whatever, you know, a young kid would draw, and you kind of still do that, to an extent, you know, you still draw, you still draw some of your favorite characters. Yeah, um, do you find that it you know, drawing and painting your favorite characters serves more than one purpose for you.
Arthur Gain: 16:45
I think there are two sides of this metal, while is just impulse, so you feel inspired, you grab the brush, or a few brushes, squeeze out some pain, and you start painting and you enjoy the process, sometimes recording of this processor in the painting itself can be good can be interesting, you can even share it with someone, showcase it whatever. So, it is, it is very straightforward, like impulse to result through the process. thing. But there is also practical side. And I have to mention it because as a teacher, I recommend to for everyone, to all my students, I recommend to paint what you really want to paint to paint something which you want to look at all to think about, or just you know, to, yeah, to, to be in front of, let's say. And if you are trying, like if you are going to be born painter, and you want to hone this skill, painting the characters from the movies or series, which you realize, can help you with, with a very elusive thing with your personal take to the likeness. Because it's very difficult to paint. Using photographs to use Photo photo photograph as a reference, we know it is always more natural, and somehow more, let's say it's more organic to paint from life, when you and the sitter are in the same room breathing the same air talking during the process or in between so it is a collaboration because every part that is a self worth thing, I believe so. So when model or singer and painter are contributing their parts to piece of art, it is something in between, there is something from the city and from the artist himself or herself. So but what to do when you just have a photo, especially when you have to do commission, when you just have a photo and nothing else is very difficult. The painting policies they look a little bit stiff or Yeah, everyone knows. I'm sure everyone who used to paint from life and using photographs. They know drawbacks of each. And we all love to paint from life. So the point is when we paint from life we do it very gradually. And we look at person all the time but not as a stage show. It is not a cast, it is not a still life. It is something which is moving over time, not just by tilt of their head or gesture, but a lot of mimics a lot of subtle changes in the mouth. When person is really relaxed when your sitter feels comfortable at home. they start, they start to get into something, something else like their face are changing. And so, so getting back to my point, when you when you watch movie, and let's say you watch Game of Thrones, and Jon Snow is your favorite character or just you feel feel very connected, you feel like ah, you can assume everything, you just your eyes or registering everything you see the movement or the mouth, the different angles of the head, everything. So, your database regarding this particular model or person is grok is growing very fast. So when you paint, you already have a lot of knowledge, which you can get only when you paint from life, different angles, different meanings, different things. And you just use this knowledge. So most of the people don't just do this. Unconsciously it just it is just there. It is why it is always important to pin someone who is really dear to you. Even if it is artificial, a fictional character, I don't know get out of Revere, our whoever it's it's all about, it's all about how to practice participating this way. It is why artists, myself included people who work on conditions will love to talk with our clients with with our ciders, even if it is just zoom conversation, or we asked if someone is someone wants to commission part of their dear ones as a surprise or something. It is always helpful to have some Home Depot or just anything when you can see how people are smiling, laughing, talking, walking, and you don't just things in between. So it is why I believe it is so important. And it is so helpful to paint people like characters from the movies. But it is really difficult if if someone just gives you a photograph of I don't know, character you've never seen before and you have no relation to and no connection with it will be it will be very difficult to us. So you see both sides. One is just artistic. And one is practical. Wow.
Laura Arango Baier: 22:27
That's a very good point, you know, I never thought about, about you know, watching TV shows in that way and how like, we get to actually see the actor, you know, in many different angles, lighting conditions to which you write plays
Arthur Gain: 22:41
on the heads, the relationships between white and dark values in transitions because according to different types of the skin or the same melanin level will affect how darker shadow will be compared to the halftone center line, and how highlights are going going to be distributed or how bright the highlights are and other things. It is what it is why when we're painting from life, we can sometimes come closer to the model and just just to look around to see. And another thing when people are making a lot of photographs, some sort of stereo scopic or they take on a military type of photo to help with painting because we need to know what what we're painting we need to know about the plane so the heads Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 23:32
yeah, it's very important. Yeah. Wow. That's awesome. It makes me want to, you know, take one of my favorite TV shows and be like, I'm gonna try it. Just for fun.
Arthur Gain: 23:44
Just for fun. Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 23:45
that's a great exercise. And then you know, you also have like, we were like I was saying earlier, you have a seem to have a lot of time on your hands, or you just fill all your time completely because aside from you know, painting all these exciting portraits, you also teach, right? So you also teach online you teach in person at Barcelona Academy. So you have a lot of teaching experience. Do you find that you get a lot of your students through social media or in person?
Arthur Gain: 24:19
Yeah, I think social media is one of the biggest drivers let's say that so many, many people most of the people become through through this funnel so social media email marketing on my mailing list and offline as well. But yeah, I would say on online is and social media is the best or the best way is the best way to to make to make people know about you, and about what you really love to Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 25:00
Yeah, and you're actually one of the only people I've interviewed who actively uses X. Compared to, you know, other people, most people I interviewed, they tend to just use Instagram exclusively or Facebook, but not x. So I find it interesting that you know, on your, on your page on Twitter, which is x, and for people who maybe aren't used to being, you know, calling calling it x, you actually put those little time lapses of all your, your paintings in there. Do you find that the types of people that reach out to through x are different from the ones on Instagram? Or are they like kind of the same?
Arthur Gain: 25:39
A little bit different than it was different. But hard to say exactly. Because I'm not analyzing thoroughly the photo. So I can see sometimes the source, the origin of, of certain traffic, or certain inquires, but I'm not getting deep into it. Just because for for my type of services, the initial the initial spread the initial funnel, know the opening is not so big, and it shouldn't be really wide. So it's, yeah, it is what it is why I'm not analyzing traffic thoroughly, or just just in general just to keep track on things. But there are different vibes between different like in social medias ex formula, Twitter is one thing, Instagram is another. Facebook is another and tick tock, totally different days. Today. Huge YouTube. So yeah, they are all unique. And of course we can we can use the same content or the same principles to streamline the process of posting and maintaining our appearance or awareness or whatever, so far work and things. But yeah, I treat differently the platforms.
Laura Arango Baier: 27:16
Yeah. Do you find that it's useful, though, to be in all of the different platforms? Like do you think that it helps you stay? Maybe more present in people's, you know, space?
Arthur Gain: 27:27
Well, it's not my goal to constantly annoy people with my with my stuff. But yes, it is, I think it is very important to be everywhere, especially nowadays, when nobody knows what will happen. any day, any social platform can just change, they can change the rules, they can change many things, and many people suffer because of that. Because let's say there are many people who still rely solely on Instagram. Which makes them like, costed yourself the platform. And you have no control or the algorithm and how algorithm will show or drown your content. That's not the best word. But let's say things you pause. Since we cannot change it, so we have no influence over the algorithms. We I believe it is better to diversify our presence and interest in every social platform. Because it doesn't they it doesn't take a lot of time or effort to be present or just to keep posting or keep engaging with with the people who really love your work or they want to know about you more. So yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 28:55
yeah. Yeah, cuz again, you're one of the only people I've interviewed who has Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, X, do like you have your hands in basically a little tick tock, there you go. Oh, my gosh. So I think it's, uh, yeah, it's very, I think it's very wise to have that position of, you know, put your hands and all of the things, make sure that you know, you're being I guess, not maybe not posting frequently, but definitely posting you know, successively as much as you can. So that, you know, you don't get drowned out because I do find that Instagram has definitely become much more challenging for artists in the past year or two. It's been it's become almost unusable to an extent, which is kind of depressing. But it does seem like you know, in your case, you know, you've got since you've got the other ones that also helps you a lot and okay, this is not this is not working. So these are in terms of of marketing, right. Do you find that social media and you know, Having all these different platforms has helped you sell your work more and also find students?
Arthur Gain: 30:06
Absolutely. Absolutely. Both. Both questions Yes. To sell it is a little bit more tricky since there are different budgets and sizes. So for small works for something like affordable social media is fantastic. People are reaching out directly, or they come to the website, if they're our studio seller or something, they pick up something for their homes or for their collections. A lot of commissions are coming this way. Because people, they can see that you're doing commission, for example, and they want to learn about it more, so they reach out. And sometimes the commission something in the students absolutely, because especially I you see everyone, so like, I am more concerned about social media, which is less successful for me less successful YouTube, for example, because I don't, I don't invest now in my YouTube channel a lot since I have no time. But every time I can I do something for YouTube. Because if for teaching, YouTube is fantastic, because YouTube gives you platform and possibility to share something important to teach someone something without limitation of time, or format. People can watch it on their smartphones, or they can watch it on the big screens, anywhere, Instagram, or Tiktok. Or even acts to whether they're more confined to laptop or smartphone screens, but YouTube can watch on normal TV. So you can actually show many things and you can teach in in more in more three way and with like more possibilities, I will say more possibilities to teach. So when people can learn something from you, most likely they will want to follow and to see what you've got else and what you can offer which type of mentorship which type of offline workshop maybe or online something So YouTube is very important in my opinion. So Instagram, as well, because Instagram also can show the process you can you can just make short Jeeps create very interesting narrative not just to entertain or to impress someone but also to share certain knowledge to show to show what what can be done and like to help people. Yep, yeah. For for teaching. They're just absolutely fantastic. Yeah.
Laura Arango Baier: 33:08
Yeah. And also you do get some income from YouTube, which is nice. Because yeah, even if it's an extra few bucks a month. Oh, great. I can buy coffee, or I can actually buy some new brushes or paint. Absolutely. Absolutely. It's also useful in that way. That's awesome. BoldBrush reinspire artists to inspire the world because creating art creates magic. And the world is currently in desperate need of magic. BoldBrush provides artists with free art marketing, creativity and business ideas and information. This show is an example. We also offer written resources, articles and a free monthly art contest open to all visual artists. We believe that fortune favors the bold brush. And if you believe that to sign up completely free at BoldBrush show.com. That's BOLDBRUSH show.com. The BoldBrush Show is sponsored by FASO. Now more than ever, it's crucial to have a website when you're an artist, especially if you want to be a professional in your career. Thankfully, with our special link facile.com forward slash podcast, you can make that come true and also get over 50% off your first year on your artists website. Yes, that's basically the price of 12 lattes in one year, which I think is a really great deal considering that you get sleek and beautiful website templates that are also mobile friendly ecommerce print on demand in certain countries, as well as access to our marketing center that has our brand new art marketing calendar. And the art marketing calendar is something that you won't get with our competitor. The art marketing calendar gives you day by day step by step guides on what you should be doing today right now in order to get your artwork out there and seen by the right eyes so that you can make more sales this year. So if you want to change your life and actually meet your sales goal this year, then start now by going to our special link faso.com forward slash podcast. That's FASO.com/podcast. Yeah. And then you also have, I believe you have a bootcamp, right. But you're gonna be doing soon. Do you mind telling us a bit about that?
Arthur Gain: 35:16
Oh, well, it's talking to you. We're going to do eight weeks online workshop every every Saturday, new assignments, lectures, practices, paint alongs. So it is it is very similar to just intensive let's say two weeks workshop or something like that, but it's mostly like weekend type of activities. So people can just follow along. Because there are feedback seats and Roger spectator is spectate, you can just watch the recordings or participate in the Live Paint dialogue sessions and work on your own pace, while feedbacks or people are receiving personal feedback from me every week with us with a detailed critiques guidance. So the point of this bootcamp is to educate and to challenge. So, this is why I call this bootcamp so we want to, and I and I'm also I really want to pay for eight weeks, right? Do porters do all operators. So for me, it's fantastic excuse to do what I like very believable, working from photographs explaining everything, so all aspects of painting will be covered. So basically, I'm going to teach everything I know about painting in this compressed course of eight weeks. And people who are joining, they're going to be challenged because they will have to paint each week. Of course, for those who cannot join or cannot attend, there will be recording so nobody will miss the thing. But the point is to continue painting week by week, week after week until the end, so eight weeks bootcamp before the summer. So this is next next day or next adventure. I'm really excited about it. Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 37:27
it sounds intense. Um, and you know, it brings up the part that I've been wanting to talk about which is how the heck do you manage your time to be able to you know, keep track of everything you know, painting teaching family you know, organizing for this boot camp like it sounds like a lot
Arthur Gain: 37:46
Oh, yes, it is it is I panic and cry every night it is so time consuming everything. So, yeah, like there is a time to just to reflect and doing to enjoy something to to learn something to read books to watch movies or to Yeah, to have long walks listening to music and there is a time when we have to perform. So, when we need to perform more I just try to turn into performance mode, which means not just I try to I try to separate tasks I cannot tell that it should work for everyone because I was okay I was concerned about it. And I was just searching about different schedules and different time management systems and there are so many coming from billionaires, CEOs of huge corporations and different people. I was overwhelmed and confused because I like some people are sleeping for four minutes a day. So other people are they claim to do so many things, but in my opinion so difficult to keep to keep going the bonus. Pablo Picasso he used to have very peculiar scandal for example, like he used to wake up quite late. He was just walking around during coffee meeting with friends I feel like late afternoon. Slowly he will get into studio mode he he could walk until two or 3am in the night and after go to sleep sleep until 11. So you see like totally opposite from other people for example. So I And then when I learned about it, I realized that there is no just one approach the same as with painting or with with art, or everyone should find their own, the most resonating and most suitable way of dealing with things. So for me, I start my mornings after, you know, normal morning routine workouts, and breakfast. And so I just start with business stuff. Some people they like to paint right away, and I tried to do it, but for me, one or two hours spending, replying to emails, scheduling, doing some chores, business type of things, you know, is somehow more useful. And yeah, like, I feel more creative towards the evenings. So for me, the real video action begins, I think, between 3pm to 9pm, when they're really paying very effectively, and then when I enjoy it, and surprisingly, less distractions. So yeah, it's, it's how and also I teach in between, I can teach afternoons or evenings time, because most of my students online students, they're from United States, or Canada. So you see, we saw some differences in timezone, so yeah, so yeah, like that. But I always tried to just to separate separate my times, so when they when they when printing mode, I don't check emails. I don't, I don't like to answer the phone. So yeah, generally speaking, I would say the least thing I do is answering my phone or messages, because they can distract you. So I put my headphones on, listening to books to music, to white noise sometimes. And they paint. And after I read or spend time with family or watching movies or playing video games, when they have time. Yeah, but yeah, we're busy business business things are in the mornings. But I don't think it will work for me. Maybe some people will be if it just painting straight away out of the bed. Maybe it's also good, because your mind is very clear. And there are no things no information coming. But yeah, so I haven't okay, just put it through. I haven't find perfect. Perfect way of managing my time, I just do things. And there are a few application a few apps which can help like booking booking for for zoom calls. I use application called Miro to know how to create some sort of plans and time mapping what is happening with my projects, what what is in preparation stage, pre production, production, post production, what I will paintings actually cheap things actual provide niche. photoshoots right. So I'm keeping keeping some sort of boards with the tasks as well, but not much. And I'm not a nerd in this aspect. Just Just few couple couple of couple of tools to help, ya
Laura Arango Baier: 43:53
know, but that's awesome. And I love that you bring up the point of you know, everyone has their own rhythm, right, because like, there are some people, I don't know how to do it, like I have a best friend, she's a teacher, she naturally wakes up at six in the morning, I can't do that I will never in my life naturally wake up at six. Unless I go to sleep really, really early, but my brain is usually too wired to even try to go to sleep early. So I think it would resonate more with like how you do it. And actually that aligns with how I schedule my day too. I like to get rid of all the business stuff first, so I don't have it, you know, banging around in my head because then if I haven't been around in my head, it's going to distract me from painting. But yeah, you know, it's, it's good to, you know, to remind people to be aware of, okay, When are your natural energy levels happening? And then not just you know, daily, but also weekly, you know, maybe there's a good day of the week, where you really need maybe like a bit of a longer break, or, or it's a good moment to plan, you know, like take that day just to plan ahead of what you're going to do because that's the other part of it. He pointed out this is really challenging. And that is, you got to varnish this painting now. And then you also have to do this. And then you also have to do that. And then there's so many things to keep track of are like, Oh, I have to send this painting to get framed in time so that I can send it to this person. Oh, there's so much to do when you're, you know, an artist, because you are literally a one man band, trying to do everything. So it's yeah, it's good to also point out you know, using apps and trying to find whatever works for you. I personally am I love analog, I will write will write everything up, like a paper calendar. And I find that that that works for me. Um, but yeah, it's good to remember that, you know, like, how do I personally work? And again, the self reflections that comes in, you know,
Arthur Gain: 45:48
yeah, I mean, if there's no point, you know, tools to bend yourself and to amend your natural rhythm, as you say, we need to be good managers for ourselves, to find sweet spots, to motivate ourselves because we're fragile art is. Also about time management there is for oil painters, everyone knows who paints, the time, it can be can be your ally, or can work against you. So you need to learn how things are going to dry when you work, especially when you work on the big pieces or multiple pieces at once. It's not just to have time to paint and to force yourself into painting you need to know what will dry and when and when you should paint these two for this area to be dried thoroughly so you can start the new layer and so on and so on and so on. So, sometimes I even keep track on to put imprimatur here or to put second layer there because I know I will need to put a third layer at that point to be able to varnish with finally so very often, I just dragged back from shipping, the two varnishing day, and from varnishing day to the day of signature, because you need time for painting to dry thoroughly. But in between also there are layers, things we need to know because yeah, like if things are not dry, you all you have to do is to wait. Regardless of how many nights you're going to spend on this painting, painting can be just not ready to do Yes to continue.
Laura Arango Baier: 47:39
Yeah, it's really painful when you're like, I'm going to work on this painting today. And then you go and the painting is tacky and sticky and unworkable. And it's like okay, now what do I do?
Arthur Gain: 47:51
Every time we panic, or we want to somehow to overcome this just getting worse. So respect, man to talk about it is it
Laura Arango Baier: 48:10
is so easy to just say it, you know, the doing is just, oh my God, that's brutal. That is brutal. But I guess you know, that's the other nice part about alla prima is that you do it in one sitting and then you're done. And you're like, Okay, I have to think about this anymore. versus long term. Yeah, long term painting can be a lot more challenging. And for sure, you know, like you said, it's good to have maybe one or two or three paintings that you're working on at a time because then you can Oh, this one's wet. So I'm going to work on that one. No, that one's what I'm gonna work on that one and then just in case you know that first painting is still wet you still you have like an extra two days or something in between. So it gives it extra time. Oh man, oil painting, the challenge.
Arthur Gain: 48:52
constant constant never ending never ending. I am sure there will be no end there'll be no or submit of this mountain I guess we'll meet so I will climb it until I die I'm sure I will learn things again and again or new. And also like time time management also forces you to learn about materials to learn about videos about. So, now, I always look at drying time and like what is which pigment is here which pigment is there. So I can just remove things which are drying slow or I do opposite. I want things to stay wet for a long time. So I will be using a lot of food and slow drying pigments. So eventually, it leads to discoveries and new information new exciting things. Yeah. So time is our friend if we learn how to respect
Laura Arango Baier: 49:59
this is very true. A very wise words. Again, yes, very easy to say very different to experience it. And you know, and also your if you have deadlines, right that that makes it even more, you know, important to know exactly what you're doing and one if you don't have deadlines, and I guess that really opens up the playing field, but I feel like there is a bit of a benefit to having a little bit of that time pressure, even if it's like, you know, even if you have to give yourself like fake deadlines. I feel like that works for me. Sometimes I'm like, Okay, I really want to get this done by this time. And that's great, you know, to have like, such freedom in that sense. But also at the same time, if you want to live from being an artist, right? Yeah. You definitely need to stick to the plan. Yeah, because you're the means of production. And you're also the means of marketing. And you're also the means of shipping and handling, and also the bankers. So it's like, oh, yes, yes.
Arthur Gain: 50:58
Especially especially given that painting cannot be finished on the abandoned. We can, we can not finish anything. We can work I don't know, like 100 years on one painting. And there will be still area or sand passage, we can just bind a little bit. Maybe some texture or some impasto a little glaze over and over. So we need to learn how to let it go because it is going to live its own life. Somewhere in collectors, home or anything else.
Laura Arango Baier: 51:32
Definitely. Yeah, it's always easier to start a painting than it is to finish it. For sure.
Arthur Gain: 51:39
The pieces, like the life of the piece begins when it ends, like when it is leaving your studio. Why not to keep it for so long. It's my opinion. So because paintings are not meant to be here in our studio for long. We're not painting for the clothes, you know, for for some sort of dark room to store. Yeah, it's nice
Laura Arango Baier: 52:04
to see your paintings a viewer
Arthur Gain: 52:08
or just to let it go.
Laura Arango Baier: 52:13
That's true. That's true. Very true. Um, and that actually makes me wonder, you know, because since you did have, right, you had your career and then you decided, Okay, I'm going to switch careers. What was that transition like for you? Was it very, like, easy to just like cut and go? Or did you have to slowly go in the other direction.
Arthur Gain: 52:34
First, my career ended. And I left so when I left when, when we went into this yoga and everything before that was ended. So when I started to draw and paint first it was drawing for few years, when I started to this, this journey, I was already like, very fresh, very new. I didn't have any obligations or work to do, I had plenty of time, some resources to keep me going and also to invest because education and materials, they are expensive. It is very, it is I will say I will say you can get everything for free, but it will slow you down. So I've spent a lot of money on education, and I still do books, video materials, workshops, or mentorship. Yeah, so I was investing in it. And I was very lucky to be able to to, to do it. At that moment of time back in the day. But my career was already gone. Not I was not doing anything at all except for yoga. So transition was not even transition. It was like a phoenix bird ending and beginning something like that. So I started just from from Blank Sheet tabula rasa from credit report point of view.
Laura Arango Baier: 54:19
Meeting, you know, it's, uh, I feel like for some people, you know, it's really hard to do that. So it's really awesome. Whenever I hear someone's like, oh, yeah, just like cut left. I said, I can't take this anymore. Because I'm guessing you know, you you must have reached a point in your career when you were like, Okay, no, I can't do this anymore. You know, this is too much or this isn't fulfilling. You know, that's the that's probably what led you to decide. You know what, I'm gonna go try some yoga over here for a while. That's really cool, though.
Arthur Gain: 54:45
Well, yeah, it was it was strange decision. Yeah, but one of the best I might
Laura Arango Baier: 54:54
know, I love that. You know, it's the whole like, your insides are screaming and you actually listened right? Because there's You know, I feel like so many of us as artists, you know, we we choose certain careers because the people around us tell us that it's like better or it's more pragmatic, right to get a career doing something else, and that's fine. But then there's something inside of us. It's just like, I can't do this, I can't please Someone save me. I'm dying. And I feel like that's a very common thing that I've noticed, and the people that I've interviewed who've had, you know, careers that are totally different. And then, you know, decided I can't do this anymore. I need to paint because that's what I love. So kudos, doesn't think that's, that's kind of a crazy, like, you just jumped into the void, or like, I'm gonna, I want to do this.
Arthur Gain: 55:43
Yeah, it was, it was like that. Sometimes I even compared to, you know, when you like a pearl diver, diving deep into into a base to find something in the sand. So you go into the darkness into your own subconscious, and somehow, into your own fears, or limitations of your body, or anything. And eventually, you get back to the surface, and you have a pearl in your in your hands. And for me, it was, it was painting, it was art. Beautiful. So I've got I've got it, and I just going to Yeah, it is what it is what keeps me going, I feel really happy when I paint. Every time when I'm anxious, you know, or when I'm depressed because of this and that or the pressure of life or salary. I just try to paint regardless. If it is successful painting, they are done. I feel much better if I played. But there are days when I cannot paint for some reasons. And I really feel it for me, for me. For me, it is something which I really miss internally, viscerally is something which, which I should be doing. So yep. Yep. already difficult to live without it.
Laura Arango Baier: 57:18
Yes. Yeah. And I guess that that also goes to show you know that it really is your calling, right? It's like it's something that you absolutely, definitely must do no matter what. Which is great. Um, do you happen to have any advice for a young artist? Or maybe someone who's looking to start painting and maybe they want to start trying to find their own voice? What advice could you give?
Arthur Gain: 57:48
Well, as I said, probably earlier, just to figure out what you really like, no matter how silly it is, I don't know, maybe maybe anything. Some people they like to paint landscape, other people do like, like to paint figures. I'm sure there are people who can paint little doors, or small toy cars, or anything, or even even the most mundane, let's say subject can be turned into art. We can see it in the museums, all this still lives and things. But they look absolutely fantastic. And we can see how light is reflecting from the audience. So yeah, my recommendation is just to figure out what you really love and don't, don't shape yourself. Don't try to find something which is going to sell or to work or get likes on Instagram because you never know. And you will do something good, but something probably other people do the same subject, we'll get millions of likes, and you will get 10s And we'll just hit you hard. So I recommend just to paint what you love, it will be very visible because painting is can you say alchemy? Right? I know it's silly comparison and a lot of controversy. But painting isn't alchemy. For some reason. Even from materialistic point of view, we can say that as alchemists of all times, which is mixing some metals and pigments, some minerals and we turn them into gold or just something valuable. But on metaphysical level that is when you when you paint something which you really like when it comes from inside which it shows shows very fast, because painting is also about self confidence. If you do a lot Have unnecessarily brush strokes or do things which are not really you, it will be visible in the painting. And vice versa. When you feel this alchemy inside of you, when this magic happens, when you are doing something we should really like each brushstroke will be in place, every mixture will be one step forward not to step by, step backwards. And it will be visible even on a small smartphone screen, when people are just flipping through the Instagram or Tiktok. Fire in order to find some new entertainment or amusement. So it works even even like that. Regardless, needless to say, it works when people see your painting in real life on the gallery wall, or somewhere else. I can't wait, what's your love? Oh,
Laura Arango Baier: 1:01:01
yeah, it's easy. Because then the next question is like, but what do I love? You know? Yes, yes. That's the other
Arthur Gain: 1:01:08
question can take it can take some time and effort to actually figure it out. Yeah,
Laura Arango Baier: 1:01:15
yeah. Especially, you know, I feel like a lot of us. That's also why I try to stay off Instagram, and a lot of us can get really easily, I guess pulled in like, different directions, especially when we see work that we think is beautiful, because there's so many of it on Instagram, and we think, oh, I want to do that too. Right. But then you also have to think like, but why? Right? Is it just because I think it's beautiful? Or is it because it's something that's actually calling out to me? You know, it's so important to have that discernment that understanding of, but why, you know, why do I like this? Yeah, yeah. Oh, my gosh, we can we can dive even deeper. But yeah.
Arthur Gain: 1:01:57
It's such a nice conversation.
Laura Arango Baier: 1:02:00
It's enjoyable. I love it. Yeah, so if someone wants to hear more advice from you and learn more from you, where can they go?
Arthur Gain: 1:02:10
Well, this is my website. And just the last advice I would give to women who is marketing or doing promotion, and thinking about considering different social medias and stuff. I do believe that your own website is the best platform. And it is most important platform you need to constantly think about to invest and to care about because everything should lead to your website. So please visit my website, what I'm doing. join my mailing lists that are all links, you need to all my socials to teaching offers bootcamp contact form to get into condition waiting list, even gallery where you can purchase the word directly from me. So yeah, the website off again.com
Laura Arango Baier: 1:03:08
Perfect. Well, thank you so much, Arthur, for all your amazing advice. And of course and for giving us your interesting perspective and you know, your your experience, about you know, how you have handled everything. So thank you.
Arthur Gain: 1:03:25
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Of course my pleasure.
