I Am A Professional Artist: The Key to Survival And Success in the World of the Arts [Paperback]

Gilli Moon (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 2007

Some say succeeding in the Arts as a professional Artist is all about fame and fortune. So much of our desires are based on false illusions about the industry and what we read in glossy magazines. Being a professional Artist is a life long journey of becoming who you want to be, and achieving success through what you love to do. It s about living your dream. It s also about setting goals that you alone determine if they have rewarded you rather than what the industry defines as success. The Arts industry, whether that be in music, theatre, film, writing, dance or any business about Art, can be cruel and very un-artistic. It s often about survival, especially survival of the fittest. It can feel like a competitive war against large corporations, those who judge you (which can even include your family) and the other artists who are also climbing their way to the top. Gilli Moon, artist, author and record company owner, brings to you her first book, I Am a Professional Artist offering Artists who ve chosen the professional path, practical steps in harnessing one s creative abilities to succeed and survive in the Arts and enjoy your artistry at the same time. Including interviews with various professional Artists, I Am a Professional Artist combines a self-empowering practical guide in surviving and succeeding in the Arts with key business principles and spiritual nourishment. Consider it an Artistic soul s survival guide in business! I AM a Professional Artist follows 2 simple principles: If you want to be a professional Artist, the first thing to realize is that you have to be two people: An Artist, and a Business person. The second principle is based on her own coined phrase: The three Os: Optimism + Organized equals Opportunity I Am a Professional Artist will certainly change the thinking of any professional artist who may doubt themselves or their art, who may feel pressured by the industry, or may feel the hardship of the roller coaster ride.

Editorial Reviews

Review

I Am A Professional Artist' may focus on the Arts, but Gilli Moon's advice and no-nonsense philosophy applies just as well to anyone who wants to live their dream, whatever it may be. Her common-sense approach is packed with tips that provide a blueprint for success. In each chapter, Ms. Moon gives the reader encouragement, as well as practical suggestions that break down into small steps exactly what it takes to make it in the Arts and entertainment. She guides us through mind sets that can turn into obstacles and presents the type of attitudes that can achieve goals. Most enlightening is her perspective that each person can become their own industry and actually profit from their dream. Her attention to detail merges Art with commerce in a way that transforms pipe dreams into reality. Simple to understand and uplifting to read, this book is a must for anyone who wants to live a fulfilling and rewarding life while pursuing their muse. --Bernard Baur, Music Connection Magazine

I Am a Professional Artist' is a HUGE collection of proven ideas that any musician or band can benefit from. The info here is road-tested by Gilli herself and it DOES work. This book is an inspiration for all who want to make a living from their art." --Kathode Ray Music

Gilli Moon enlightens us on how to become a well-rounded creative person of many talents who can deal with the nitty gritty of promotion and marketing --Authors' Secrets Radio

From the Publisher

Without a doubt, this book has cornered it's own niche market. There is nothing like it. A book that goes beyond the creativity and inspiration to practical, nourishing steps as to HOW to promote and do business with your art, of any genre. An empowering book for all artists, this truly captures the era we live in today, of self-empowered and motivated artists who have great business sense and fortitude. You CAN make it happen if you take that step forward.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 125 pages
• Publisher: Warrior Girl Music; 3rd edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 095799060X
• ISBN-13: 978-0957990609
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,133,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gilli Moon is the quintessential renaissance woman, with a ceaseless contribution to the creative and artist community at large. Gilli (pronounced as with a "J"), has become a beacon for artists around the world, inspired and motivated by Gilli's story, and her creativity. She is constantly creating projects for her own music and arts passions, as well as for others.

First and foremost, Gilli Moon is an illustrious, energetic poly-media Artist and songwriter, with multifaceted albums and dynamic live shows that have touched music lovers worldwide garnering high praise from the most jaded of critics. Her restless creativity and rebellious nature continually urge the artist to push the envelope when writing a song, recording in the studio, on stage, in business and with whatever she touches. For the past 10 years she has been one of Australia's most influential and iconic Artists, forging an independent path before anyone knew what "indie" was. Gilli has produced and released 6 studio music albums of her original music, to critical acclaim, released written hundreds of songs, winning songwriting and artist awards and licensed to film and television shows, and has performed around the world many times.

Gilli has received numerous press for her courage, power and dynamic energy as an artist and inspiration for other artists, and has worked with other highly respected prominent artists including Simple Minds, Placido Domingo and Eric Idle (Monty Python). Recently she was interviewed on Australia's 60 Minutes and in the International Newsweek magazine as a pioneer and leader in the independent music business; been featured alongside Aimee Mann in discussing their mutual success in the indie music scene in Music Connection Magazine; and has had music at No. 1 on many internet and traditional radio stations. She is constantly featured in the media, online, and radio with her music and outstanding achievements. Just google her! Gilli's website is www.gillimoon.com

Gilli is invited to speak at various music conferences and workshops around the world about her story as an independent artist, and she provides tips and tools on how independent artists can create success in their own careers. Complimenting this, she has written a motivational book for artists of all genres called "I AM A Professional Artist - the Key to Survival and Success in the World of the Arts" based on her experiences in the music and general arts businesses as an artist and entrepreneur, and is currently writing her sophomore book release "Just Get Out There" due in 2010.

Inspired to make a difference in the music industry for songwriters, Gilli co-founded Songsalive!, back in 1997, which is now, over ten years later, the largest internationally based non-profit songwriters organization. The website is www.songsalive.org

Gilli performs and tours around the world as an Artist and is constantly creating projects for her own music and arts passions, as well as for others. She is the CEO of her own record company, artist development and production house, Warrior Girl Music , she has produced and released over 20 Artists' albums as well as music compilations., and in 07, she co-founded and co-produced the inaugural Los Angeles Women's Music Festival, featuring over 60 artists and attracting more than 3,000 on the day, raising funds for animal rescue. The Warrior Girl Music website is www.warriorgirlmusic.com

Gilli has also opened the doors at her company for consulting and coaching emerging and professional artists in music and artist development. Gilli's company coaches artists and individuals across all genres of creativity, including musicians, singers, songwriters, actors, dancers, writers, producers and anyone who wants to unleash their creativity. The website is www.artistdevelopmentcoach.com which is also linked from the Warrior Girl Music website.

With her Songsalive! world nation, as well as her company Warrior Girl Music, Gilli has effectively brought together thousands of artists and songwriters together under various umbrellas, whether it be music conferences, song retreats and workshops, or with her own dynamic and thought provoking rock music concerts, as a live entertainer herself: her ultimate passion.

Gilli lives in Southern California.

Discover this dynamic and organic artist at www.gillimoon.com Click on Bio for her full story.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars lots of "feel good" filler and little meat, April 30, 2006

By 

Kate "artist/art prof" (NC, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: I Am A Professional Artist: The Key to Survival And Success in the World of the Arts (Paperback)

I should have known by the bad art on the cover. I teach a class at a university on the business of art and periodically review these types of books to see if they should be included in my courselist... this book might work for someone who needs a morale boost or simplistic encouragement, but it was full of new-age cheerleading platitudes (20 full pages of this thin book are simply one-line quotes from the author enlarged to fill the page) and lacked anything concrete to help artists make the jump to "professional". I almost never go to the trouble of returning a book or writing a review, but I was really angry that anyone would print and distribute this book which seems to offer nothing new.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars errr, May 10, 2005

By 

J. Brittain "JFB" (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: I Am A Professional Artist: The Key to Survival And Success in the World of the Arts (Paperback)

Interestingly, if you look at the reviews of 'How to survive and prosper as an artist' you will see that Gilli Moon has recomended her own book as an alternative. That's a bit questionable isn't it?

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring and helpful, September 25, 2005

By 

Marilyn Dalrymple "MaLing" (Lancaster, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: I Am A Professional Artist: The Key to Survival And Success in the World of the Arts (Paperback)

I Am a Professional Artist: the key to survival and success in the world of the arts by Gilli Moon is a small, motivating, interesting and valuable volume for anyone struggling to make it in the world of art. Author Gilli Moon gives down-to-earth, hard-news-type advice with no promises of success unless you are willing to get down and dirty. Along with sage advice, however, Moon prefaces her get-tough, get-working advice with all things encouraging.

And she knows what she is talking about. I recently saw Moon at a concert in Santa Monica and she is indeed a successful performer. Her performance is electrifying. Fields in which she is successful include singing, songwriting, recording artist, musician, actor, producer, author, painter and motivator, among others.

I Am a Professional Artist: the key to survival and success in the world of the arts discusses things all artists struggle with, but Moon doesn't just talk about the struggles, she tells us how to go about facing and overcoming obstacles of the creative soul.

Some steps to success listed under, "The Lessons I've learned," include:

*Learn from others, work with others, but "own" your art.
*Create a plan. Take one step at a time. Be careful not to do step 5 before you have even conquered step 1.
*Don't fear anything. Be courageous. Opportunity is yours for the taking if you really want it.
*Be creative with a business sense.

She also defines that question we all wonder about at one time or another, "When something changes your perspective, you're witnessing Art," she says, "Everything else is craft."

Not just a motivational guru, though, Moon stresses the need to get busy, keep busy, promote, learn, teach and re-invent yourself if you must, but most of all believe in yourself, your art and your abilities.

She encourages artists to take advantage of the Internet. "The Internet," she says, "is leading the way for Artist self-empowerment." Not only is it to be used for promotion, but also it is a tool that allows Artists to negotiate better deals. "Successful Artists run their own databases, their own offices, web sites, fan clubs and promotional affairs," and the Internet is a key ingredient of successes in these areas.

Filled with sage advice, encouragement, heart and energy, I Am a Professional Artist: the key to survival and success in the world of the arts is a must for everyone who wants to become successful in the Arts. Don't just buy it - read it. Don't just read it - do it.