Earlier this year I spent some time in Palm Springs, CA. It was fun to ride around and check out the homes of some of the stars that were there when Palm Springs was in its heyday. One of the big entertainers was Liberace. He had four homes there and also bought one for his mother….good son.
Being ever curious, I did a little research on him and found that he came from a poor family. His father was a musician, but often worked in a factory or as a laborer. His father wanted his children to know the joy of music and liked to have music played in the home. He also encouraged them to learn to play instruments.
Liberace was gifted and could play difficult pieces at a young age. At age eight he went to hear one of his idols and got to meet him after the show. This encounter filled him with the joy of music and he wanted to follow in his footsteps. He began to practice with a new passion – like he never practiced before.
He began his career by playing straight classical music. In time be began adding pop to his show and mixed it with the classical music, leaving out “the boring parts”. He continued to be more elaborate in showmanship adapting to what the audience wanted.
The thing that really impressed me was that he connected to his audience. At the end of the shows he would invite the audience up on the stage to see and touch his costumes and props up close and to also meet him.
As I thought about his life I realized that he had the perfect formula for success; and how we could apply it to our art (or whatever we want to pursue) by following the same principles:
- Surround yourself with encouragers and also be an encourager to others.
- Practice, practice, practice your craft.
- Keep growing and putting new goals in front of you.
- Be true to yourself but also change and adapt.
- Connect with your audience and give them top notch customer service.
I hope these words can be an encouragement to you and that you can keep moving forward in your hopes and dreams with your art or whatever it is you are pursuing.
May the work of your hands be blessed.
Jane
PS. Some of this information I got from Wikipedia.
PSS. The pictures are from my pattern Art Bin.
Were any of them open to tour or made into museums, Jane? Always wanted to go to Palm Springs. There is a big tennis tournament near there called, Indian Wells. I LOVE tennis and would enjoy going to Indian Wells. Carol Henry
Hi Carol, they weren’t open to tour. When we were there Dean Martin’s home was for sale,not sure it was still in the family. We found a book that listed a lot of the homes that had the old addresses so it was easy to find them.
Hi Jane,
I’ve just read your blog and found it very interesting. I appreciate especially how you went past just viewing the homes where the famous lived. Your steps to success sure seem to be spot on, no matter in what direction someone is seeking success. After being told in high school that I had no artistic talent and my time would be spent better elsewhere other than in art class, I was in my early 40’s before I became a self- taught decorative painter. At that time, I was trying to make extra money by selling at craft shows, and it took some perseverance, but I did developed a following among customers. Fast forward some 20+ years, reading what all you wrote, thru trial and error, I developed those same attributes you listed in your blog. I think they are just as important today as they were years ago. I sincerely hope that others will embrace each of those steps to help them along their road to success. While I’m mostly a whimsical painter, I do like some realistic nature painting. Several years ago, you had a chickadee pattern in one of the magazines – it had 2 birds with red berries – that I tried my had at, changing especially the background at the time. I think I’ve painted it about 5 times, and I’m not the only one who enjoys it – each one of them sold. Thank you for designing challenging patterns, but ones with great instructions! Happy painting and designing! Marian Dain
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Hi Marian,
Thank you for your kind words. Your story is so similar to mine. In high school I told my art teacher that I also wanted to be an art teacher and he told me he didn’t think I had what it took. So I spent 34 years working for state government and doing my art on the side. It is amazing how much power our words have and we can use them to encourage or discourage someone. I like to write to encourage others and in the process I am also talking to myself.
So glad that you enjoyed painting my chickadees and berries pattern and that it was a popular saler for you. I wish you success in your art.
Thank you again for your kind words. Knowing that I am helping and encouraging others is why I do my blog.
Blessings to you,Jane
Wonderful advice Jane. Often times what limits our “success’ is ourselves and that little voice inside our heads! Or worse yet we listen to the voices of others telling us what we can’t do or achieve. I so wish way back when I was in high school I had pursued my DREAM of going to Art school but there were those “voices” that told me “I wasn’t good enough”. I married young at 21 and a few short years later we started a family. I spent the next 25 years raising my children and working part time as a Diet Tech in a hospital. I never lost my love of crafting and painting. It just took a back seat to all my other “adult responsibilities”. I’m grateful now that my children are grown, I’m retired and I can once again pick up my brushes and paint with a Happy Heart! Thank you for sharing your story and encouraging others to always follow their dreams.
Thank you Lynn, Isn’t it funny how many of us listened to those voices, instead of our hearts. I am thankful that we get second and third chances, in fact every day is a new chance to pursue our dreams. I am thankful we are part of the sisterhood that is enjoying and developing the gifts God has given us. Love all your wisdom my friend.