Artists Are Like Apple Trees: A Guidebook for Success in Music, Art and Theatre

By Jim Gardner

As a talented person, what is your real purpose in life?

This book helps you discover and define your purpose, along with providing the keys to happiness and success, which are found in the fulfillment of that purpose.

You are your greatest asset, and your life is the material youve been given to work with.

With imagination and love, your talents become your gifts to the world, and the worlds riches become your rewards.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press
• Release date: Dec 27, 2013
• ISBN: 9781452587707

Jim Gardner

Jim Gardner earned a bachelor’s degree in art from the University of Wisconsin in 1973. Having worked his way through college as an entertainer, he worked in the music business for several years before falling back on his college art training. He began working at ad agencies and print shops, painting signs on the side and airbrushing T-shirts at car shows. This evolved into custom painting cars and motorcycles and today he paints wall murals around the Phoenix metropolitan area. He is also the author of Artists Are Like Apple Trees: A Guidebook for Success in Music, Art and Theatre. He lives in Mesa, Arizona, with his wife and 2 dogs. For more information visit www.MuralsByGardner.com.

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Copyright © 2013 Jim Gardner.

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ISBN: 978-1-4525-8769-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4525-8770-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013921313

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/11/2013

Contents

Preface

Introduction

Chapter 1.   Artists and Apple Trees

Chapter 2.   Finding Purpose

Chapter 3.   The Interaction of Our Four Aspects

Chapter 4.   The Key to Happiness and The Key to Success

Chapter 5.   Developing Talent

Chapter 6.   Courage and Confidence

Chapter 7.   Thoughts Are Things

Chapter 8.   The Shopping List, or the Key to Getting What We Want

Chapter 9.   There is No Competition to Being Yourself

Summary

About the Author

Preface

What can I tell incoming students about their prospects for employment in the field of art?

This book is written in response to an e-mail I received about a year ago from the admissions director for the school of art at my alma matter, the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

I invited her to visit my website to see some samples of the various projects I’ve worked on to make a living, but seeing the work others have done doesn’t tell the aspiring creative person how to sell their talents in the marketplace.

This book is an attempt to put into play a simple philosophy that works for anyone in any chosen line of work, but especially to those who want to earn a living by exchanging their time and talents for money.

Introduction

It is my hope in writing this book, that it will be encouraging to anyone who has the desire to use their talents as a way of surviving economically and spiritually, such that they can live a life filled with a sense of purpose and meaningful experiences.

Each of us have been given lessons to learn and gifts to use. If we use our gifts, we will learn our lessons and every day will be meaningful and exciting. If we don’t use our gifts, we will not learn our lessons and we will miss many of the opportunities life has to offer. We will be left with a life filled with uncertainty and confusion.

I frequently use the term artist throughout the book, but that term includes any creative expression whether it be visual, musical, theatrical