In this issue of our newsletter: Two-Way Communication
"When a work of painting, music or other form attains two-way communication, it is truly art."
- L. Ron Hubbard
Message from the Director
In L. Ron Hubbard’s article entitled The Fundamentals of Art Basic Definition, he states: “ART is a word which summaries THE QUALITY OF COMMUNICATION." No matter what your artistic talents or genre, the ability to communicate on a high aesthetic level tends to set the true artist apart from his peers. However, in the highly competitive art marketplace today, if one also desires to also make a good living from their art, it is necessary to have workable administrative and organizational tools to fall back on. Along with this, understanding marketing and promotion is vital to success. That’s exactly where EMA Artists USA comes in. I urge you to become part of our movement. Read the successes below from our artist members so you can find out how much being a part of this team has benefited them in their artist endeavors.
– Leisa Collins
Featured Artist of the Month: Johnnie Ferro
Johnnie Ferro is a musician, songwriter and producer originally from Buffalo, New York. He writes and performs in multiple styles, including rock, pop, blues, punk, R&B, jazz and country. Johnnie has performed with Billy Sherwood (Yes), Manny Charlton (Nazareth), Jeannie Deva (The Deva Method) and several other notable artists.
Johnnie has spent more than two decades learning about, understanding, and fine-tuning his command of audio production.
Please tell us a little bit about your art business.
I'm a multi-genre, multi instrumentalist musician and producer. My passion for music came about at an early age when, at 11 years old, I heard Guns N Roses for the first time and decided that I wanted to “do that!” I really began to cut my teeth as a musician on Jazz while in high school, getting a good working understanding of the structure of music as well as improvisation. I later went on to train as a vocalist with world-renowned celebrity vocal coach Jeannie Deva, with whom I've also performed, and I've done recording sessions with the likes of Manny Charlton (Nazareth), Walfredo Reyes (Santana, Chicago), Tim Bogart (Vanilla Fudge), Misha Segal. I've performed on stage with artists including Deedee O'Malley, Man Made Souls, and Steve Vai! I was also listed as one of Music Connection. Magazine's Hot Unsigned Live Acts in 2012.
I've written hundreds of songs and worked on dozens of projects between my own original albums and singles as well as collaborations with other artists. I'm also an endorsed artist with Minarik Guitars, GHS Strings, G7th Capos, Slidewinder Rings, and Wathen Audiophile Speakers.
Along with making music, my other passion in life is helping others - especially helping other artists! This naturally led me into the world of music production. For the past 2 decades, I've been learning and perfecting my approach to producing. Proficient in ProTools, Logic, and Reason, my viewpoint on working with artists as their producer is that I am not there to alter the artist’s sound or communication - my job is to help them bring these things out and get their intended communication across in the purest, most complete way possible. My ultimate goal when working with an artist is that they walk away from the project feeling more confident and competent as artists and with regards to their communication, and that they are thrilled with their product!
In general, how has the use of Mr. Hubbard's administrative technology impacted your business?
It has turned it around 180 degrees! Prior to implementing the Hubbard Management System, I was without focus and direction as far as driving my business goes. Without a certainty in how to run my art as a business, I was constantly at the mercy of the whims of others who supposedly "knew better" when it came to the music industry. This resulted in my going down paths that I didn't really want to go down and, ultimately, my getting taken advantage of. Fast forward and I now am in full control over every aspect of my art and I have a plan for expansion and success that I am actively executing - and it's working!
Oh, and by the way, I've heard a lot of talk over the years about artists feeling like they will lose their artistic integrity in some way if they get sucked into the business side of their art. I'm here to tell you that putting in my cause over the business side of my art has actually opened up my creativity in ways that I had not known were possible. Having the technology of how to operate on an admin level, I now don't have to worry about it - I just apply what I know and it works! It's amazing how much attention that has freed up for creation.
By the way, I was one of those people who were afraid to "lose myself" as an artist by treating my art as a business. :)
What piece of Mr. Hubbard's administrative wisdom have you found particularly helpful in making your business successful?
The main thing for me is that it is based on observation. Not opinions. Not emotions. Just simply confronting what is there and handling things standardly based on what you see. The only mistake you can make with this technology is not applying it 100% to the letter. Literally all of the guesswork has been taken out of running a business - you simply need to look, find the reference that applies to your scene, and apply it. It's freaking magical!
As a successful art business owner, is there one really valuable tip that you would like our readers to take away with them?
First and foremost, as an artist you are a communicator. As part of that, what you communicate via your art is a function of your intention. Once you have that really sorted out for yourself, regardless of what anyone else says or does, the rest really does fall into place. In other words, figure out what your purpose is and never, and I do mean never, stray from it!
You can find Johnnie online at:
Artists in Action
J.K. Stephens
Janet Stephen's fifth book was published on June first. Reboot of the Moon and Other Stories, is a collection of fantasy and sci-fi tales that were written to be enjoyed by busy readers as vacations from their everyday reality. Jan says, "I enjoyed writing them, but the best moments are always when my stories connect with readers. I always look forward to reader responses, which are often surprising!"
The 20 stories in this new book include “Moon Juice,” about an engineer who accepts a mysterious bequest from his ex-girlfriend; and “Barbering the Tiger,” in which the audience is the spectacle that performers pay to see.
Reboot of the Moon is available in print and e-reader formats, at https://www.amazon.com/author/jkstephens
Readers can contact Jan at www.daybreakcreate.com
Astrid Reeves
Astrid's work is being featured at the Lucy Loves boutique in Fairfax, Virginia. The owner specifically requested Astrid's artwork after having seen her in multiple art shows. Lucy Loves had its grand opening in August. Astrid says, "This is a very exciting opportunity."
You can find Astrid's art at: https://www.astridsartstudio.com/
Curt Strickland
Curt Strickland is a playwright who recently received a master's degree in playwriting from Lesley University’s graduate program. Inspired by August Wilson, Curt is finishing up the fifth play in his ten-play opus on America; each play is set in a different decade. Besides his political and cultural essays, Curt is a landscape photographer, and a former owner at Great American Art, one of the largest commercial art corporations in the nation. Curt believes that art should serve to heal, inspire, provoke, challenge and to offer hope – but most of all to connect, to remind us of our common humanity.
Curt's short play, Speed Dating, was recently produced in ten theaters around the country, including Canada. Another short play, Trump’s Big Announcement, will be performed at the Secret Theatre this August in Queens, New York. In 2020, Curt received a double lung transplant, an event that had profound effects on both his writing and his life. This experience is the basis of a new play he is developing called Double Lung.
You can find Curt at:
Essays: www.curtsview.com
Photography: www.curtstricklandphotography.com/shop-art
Joel Morris
Joel Morris has been celebrating a regular increase in art sales. He says, "Being part of EMA has been fundamental to the growth of my art business. The training courses that EMA uses to help me with the 'business' aspect of being an artist, the friendship and help from other EMA members and the weekly Zoom calls to stay in touch and tell others about our progress (or problems) are invaluable. My sales continue to increase, I'm producing more work than before, and I see a bright future."
You can see more of Joel's artwork at his website: joelmorris.art
On the Lighter Side
This cartoon was created by EMA Artists USA member, Steve Gill, who spent 40 years traveling to shows all over the United States, selling his humorous artwork and making people laugh. We recently appointed Steve as the Resident Cartoonist for EMA Artists and he is now creating a series of artist inspired works. Here is the first.
Ready to achieve two-way communication?
Visit our website today!
Or email us at: emaartistsusa@gmail.com
©2023 Effective Management Association Artists. All Rights Reserved. Grateful acknowledgment is made to L. Ron Hubbard Library for permission to reproduce a selection from the copyrighted works of L. Ron Hubbard. HUBBARD is a trademark and is used pursuant to a license agreement. EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION is a registered trademark. IA #090123EUS
Our mailing address is:
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