How to Remain in Obscurity

We all know people who are waiting for their "ship to come in". They are people who are so certain that their day will come, they sit around and wait for that wonderful moment, not lifting a single finger to help themselves. 

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   I have to confess that at one time I was such a person! I knew that sooner or later, the right person would see my art, and I would be instantly famous. It never dawned on me that I had to advertise and market. Remember, my art will sell itself! All businesses advertise, but the art world is different. Other artists might need to market, but my art is different.
   Well, all art is different, and mine was no different. Here's what I did to remain in obscurity for a long time.
   I painted a picture every few months. Then I took it out to Michigamme Moonshine and they displayed it for me. If a painting sold, I would paint another one. But I never pushed my own art.
   I never pursued other opportunities. I didn't enter art shows, or art fairs, or competitions. I never approached other galleries. They cost too much, or they were too much work, or I didn't want to be turned down.

  I made very few moves to promote myself at all. I didn't bother to learn about websites. I didn't bother to make postcards. I didn't bother to find anything out about marketing.
  I let my art try to sell itself for far too long. I assumed people would see it at the one place I displayed it. They would buy it; they would tell their friends. Their friends would go buy some. 
  I didn't get involved in any art, culture and/or community groups. I didn't have time. I didn't have anything to offer. I had better things to do. Why volunteer, anyway?
  I didn't focus. I spent my time, energies, and money on self destructive habits. I was a heavy drinker. This may not be a problem you have, but it was holding me back, tying me down. It was in my way. I had to get rid of whatever was in my way. 
  I had almost no self confidence. When I approached Moonshine for the first time, I expected the owners to turn me away. To my surprise, they didn't! Still, I would work hours on a painting and then sell it for peanuts. I gave one away because I didn't like it.
  So finally, I realized that my success or my failure was up to me to achieve. Nobody was going to do it for me. Once I took ownership of my life and art, things began to change.
  I got sick of waiting for my ship to come in. So I swam out to it.