Sharks nearly kept Barry from his goal…and then this happened…

Barry found himself in a tough spot. He had a project to complete but no funds to do it. He wasn’t sure about the process of reaching out to patrons and sponsors and was very hesitant to even begin. When he enrolled in the Patrons and Sponsors class he began following every direction to the letter…except when it came to actually reaching out to people.

“I was very hesitant to do it. I had literally everything done according to his directions without diving in. I felt like I was standing on the edge of the diving board waiting for the sharks to clear the water before jumping in,” Barry says now.

Eventually, with a lot of support from Praxis teachers and community, Barry found the courage to take the leap. After that, something amazing happened.

The first donation Barry received was nothing to scoff at. A substantial $1600 put him immediately on the right path. And then it happened. A single patron completely funded Barry’s entire project. $17,600 all because he was willing to take the plunge and reach out to potential patrons and sponsors.

When all was said and done, Barry raised more than he needed for the project. With the extra funds, he was able to look ahead to other projects including creating a book of his series of paintings.

“Preconceived sharks almost kept me away from the plunge.”

Asking for help is like that. It is not in our nature to reach out to others, particularly when those others are total strangers, for financial assistance. As a working artist, you must move beyond your preconceived sharks and realize that there are sponsorships out there for the taking. Funding artists brings genuine joy to some people with the means to afford it.

For Barry, and for many others, it takes time to get used to the idea and to work up the nerve to take that first step. The community and teachers at Praxis Center know how it feels to stand at the edge of that cliff and they are there to help you find the courage to jump. So what are you waiting for? Stop standing on the shore worrying about sharks that aren’t even there. Sign up with Praxis today and by next week who knows what waters you could be swimming in!