Brad Greek • September 2006

Community Artist on the Rise

By Jennifer Otto

True artists are not discovered, they have to go out there and make themselves known.

This is the philosophy of Fort Walton Beach painter Brad Greek.

“If you aren’t promoting yourself, no one is going to do it for you,” Greek said. “Only you can make it happen.”
 
Greek participates in several art organizat ions including the Arts and Design Society, the Cultural Arts Association, the Emerald Coast Plein-Air Painters Group, the Santa Rosa Arts and Culture Foundation, and the Arts Council of Northwest Florida.

“I am different from a lot of artists, because I do get involved and I do get active.”

Money and status quo are only part of the equation. For those to even matter, there must be a strong desire for art in the area.

“I’m not in it for myself alone. I think a lot of artists are in it for me, me, me,” he said. “I believe in helping out fellow artists and helping the art community. Art does make a difference and can be used for good. You don’t have to sell all your art in order to feel accomplished.”

Greek promotes everyone that helps him along the way. In the past, he has partnered with several local art galleries and businesses on campaigns to attract people to their shops.

“I was like everybody else. I didn’t have a clue what was in those shops,” he explained. “The whole point behind it was to try and use artwork to lure people into these local shops. I was amazed at what I found right here in Fort Walton Beach.”

Art awareness is very low these days, he explained.

“With all the hurricanes, the wars, the traffic, the economy and gas prices – people just aren’t looking to buy art. They just don’t have the disposable income.”

With the interest in owning original artwork declining in the local area, Greek has been forced to expand his reach with the print market.

“I always wanted to get into the print market. I mean I was painting and selling, painting and selling, I never really had anything to show for it,” he explained. “So, I figured print would be a better foundation for residual income – something to pass onto my kids. So, I have been going after it pretty heavy in the last three years.”

The print market has many benefits. The artist gets to keep the painting that he worked so hard to create, and the buyer gets to keep a high-quality work of art at a fraction of the cost.

“Sometimes that is the beauty of the print market. The quality on color reproductions is just like a painting.”

Greek has found that the Internet is an excellent marketing tool for his prints.

“There’s a positive and negative impact to everything, but as far as the exposure worldwide – your audience on your Web site instantly becomes international.”

The negative comes in when you consider how much it really has expanded the market.

“What it has also done is flood the market,” he said. “Everybody that has ever picked up a pencil has got a Web site that is packed full of images.”

Greek does not let this discourage him. The key is to continue putting a face with his name.

“To compete and to become known in the art world today, you just have to be one of those people that goes after it and has the drive,” Greek said. “This is your life – you get knocked down and you get right back up. This is who you are – you are an artist.”

Having a strong name is very important to Greek, however, being true to the art community stands above everything else.

“It doesn’t matter if you win awards, sell a painting – it’s about art, it’s who you are.”

Greek’s paintings start at $75 and range in price to around $2,250, depending on the size. His prints are available at an average cost of $65.

For more information on Greek, check out is Web site at http://www.artbybradgreek.com/.