Ann Rea wanted to increase her fine art sales.

Like many, she couldn’t find a reliable roadmap for making art and making money.

Ann longed for a deeper purpose and validation from selling more of her art.

She realized that if she could have figured out how to increase her art sales by herself, she would have done it.

Ann knew that if she kept struggling with art sales it would erode her creative inspiration and confidence.

If Ann lost her inspiration to create, a part of her soul would die.

One day, Ann and her friend Angela started complaining about their dull day jobs again.
Ann and Angela were one month apart in age.

Because Angela was recovering from Stage-4 breast cancer treatments, Ann redirected the conversation by asking, “If you had a magic wand that guaranteed your success, what would you do?”

Angela said, “I’d be an interior designer. I love design.”

“What’s stopping you?”

After a long pause, Angela said, “I’m too afraid.”

“Are you more afraid of becoming an interior designer than dying of cancer?”

At that moment, Ann became less afraid of dying and more afraid of not living.

Ann decided to turn her dream of being a successful fine artist into her goal.

In January 2005, she moved to San Francisco to become a full-time artist.

What was the first thing she did? She shocked her representatives by firing them.

Despite having no contacts, family support, or trust fund, She sold $103,246 of her art during her first year as a full-time artist.

Then from December 2007 to June 2009, the United States experienced the longest economic downturn since World War II.

Ann needed a quick way to make more money with her art.

Ann reviewed art history to find how famous artists found their niche.

She found a few clues in art history.

Then she studied luxury marketing and sales and found more clues.

Finally, Ann cracked a four-part code revealing how successful fine artists find their niche.

Ann quickly increased her average sale price tenfold from $2,000 to $20,000 without her:

• feeling pushy
• paying sales commissions
• writing cringy artist’s statements

By focusing on one proven luxury market strategy, Ann no longer felt overwhelmed.

On average, this strategy can generate 80% more sales, and you keep 100% of your money because collectors are 82% more likely to buy and spend more money.

One day Ann’s intern, Kathryn, announced her graduation from the Academy of Art University of San Francisco.

She graduated with no marketable skills, inescapable student loans, and credit card debt of over $250,000.

Kathryn’s father lost his job, and her mother died suddenly from pancreatic cancer.

Ann began ruminating over Kathryn’s situation while stuck in traffic on Van Ness Boulevard in San Francisco.

Then she noticed an antique car collection on display in an old Cadillac car dealership.

The Academy of Art University owns the elaborate car collection, the former Cadillac car dealership, and the largest percentage of real estate in San Francisco.

Kathryn’s crushing debt was funding the Academy’s antique car collection and real estate portfolio.

Ann’s anger ignited the inspiration to create Making Art Making Money™ School of Business.

Her students graduate by selling enough of their art to cover their tuition, at a minimum.

“If students do not earn their tuition through the sale of their art within a year, we’ll work with them for free until they do.

We only ask that they complete the program within the first six months, which is plenty of time.

If they don’t give up, we don’t give up.” -Ann Rea.

Inc. Magazine featured this graduation rule as an innovation in higher education.

As long as fine artists keep trying to build an art “career” or “art practice,” they will struggle to sell. Selling art is a business.

When fine artists are not selling, they don’t feel validated.

Talented artists lacking confidence and focus give up after years of trying.

Tragically, when an artist gives up, a part of their soul dies.

Artists have the power to connect us with our humanity, which is why we are the first to be commissioned or executed during political revolutions.

“Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” -Andy Warhol