Dear Artist Friends,
This is something I haven’t done before, and I want to approach it the same way I always have—with honesty and steadiness.
For many years, I’ve shared my work freely. It’s been a deliberate choice—and one I’ve genuinely enjoyed. Writing for artists and passing along what I’ve learned about how the art business really works has been deeply satisfying. Hearing that it’s helped you, clarified things, or simply made you feel less alone has meant more to me than I can say.
This note is a simple, honest ask for support—one I don’t make lightly.
Friends of Barney (FOB) is a one‑time way for readers to stand behind the work, if it has mattered to you and if supporting it feels right.
It’s not a membership. It’s not a subscription. It’s not a funnel.
It’s a single, one‑time gesture. No recurring charges.
I want to pause here and say something plainly—not as a pitch, but as truth.
I’ve put countless hours into this work. I’ve written millions of words. I’ve kept the beat steady for decades. No one does that unless they care deeply about the people getting something meaningful from the work.
What I get is knowing the writing helps—offering clarity, perspective, or companionship when someone needs it. I try to meet artists where they are, with respect for their intelligence, independence, and lived experience.
I’m a writer. Words are my art.
Like any artist, I create to explore ideas, offer new ways of seeing, tell stories, touch hearts, and—sometimes—change lives in quiet ways I may never fully witness.
This is who I am. This is what I do. This is what I’ve always done.
If you’ve found value here—as a reader, admirer, student, fan, friend, or benefactor—please know how grateful I am. And if you choose to support this work now, I’ll receive it with genuine appreciation and goodwill.
As a thank‑you, I’ll send you three of my best books by email.
I’ll mention FOB once more on the 31st, and then I won’t ask again. If you believe in the work and can support it, this is the moment. If not, that’s completely okay. The writing continues either way.
If you’d like to become a Friend of Barney, you can do that here:
Thank you for reading. Thank you for being here. And thank you—in whatever form your support takes.
All the best, Barney
PS: We’ll resume our regular publishing rhythm next week. Art marketing is evolving—and so are we. I’ll be breaking down Jason Horejs’s Year in Review and what it means for Art Marketing News Weekly subscribers. It’s an extraordinary piece of reporting.