I woke this morning with a high level of anxiety and a fear that I am wasting my time and energy on trying to make painting a second career. The following article was the first thing I saw in my mail box.
Sue Smith, whose website Ancient Artist provides some of the most sound and reality based information on the business of art, posted this new article about the realities of art in this crazy economy. It deserves a good read and a great deal of thought and discussion.
Is There A New Art Economy?
The cruelest thing about the economy right now is that it creates self doubt. And self doubt is an insidious thing, tempting you to see patterns and competition and fear everywhere. As time wears us down, we're left wondering if we'll ever sell paintings at the same rate as before...if we're not as good now as we were then...if it's because others are moving into our markets and pushing us aside. The answer to those questions is a resounding...
And that's the second most cruel thing about the economy right now. There are no answers.
The rest of the article cant be found at ANCIENT ARTIST . Read it.
I open up this post to discussion for all about your responses to this article.
Are you making art to sell? Is it selling? Do you have a plan?
If there is enough discussion, as there I think there may be, I'll start a new blog page for a continuing dialog.
Talk about serendipity. It was a sign to let you know you are NOT alone here Kaylyn. Like you, I went from a very secure, government job with great benefits to the other end of the spectrum. I tried a couple of part time jobs but they didn't work out. I kept coming back to art. Maybe because it was therapeutic, maybe I thought it was something I could see results relatively quickly and maybe I thought this was the path I needed to take.
ReplyDeleteAs the paintings started to pile up and stack up against the hallway walls, I started thinking, "What the heck am I doing?" Of course, this was also when I was turned down by an art broker and art leasing company.
I'm been "whoring" myself with pet and people portraits just to keep a little money coming in. [very little] I keep entering small local juried shows just to keep me feeling that someone out there appreciates what I am doing and hoping someone will say, "I want this!" It hasn't happened yet.
I have also joined FineArtAmerica.com just a couple of days ago. It's free and it might be a venue for you too. I did sell one small piece on Etsy but it was my first sale in the year I've been there.
So are these little nibbles and bites enough to sustain you like they have me? I don't know. I think the godsend has been these blogs and the support I get from fellow artists going through the same thing.
I know you have the talent Kaylyn. Now we just need to be as savvy as Kinkade and Wyland to get us going. Hang in there girl!
Thanks for sharing this article Kaylyn. This economy is really hard on the artist. I think it has been made harder because it did follow a "bubble." Hang in there. Paint because you HAVE to. Then realize that part of it, the hardest part, is becoming a business person. People will love your work... just keep doing it.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. There are a few threads that get tangled in the art and business of art views. I have worked as a 'corporate artist', which means doing commissions, for years. (So I wonder about the whoring word that Sheila uses yikes!)I can do this job because... I can do this job. Paint a dog, a woman, a landscape... this is my talent and ability.
ReplyDeleteI have been exploring ways to sell the work that I feel inspired to do. To set up this business on the internet is a whole skill set- from networking to product availabilites, finding the market. It is not for the faint hearted and I wouldn't recommend quitting the day job.
The coincidence on this for me is that I was just talking to my sister about the networking and when does the cash come in. I likened it to carrot chasing. She is actually working on setting up a network where everyone does their job. Artists paint, accountants account, marketers market...
It was a great discussion because it made me ask the bottom line question. What do I want to do? Because until I am clear on that, I am chasing carrots. (which are good for one,apparently)
I much prefer sinking my teeth into the meat.
Good question Kaylyn. What can we do as a collective to make it work?
Earthula!
ReplyDeleteI like your sister's idea. I truly believe that the economy will not recover in a way that will take us back to 'where we were', which, if correctly directed, is potentially a good thing. I think the hand to hand, small market of honest goods and services is a big part of the future of our economy. It has to be...millions of us are essentially shut out of the 'big' marketplace due the the many factors of overseas job export, automation, failing markets and industries, etc. For those of us caught with the double whammy of industry collapse and being in the over 45-50 age range, the future in our traditional careers is bleak. (in large part because of $#%#@$&%$# health insurance costs!)
What I am doing--painting like crazy to get my skills up to a level I think is of marketable and respectable quality. I'm trying to get a body of work together so at least I can tell what direction I'm headed. I have aligned with a local printer/framer, the frame builder.com noted on my other page, who is just this week opening a new gallery here in town. He does on demand giclee printing with optional framing and matting. We hit it off quite well when I fist sought him out to do a couple prints at Christmas time. I will be working in the gallery in exchange for printing and framing in preparation of a show in the early fall. Adam is committed to helping artists develop their market outside of a traditional gallery representation model, I'm committed to helping him because there's a strong synergy between our goals.
Collective. I like the word and the idea. I think we need to talk about this.
Not an easy career for sure.
ReplyDeleteArt Trip...I am so honored that you would visit my site. Your extraordinary site has changed my life goals as an artist. I am going to produce a sizable body of work in the next month and then sign up for your (AFDRP). Seems the best sure fire program I've seen yet. Life will be so simple after completing the program!
ReplyDeleteGreat article and discussions. I am trying to make it as a full-time artist as
ReplyDeletewell and after initial early success things have ground to a halt and my paintings are piling up in the hallways too. But I've found part-time work here and there and continue to paint. I love the concept of a market outside of the traditional gallery. The commissions just kill me. After i pay for framing and everything else there is little left over. I do however plan on exploring alternatives such as framing myself which i could also do for other artists. And i do not mind pet or people portrait commissions. It is one way to by pass the gallery and do something you love to do at the same time. I do not see it as prostitution in any way.
Check out this gals Blog. It is packed with good information by a very talented and successful artist who herself struggles from time to time with slow sales. http://lizwiltzen.blogspot.com/
Thanks Kaylyn for stopping by my blog.