CHAPTER ONE: WHERE A ARTIST HAS A ITCH TO SCRATCH THAT NEEDS 12 POINT FONT....
I have a story…
Many many stories, actualy.
Right now, I’m a fraud analyst for a bank. I work graveyard shift Friday thru Monday nights, have a girlfriend.
I’m also a artist.
Thing is, I don’t think you know what that is.
There are myths about artists. We do it to create, we do it to emote, we do it to see something beautiful in the world.
Ehhhhhh, maybe.
We do it for fame, we do it for how people look at us afterwards, how they see us. We do it as a escape, as a way to fill the time, as a way to connect, to find that piece, that escape we need from the rest of our lives.
Ok, we’re getting closer.
I create to challenge myself. I like to challenge myself because in that moment, when you pull off something that you had never done before, you feel empowered. You feel like this, right here, is your best self.
How is that being a artist though?
Well, what is art? I mean, if we know that, then we could tell if someone’s a artist or not, right? A artist creates art, so if what they do is art, then they are a artist.
It’s a sound theory, however horrible in practice. Art creates a emotional response between the subject and its audience. Strippers are artists. Bakers are artists. Event coordinators are artists.
Being a artist inevitably means you have to create though. So, creatives are artist.
Of course, being a creative, you see the world differently. You look at the world, and see what it could be as well as what it is. That is a gift. One we try to share, as best we can.
Business’s are learning to monetize those that have that inclination. Or at least good businesses do. Bad ones feel like they are stuck with this person who has questions and ideas, when all they asked for was another drone.
Yes, the pain is real…. Just ignore the slight charcoal smell from my work clothes…. Moving on.
It’s been 4 years since I blogged last. In that time I’ve struggled with… life. Part of that struggle was what being a artist means to me. Well, part of that meaning’s changed.
Artists, or at least visual artists have this fun myth. They want to be Frida. They want to be Warhol. They want to be Picasso, Michael Angelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, or anyone else that a mutant turtle was named after. They want the dream of being able to create art, their way, and it sell. Like they have the Midas touch, just in acrylic. They want to stand at the back of a auction house and watch people fight over their art.
I wanted that dream. Part of me still wants that dream.
I’ve given up that dream though, for one a bit more practical.
Which meant I had to give up on being THAT kind of artist.
When people buy art, they have a lot of questions…. Is this going to be worth more later? Is this a good investment? Can I stand looking at this ALL THE TIME? Do I really WANT to spend money on this? Can’t I just get a print? Artists…accommodate that a lot. They try to answer their questions as best they can. Will it hold up? Will the image last? Can you do commissions? Could you put this in a different frame? Do you mind if I come back and think on it?
Could you do this instead?
Artists… want to sell art. I’m sorry, Art supplies are expensive. Canvass is expensive and most of us are holding out on that dream of being able to quit the 9 – 5 and live the artist lifestyle…. And keep a roof over our heads. So we accommodate, we answer questions, we make changes, we do all those things that take a piece of art from our idea, our vision to something that fits in the comfort zone of whomever has the nearest open wallet. No matter how much is actually inside.
This apprehension of investing in art, sacrificing tragic wall real estate, seems to be a decent barrier for a lot of people.
Which…. Is kinda stupid.
You don’t change the highway because you would have to look at it every day on your drive in to work.
You’re not nearly as apprehensive about those second balcony far left of stage seats to see the current touring version of the band that you liked in high school, who only has one of the original members left, and it’s the backup guitarist.
Most are apprehensive… because they don’t know what they are doing, and don’t want to admit it.
That’s fine, btw…. We don’t know what we’re doing either. We just learned to show confidence and bluff our way thru.
We’ll gladly hold your hand, as long as we’re helping you pull money out of your wallet.
We’ll gladly indulge you these white lies about art being a investment purchase, because if the lies we tell ourselves about how we’re going to make it big come true, it totally will be.
But now… for me at least, it feels shallow.
So, I’ve stopped.
I want to get my stuff out there. I want people to like my aestetic, to buy my art. So, I’m making it easier for them.
I’m putting it on things. People like things.
People will gladly spend money on a pillow or a tote bag or a journal and not think twice.
They already know the answers to all the questions. THIS IS in their comfort zone. THIS IS a acceptable risk… This is something I don’t have to look at every day.
For me, this is a way to get my art out there.
I don’t dream of standing in the back of a auction house anymore while people fight for a original.
But I do dream of walking down the street one day and seeing my art on someone’s bag. For me, now, that is more than enough.
Many many stories, actualy.
Right now, I’m a fraud analyst for a bank. I work graveyard shift Friday thru Monday nights, have a girlfriend.
I’m also a artist.
Thing is, I don’t think you know what that is.
There are myths about artists. We do it to create, we do it to emote, we do it to see something beautiful in the world.
Ehhhhhh, maybe.
We do it for fame, we do it for how people look at us afterwards, how they see us. We do it as a escape, as a way to fill the time, as a way to connect, to find that piece, that escape we need from the rest of our lives.
Ok, we’re getting closer.
I create to challenge myself. I like to challenge myself because in that moment, when you pull off something that you had never done before, you feel empowered. You feel like this, right here, is your best self.
How is that being a artist though?
Well, what is art? I mean, if we know that, then we could tell if someone’s a artist or not, right? A artist creates art, so if what they do is art, then they are a artist.
It’s a sound theory, however horrible in practice. Art creates a emotional response between the subject and its audience. Strippers are artists. Bakers are artists. Event coordinators are artists.
Being a artist inevitably means you have to create though. So, creatives are artist.
Of course, being a creative, you see the world differently. You look at the world, and see what it could be as well as what it is. That is a gift. One we try to share, as best we can.
Business’s are learning to monetize those that have that inclination. Or at least good businesses do. Bad ones feel like they are stuck with this person who has questions and ideas, when all they asked for was another drone.
Yes, the pain is real…. Just ignore the slight charcoal smell from my work clothes…. Moving on.
It’s been 4 years since I blogged last. In that time I’ve struggled with… life. Part of that struggle was what being a artist means to me. Well, part of that meaning’s changed.
Artists, or at least visual artists have this fun myth. They want to be Frida. They want to be Warhol. They want to be Picasso, Michael Angelo, Leonardo Da Vinci, or anyone else that a mutant turtle was named after. They want the dream of being able to create art, their way, and it sell. Like they have the Midas touch, just in acrylic. They want to stand at the back of a auction house and watch people fight over their art.
I wanted that dream. Part of me still wants that dream.
I’ve given up that dream though, for one a bit more practical.
Which meant I had to give up on being THAT kind of artist.
When people buy art, they have a lot of questions…. Is this going to be worth more later? Is this a good investment? Can I stand looking at this ALL THE TIME? Do I really WANT to spend money on this? Can’t I just get a print? Artists…accommodate that a lot. They try to answer their questions as best they can. Will it hold up? Will the image last? Can you do commissions? Could you put this in a different frame? Do you mind if I come back and think on it?
Could you do this instead?
Artists… want to sell art. I’m sorry, Art supplies are expensive. Canvass is expensive and most of us are holding out on that dream of being able to quit the 9 – 5 and live the artist lifestyle…. And keep a roof over our heads. So we accommodate, we answer questions, we make changes, we do all those things that take a piece of art from our idea, our vision to something that fits in the comfort zone of whomever has the nearest open wallet. No matter how much is actually inside.
This apprehension of investing in art, sacrificing tragic wall real estate, seems to be a decent barrier for a lot of people.
Which…. Is kinda stupid.
You don’t change the highway because you would have to look at it every day on your drive in to work.
You’re not nearly as apprehensive about those second balcony far left of stage seats to see the current touring version of the band that you liked in high school, who only has one of the original members left, and it’s the backup guitarist.
Most are apprehensive… because they don’t know what they are doing, and don’t want to admit it.
That’s fine, btw…. We don’t know what we’re doing either. We just learned to show confidence and bluff our way thru.
We’ll gladly hold your hand, as long as we’re helping you pull money out of your wallet.
We’ll gladly indulge you these white lies about art being a investment purchase, because if the lies we tell ourselves about how we’re going to make it big come true, it totally will be.
But now… for me at least, it feels shallow.
So, I’ve stopped.
I want to get my stuff out there. I want people to like my aestetic, to buy my art. So, I’m making it easier for them.
I’m putting it on things. People like things.
People will gladly spend money on a pillow or a tote bag or a journal and not think twice.
They already know the answers to all the questions. THIS IS in their comfort zone. THIS IS a acceptable risk… This is something I don’t have to look at every day.
For me, this is a way to get my art out there.
I don’t dream of standing in the back of a auction house anymore while people fight for a original.
But I do dream of walking down the street one day and seeing my art on someone’s bag. For me, now, that is more than enough.
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