I just gotta get this out. Not being paid for my art really
sucks. What is worse is when no one even
wants it. And what's even worser (yes,
today, worser is a word!) is if I get haggled for something I created.
As an example, I used to make wire jewelry. I loved to twist and turn the wire around
specially selected gemstones. Each one
was special. Each piece was unique. And each and every piece took time, patience,
practice, waste, repairing a jacked up manicure, and investment in products and
marketing. I fought with myself on
pricing. And then when I would take it to
craft fairs I sometimes had to argue for small amount of money.
Maybe my work was crap.
Maybe they didn't like it enough to
pay what I asked.
Maybe it wasn't worth what I asked.
Maybe I wasn't worth it.
This is the downward spiral artist's can feel sometimes -
screw it....maybe I should speak for myself.
But that's how I felt.
So I stopped making
art.
Of course I did a few pieces here and there for myself and
family/friends, but I did not dare put my painted artwork out there. And eventually I gave up on selling in the saturated
jewelry market.
Then I was sad.
Very sad,
because I had given
up on myself.
But my Artist Rehabilitation, as I endearingly call it, brought me
out of the dumps and helped me realize a few thing about being an ArtEntrepreneur. This is briefly what I learned:
1.
I MUST create, even if no one else cares.
2.
I must create, even if they hate what I create.
3.
I will take the time to create and tell my ego
not to judge the process.
4.
I will share what I create, because that is what
I have been assigned to do.
5.
I must educate myself to know what my work is worth
in the marketplace.
6.
I will value my work but must also be willing to
let it go if it brings someone else joy.
Isn't that the real reason why we all create. We want to give. We may want to give joy, knowledge,
reflection, discussion or spark social change.
But we must create, share and let the work breathe on its own. Metaphorically speaking, we must all birth
our creative babies into the world
and let them go.
That is all I have for now.
I hope this message finds you creatively sound, and if not, put down
what you are doing, get quiet, think and create.
Blessings,
4 comments:
loved your post - very honest and I think many artists have been there. I like this quote from Seth Godin.
“Art is what we call...
the thing an artist does.
It's not the medium or the oil or the price or whether it hangs on a wall or you eat it. What matters, what makes it art, is that the person who made it overcame the resistance, ignored the voice of doubt and made something worth making. Something risky. Something human.
Art is not in the eye of the beholder. It's in the soul of the artist.”
I like this artist rehabilitation you have done.Putting work out there is tough for some people - you have to have thick skin. When I was doing festivals, I realized artists are often invisible to the festival goers - I've heard people say things as if the artist isn't there - it is cruel. Or congregating in front of your art like the art isn't there either. Yes - we create because we have to. and I create what I feel I have been compelled to create. Good rant - and I think any good artist can identify with this.
So eloquently said! Thank you for sharing.
It was actually harder to write than i expected. It was very honest about where i was. Although i still get timid about showing sometimes its going away. Im not the same person i was before. Thanks for the comment.
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