Tag: business of art

Paradoxes, Purposes and Ponderances: "Your artwork has a man on the street appeal."

Paradoxes Purposes and Ponderances

I have been participating in a pilot Artist Boot Camp program for the past several weeks, where artists come together with business people in the community in a unique educational partnership. The purpose is to enhance the business skills of artists so that our burgeoning Canton Arts District can develop solid sustainability. The business people volunteer their time out of an interest in the arts and from a desire to see the arts further develop the economic standing of the city.

In last night’s Boot Camp session, a comment was made by a fellow artist that struck a nerve with me.

“Your work has a real man on the street appeal.”

I don’t think it was intended to be a compliment or a criticism. But the reality is, most artists think “man on the street appeal” is a negative thing. My experience is that most artists and art enthusiasts think that art should have a deeper meaning and higher levels of experiential quality than the average person can comprehend.

If the average “man on the street” can appreciate it, than it must have less value or less purpose in the overall scheme of arts and culture.

Aside from the overt sexist nature of the comment (my collectors tend to be both male and female, perhaps more females than males), I find the whole notion sort of elitist and offensive.

I admire the works of my peers who pursue imagery and  intellectual purposes that are beyond the grasp of a novice. But is there not room for both in the great landscape of creative expression?

I have spent 19 years as a professional clinical counselor working in various public mental health settings that serve children. As a result, I have learned much about deeper levels of human experience. I know all about contemporary angst, violent impulses and the vast range of human sexuality–all themes that tend to pervade the work of many artists today. I have worked with survivors of some of the most horribly tragic and traumatic experiences, and I have listened to stories of intense pain and anguish.

I have a Bachelor’s Degree and Master’s Degree in Art, and I have a Master’s Degree in Counseling. I have a strong academic background in both art history and creative expression, as well as human psychology.

It’s not like I am an intellectual lightweight.

I choose to create artworks that are accessible and approachable to the average person because of my experiences working with extraordinary every day people. These people have shared their experiences with me–experiences of incredible strength, resilience and recovery, and my artwork is greatly influenced by their resilience. I think it would be somewhat disingenuous to create out of that experience in a way that was not accessible to those who inspired me.

I don’t create artwork for galleries and museums. I believe that the whole system of artist representation in galleries and museums is broken and not advantageous to artists. I create what inspires me. I seek to translate that in a way that both serves my artistic ideals and is attractive to a wide audience. And I find ways to promote it myself to the people who appreciate it.

I am making art that satisfies my artistic curiosity and need for self expression. I am challenged creatively and intellectually in the work that I do.  And I am selling a lot of it to people who enjoy it.

I am not making a lot of money, but I am moving towards more profitability.

To me, artwork is about life, and it needs to be a part of the world–living with everyday people in everyday situations. It should not be hanging solely on museum or gallery walls where an exclusive crowd will see it. It needs to be in homes, in businesses, in public spaces where it enhances the landscapes of our lives.

Because, no matter how talented or smart I may be, I am not too brilliant for the rest of the world. I am just another extraordinary every day person.

I am just another woman on the street.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Paradoxes, Purposes and Ponderances – Artist Boot Camp

Paradoxes, Purposes and Ponderances

Awhile back, I wrote about my struggle with the left-right brain dilemma for artists. I have written other times about my journey towards becoming a creative entrepreneur, and about my efforts to overcome my awkwardness in business skills.

I am still on that journey, and I am finding myself landing in some interesting places. I am finding people who are providing me with concrete and moral supports, and lots of encouragement. I am finding some fabulous blogs that are designed to help artists like me with business concerns (Artists Who Thrive, Better, Smarter, Richer, The Abundant Artist). And I am finding that leaders in my hometown of Canton, OH are deeply committed to seeing that I and other local artists succeed.

They are so committed, in fact, that they have developed a unique business/artist partnership to ensure the sustainability of the burgeoning arts community in Downtown Canton. This partnership, called “Artist Boot Camp”, is sponsored by Arts in Stark, the County Arts Council. Coordinated by artist and arts administrator Craig Joseph, the Artist Boot Camp is a series of workshops designed to bring artists and business leaders together to help artists become more effective in business.

Artist Boot Camp is a pilot program, bringing experts in various business topics together with artists to share their expertise. These experts donate their time as a way to support the arts in the community. So far we have had leaders speak with us about grant writing, taxes & legal issues, and marketing strategies, and they have all been incredibly helpful. A number of other topics are lined up for future sessions, such as social media marketing and the one we ALL need, basic accounting and financial planning.

Each artist is paired with a business mentor who will continue to work with us after the classes are completed. My mentor, Jessica Bennett (pictured to the right), is the Marketing Director for the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Executive Director for Indigo Ink Press.

Jessica was one of our presenters this week, providing us information about public relations, writing press releases, and email marketing. I am looking forward to working with Jessica. I know that I can learn a lot from her!

I feel very blessed to be chosen to be a part of this pilot program, which is sure to grow into an ongoing effort to help many artists in the Canton/Stark County area. I thank Arts in Stark for making the commitment that they have to the artists in Canton, and to all the business leaders for their interest and contribution.

My hope is that other cities will follow Canton’s lead and recognize the value of such partnerships to grow communities through the arts.

Because, well, it’s just good business to support the arts.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT

Paradoxes, Purposes and Ponderances: Self Taught Social Media Artist

Paradoxes, Purposes and Ponderances

I have met many artists who describe themselves as “self-taught” artists. It is a moniker that has developed some marketing appeal, thanks to the popularity of so-called “Visionary” or “Outsider Art”.

Many artists use the term “self-taught” in a way to assert their claim to importance or even superiority over artists who have received training or academic education in the arts.

Me? I have a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and Master of Arts Degree in the visual arts, yet in many ways, I feel as though I have taught myself most of what I do as an artist. That story is for another post, though.

This post is about social media. And when it comes to social media, practically all artists are self taught.  There is no “Social Media Arts” degree.

I use social media extensively as a way to connect with people interested in my artwork. In so doing, I have developed a wide reach in marketing my work to people interested in buying it.

I started using social media sometime in 2008. I am not exactly sure when.

It started with developing a MySpace page and connecting with other artists in the Canton Arts District. Soon, I started a blog on Blogger, and I tiptoed into Facebook. Then I read this article about artists using Twitter.

A lot has changed in my life since then.

I no longer use MySpace. I now have this blog, which has my website wrapped around it. I now wade in the deep waters of Facebook with great regularity. And I am a Twitter-aholic.

And I am selling A LOT of artwork.

I am far from being a huge success, mind you. My artwork still does not sell for prices that make me wealthy. But my popularity is growing, and I am well on my way to becoming a self supporting artist at a time when everyone says, “No one is buying art right now because the economy is so bad.”

I often have artists asking me, “How did you do it?” and “What is your secret?”

My secret is that there is no secret. Social media is free and wide open for the taking. It just takes some willingness to research the web, openness towards engaging with others in a curious and friendly manner, and a fearlessness about overcoming the things that you do not yet know.

It is intriguing to me how most artists are willing to do these very things in the pursuit of creating their art, but not in the pursuit of marketing it to a global audience.

When I try to share what I have learned about using social media with other artists, they often shy away, or say, “I am no good at that.” It is as if they fear the success that they dream of, and they sabotage any success that they could have.  Inches away from the door that opens them to the world, their intrepid souls run and hide under a blanket.

Twenty three years ago, I chose to avoid being a full time professional artist and I went back to school for a degree in counseling. I did that because, at that time, artists were limited in opportunities for selling their artwork. Back then, you had to find galleries to sell your work, and even if you found one, you had to wait for them to sell it, after which you received a small portion of the sale. The whole business seemed geared towards someone else making money on the value of the artwork, not the artist.

With the advent of social media, however, it is the other way around. The artist holds all the cards to his or her success.

No one taught you how to paint? You taught yourself? Fantastic!

Are you going to teach yourself how to share it with the world? Or will your innate talent be silenced by fear?

Social media has as many opportunities for creativity as the canvas does, folks. It is an adventure waiting for you to conquer. Will you take the challenge?

Or will you lament that someone else succeeded where you did not?

Personally, I find life, and art, far too interesting to waste on laments.

Life is an Adventure!

BZTAT