What is An Artist?

A hobbyist will  engage in more creative activity in an individual than any of the creative professions.   That is because most of the "creative" professions are about volume sales, and the people actually doing the creative part will not share the burden.   Or, as in the case of architecture, so complicated that the creative aspect  only involves 2% of the tasks.  Lets face it, modern jobs are dull and repetitive, based on a Factory model.  (And, slaves to statistical analysts because people like to "stack the deck" and guarantee sales.  Like that's even possible.)

Traditional means of support, patronage, family money, government grants, etc. all seem to require the Artist to participate in the visions of others.  If the Artist is independent of these connections, the vision belongs to the Artist alone; and, the Artist is probably dead.  

It is possible for the Artist to have a day job, or someway of providing, separate from creating art.  Get one that doesn't have managers who demand unlimited access to your time.   Trust me, there are people, managers, clients and coworkers who are never not working and expect 24 four access to you.   

Also, some jobs are more physically demanding than others.  The Artist has to take that into account, but that is more of what an individual can handle than some broad principle.    

Supporting oneself with a day job is an old idea.  I ran across it in, of all things, the Bible.  The Apostle Paul, who was the first evangelist, supported himself as a tent maker instead of taking money from those he preached to.  

This concept is so far from the tv evangelists of today who constantly beg for money and fight for audiences.  Even in religion, the job can destroy the vision of the preacher.  

The Artist cannot ignore life.  Food, shelter, and clothing are not provided by simply having faith.  There is some effort involved.     

The words that stand out in this post are Artist (as opposed to artist), support, and vision.   There is an unsaid word, which is definitely implied, and that word is Time.

Support

That which prevents death and allows the Artist to keep exploring.

Vision 

Something that people say when they are describing the body of work of an artist.  The meaning varies from person to person.  It's also what I am looking for when I explore.

Time

The most important coin in the universe.  This musing is about how the Artist spends Time. 

Connections 

An unavoidable condition of Human Existence.   They can be cultivated or limited.  Some crave connections and others, they are more selective.  Again, connections are based on individual traits. 

Artist

The one who creates art is called an Artist by other people.  How I see it, essentially an explorer of perception.  

Study Artists like Andy Warhol and it becomes clear that what you do is not as important as how you present it.

Maybe this says it more clearly:

Painters sells paintings.

Artists sell themselves.  

 

  

Researching Art Sales

Why should someone buy my art?  

I have spent so much time just drawing for myself, that the question never occurred to me.  Oddly, the question must have been asked in that abyss we call the subconscious mind.   It's amazing what can surface from that darkness.

I Googled the question.

Ink Study on paper
Early 2000

There are a lot of writings on the subject available.  Too much to read in a lifetime.  Almost all of the writers I looked at were marketers.   In fact, I don't remember reading anything from the artist's point of view.  I don't trust marketing writers.  Probably a bit paranoid on my part; but, why would someone tell me how to do what they get paid to do?  

So, let's start with the following question:  Why do I buy art?  That is easier for me to answer.

• Because I like the piece.
• Because I can afford the price.
• Because I have room for it.

After I display a piece,  the art affects the room I am in.  I can't help but to notice that.  It has not lead to a planned interior design, mainly because I kind of like how things develop over time without planning.  

There are people who plan every detail of their lives.  I don't understand the impulse, but they get real frustrated when things don't go as planned.

Abstract Oil Painting
2020

That suggests to me that there may be more to that than meets the eye.  If one of those people buys my art, it's because something in my art fits their plan for a room, house, or even their life.   Not really a collector, but a decorator or designer.

Some people are not as concerned about an orderly life.  One collector, an owner of a famous art gallery in NY City, would just fill a room with purchased art, no plan.  Everything was just stacked in, like a chaotic warehouse.  Yet, his business thrived.  He just purchased pieces that caught his eye. 

I have no idea what would appeal to this type of collector, no idea how to get my work in front of one, and no idea if that would be worth the effort..

I have used two very broad terms for describing people who buy art:

Designer:  The plan drives the art.

Collector:  The art drives the plan, if there is a plan.

Are such labels really necessary?  Well, yes if you want to understand something.  Besides, they are more of spectrum than set definitions.  Most people are not so extreme.

So a designer can be a professional decorator or a licensed designer, a D.I.Y. junkie etc.  The difference lies in training and legal definitions for licensing.  Corporations who collect art, well invest in art, on a regular basis fit into the designer category by using professional curators to evaluate art in terms of corporate image and monetary value.    

A collector can be anyone.  They may or may not have guidelines.  They may or may not display their collection.   They may be looking for the latest thing, for a certain style, for historical period, or what ever catches their eye.  

So how is this analysis applied?  It's no good unless some action is applied.

First decide who you want to appeal to.   Adjust your sales pitch to their needs.  More research will be needed.

Don't change your work to fit them, just the sales pitch.   Your art is your art.

Second  Research how people purchase art.  Professional designers have markets that cater to them which are different from DIY markets.  While a collector might need a more personal approach.

Of course, this is just me trying to grapple with the issues.  It's a work in progress.   There will be a lot left out of this article, but one thing is certain, you have to put in the effort.