I have many artistic/crafty friends and so often we get on conversations about when, how and where our art/craft sells or when, where and why it doesn’t.
If you are an artist or craft person… you know exactly what I’m talking about. Those who aren’t … let me tell you…..
Lets face it .. art isn’t something you go out and buy everyday … Art is a luxury item… so I understand when times get slow and less are buying … especially in today’s economy. But that’s not the only struggle…. The term “Starving Artist” cannot have more truth to it. It’s a hard way to make money for most … some get lucky and get in front of the right people at the right time and their art takes off … others struggle. They struggle to find an audience, struggle to find a venue, struggle to get seen/known/heard/noticed…. and because of all that they get to a point of justifying the time, money and effort they put into their creations. They struggle to make reason for continuing.
Finding places to show off your art or craft is easy .. it’s finding the right place where people show up to BUY .. not just browse … and finding the place that has the people buying that like what you create.
Pricing your own work has to be one of the hardest things for an artist to do beyond getting noticed by the right folks. You can put a price on the materials used but how about the time, effort, knowledge and work that has gone into a piece?
Artist and craftsmen don’t usually do it for the money and fame… we do it because it makes us feel good, it’s in our blood to create… it brings us happiness and a feeling of accomplishment each time we finish a project. With every piece we create .. we have placed a piece of ourselves into it and then we get to show it off and share with the world what we have created. It’s always a labor of love for the artist or craft person. But to continue creating for most … some pieces need to be sold in order to fund future creations.
All that being said .. back to my original question… Why? or Why Not?
Why create when it’s not selling? Why not?
Personally…. I create because I believe in what I’m doing… Because I have faith in that I create each piece with a purpose and that piece will somehow find it’s way to fulfill that purpose. It’s not in me to give up.. so I continue to do the work that I do … I create and create and create until my hands have withered away to dying flesh and bone… it is who I am and I’m no quitter .. I AM A CREATOR – BRINGING THOUGHTS AND IDEAS TO LIFE.
That’s why!
Many Blessings,
Angel Guide
Chasing the Rainbow 