The business of being an artist and just being one

Business of Being an Artist involves working at it, you know like planning, promoting, selling marketing, being seen in galleries and exhibits, etc, etc etc. Some of it comes naturally, such as marketing in the sense that I have a joy of talking about art and sharing it however I am finding the rest of it so darned distracting and exhausting.

Being an artist.
I have had such joy doing things that just evolved, like the knit knot tree, free art fridays, knit graffiti, "your documents please", and currently the sketchbook project even though it has sort of driven me slightly bonkers ( I am looking forward to doing a couple of small embroidery pieces for a show at the Eclipse Gallery).
There isn't the baggage of the business side of art involved with these projects for me. I didn't LOOK for them as a means to promote the business of being an artist. It is just purely the process of doing it and for me that is really the driving force. What comes after is icing on the cake.

SO
this year I have decided to leave the icing up to fate
this year I am just going to BE AN ARTIST

Latest Sketchbook PageI found this how to make a pig pop up card on wikiHow, although I haven't used it in the way they may have intended, eek!

It pretty much sums it up
He was NOT a nice man
It was decided years later to stop calling him that because it was an insult to pigs.

Comments

Unknown said…
"this year I am just going to BE AN ARTIST"

You know what I say to that? RIGHT ON!!!! :)
Undaunted said…
Good Plan!!

I definitely feel that I jumped into the whole exhibiting thing far too quickly, and I wasn't very comfortable with it, although in it's own way it was exciting. But it was so stressful - planning, transporting, hanging, promoting, taking it down again. I may exhibit again later this year, but it's being planned by someone else, and I won't allow myself to be pressured this time - I'll only join in if I feel I have something worth showing.

Anyway, when did this blog become about me?! Sorry about that!

Maybe you should get yourself a PA!

Love the pop up pig! :)
Anonymous said…
Hi Corrine, did you really post at 4 in the morning? that's too early.

I got a book few years back "self-promotion for the creative person" and thought hmmmph, that's more work than working for The Man. I can hardly wait to see what you'll come up with while you've thrown off all that extra rigamarole!
jafabrit said…
thanks Jessica :)
don't apologize undaunted, I like that you share your view and experience.
Marcia, no way would I be up that time am LOL!, I think sometimes the time is from a different time zone or when I wrote it it was published at a later time (not when I actually wrote it). As for what I will come up with, hum, I think I shall just LET it happen :)
Philip said…
I feel very much the same at the moment. I am not even going to think about exhibiting until I have a set of work that I feel ready to promote in some way.

My studio has a window onto our street (used to be an entrance to what was once a bar) and every couple of weeks I put a different painting on display for people who pass by. I get a kick out of this as it puts art in front of people who don't necessarily go to galleries and exhibitions. It's amazing how many people stop and look. I find this quite satisfying as in the current economic climate there is not a snowball in hell's chance of selling anything - shops are closing by the dozen.

I'm also enjoying the freedom of painting without any pressure and I like to think its helping me develop in new and different ways.
jafabrit said…
"I'm also enjoying the freedom of painting without any pressure and I like to think its helping me develop in new and different ways."

I think it will.
Philip said…
I think your sketchbook is interesting for the way you have tackled behavioural issues. These things fascinate me too. Your 'pig' gave me a lot to think about after I enlarged it!

I sometimes think people should have a health warning label on them - much in the way they do with cigarettes these days. It's a theme that I intend to use in future work - behaviour that is. I hope your sketchbook really makes people stop and think. Some might even see themselves in it!
Ed Maskevich said…
When my wife has observed me talking to gallery people, trying to get my work exhibited, she never really believes me when I tell her it was exhausting. She tells me that I looked like I was having a good time. I have to tell her that being on stage and acting before a live audience is hard work.
San said…
Pig Face is scarier than Boffo. Maybe because he jumps out at you.
Lana Gramlich said…
I actually like the pop-up pig, although the eyes give it a somewhat sinister look. *L* Sorry to hear about your dad. Sounds like he & my mom would've been like peas 'n carrots.
jafabrit said…
philip, he definitely should have had a health warning.

I agree Ed, while I love socializing and am sociable, I do find the business of art itself quite exhausting.

San, Lana, the eyes on the pig gave you a sense of the sinister for a reason, they are the eyes of a notorious child killer. I chose his eyes because they are evil and that is how I felt about the man the pig represents.
Midwest Mom said…
I have a friend who studies human dietary habits. She does all her preliminary experiments on pigs -- they are the closest creature to humans (Americans?) in their dietary habits...

Telling, isn't it?

Your pig with the human eyes made me think, Brit. Thanks for sharing it.

(I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work this year.)

- Julia

Popular Posts