Blue Trees in the Middle Distance7 - 3/8ths" x 5.75"
Original Pastel
Casey Klahn
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I think that some outside of the box thoughts can be refreshing. I enjoyed reading this and this from Seth Godin and Kerin Rose. Seth doesn't overlook the artist in the marketplace. When art is considered a pillar of civilization (follow with me, now) it becomes a resource for all in the same vein as education, business and manufacturing. Seth is a great one for turning to creativity for 21st century life, and where better to look than the arts?
I have been following a 2 year goal setting plan since the start of 2009. For some reason, the concrete goals haven't been materializing, and I wanted to discover if the creative freedom necessary for me would thrive better before the goals are set. Kerin's "my 2 cents" struck a chord with me. I think I said somewhere recently that I wonder what new ideas might come out of my studio if I felt that I had no chance of selling anything? What do you think of all this?
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I just read Kerin's piece and it struck some very deep chords. In the past couple of years, I have sold a number of paintings I didn't expect to sell. It wasn't my goal until recently to market my art. Now that I am retired, I want to sell my paintings to generate some income to pay for more materials so I can continue creating art. As I think about this, I find myself working differently. I am taking a mentoring workshop next week to help me reach a goal of creating the wow in my work. It is no longer enough that I like my work, I need for potential buyers to like it. I am not sure how I feel about this. I do agree with Kerin up to a point, but that might be a fantasy place I can't afford at this point.
Be careful what you write, though, Miki. Does this comment sound like you intend a hobby, or a business?
Sounds like you are still deciding between the two.
Hrm. Well, calling something "work" sure doesn't make it more enjoyable, given that most of humanity equates work with hard slog. For a reason. I do not envy any professional artist the pressure of creating to a given market. Like Mr. Darcy, I do not perform to strangers.
Paint for yourself alone (unless commissioned or somesuch) and the income will inevitably come from the care, thought, and time which is put into the piece of work.
You can spend years unhappily pandering to every single trend that the buyer's market supposedly wants. Instead, go classic. Like a black dress, it never goes out of style and looks a thousand times better if it's the right cut.
For example -
You know that pink tree experimental painting you did the other day? I'd pay money for it. Big Money.
Yes, for a tiny, throwaway "experiment".
Typically you always see pinks in boring flower studies or some godawful perfect garden scene. I was struck by the fact that you somehow made pink unfeminine, or perhaps neutral would be a better word. Yet so striking, so very vivid, so damned moody with the foggy lavenders. But so simple, it could break your heart.
I'll quit blathering now. :)
Those are some thoughts I hadn't considered about the pink ground. I look forward to making the big work from it. Thanks, Amy.
Hi Casey. As a professinal artist and someone who does make a living from my art (such as it is), these are things I have thought about quite a bit. I received a good piece of advice early on "If the work is good enough, it can't be denied" so I have spent the better part of my life as an artist trying to make sure, above all else, that the work comes first, and thoughts of selling it come second. To that end, I've made some somewhat suicidal career moves(like changing mediums and "styles" in mid stream)but I have found the work which most powerfully communicates my own passions and aesthetics is also the work that sells.
Being true to yourself, it sounds like. Words of wisdom.
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