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Art in the New Economy

I was thinking recently about the times we live in. Last winter I went on a night hike in the snow with a friend. Why a night hike in a blizzard you ask? Because I got a new jacket for Christmas and my buddy had a new headlamp and they needed to be tested out of course. The dogs loved the idea, although for some reason our wives elected to stay at home. FYI - not even the latest LED headlamps shine very far when the snow is falling hard and heavy. We got lost for a while and our two-hour hike turned into three. Luckily my new coat performed better than the headlamp.

Modern technology is truly amazing, and so are these times. Even though there are a lot of bad things happening today - proliferation of scary weapons and people, disease, poverty, political corruption/ineptitude - there is also much to love.

I love digital music storage, and my smart phone is just awesome. Email (good or bad, it's up to you), websites, social networking, modern vehicles and, if you have insurance - modern medicine. Not to mention today's superior art supplies delivered right to your door.

Excellent art instruction is at one's fingertips online or in workshops all over the world. Globalization of markets and the opportunities to express your creativity have multiplied and this is mostly good. True, it's a faster paced world, and people are stressed by a multitude of things these days. Still we have freedoms, conveniences and opportunities that our Grandparents never even dreamed of.

Winter seems to be a time of extremes, no frostbite intended. I've had a lot of visitors to my studio this month despite the weather, collectors and artists alike. The collectors have been mostly upbeat, but with the artists it's been a real mix. Some have been excited about their latest project or class, while others have been quite down, complaining about the economy and their lack of sales, etc.

It's true that in these are hard times for most artists, there are just way more of us creating than collecting. However most of the artists I've heard complaining are not the struggling artists who actually eat or starve by their art (like me). Ironically, the "Complain-Air" painters are generally the ones who don't need to sell every day: people who are already financially stable. The most unhappy artists are those who judge their worth and success only in terms of sales. They are missing the point - Art is for the soul, not the wallet.

Your quality of life is not entirely determined by the size of your bank account. Sure, we all need enough to live on, but remember, you can't take that Mercedes with you. You can, however, leave behind some inspired art if you have a true love of it, and your motives are genuine. There's nothing wrong with being motivated by sales, it's great validation. Just make sure it's not your only motivation.

As for these times, if you want to increase your sales, you have to build your name and your skills. Both are long term propositions. You have some wonderful opportunities at your disposal, especially if you are a member of an active arts group - (such as The Arizona Plien Air Painters, which I co-founded), shows, paint-outs, classes, camaraderie and so on.

Sometimes when you participate in a show or event, just like when you invest in advertising, you may not always experience immediate results. No instant gratification. But you do get exposure and hopefully some feedback. People see your work, they may be looking at your website or dropping your name at the dinner table. They may be planning to buy something as soon as the economy improves just a little more.

Take advantage of your membership. Get involved, participate, encourage a fellow artist, and keep painting strong - as though your work is in great demand - because it is, or should be, in your own heart.

Art is a great healer, give yourself this gift, it's so much greater for your soul than money alone.

CodyDeLong.com