Bah... I have just spent three hours doing the most boring thing known to man... Sorting through nearly two years of stacked artwork, labeling, measuring, rummaging through old slide and price lists, and nearly killing myself in the process... all to generate one master list I can refer to when I need to submit to a gallery. Oh, and I also have been keeping track of all the images I need digital photos of, and a separate list of all of the images that I need to take slides of. All told, I'm only about 25% through all of the stacked and hung work in my house, and that doesn't include all of the work my friends and families are kindly storing for me at their homes....
My bones ache from moving so much, my head aches from trying to keep everything straight.
Being a fine artist isn't all glamour and fun, people. There are untold amounts of work and hours spent behind the scenes organizing, filtering, evaluating, conceptualizing, networking, marketing, and (horror of horrors) politicking... just to get my painting from the floors of my studio to the walls of a gallery, and hopefully, from there, to the walls of a patron. Fine Artists are severely underpaid too! Everyone thinks it's a luxury item, that an artist's life must be all frivolity and fun... I can't tell you how many times I have heard the words "Oh you're an artist! That must be so fun, you get to paint all day long" uttered from the mouth of a potential client.... The smiles I have had to plaster on in response are faker than the Miss America contestants... sometimes I feel as if I should apply a coat of Vaseline to my teeth before an opening. It's harder work than it seems people. I would say about 20% of the time goes into the actually creation of a piece, the rest of the time is spent trying to drum up contacts, research venues, organize yourself... all for that one moment of stepping back and seeing your work displayed on the wall of a public space outside of your home...
...And every second of grief is worth it. I couldn't do anything else with my life and be happier.
But that said, I wish I could spend more time working and less time behind the scenes. And it would be nice if more people realized the untold hours spent trying to get together a show... and the utter dismay that occurs when no one turns out at that show. I can handle no sales, as long as people come to see the work...
Oh, I won't lie... Lost sales are disappointments too...
Oh well, must get back to sorting and labeling.... bah...
*thumps forehead on desk several times before reopening the book of slides and sighing emphatically*
Oh, nearly forgot to plug the FEMALE ARTIST GROUP. Woman, join, and listen to me bitch more about the world of female artists, writers, photographers, musicians, and creators of all types. Come and chat, because I'm sick of talking to myself!!!
And check out THE LAST EXHIBITION I WAS LEFT STANDING ALONE IN. It makes me feel better to know someone gets to look at the work, at least.
My bones ache from moving so much, my head aches from trying to keep everything straight.
Being a fine artist isn't all glamour and fun, people. There are untold amounts of work and hours spent behind the scenes organizing, filtering, evaluating, conceptualizing, networking, marketing, and (horror of horrors) politicking... just to get my painting from the floors of my studio to the walls of a gallery, and hopefully, from there, to the walls of a patron. Fine Artists are severely underpaid too! Everyone thinks it's a luxury item, that an artist's life must be all frivolity and fun... I can't tell you how many times I have heard the words "Oh you're an artist! That must be so fun, you get to paint all day long" uttered from the mouth of a potential client.... The smiles I have had to plaster on in response are faker than the Miss America contestants... sometimes I feel as if I should apply a coat of Vaseline to my teeth before an opening. It's harder work than it seems people. I would say about 20% of the time goes into the actually creation of a piece, the rest of the time is spent trying to drum up contacts, research venues, organize yourself... all for that one moment of stepping back and seeing your work displayed on the wall of a public space outside of your home...
...And every second of grief is worth it. I couldn't do anything else with my life and be happier.
But that said, I wish I could spend more time working and less time behind the scenes. And it would be nice if more people realized the untold hours spent trying to get together a show... and the utter dismay that occurs when no one turns out at that show. I can handle no sales, as long as people come to see the work...
Oh, I won't lie... Lost sales are disappointments too...
Oh well, must get back to sorting and labeling.... bah...
*thumps forehead on desk several times before reopening the book of slides and sighing emphatically*
Oh, nearly forgot to plug the FEMALE ARTIST GROUP. Woman, join, and listen to me bitch more about the world of female artists, writers, photographers, musicians, and creators of all types. Come and chat, because I'm sick of talking to myself!!!
And check out THE LAST EXHIBITION I WAS LEFT STANDING ALONE IN. It makes me feel better to know someone gets to look at the work, at least.
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The question I asked wasnt a $ winnings btw.. it was if you had won one of the 2 which would you choose?