so, i have a dilemma. i have the opportunity to show my paintings at a bar i've shown at before, in a new location. the managers of the bar all really like my artwork, but the owner told me last time that he would never hang my work again. it seems it garnered more negative feedback than all of their other shows combined.
which is understandable, they had two locations before, one of which was more of an upscale/business lunch/sports bar (very loosely sports bar-ish), and the clientele was a bit uptight. the second location was much more laid back, an Irish pub near the university. both locations closed over a year ago, and the owner remodeled a new building to mimic the pub, in the same neighborhood.
now, the managers, all of which were re-hired from the old locations, want me to bring in new work. i have a few new pieces that have been done since i hung with them last, but it's more of the darker disturbing stuff that the owner didn't like from before. but they've been shown in other venues, and i'm tired of showing the same pieces over and over. so i plan on doing new pieces.
so, the age old question, to sell out or not? do i do new pieces in a style that would fit the location, tone it down a bit, hang with them and hope to make a little money? or do i say fuck it, paint what i want to work on at the moment, and look elsewhere?
the thing is, i've got plenty of pictures in my head that would be acceptable, and i really wouldn't mind painting, eventually. and i do paint some pictures that are not quite as intense, but i tend to get bored with that. and i get burnt out on painting fairly quickly. so if i work on more mellow, mainstream art, and then lose interest in painting again, that leaves me with a body of work i'm not all that thrilled with. even if they do turn out well and i'm happy with them, they're not really what i would have wanted to spend my time on.
if you've read this far, it may look like i'm leaning toward blowing them off, and maybe you're right.
but, right now i'm not showing anywhere, not making any money off of my artwork. there's no market in this damn little town for my work. there's an audience, sure, i've gotten great feedback and interest, but my audience has no money. i realize buying original artwork is a luxury, and it's a luxury not many people here can afford. or if they can, they just want the usual southwestern coyote howling at the moon indian in a blanket art. so the chances of making money here with the work i want to do are very slim.
most of my paintings have been given away to friends, and if they haven't they're in my studio closet or on the wall in my own living room.
so, do i just suck it up and do work that is only marginally enjoyable to me but more likely to sell, or do i do work i truly want to do, and look for another market?
if any of you have any recommendations for galleries in other cities, please let me know.
i'm sure this is not nearly as complicated as this whole entry makes it out to be. and really, i'm not all that stressed by it, just venting a little. jesus, that was long. sorry.
which is understandable, they had two locations before, one of which was more of an upscale/business lunch/sports bar (very loosely sports bar-ish), and the clientele was a bit uptight. the second location was much more laid back, an Irish pub near the university. both locations closed over a year ago, and the owner remodeled a new building to mimic the pub, in the same neighborhood.
now, the managers, all of which were re-hired from the old locations, want me to bring in new work. i have a few new pieces that have been done since i hung with them last, but it's more of the darker disturbing stuff that the owner didn't like from before. but they've been shown in other venues, and i'm tired of showing the same pieces over and over. so i plan on doing new pieces.
so, the age old question, to sell out or not? do i do new pieces in a style that would fit the location, tone it down a bit, hang with them and hope to make a little money? or do i say fuck it, paint what i want to work on at the moment, and look elsewhere?
the thing is, i've got plenty of pictures in my head that would be acceptable, and i really wouldn't mind painting, eventually. and i do paint some pictures that are not quite as intense, but i tend to get bored with that. and i get burnt out on painting fairly quickly. so if i work on more mellow, mainstream art, and then lose interest in painting again, that leaves me with a body of work i'm not all that thrilled with. even if they do turn out well and i'm happy with them, they're not really what i would have wanted to spend my time on.
if you've read this far, it may look like i'm leaning toward blowing them off, and maybe you're right.
but, right now i'm not showing anywhere, not making any money off of my artwork. there's no market in this damn little town for my work. there's an audience, sure, i've gotten great feedback and interest, but my audience has no money. i realize buying original artwork is a luxury, and it's a luxury not many people here can afford. or if they can, they just want the usual southwestern coyote howling at the moon indian in a blanket art. so the chances of making money here with the work i want to do are very slim.
most of my paintings have been given away to friends, and if they haven't they're in my studio closet or on the wall in my own living room.
so, do i just suck it up and do work that is only marginally enjoyable to me but more likely to sell, or do i do work i truly want to do, and look for another market?
if any of you have any recommendations for galleries in other cities, please let me know.
i'm sure this is not nearly as complicated as this whole entry makes it out to be. and really, i'm not all that stressed by it, just venting a little. jesus, that was long. sorry.