It's tricky bring an artist. We love the creative process, despite it being hard at times. But even when it's hard, it's still rewarding, that's why we make art, we love a challenge. Bringing something to life that never existed before, making an idea real can be incredibly fulfilling. It's pretty amazing.
And yet we also want to eat.
So as artists we have try all kinds of things to support ourselves if we want to devote our life to this path. We wear many hats and making art is only a small part of what we do. We also have to be the head of marketing and development, director of finance, a CEO, the entire Human Resources Department, the cleaning staff, do data analysis, and remember everyone's birthdays.
Some of these tasks are fun and tap into other sides of our personalities. But many have a steep learning curve and can be downright tedious. I love writing as it turns out, so creating these blog posts each week and my monthly newsletters are a creative challenge I embrace. Marketing and putting my art out there into the world with the intent of selling it is exhausting for me. And is for most artists I know.
I've observed that many successful artists are outgoing and love interacting with others. They are big personalities who do not fear crowds, mingling, or talking about themselves. Woe the artist that is introverted and prefers to hide out at home. #ahem
Then there's the task of competing with cheaply made, mass-produced goods that flood the market, sometimes even with images that have been stolen from actual artists. It's maddening. In this dog-eat-dog world of capitalism we dreamers have to be extra creative in figuring out ways to do what we love while not being beaten down by a system that cares not at all about our souls or our hearts.
What to do, what to do?
It's a great question! But I don't always know. If I did I'd be way more successful. Lol.
But I keep going, I keep creating art and sharing it in all the ways I can. Sometimes that means being directly "salesy" and in your face. Other times it means sharing my ideas and dreams and hoping people will then be inspired to support me in other ways.
Since this is the gift-giving season, if you can, support some artists this year. Buy some original art for your friends and family instead of all those mass produced goods. It's a little thing that goes a long way.
Artists everywhere thank you!!
You can find my art at indigomoone.com.
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If you know you want to be a more creative person but just aren't sure where to begin, this online self-paced course is for you, The Portal to Creativity. The activities invite you to be curious, to start reflecting on who you are, and to find out more about what moves you in life. It's a chance to get to know yourself better. By the end you'll have a clearer direction of where to start your creative path, and know yourself even better too.
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