So I don't write much here. I think my reasoning is that no one reads it so why should I put the effort out? Who is gonna read this post, my mother? Okay yeah possibly my mom but that is it. The hardest part about doing anything if the thought, "if I don't do it, will anyone care"?
For an artist not putting yourself out there is basically hiding the fact that you do art. No one is going to walk by, buy all your art and send their friends your way, making you instantly famous. You have to put yourself out there and really get ready to not face negative reviews but really no reviews at all. You have the face the reality that for a while no one is really going to comment on your work, there is just so much out there that you can get lost in the crowd. But that first review, no matter how scaring in is means that someone is taking notice. And yeah it hurts but it pushes me forward.
Art can be really discouraging. I have great comments on a lot of my pieces but no steps up with that check in hand, no one wants to pay for a service that they think they can do for free. "Oh but I could do that" is a saying I hear all the time, and sometimes from my own mouth. What we have to realize is that everyone is selling something, and that artists and artisans are putting little pieces of themselves out there for others to see, to buy, pieces that people criticize without a second thought. True it may be cheaper or easier if we figured out how to do things for ourselves but it reality it will never quite be up to the quality of this other person, some who has spent time to craft their art, who puts themselves out there.
Respect artists. We can't hide behind corporate logos, pen names and big fancy lights. Well we could but then what makes our craft ours gets lost. We quite literally lost our reasoning. I am an artist because I want to share with other people. It may just look like a pretty girl or a piece of wood but to me it is so much more. It is art.
For an artist not putting yourself out there is basically hiding the fact that you do art. No one is going to walk by, buy all your art and send their friends your way, making you instantly famous. You have to put yourself out there and really get ready to not face negative reviews but really no reviews at all. You have the face the reality that for a while no one is really going to comment on your work, there is just so much out there that you can get lost in the crowd. But that first review, no matter how scaring in is means that someone is taking notice. And yeah it hurts but it pushes me forward.
Art can be really discouraging. I have great comments on a lot of my pieces but no steps up with that check in hand, no one wants to pay for a service that they think they can do for free. "Oh but I could do that" is a saying I hear all the time, and sometimes from my own mouth. What we have to realize is that everyone is selling something, and that artists and artisans are putting little pieces of themselves out there for others to see, to buy, pieces that people criticize without a second thought. True it may be cheaper or easier if we figured out how to do things for ourselves but it reality it will never quite be up to the quality of this other person, some who has spent time to craft their art, who puts themselves out there.
Respect artists. We can't hide behind corporate logos, pen names and big fancy lights. Well we could but then what makes our craft ours gets lost. We quite literally lost our reasoning. I am an artist because I want to share with other people. It may just look like a pretty girl or a piece of wood but to me it is so much more. It is art.