Being an Artist Used to be Easier

Only ten years ago being an artist was so much easier. You went to your studio, did your work, sent your work off to galleries or sold them at art festivals or in open studio events. Pretty simple right? 

Ten years ago Facebook was only a year old and in its infancy. YouTube was only a concept and Instagram wasn't even a dream. Social media was non-existent. Online galleries were not the norm. Artists only had to worry about having a good website and keeping it updated with their latest work. Today I go to the studio and have to constantly determine how to produce material for social media: videos, video clips, photos of work in progress, videos of work in progress, videos of me doing the most mundane tasks like painting canvas edges or applying gesso or stretching canvases. The art world and marketing of art has changed dramatically. No longer is it enough to go to the studio and produce good work. I have to constantly disrupt the flow of studio work to prepare posts for social media. It is difficult for artists to do everything.

Don't get me wrong, there are many more opportunities for artists today then ten years ago and I am thankful for that. But there is more pressure to constantly put information out there for people to consume. Folks want to see behind the scenes of your work and your studio practices. They want to see everything that you do during the process of your work. I get that. It makes our product (our work) speak to more people. It helps build our tribe of students, followers, buyers, and collectors.

The problem is I don't have a marketing person, or a staff photographer, or a video producer - I only have me. Not only am I a creative entrepreneur, I am a solopreneur. I am the only person to do all the work. Believe me I spend MUCH more time marketing than I do painting. Today painting is only a small part of WHAT I do, even though that is mostly what I WANT to do. With increased opportunities come increased amounts of work. I am thankful for it and I am thankful I have the freedom to do what I do!

If you want to learn how to develop your career as an artist, Join me for one of my live workshop events or join one of my online courses.