Artistic Pursuits: A Mindful Study of Income, Appreciation and Competition

Since deciding to take this particular path and dedicate most of my energy to my art I have discovered and experienced a lot of varying opinions and ideas about art, artists and the “art world”. Some of these ideas I feel are outdated and old world while some are truly forward thinking and applicable to current societal applications.

Let’s look at some outdated ideas first. 

You can NEVER earn a livable income as an artist creating art.

I was told this from the very beginning by very well meaning family members. Of course, I was a child and believed it so I chose to pursue graphic design as a career because there were more opportunities to earn a reliable income. While there are many graphic design opportunities these days it was not the case when I first started in the industry. Even so, there is never a guarantee in ANY industry that there will be a job opening available at all times. Many college and university graduates can attest to this.  

Art is for the rich. Only people with money can truly appreciate art.

The media often perpetuates this belief by highlighting stories about artwork at auctions that demand prices that are absolutely unattainable for 99% of the population. They show the cocktail parties and the fancy dresses and the aristocratic crowds milling around paintings and sculptures discussing their yachts and Parisian homes. This is not just a modern day stereotype; during the Renaissance it was the upper class families and the church who were the main supporters of the artists of the day; commissioning large projects to attest to their wealth and power.

Artists are competing with each other and should never reveal their secrets.

I’m not entirely sure how this idea began. Maybe back in the “caveman” days when humans competed with each other for food, mates, territory etc. Those who believe this closely guard their creative “secrets”. They never reveal how they create a work nor would ever dream of allowing anyone to see an incomplete piece. Opportunities for gallery submissions and art competitions can perpetuate this idea of competition between artists; to no surprise. To the victor go the spoils; or at least the sale.

Here are my beliefs:

Income

Artists can earn a livable income from their artwork when they apply hard work, determination and

perseverance to their chosen field. This is no different than any goal that anyone wants to achieve in their life. Athletes, scientists, entrepreneurs, explorers; they will all agree that these three things are required to achieve a goal. How do I know artists can be self-supporting thru their artwork activities? We have artists here in Hamilton who do just that in addition to many others in Canada and in other countries. Most of these are not famous; like that of an Andy Warhol or a Banksy. But they do receive a liveable income from their artwork and they are no different than you and I.

Like any small business, continued and consistent hard work is required. Remain determined and believe in yourself, your work and your goals. And stay the course; persevere. Time is not the enemy but the friend. I’m mostly talking to myself right now as I need to constantly remind myself to be patient, keep working and I will see progress. I have seen progress already albeit not monetary, yet. As an emerging artist I have manage to get my work into three galleries so far over the past 6 months. That’s something! And I have been accepted into 10 juried art shows (markets) in various places in southern Ontario. That counts for something too! One big plus I have going for me is my passion for my work. It literally oozes out of every pore of my soul. If you meet me and ask me about my art, be prepared to listen to me tell tales of passion and discovery with the enthusiasm of a child who just learned something new. The fact that this blog post is much too long is just one testament to my extreme passion for my art practice.

Art is for EVERYONE.

Art truly is for everyone. Not just the rich or highly educated or whatever other preconceived notion one may have about art and artwork. When I look at cave paintings especially those found in Lascaux France; I see a narrative created by a hunter on his way home. Not unlike today's social media posts; the cave painter created a picture of what he just saw; horses, cows and a bull. Maybe he wanted to tell others about his adventure. Maybe it was the first ad; “you will find these here”. Either way these paintings not only were an early form of creative expression but also a way to communicate ideas to others.

Today the purpose of art really hasn’t changed much from those early days. Art expresses its creator’s vision and will sometimes convey an idea or concept to the viewer. My own art expresses my love and appreciation of nature and the natural world that I love to explore. When I am spending time in nature and I experience something remarkable, I take a photo and later use the photo to create my artwork. Depending upon the viewers experiences with nature and their own emotional responses to nature they will experience my artwork in their own unique way.

The same is true for a masterpiece work such as Monet’s Water lilies. Some will see the artwork as a picture of water lilies. Others will see the dancing light as it ripples across the water. Others will recall a time they went fishing with their dad and came across a quiet pond dotted with water lilies.

Art expresses the vision of the artist but that is not all. Art can affect an emotional response in viewers in such a way that each viewer will have a unique experience of the artwork. That is the power of art and why it is for everyone.

Competition vs Education: 

While competition can breed improvements and encourage creators to push the boundaries in pursuit of something new, exciting and ground breaking;  it can also leave discoveries, techniques and skills on the table and lost forever when knowledge and experienced isn’t shared or passed on. In most sectors; including art, skills can be learned from those who are already working in their chosen field. Does that mean that everyone who learns the skills required of a field are going to produce the same product in the same way or the same service?? Definitely not!! Every living creature is unique. Including humans. We each experience life uniquely. No one thinks, feels, reacts the same as anyone else in any given situation. Therefore; everything we create as individuals will be unique; crafted with learned and practiced skills and reflecting how the creator views and experiences the world in that moment. The “in that moment” part is important. We’ll come back to that in a second.

Let’s look at a few examples:

Apple Computers creators Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak created a company with a vision to make products that would appeal to a certain type of person. Steve Jobs understood that you cannot possibly make things that everyone loves all of the time. So he made stuff that he loved, believed in and was passionate about. Technically Jobs created it, but Wozniak actually built it. Apple’s only failing is that no one took the time to learn how Jobs did what he did and Steve Jobs knowledge, experience, spark and unique vision are now gone.

Artists become better creators and stronger business managers when they share their ideas with each other and help each other. In order to allow art to evolve and grow and become a valued part of the daily lives of every person it is our responsibility to pass on what we learn to new artists. Scientists (for the most part) share their discoveries for the betterment (sometimes) of our world. So should artists.

Let’s look at competition: Pepsi and Coca Cola. To some consumers who are not passionate about their cola; both are soft drinks with a similar flavour. Some consumers simply don’t care, won’t care about cola. But there are some cola lovers who absolutely love and adore Pepsi. And there are some cola lovers who absolutely love and adore Coke. Both are cola, but both have a unique taste and culture that their followers love. And both are very very successful. I don’t drink either. My preference is water.

Let’s apply this to your artwork. There are other artists out there who create the same or similar artwork to you; correct? Well, sort of. I’m primarily an oil landscape painter. My subject tends to be Canadian landscapes; specifically vista type subjects, forest scenes and macro works. I’ve been able to narrow down my artwork focus to three main ideas at this time. (who knows what will happen in the future?) I know for a fact there are millions of artists who use oil paint. There are thousands of other painters who paint landscapes.  There are hundreds who paint Canadian landscapes. There maybe a few dozen who focus on the same three subjects that I do; I actually don’t know this for fact but for the sake of arguments let’s just say this. Of these there are a handful whose style may be somewhat similar to mine. However; of these there is no one who sees exactly the way I do (because they are not me and have not experienced my life) holds the brush the same, mixes paint the same, uses the same types of paints, etc etc and so they do not and cannot exactly reproduce the work that I do. That has value. My work is unique to me and me alone. In fact, when I create something really awesome I’m almost sad because I know I will never create that again in that exact same way. Sad, but then excited because each new painting is unique.

Let’s come back to the idea that each artwork/product/service is unique because each artist/chef/mechanic is unique. Why do you go to a particular restaurant? Often the answer is because they make that particular dish in a way that you appreciate most. Why do you go to that auto mechanic? Because he/she provides me with excellent service and attention to detail that I have not received elsewhere. I am confident in their services and skills and they believe what I believe. Often we purchase from companies/producers/services that we relate to on an emotional level.  Which means that while on the surface it may appear that all auto service companies (for example) are competing with each other while in actuality customers chose the service centre that best represents their own beliefs; one that reaches them on an emotional level. When a buyer/customer finds an artist/service centre that does this they tend to remain true to them. Conversely; not every business will appeal to everyone, thus providing products/services only to those who believe what they believe. Additionally not every artist/service/restaurant will provide the same products/services and so customers will seek additional products/services from other providers according to their needs. It’s not upsetting to me to have a customer who buys a painting of a building from another artist.  I don’t make paintings of buildings. Should I? Only if it’s something I am passionate about. When my customer wants a painting of trees in a forest that expresses my unique vision they will buy from me. Stick to your passion. Be true to you.

So answer me this; who am I really competing with??

Those who value and buy and support art and artists understand and embrace the unique original quality of a work of art and the artist who created it.  Just as cola lovers understand the unique taste and culture of their favourite brand of cola. As an artist your market is people who love what you do, how you do it and especially why you do it.

As you know, this is a blog and expresses my opinion. Your own opinion may be different than mine. That’s awesome. Variety is good. And that’s okay. My only hope is that in reading, it has given you pause to consider how art, artwork, artists and creative pursuits are woven into our everyday lives giving life to ideas, purpose to lives and challenge us to think beyond what is directly in front of us.

If you want more I’d love to have you join us in our Facebook group; Ontario Artists Network and Market.

Thank you for reading!