As a working artist, I am always trying to navigate my way into the "art scene" and the right crowd. Truly, I'm good at it. My frustration is, I love the game, I hate the world.
What I mean by that is, most of the art out there sucks, or really sucks, but that is what the buyer wants: bad art that fits a spot, matches the rug... that is not me. My art matches the decor of most people garages; hard, cold, mechanical, unlike most people's furniture. This is not a good business plan for a guy who wants to make a living doing art.
So what do you do?
My thoughts on this are base, I can't or shall I say, won't, do street fairs or anything that involves a 10' x 10' tent. Trust me, I'm guilty of public 1/2 second critique of artist that make watercolors of beach scenes or sculpture of a bear swatting a butterfly out of vertigreed bronze, it kills me. But it sells.
Question is, do I sell out and make marketable art that sells or stick to my guns and make what I feel is notable art that may only be worth something when I die? I choose sticking to my guns.
What I must do first and foremost, is more power to the street fair artist and all that I hate. They understand what's important, eating, providing, surviving. Fact is, If I were in the wild and making a sustainable life by hunting and gathering art buyers, I'd be dead in a week. On the other hand, at least I would die knowing that I left a small but interesting mark, not wealthy, but memorable.
My ambitions are simple: I only want to show in places that bring people that want to be there (and not for the free cheap wine and cheese cubes), whom believe art is more than something pretty and will support art instead of decorating with it.
Best
Glenn