Finding your market, why bother?

Finding your market, why bother?

Remember last week I talked about taking a break?  This is another reason why you might want to consider it.  I was having drinks with another artist recently and they told me, “I am officially retired.  I am no longer an artist.”  I looked at them with astonishment.  “I’m going to be a gardener.” They informed me.

I asked the artist to walk me through this.  They were done, I was told.  I have no joy in it anymore.  One of their galleries sold their work with abandon, and I was confused.  What possibly could have happened that they couldn’t find joy in creating anymore.  They went on to say that they created what would sell there but it wasn’t fun anymore and they were burned out.  Of course they were!

When we create what sells for the market, it becomes a job.  Artists are artists because they don’t want to have a job.  It takes more time to be an artist and that is why we need to create what we want and look for the market that will sustain us.  It is harder, I’ll admit but so much more rewarding when we do. 

People are always asking me, “why travel as much as you do?” because that is where what I create sells.  I would rather travel to 6 successful shows than do 12 locally where I only sell a third of what I have.  The expense might be higher but so are the financial and emotional rewards.  People buy what I like to create!  What a novel concept.  It feeds me, sustains me and energizes me so that ideas keep flowing.  I don’t want to be burned out and sometimes I’ll admit, it is appealing to do a bunch of small things that will sell where I am, but after 3 or 4 of them; I get bored too.

Take the chance, find the courage to seek out new markets.  The choice is that or selling crocheted salad forks for a few months and then getting a job at wal-mart.  I’ve worked there and several other places, I prefer to travel to Sedona thank you.  What about you?