Nothing is more fulfilling than finding your market.

The Map education that I invested it kept saying, “Don’t create for the market, find the market for what you create.”  It is a truth that keeps artists producing and can grind others down.  Artists create where they live and a lot of times that isn’t the place to sell their work.  I don’t know if it is about a lack of urgency because the public feels like they will always be there, perhaps it is because your location influences your art and people who live there don’t need to see it on their walls.  Sometimes, the reasons they live there are not because of the beauty that the artist draws from.

There are artists who can be and are very successful where they live.  The locals are drawn to what they create.  There really isn’t a rhyme or reason, beating yourself up because people where you live don’t buy your work is a waste of energy.  Creating what people like there when it isn’t what you want to make can dry up your muse and rob you of your joy in making art.  If we just wanted to make money, we would do a 9 to 5; right?

I have been lucky to find places where my art sells and it is a warm feeling to have that kind of reception.  I end up wanting to do art and bask in the joy of acceptance.  The sales are wonderful, but the comments and positive feedback can help me work harder.  Don’t get me wrong, I am happy to have to create more inventory.  I am also busier in creative ways that bolster my efforts.

As an artist, sometimes you need to look at your surroundings and cast farther afield to find that.  Travel can be hard on you but the rewards can change your outlook.  If you don’t feel supported by your local community, it isn’t them or you.  You just might not be in the right place to sell your work.  You can live there but take the time to explore other places to market your art.  Ask other artists who you come across and see if they have any insight on where you might do better.  You don’t have to move from where you live to be successful.  You just need to step away from home now and then to find a place that will support your efforts.  Besides, you never know when you might find something else that inspires you.  Take a picture and go home to create.  Good luck and safe travels.