On Being an Artist
I am an artist.
Seems like a simple, clear statement, four tiny little words.
Easy to type on this blank page.
For me, it is a loaded statement. As I type the words “I am an artist” I am owning, honoring and issuing a battle cry.
You are an artist, too.
Did you gasp? Agree and nod your head? Think oh no, not me? I couldn’t be…
The words Art and Artist are loaded with so much emotional baggage for me. I grew up in a family of Artists and there was a clear distinction between capital “A” Art, you know the Fine Art kind auctioned off at Sotheby’s or on display at MOMA and other arts or crafts. These two tiny little words were diminished, demeaned and judged wanting.
How could I claim that I am an artist?
I didn’t go to art school.
I have a PhD in Spanish, I love poetry and all things Latin American literature and culture. Oh, and dancing! Salsa or merengue anyone?
I have taught high school and college students as well adults on subjects ranging from World Religions and Spanish to art journaling and Mexican cooking.
I ran a parenting magazine for 11 years and hosted wildly successful family expos with thousands of families in attendance.
I have won numerous awards, published 3 books, appeared on television, radio and stages around the United States.
Now I coach other artists and creatives on how to build a profitable business. I love making the business side of art as fun as the art making itself.
On the side, I crafted. I played. I created. I made marks. I scrapbooked or made handmade gifts and cards. My entrepreneurial habits started young. In high school I made and sold stained glass pieces.
Somewhere along my journey, thanks to the joys of online learning, I started painting. Then I began sharing pictures of my paintings on Facebook.
It was my hobby and my passion. My safe place and journey through personal development and creative expression. Painting makes me happy. I didn’t set out to be a painter or to sell art. I didn’t set out to be an artist.
People started asking to buy my art. I said no for a couple of years. “Come on over to the house, pick something out, it’s yours,” I would say. “Pay the shipping, I’ll send it to you for free,” I said. “Sell it? No thanks.”
After enough requests I decided it might be a good idea to sell my art. As a business consultant, it’s what I teach people to do. What are people asking you for? Sell them that! I’ve been doing this successfully for 17 years now. So why not sell my art?
I told people I would be selling my art soon, the website is coming, I promise. Six months later I had still not taken action. This is not like me. I am a productivity queen, I get stuff done. As an action taker I felt out of integrity with my promises. What in the heck was happening?
My inner demons and dragons were roaring in my head. “It’s not safe. They will judge you. That’s not Art. Just because they said it was pretty on Facebook doesn’t mean they will pay you for it.” And those were just the nice comments. For real.
I did everything I could to make selling my art as hard as it could be. I complained I couldn’t take good photos. I said I couldn’t find a photographer to take the photos, then I did find one but still didn’t take action. I didn’t know which of my websites to put it on or did I really need a whole new website. You can’t imagine (or maybe you can) the amount of chatter that was happening internally.
Finally my husband looked at me and said, “Why are you making selling your art so hard?”
Because I had to slay my inner dragons. I had to show my work and ask for money in exchange for something that was very close to my heart. I felt like I was in the Fire Swamp being chased by Rodents of Unusual Size with no Wesley to save me and no clear path through the swamp.
Once I realized that I was experiencing some mental blocks around showing my art, I was able to make peace with the dragons for a bit, escape the ROUS’ and put my artwork up for sale on my website. Even adding that hyperlink right now to this article felt hard. Should I share it? What if I get mean comments? My commitment is bigger than my fear today.
With my Wesley’s (aka Brad) help, we took some photos with my iPhone 8, set up a gallery using my new Divi theme on my personal website and voila, my art is for sale. And it’s selling. Mostly because I am still sharing on Facebook and making it easy for people to buy. I feel in alignment and integrity with what I said I would do.
I have not created a fancy funnel or marketing strategy. I am just sharing, starting small. Taking small steps out into the wide expanse of sharing my art and my heart. Don’t get me wrong, I love talking funnels and marketing strategy, but not yet. I still feel tender.
Mostly, I have a deeper sense of empathy for my creative clients who are struggling to show their work. The ones who make all kinds of excuses about technology being too hard or they don’t know how. Same excuses I was telling myself. Perhaps it’s time to have a conversation with yourself. Maybe you don’t see demons and dragons but you have those voices. Every artist has those voices.
The successful artists are the ones who show their work. People can’t buy from you if you don’t show them what you are offering. Sounds so obvious doesn’t it? I didn’t say it was easy or painless.
I am that kind of artist. The one who makes money from her art. Who celebrates her success and wraps her arms around her dragon and says, “I know it’s scary. I love you. We are going to be okay.”
What kind of artist do you want to be?
