Casting about for an illustration for this post, I remembered this door size painting I did this year. It was one of the gifts. I was blessed. (Click for larger view.)
A couple of years ago I came across an anonymous Internet rant about selling art. It was so odd and so amusing I kept it. This morning I happened on it again. I’ll share it here, complete with its own unique spelling and grammar:
Are you interested making money in fine arts? Well if you are an artist then you can forget about the money part that’s the part you’re not gonna get it.Anything else is just fine.We all know many artists around including ourselves beeing one, how many people do you know who buy arts?And why someone should buy your art why?why?Why anyone should even buy an artwork in the first place did you think about that?Well friends let me clear one one thing First too many people are relying on paintings to make a living in art, 1-)artists (zillions of them let me clear that with one thing for you there are NO zillions of art buyers),2-)Galleries mostly sell frames without frame business they would go out of business,3-)Dealers,4-)publishers with their employees this list very long I won’t go on.I have been in art business for 25 years, mostly commercial because without it I could not put food on the table,This has nothing to do you beeing good or bad, there are just not many art buyers out there. We all buried under our egos as if we’re the only artist out there ooh gee my work is superior and people go for my work WOOOOV holly s..t unbelievable yeah. Friends nobody cares, art lost its momentum it is going down.With this computer age, future of art along with population groving number of artist and artist wanna be’s no good. you want to be succesfull and make a good living art is a wrong business
Hilarious, you’ll say, if it wasn’t so close to true.
When I’m asked if I make my living making art I say, “No, I make my living selling art.”
But, while knowing how to make good art is challenge enough; knowing how to sell it is a trackless forrest.
If you’ll remember one of these blogs about a year ago, I came across (again) what I thought was a marketing approach I could do. It’s right out of the Bible: A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.*
I won’t go into how I’ve applied that, nor have I thought about it every day. But things would come up when giving a painting, or a bunch of paintings, seemed the right thing to do. Sometimes it was with a gulp, and maybe a days-long hesitation. It’s with some chagrin I confess I’ve probably given away more paintings this year than I’ve sold.
Imagine my surprise, then, as I’ve approached the end of the year, that this has been not only a good income year, but the highest of my life!
I rejoice, of course. But, more, I marvel.
I go back to the first line of our Internet ranter, “ if you are an artist then you can forget about the money part.” There’s something true about that, but there’s more truth that adds to it . . . something he’s yet to discover . . . and I keep discovering.
Have a good year.
_______________
*Proverbs 11:25
Our Lives Together
Its About Life
10:39 am
Hyatt, you are living the Blessed Life principle Barb & I learned from our pastor, Robert Morris at Gateway. It’s so amazing that we have ended our year able to generously support some Bible translation projects as well as a Kingdom gift well above our tithe. Praying The Lord keeps on blessing you, friend.
Gary
10:44 am
“Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”
I trust that you are refreshed – one of your paintings graces our bedroom wall, and I am refreshed every time I see it.
Thank you, Hyatt.
11:36 am
Keep up the good creative work, Hyatt! Your creative artistry just pours out of you on to the canvas from your spiritual font within in such a way that you are an inspiration to all who behold you…especially because you reveal your creative process in action…it is alive…as is our Lord Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit!!!
Love to you and Anne from Laura and Donald Malcolm
7:27 pm
Good one, Hyatt,
May God give you many more years to “rejoice and marvel!”
New Year’s Blessings to both you and Anne.
Jack and Jo
6:41 am
Hyatt, your art has so much life in it. I would even say it is in motion. It moves, and moves people. I have your book, and love all the art in it. Those who are blessed with extra money and spend it purchasing your art have good taste. God bless you and have a great 2016!
5:08 pm
Congratulations on a successful year in the art business. Also, congratulations to you and Anne for being among the small percentages of artist to make a living doing what they love. Having observed you closely, I know it is a full time job. I remember with a smile the first time I made the mistake of saying you were retired. I later understood the rebuke.
Loved the art rant, knowing it rang true, in a very unique way.
Wishing both of you a great New Year,
Kent
5:22 pm
Hyatt – love your year end results – how fitting! We’ve been refreshed by you multiple times throughout this year (many times when we needed it most!) – so grateful you and Anne live like He’s true. May your 2016 read something like this…
No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this,
Never so much as imagined anything quite like it—
What God has arranged for those who love him.
Much love and merriment to you and Anne from Nanjing!
9:07 am
What an amazing gift you’ve been given and it blesses us all the way you use it for gods glory. Certainly he is smiling upon you.
6:51 pm
Thanks for the year’s-end thoughts, Hyatt. Like I tell my piano students, a talent/gift’s joy isn’t fully realized until it’s given away. May you and Anne feel God’s pleasure, life in its abundance, in the New Year.