Things change, but they stay the same

If you're any type of creative person - from musician to clothing designer, fine artist to website designer - I'm willing to bet you've heard words like niche and target audience. I know I sure have. And, honestly, they drive me bonkers. Not because I don't want to think about such things or even because I can't overly define what those things are, it's mostly because they both have always given off a sense of pretentiousness to me.

I went to the library today, one of my many addiction-dens😂, and checked out a couple of books on marketing and selling for artists. One of the books, Sell Online Like a Creative Genius by Brainard Carey (awesome first name😂), has a section that gives off that pretentiousness vibe to me. And, what doesn't bode well for the book is that it's only the fourth page of the first chapter. Here's what Mr. Carey (not Drew Carey😂) has to say;

If you're selling art, it may also seem like everyone can buy art, but there is an age demographic there, too. Perhaps there is an education demographic as well because buying art is a bit sophisticated on one level--to understand why something is beautiful and of value as an artwork is not an easy evaluation to make as a buyer. It often takes an education to understand art and to make a decision about buying it. You have to have a form of "visual literacy." All of these are parameters you need to take into account when deciding who your audience really is.

There's alot I have a problem with in this small paragraph, naturally. Call me opinionated, argumentative, even an idealist doesn't make much of a difference to me😂. But, lets break it down and add my two cents.

... there is an age demographic there, too.

So, only "old people" can buy art? People in their 20's, 30's, 40's can't buy art? They don't have jobs, make money, have interests and tastes that would allow them or even encourage them to make purchases? No one under the age of, say, 65, dates or has spouses, parents, siblings or friends that would have birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, births, or any other special event or holiday that would provide an opportunity to purchase art as a gift? The ageism mentality has always been a hot button/trigger for me, even as a kid. It makes no sense to me, and never has. 

Perhaps there is an education demographic as well because buying art is a bit sophisticated on one level--to understand why something is beautiful and of value as an artwork is not an easy evaluation to make as a buyer.

Did this not sound pretentious to the author, editor or anyone else? "buying art is a bit sophisticated"? So, only "super smart and well educated" people can buy art? Has Mr. Carey never been to an art hop/event before? I don't think you need to have a PHD or Doctorate to buy a beaded purse, sculpture of a dolphin breaching from the waves, or a painting of deer in the woods in the middle of winter. If you do, there's a BUTTLOAD of dumb smart people in the world😂. And what happened to the whole "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" mindset amongst the art world? Now you need an in-depth education to have an individual interest and individual opinion on what YOU find beautiful, at least to the point of buying a hand made item at a craft fair at your local church? I mean, really? That seems pretty heavy to me.

You have to have a form of "visual-literacy."

I've never said I'm a great artist or even highly skilled or talented at making art, and yet I am still an artist. But, do I possess "a form of 'visual-literacy'"? No idea😂. I know what I personally feel looks good, interesting and is a work of art. Did I go to art school and study art specifically to learn these personal opinions? Nope. I did go to college, but it was a standard university and a standard college (I went to two) and not focused on art specifically. 

Overall, yea, I'm not a big fan of this strange, yet common, mindset amongst some artists and art teachers (not just those who teach how to make specific types of art, but those who teach you how to be an artist). And, sure, I can understand the need to understand who buys your art and, maybe, why they buy it, but is it really that necessary to be so segregative and, well, mean? I don't care if a college grad or a preschool grad buys my artwork. If they see something, anything, in even one of my works that they like - could be the colors, the shapes, the model, the supposed message or the inferred meaning, or it was simply an impulse buy because they were just in the mood to buy it - then I'm happy. That's plenty for me as an artist.

In fact, I'd more than likely hate it if my work ended up being something like those works where people only care about who made it simply because it's an "investment" and not something to even look at. Sure, they hang it up in their hallway or living room to show off to friends and work-snobs, but it's not because they actually care about the art itself or what it means to them. It's more of a "look at this REALLY expensive item I own. It increases my investment portfolio by $10 thousand." I mean, would I enjoy being that famous to the point even one of my works would garner a $10k profit for me and the person who purchased it? Hell yea!😂 But, it still wouldn't be a nice feeling knowing someone bought something I spent a great deal of time, money, energy and stress on only to sit in anticipation waiting for me to die and make a "killing" off of it. Doesn't really sit well with me.

I know, I know. If I don't like the way the game is played, don't play it. Or, something like that 😂. Target audience, niche, etc. etc, etc. I'll do my best to define these things and play the game by whoevers rules (strange that artists, historical rule breakers and norm challengers, would set and force each other to follower rules😂) in the hopes and dreams of making a living off of my art. Doubt it'll all ever make sense to me though.

Till next time MMP Fans!

Who, What, When, Where, and WHY?

I am not a good actor nor am I a good professional, mostly because I don't have the energy to lie to total strangers even if it will possibly get me money. Call me lazy, but that's how I am  😂. I'm too old, too lazy, too board of having to sugar coat, beat around the bush, and out right lie to people in the slim hope that doing so will make me a financial profit. I'd almost say robbing people would be easier, except I've the body of a 80 year old and the temperament of one to boot  😂. My luck I'd make it up to the person I planned to rob, get bored/tired/cranky, turn around and go back home. You know, I just had a thought: You don't see a lot of little old people robbing people, especially younger people, do you? There's a life lesson in that. When you get old you get so sick and tired of the world that you can't even be bothered to commit crimes, or at least physical ones😂.

What brought this all on? Well, I'm in the process of writing my About MMP page and I've no clue what to NOT write. Oh, I can write ALOT, and I've been reading and listening to alot of content (I think I'm channeling George Carlin while writing this for some reason 😂) about how to write 'about me' pages for artists, but I don't want to be that artist. You know that artist who has a mission/artist statement and tells you that they want to make profound, uplifting, inspirational, world changing, condescending, Hallmark Card worthy, spiritual awakening art? Yea, that aint me. (And neither is this. I feel like George Carlin has taken over my body and made me even more of an old-crank  😂 I'm not complaining though. I love Carlin!)

All jokes aside (for now), I honestly don't know what would make me sound like a "professional artist," mostly because I have no idea what that even is. Are we talking a successful artist, someone who got lucky and is able to make a standard living off of what they make? Ok, still no idea how to pose as one of them. I mean, how do pretenders/posers manage to act like someone they're not AND maintain their actual personality/identity/persona/whatever? Again, I think I'm too old and too lazy to even begin to figure that kind of stuff out  😂. Being myself is hard enough - no, correction. Changing the things about myself that I WANT to change is hard enough, let alone becoming an entirely different person that may or may not even exist in the real world. Other than George Carlin, who's dead and totally could poses people just to mess with their minds. That's exactly what I would do if I were a ghost  😂.

Of course, I've skimmed other artists websites and checked out their about me pages, but that still doesn't help me not say things that may or may not be professional for a professional artist to say or not say. 😑 Especially considering I can type WAY faster than I can talk, and I can talk both your ears off without even breaking a sweat  😂. So, what to do? I did write a rough draft and, well, it's looooooong. Definitely going to shorten that, probably make the whole thing two paragraphs max. But, see, then THAT seems wrong cause it sounds like one of those rich snobs being short with you because you're beneath them and unworthy of so many words. Basically, it sounds cold and curt. I'm also a much better talker in person than I am a writer. It's tough to write sarcasm, hence the over abundance of emojis as, I have learned, they allude to my joking manner and help dissuade some of the over sensitive Karen's of this new modern era. Ho ho ho.😂

Some of the questions that some of the websites/podcasts give that are "essential"/"necessary"/"required" in an artists' about me page are...well, pointless. I don't care when a company started making a product. I care if the product is good, affordable and will get the job done. When the company started making their products, where they started production, who started the business, and why they even started in the first place don't really effect the quality, affordability and effectiveness of the product to me. So, do potential buyers/clients honestly care when I started making art, where I make art, or even who I am as an artist?

Honestly, I think these about me pages are an indirect way to profile someone. Find out what kind of an artist you are, but not what kind of art you make. Basically, are you an artist that will align with my specific beliefs, feelings, positions, etc etc etc. Isn't that a bad thing? I think so. While I would prefer that my work speak for itself, I do understand people not wanting to support a person they may not share in similar thinkings with. Fine, but, that still seems wrong to me. I'm making the art, sure. Your patronage does help to support me and my family, sure. But you're not buying me. You're not buying my ideals, beliefs, or choices. And I am not selling them to you. What I am selling are hand crafted portraits that may (or may not) look good in your living room or bedroom. I'm selling YOU decorations for YOUR home. Not a love letter with a chunk of my hair taped to it 😂.

I don't know, truly, it has me conflicted. While I've never had any problems speaking my mind or telling my story, I don't want to over indulge (as I'm prone to do  😂) and come across as unprofessional. I'm nice, considerate, and professional as one can be in person. But I don't have an About Me sheet of paper that I hand out to every person that comes into my work every day, nor do I rely on said sheet of paper when it comes to performing to the best of my abilities. I don't treat my customers the same because they're not the same. Each one comes in with different problems, different plans, different ideas, and different expectations. I do my best to make them happy, provide my own feedback and ideas on how they can accomplish their goals and maybe a bit more, and, if I don't know/have something that they need, I tell them where they are most likely to find the answers/what they need. Over the years, I think I've only had one or two people leave unhappy, and those were more so to do with outside forces rather than my professionalism. But trying to convey that in an about me page in at most two paragraphs?  😂

Oh well. I'm not in a rush to finish it just yet. Dealing with the holidays right now, so things are going at an even slower pace, which is fine. I'd rather get things done right, then rush and foul it all up!  😂 Time to do battle with the holiday monsters and draft some more paragraphs 😂.

Till next time MMP Fans!

Web design, oh web design, why are you so cruel to me?

 As the dramatic title may suggest, I am not on good terms with web design 😂. Trying to figure all the codes, phrases, and vocabulary for making a website is stressful to put it mildly. And, I'm sure it doesn't help being a bit of a nit-picky-perfectionist type either 😂. Such is the pain of being a creative individual, I suppose. But I want my website/portfolio to look good! Or, at the very least, not bad.

It also doesn't help that, around September of '24, I had to send in my 4tb hard-drive in for data recovery annnnnnnnnnd it's not a cheap data recovery either 😓😭😭. So it is definitely making the process of redesigning my website, uploading images and videos of my art, and everything else more difficult! While I did already plan on retaking photos of most of my art for better displays, I definitely didn't want to lose the originals (as well as SO MUCH MORE!). It has really bummed my creative spirits, that's for sure.

But, I guess I just have to keep things in perspective. No one can do everything or do anything perfectly, right? So, I'll just do my best and make things look as good as I can and MAYBE, one day in that day dreamlike future, I'll have the money to hire a professional to make a nice website for MMP! 😂 But I'm not holding my breath for that daydream to come true. And, it's brought to mind something that a successful art-youtuber I used to watch (this bothered me to the point I stopped following them honestly) recently said: It's impossible to be a successful artist without alot of help. 

While I agree with that statement I also don't agree with it. There are thousands upon thousands of people who don't have a bunch of random people to do free labor - be they friends, relatives or even significant others. Especially nowadays. So, being one of those said people, hearing someone who is clearly successful selling their art and making a business off of their art, actually say that someone like me will NEVER make it simply because I don't have a bunch of people around me doing things for me, that just sends up a big red flag to me. Maybe I'm wrong, I don't know. But that's how my situation is at this time. 

I don't have a bunch of friends/family that will make a website for me, take photos of my art that will look professional, record/edit my art videos (course, the majority of those are on the "dead" hard drive 😭😂), or make/monitor/market my art on social media. That's, sadly, all on me. And that's not really a bad thing either, I like doing each aspect of those things really 😂. But that does mean that things aren't going to look "professional" simply because I am not a professional at each of those things. And everything is going to take a long time to accomplish simply because it is just me doing each thing. 

So, if I don't make it only because I don't have a team of people doing things for me and getting things accomplished at the same time sooner, oh well. Guess it wasn't meant to be 😂. But, that's enough ranting and raving for now!

Till next time MMP Fans!