By Sylvia
White
Sylvia White
is founder and director of Contemporary
Artists' Services, one of the few management
consulting firms specializing in the career
development of visual artists. Recognized as
a pioneer in the field, she has been
advising artists on all matters related to
business, exhibitions, and marketing since
1979.
www.artadvice.com
Most people don't realize how much courage
it takes for an artist to show their work to
people. Courage, as defined by Mark Twain,
is not the lack of fear, but rather being
able to move forward in spite of it. In my
previous article, If You Are Addicted, I
introduce the notion that there is a
difference between making art and making a
painting (sculpture, photography, or
whatever your medium is). Expression of your
unique form of creativity is an addiction
that very few artists have any choice about.
It's the need that drives you, identifies
who you are as a person to yourself as well
as others and keeps you centered. But,
creating ART, takes more than just making
the object. After years of talking to
artists too timid or too scared to show
their work, I've heard just about every
excuse in the book… fear of rejection, lack
of time, not interested in exposure, not
ready, the list goes on and on. But for
some, there comes a point at which they can
no longer ignore the need for their artwork
to be seen. It's as if the artwork itself is
demanding exposure. It is here, that the
distinction between an object that sits on
the wall begins the transition into becoming
art.
As I define it, art is the activity that
occurs in the space that exists between my
eyeballs and that object you have created.
It is the interaction between the collective
experiences in my brain, as I process the
way you have chosen to express the
collective experiences in your brain. It is
only when this exchange takes place, that
your work becomes art. It is when you share
your creation with the outside world that
you truly become an artist. Sadly, for many
artists, this is an experience they will
never have. My goal, therefore, is to help
prepare you to take the leap from being an
object maker, to being an artist. By
understanding the responsibility you have to
get your work seen, you can begin to take
the important first steps in becoming an
artist.
-
Self Evaluation:
Spend some time thinking about what your
real goals are as an artist and write
them down. Nobody has to ever see it.
Don't let yourself limit the
possibilities just because you think
they are impossible.
-
Excuses: Try to
define as many reasons as possible that
you haven't made a consistent effort to
show your work…again, write this down.
(No cheating, showing your work to one
or two people that are friends or
relatives doesn't count)
-
Objectivity: Try
to make a realistic assessment of the
quality of your work. This is not what
other people have said about your work,
including teachers or mentors. It is an
honest, naked, look at your process, by
YOU, to see if there is any room for
improvement or continued exploration.
Now, the hard part begins. If
in the self evaluation you discover, that
for you, true satisfaction comes from merely
making the work, with no one EVER seeing it,
then you can stop reading this article. But,
if you are like most artists, this exercise
will help you to determine the level of
commitment you have to showing your work, in
relation to the readiness of your work. For
example, if in your self evaluation your
find that your fantasies include gallery or
museum shows, or people appreciating your
work in any public context, the need to
share your work is an important element in
your ultimate satisfaction. If you also feel
this work is the best quality work you are
capable of making, then you have an
OBLIGATION to the work to deal with each and
every one of the things you have listed in
Step 2. For the work to become art, it must
be experienced by others and you must assume
the responsibility of making that happen, at
whatever cost to you or your ego. (For
suggestions on how to make consistent
efforts to market your work, read Okay I
Think I'm Ready To Be A Professional Artist
Checklist). The most important thing to
remember, is whatever reaction people have
to your work is irrelevant. But, it is that
necessary reaction that breathes life into
your art and completes the process of your
original intention, making art!
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