AN ART CAREER: Walking the High Wire (without a net)
Over the years, I’ve had many concerned friends and family (even complete strangers) ask me, ‘How is it possible to make a living as an artist!?
I’ve given many snarky answers over that time, mostly because I’m playfully snarky most of the time, but when in the right mood, I give the correct answer, or at least *A* “correct” answer. The answer is “priorities”, although other words can follow such as frugal, networking, Friends, and a large set of balls (metaphorically-speaking, my readers of the fairer sex!).
To be honest, it’s scary. . . or at least unnerving much of the time. I’ve had amazing years as an artist, and I’ve had plenty more Good than bad, but I’ve had a string of bad in recent years. Since the Great Recession it’s been extremely difficult. I lost my home 5 years ago and had to move away from my large circle of emotionally-supportive friends; it’s AMAZING how much a simple hug and bit of love can help us artists through the bad patches.
If you know any artists, reach out to them so they know they’re not alone.
But I digress!
Priorities. Yes. . . Nearly everything is a choice.
- One dinner out can be 3 or 4 dinners at home.
- A nice 3-day vacation can be a month’s rent!
- The $180/mth cable TV plan vs the $60/mth saves $1,000 a year, right?
Priorities.
My Law of Priorities, of course, doesn’t really exist when it comes to SUPPLIES. I am an artist after all. My justification is that any and all Studio Costs are what MAKE ME MONEY (even if it’s years after I’ve invested).
Even NOW. . . today, right now as I’m writing this, I have to decide:
Do I replace the pickup truck I sold over a year ago (for living expenses) or do I purchase Big Shiny Balls? ( BSB’s are my mirror-polished spheres for some of my sculptures. I just like how dirty it sounds when I say ‘My Big Shiny Balls’). Forgive me.
Priorities. . . Sigh. I suppose I’ll keep riding my motorcycle in the soggy Pacific Northwest for another year. Of course I will, because why have a truck if I don’t have any SCULPTURE to deliver with it, right? The year is YOUNG and my hope. . . well MY HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL, so there will be another day for a truck.
Did I answer my question about how I’ve managed to walk my High Wire (sans net) for the last 21 years without plummeting to the ground?
No… I don’t think I did, at least not to my own satisfaction. I’m loathe to say it comes down to “luck” because luck isn’t a magical thing. I can add that I give Significant Credit to some friends and collectors (sometimes one in the same); they have been so generous with their Love & Support and in some cases with their money. I KNOW at least 2 or 3 people in my life who (knowingly or not) bought a sculpture mere weeks before my account was to reach Zero. Life Savers!
But this leads into the topic of my NEXT blog post about Patrons, so I’ll wait. As always, this post is too long.
-James Kelsey
