I worked on my 1-10 and Fredericksburg Road urban landscape this morning. It was one of those days painting when I lost track of time and everything else going on in my life. The zone. There are so many little details in an urban landscape, especially one that’s capturing a long stretch of road like Fred Rd. I’m not sure how much detail is too much. You can put too much detail and too little, so I’m looking for the sweet spot, the right balance. I also want to capture the way colors fade in the distance. This road goes far and it’s important to make sure those colors fade.
I’m hanging some artwork tomorrow at a gallery downtown. I’m a member of the San Antonio Art League and they have a member’s gallery in Southtown. I’ll have a piece up for three months and tomorrow afternoon I need to drop it off. It’s nice to know I’ll have work up for people to see for several months. I’d like to find gallery representation. Etsy is great, but I think paintings are things that people need to see up close.
What is the ticket to making a living as an artist? I’d like to know the answer. As far as I can tell, not many artists know, even the ones who are successful. What I’ve heard and read is the debate between galleries versus selling online. Some people argue that selling online is legit and lucrative, while others insist that brick and mortar is a must. It’s a tough question to answer. Perhaps if I have success selling in the SAAL member’s gallery I’ll have a better idea of what works for me.
I think I’d like to be out in the community more though. Covid has been a real stick in the mud, but it looks as if socializing is coming back in vogue. Although I’m a total homebody, and dislike very much going out at night, I’d still like to meet art buyers and investors. Having an Etsy shop just doesn’t cut it. But… Etsy is soooo convenient. It’s easy to photograph a painting and post it online. It’s even easyish to pack it up and send it. I’ve seen some painters who have success selling on Etsy, so obviously it’s possible to do.
I guess it’s a balance, like everything else. A little of this, a little of that. Most known stories about artists are that we are broke and struggling. I am. It is true for me. I’d like to change that narrative. I’d like to go from struggling to successful. I believe it’s possible. I have read about and talked to artists who make a very nice living, who not only make enough to support themselves but make enough to support their spouse and family quite comfortably. It’s possible. And I don’t even know that talent and skill are the most important factors. It seems like attitude plays a bigger role in whether an artist reaches the success they want.
Attitude and belief in oneself. Is that spiritual? Are those things - self-esteem, sense of deservedness - the marks of spiritual health? What role does spiritual health play in success in general? And, do you have to call it spiritual health? Can one refer to self-esteem, self-worth, and sense of deservedness, as the belief in one’s lovability? Acceptability? Likability? The belief that one is enough? Where do those things come from? Is it possible to cultivate more self-esteem? To feel more deserving? Those are the questions I find myself asking these days. I can improve my skills as both a writer and painter, but can I also improve my sense of deservedness? Can I raise my self-esteem, even if nothing changes?