EMERGING ARTIST EH...

Last Light acrylic on panel 12 x 12

I’m definitely not one of those artists who find their “voice” and sticks with it for their entire career. I can’t stand still. I need to keep trying new things, new approaches. I find after a while that a style has been tapped. It’s starting to bore me and I need to move on. I’m not judging artists who keep doing the same style of work, in fact I envy their ability to be able to keep exploring that voice. Personally, I get tired of hearing myself talking.

I am the perfect definition of an “emerging artist” and many gallerists don’t like that. As much as some galleries claim to represent emerging artists, I think they’d much rather not. All galleries can see potential but they also like consistency. They like to know how to promote and sell the artist they have and not have to start explaining a change in approach every year or two, which is bound to happen when an artist is still exploring. All artists explore but for some it’s more obvious. One of my galleries described my work as “difficult”. I choose to take that as a compliment because I’m not sure if they mean the public doesn’t get what I do or I’m a hard sell for them.

Either way, it makes me appreciate even more the effort that goes into selling art and, most importantly for me, makes me appreciate the people who buy my work. It means they didn’t buy it because it had the right pink in it but because it spoke to them. They see beyond the decorator factor (not that there’s anything wrong with that). I’m actually proud of them for their ability to see what I’m trying to say.

CLICK THE TITLE OF THE POST TO COMMENT