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Yesterday’s article was from the collectors’ point of view; what you think artists like ourselves should do. We’re weird, so a lot of that doesn’t apply. Today’s article is about what you, as an artist, are doing or are considering. Both of these articles are inspired by Alyson B. Stanfield, whom we met and follow on Twitter, in her ArtBizCoach Blog.

There are two general schools of thought that sound like a Roadblock on The Amazing Race:

Go for it! or Wait and see….

Art isn’t what some would call an “essential”. It is, but when it comes down to spending on food, or something that lifts one’s spirits, food most often wins out. Once you fill your stomach, you can then think about making your head feel better. Art is one of the first things to go when budgets get cut, which lands the artist in a precarious place, as far as what they spend their energies doing to fill their stomachs.

Often, artists hear from parents and sometimes friends:

“When are you going to get a real job?”

Not great, especially from those you look to for understanding and encouragement. We know we’re not “normal”. If artists were normal, we couldn’t do what we do. I often prayed:

“God, please don’t let me be normal.”

This isn’t a slam against anyone. It is the realization that I’m not “normal” and it would just about kill me if I was forced to abandon and ignore my talents.

It isn’t that I haven’t done “normal” work. I have—lots of it: carpenter, slung burgers, worked a drive-in dairy, draftsman, engineer at Kodak, painted houses, produced mechanicals for a print house, ran a 40 inch 4-color printing press, bindery, process camera. Good experience. Not what I was put here for.

When times get tough, one does what they must to keep going; looking forward to the day when it all changes for the better and the Sun shines again. (The Tough Get Going) The question is, where is your turning point? How bad does it have to get before you abandon your calling? How far are you willing to press in the pursuit of your career when, no matter what you do, nothing seems to work?

Is it working but millstones turn slow and, after all this investment, that which you seek is just around the corner? Giving up now would be the worst thing you could do. It is what you want to do, yes?

I often feel that tough times are a test to see just how much we really want what we say we want. IF you stick it out, you will be rewarded. If you knuckle under, well, you didn’t want it bad enough. Good things, things worthwhile, don’t come easy.

So, here’s your question for the day. Are you:

• Branching out into new fields and breaking new ground?
• Consolidating and concentrating on your strong sellers and markets?
• Increasing your visibility to established collectors?
• Spending more or less on promotion?
• In which areas: mailings, advertising, etc. ?
• Increasing your social networking?
• Thinking about finding a “real job” (less and less of those every day)?
• Working longer hours and pulling all-nighters to stay ahead of it?
• Finally getting to those ideas that have been on the back burner?
• Running around in circles screaming?
• In bed with the covers pulled over your head?
• Tryin’ to think but nothin’ happens? (Curly – 3 Stooges)

Tell your fellow artists out there how you are attacking and handling the current climate.
Please post a comment, below, and discuss your approach. We want to hear your thoughts.

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Tags: art and science, diversity, focus, perception