Over the last several weeks we have taken a trip to discover what a Professional Artist” looks like so we could better understand how potential buyers see us and use that image to decide to buy our stuff. As I’ve discussed many times here, knowing who our work attracts is important, because it plays a major part in the authenticity of the image we project and ultimately on our ability to make a living from our work.
In developing a set of behavioral traits that indicate an artists commitment to the whole of their artistic career my goal is not to reinforce an elite class of working artists but rather give all artists a framework to define themselves in the changing environment of making and selling art. We can’t escape the fact that more and more people are discovering the ever increasing ways to create and sell their own hand made work. The resulting in an ever growing disappearance of previously distinct lines of quality and excellence which formed around the mystery of turning our imaginations into real products that expressed our vision. The power of the mysteries, manifested as skills and mastery within our chosen medium, formed the foundation that set us apart from those whose work was not original or based on a creative vision.
We could command higher prices as our mastery improved because mastering a technique or style was one of the primary criteria for success. Furthermore, our skills were gained and refined through years of practice and training, we could become “professional” through hours of devotion and learning, something not everyone was willing to commit to. In addition, depending on our mediums, specialized equipment was often needed to create our work, and that equipment often meant a special workplace was needed. The result…distinct divisions between “professional” and “amateur” artists.
The shift
Without going into a long historical explanation of why things are changing, the simple answer is the lines between “professional” and “amateur” are blurring and will soon disappear altogether driven primarily by changes in
- The ways we communicate
- The ways we organize
- The ways we share knowledge
- accessibility to the means to produce our work
- Accessibility to ways to sell the work produced
As a result, it is increasingly easier for anyone to learn and master most mediums and enter the market place at an earlier stage than we were ever able.
Moreover, being “full time” is no longer the distinguishing factor for being professional, instead the distinction is moving more and more into the realm of mindset or behavioral traits, like the ones covered earlier in this series. Because there are now many ways to earn income from our work it is possible for emerging artists, young and old, to work less than full time making art and still be considered professional because the distinction is not measured by time served, but instead, by a dedicated mindset to make a living from the work they create, however long that may take.
The continuum
The outcome we are seeing from these changing forces can best described in terms of a continuum. One that contains artists of all skill levels able to refine their skills to whatever level they desire, produce their work more affordably and readily, and most importantly sell their work to an ever widening market of potential buyers.
Buyers are also being effected by the shift because there are increasingly more choices available to them. Previously, consumer choices were limited by the available outlets for selling hand made work, and the financial viability of those outlets. While the handmade market had previously held a limited array of price points, the increase in low cost and easily accessible sales outlets has vastly increased the array of prices available.
The blurring effect of the continuum coupled with a failure on the part of artists to see the meaning the shift has for them, has caused buyers to fall back on the criteria they know best…price. Both of these factors are behind the ever increasing commoditization, that artists are feeling.
What it means…
Prior to the shift we’ve been talking about, artists wishing to make a living from their work by building an art business had little if any available tools to help them stand out or even develop a strong following. Furthermore, the complexity of accessing and using the tools available made marketing and networking art on a scale beyond an immediate geographic area beyond the reach of most artists. As a result developing these skills failed to become part of the skill set of successful artists.
Unfortunately, it is just those skills that are required now. Now, more than any other time artists wanting to support themselves by their art will need to do more than just make their work. They will need to work harder at standing out, being visible, and building a strong network of buyers. In other words, they will need to expand their skill set to include solid business practices. Any given artists’ success as a business is going to depend on the extent to which they can identify and nurture buyers who identify with their artistic vision.
In essence, artists will need to develop a professional mindset that includes a strong shift away from seeing themselves as starving artist who see selling their work as degrading. A professional mindset will go a long way in helping artists stand out in a noisy and increasingly competitive marketplace and move the focus from price to the unique value each brings to their work.
Review past installments of this series
