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| "Scattered Nation" - 18" x 24" acrylic on paper - $295 plus free shipping |
Most of you know I make my living selling my art and do some real estate leasing and consulting on the side to make ends meet. I deal with a variety of people with widely diverse backgrounds in both businesses, and I absolutely love what I do.
January is notorious for being a slow month for artists, but I somehow managed to shatter this notion by selling 7 paintings; taking on 2 commissions; hanging one solo show and one painting is on hold for another couple (and picked up a couple new consulting gigs on the real estate end!). This artist is doing the happy dance, and is very grateful.
Whenever I do sell a painting, I tend to post it on one of my FB pages and often get private messages from artists I know asking how I am making so many sales/where am I selling/who are my collectors/etc. And I am usually quite free with the information (except for the list of my collectors - seriously?)
I sell on many on-line sites including Artfinder , Saatchi Art, ETSY and Vango Art. I also sell through various art consultants and interior decorators, and sell a fair amount of art via my personal Facebook page and my Fan Page. My social media pages tend to be filled with art - my art and others - and tips and informational sites. I stay away from politics and other controversy as much as possible because I know I need to focus on my art (aka career) if I want to eat, and I also know if I choose a side, it's very likely I'm going to be judged or alienated by the other side. Right or wrong, it just is.
A few days ago I witnessed a full-fledged on-line attack to an artist whose opinion happened to differ from the attackers, and let's just say it was brutal. No matter how hard he tried to respond in a kind, thoughtful manner, he was basically told it was "their way or the highway" along with other cruel, mean-spirited words. He's removed himself from FB for awhile and who could blame him.
When one of the attackers of my bullied artist friend sent me a message asking about my recent sales, I had to consciously wait for a long time while I figured out what to say. One part of me wanted to call her out for being so mean to my friend; and the other part of me wanted to ignore her altogether.
But instead, I responded with all the information she had requested, and wished her best of luck with her art in the New Year. I still haven't received a "thank you" for supplying the information, but that's on her. I really have no desire to prolong the conversation any further.
We live in a nation where we are fortunate enough to have the right to say what we feel, and until that right is taken away, I intend to voice my opinion when it is called for, but in the event it differs from another human being's opinion, I will choose to respond with dignity and grace, kindness and compassion.
