I left my office job in July of this year with three goals in mind - be a more hands-on mother so my son could have a more normal and happier childhood than I did, have a home that is more organized and clean so we don't spend weekends trying to convince ourselves that our errands, if done together, are quality family time, and to get the ball rolling on my art. I've managed to do a better job of the first two, but continue to put my art on the back burner. I refuse to wait until New Years Day to declare my intention to stop that and will begin today.
Cruising around the internet for motivation for studio designs, I stumbled on the sites of other artists. I am starting to feel the wriggles of confidence in my work when I see that of others. Not that their work isn't good; I've always believed that art is created in part out of the compulsion to create, not for commercial success or the kudos of those who look at the work. But I start to feel just a hint more as if I may really have a skill for which I don't always have to apologize. Lord, I hope I'm not going to make an enormous ass of myself by showing others my stuff.
Two years ago I attended an art-for-sale show that I saw advertised in a popular magazine. There had been many articles over the years on some of the artists who would be showing/selling that day, so these were not casual home crafters. I found one artist whose work was absolutely fascinating. The pins, or brooches, were painted in magnificent detail on a thin material and then coated with what appeared to be a very thick layer of transparent acrylic...something like that. While I was absorbed in looking at every single piece, two older and very unkind women stopped, looked, and started sputtering about how they "would never pay these prices for this kind of stuff," along with other rude comments. I couldn't stand it and asked them if they were aware of the fact that the artist was sitting right there in front of us. They just stuck their snotty noses in the air and grumbled as they walked away. After I got over the shock, I looked at the artist and asked her how she keeps from bursting into tears when someone is so blatantly critical of her work, and she replied that she's just gotten used to it and realizes her taste in art isn't always going to be the same as that of those who are looking. Still, I can't get over how rude people are these days. Oh, and I bought three of her pieces. So there, old bats!
Time to work on thicker skin. That, and building a potato launcher for defense attacks when insulted so harshly. I suppose I could be arrested for assault. Maybe I could just stash really foul perfume to zap insulters with as they pass. That could be fun. Project of the day: select studio paint colour. Woohoo!
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