Sunday, November 7, 2010

Etsy Metal Blog Carnival Nov 2010

Blog Carnival is Etsy Metal's monthly group blog where several members get together and post on the same topic. It s a great way to check out different views and ideas of some talented artists. Check out the links down there... and meet some wonderful new people!

Am I a successful artist?
What is that? What is successful?
It can mean many many things, my ideas of being successful...

people appreciate what I am creating, creating something that is meaningful to me
for the first time in my life, people truly appreciate what I am doing
being able to make my own work hours
wearing jeans every single stinkin day
working harder when I need cash and slacking when I don't
Stickin it to the man
wrestling with my dog at 3am because I love him
being free in general
learning that self discipline takes on a whole new meaning

But wait, it's not that easy.
It is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.
I still struggle with it daily.
It can be down right brutal.
It is a test to end all tests.

So am I successful?
Personally? Not yet, but I am on my way.
I can't see living with so much stress being a success, but it is getting better.

One of the hardest parts is being able to separate art from business. The way I do it, and I am still working on this, is to do just that. Separate it.
When I am working on art I block everything else out, shut the doors, turn off the phones, close the laptop, hide in my world.
When it's time to do business, I have to change personalities and become someone else.
I am still far from a successful business person but I learn every day.
So basically, I do not mix the two, they stay very separate.
I will know when I am successful because I will have someone handling all of my biz for me and I will just create.

The best thing that I have done for my shop is networking and marketing. Meet everyone I can and never cut anyone short.
Help everyone I can and in turn be helped.
You can be the best designer/artist out there but if people don't know you exist,
it just won't work ;)

Check out what some other very talented people are thinking on this same topic!


3 comments:

  1. I like that idea, becoming someone else... Maybe exchanging hats, and often in my case brains. Great post, gives me much to think about.

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  2. bill what a great response to the questions, it does make me ponder thinking about how I could "detach" from the business side a bit. I wear both hats one on top of the other and it looks like one hat and is really heavy at times.
    Thanks for sharing it gives me something to think about :)

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  3. "I will know when I am successful because I will have someone handling all of my biz for me and I will just create." Hallelujah!

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