Difficulties with self-promotion

[McKeeJane]

Change the subject every time you meet.....talk about the weather, the kids, cooking, whatever. Just NOT art.

Yep - actually it means I avoid any one-on-one conversation with her altogether because old habits are hard to break and 'art' always comes up.

And you know - I keep talking about getting referred to as 'a young kid' and thinking I should probably clarify that I'm really not all that young. I mean - age is relative - but I am in my 30s, not fresh out of college or anything. But, I think that when I get treated as 'a kid' it's more about 'stage of life' - and this goes back to all that stuff we were saying about expectations of women that we were talking about earlier.

I realize that I wasn't talked to as such an 'idealistic kid' when I was single, divorced and my youngest was 8 years old. But now that I've acquired the new and improved cute husband and my youngest child is 18 months old - some of those same people have reverted to '...well, hopefully someday you'll get to do that..." when I talk about what I'm doing with my art.

...interesting...nothing I've really noticed before.

I'm sure there are worse things that being considered particularly young, even when you really aren't...but I actually hadn't minded getting older and getting that little bit of extra respect that you just start to get whether you've earned it or not....

[alfreda]

Originally Posted by Greg Long

My pet hate when I had the 'Open Studio', idiots that took up an hour of your time and waltzed out with the aside "It's a lovely pasttime isn't it".

OMG! How did you respond or did you just ignore it!

Jane, really feel for you, your relative probably means well, BUT oh boy.

[Greg Long]

Originally Posted by alfreda

OMG! How did you respond or did you just ignore it!

Yes, I just ignored it. There is no point in getting upset by ignorance or thoughtlessness...

[soap]

yeah, a lovely pasttime......first you get put down by them as a mere hobbyist and then when they realise you actually make money out of it they call you sooooo lucky to be able to turn your hobby into your profession.....


Oh and the answer to those who ask if your work is in a gallery: you just say you are a self-representing artist, or a free-lance artist, or your art is a 'small business', so in other words you don't just create you also sell. I am in one small gallery (nothing major and few sales) and I notice the difference from when I wasn't. I am considering 'leaving' the gallery but the 'status' it gives me might mean I'll stay....after all people don't ask how many galleries your work is in, just IF its in....

[RobinZ]

I don't think my children have been made to sacrifice getting any of my attention because I am an artist...

I didn't do art when I was raising my kids. I didn't start till they were literally all grown. I don't know why I didn't. I did some crafts and sold them, I think I just didn't know I could do "real art", skillwise. Or maybe not organized enough? I am an "all or nothing" kind of person, maybe that was it.

But nobody EVER criticizes a mom for taking quality time away from kids to watch crappy tv shows or going shopping or scrapbooking. So it's kind of weird that taking the time to paint does seem to draw out criticism.

[Colorix]

Originally Posted by soap

Oh and the answer to those who ask if your work is in a gallery: you just say you are a self-representing artist, or a free-lance artist, or your art is a 'small business', so in other words you don't just create you also sell. I am in one small gallery (nothing major and few sales) and I notice the difference from when I wasn't. I am considering 'leaving' the gallery but the 'status' it gives me might mean I'll stay....after all people don't ask how many galleries your work is in, just IF its in....

Exactly, and I'd like to add that you can say that *many* highly professional artists leave their high-end galleries in order to market and sell on their own. With all the possibilities of internet, the galleries are having a hard time. Some of those (galleries) with a foresight are starting internet based services for artists.

Charlie

[robinlb]

Originally Posted by RobinZ

I didn't do art when I was raising my kids. I didn't start till they were literally all grown. I don't know why I didn't. I did some crafts and sold them, I think I just didn't know I could do "real art", skillwise. Or maybe not organized enough? I am an "all or nothing" kind of person, maybe that was it.

But nobody EVER criticizes a mom for taking quality time away from kids to watch crappy tv shows or going shopping or scrapbooking. So it's kind of weird that taking the time to paint does seem to draw out criticism.

oh yeah! I totally agree with both statements. When my kids were little I puttered with my art, did crafts, and like the other Robin I didn't realize my skill level until they were grown... even though I'd been awarded an art scholarship (which I wasn't allowed to take, long story).
I must admit I get really steamed when people say what a 'nice little hobby you have'.
I have noticed an interesting thing though, I water plants in commercial settings 1 1/2 days a week, and when people look down their noses at that, I say 'actually I'm a full time artist, I just do this on the side', and suddenly I'm the exotic artist who visits the plants once a week ! Why one would give validation to the other I'll never understand.