Affordable Art - Part V - The Value of the Artist
Home #5
©2008
10.5" x 8"
Sold
The Paradox
I read an interesting article the other day:
In a survey of attitudes toward artists in the US a vast majority of Americans, 96%, said they were greatly inspired by various kinds of art and highly value art in their lives and communities. But the data suggests a strange paradox.
While Americans value art, the end product, they do not value what artists do. Only 27% of respondents believe that artists contribute “a lot” to the good of society.
Further interview data from the study reflects a strong sentiment in the cultural community that society does not value art making as legitimate work worthy of compensation. Many perceive the making of art as a frivolous or recreational pursuit.
That doesn’t sound very promising does it. Making art is not worthy of compensation? So which came first - artists/curators/etc thinking that art is for art and not commerce? Or society thinking artists don’t deserve to be paid for what they do? I have no answers - just interesting things to think about.
The entire (and short) article is on the United States Artists website: An American Paradox.
Part of the Solution?
The mission of this organization, United States Artists, is to invest in America’s finest artists and illuminate the value of artists to society. Closing the gap between perceived value of art and artists will take work on many fronts.
In my mind, the making of smaller accessible art for everyone has a place in that effort. I think many Americans feel they can not afford art and so they never think about buying it so the idea that one might want to pay someone for it doesn’t really sink in.
If they could own the art themselves and see it each day in their home, the value of the artist’s creative effort might become more obvious. Or at least that’s my current theory.
What do you think?
Home #5
The newest of my textile paintings inspired by the building of the new studio. I was working on this piece as they were putting on the roof last Wednesday and finished it yesterday (along with several other small pieces that still need to be photographed). As with all the new small art, it’s available for purchase on my Update: It’s sold - but there is more small artwork available here: small art for sale webpage.
This piece is not mounted on canvas as it’s very hard for me to predict how large the houses are going to turn out. I haven’t mastered the diagonals quite enough for that. So it came out to be a bit too large for the 6″ canvases. So this piece is designed to be hung directly on the wall and comes ready to hang with a board in the back for hanging it on the wall with 2 small nails.
I’ll be doing a post about how to hang textile art sometime in the next few weeks with photos, as I think it’s probably not so obvious unless you’ve seen it before.
Posted by Lisa in: art business
Tagged: affordable art, Art for Sale, Textile Art, United States Artists
Kimberly Santini said,
November 29, 2008 @ 5:50 pm
I hear a similar vein of this story all the time. Condensed version reads a bit like: “What do you do?” “I’m an artist. I paint.” “Oh, that’s so cool, but what do you make your living at?”
Is it the myth of the starving artist so prevalent in contemporary minds that they cannot comprehend one making a living at this? or is it just that being an artist is not as desirable as a careen in medicine or engineering? interesting thoughts, that’s for certain.
Sheila said,
November 29, 2008 @ 9:08 pm
Perhaps it’s because making art is something they don’t think you need any training to do. It just comes naturally, requiring no education to master. Who would pay for that?
REAL jobs require education and training, and compensation is often based on that as well as experience, or how long you’ve been doing that kind of work.
They may say, OH, I could NEVER do that! Implying that even with training, it would not be within their grasp. But in fact, I don’t think they think much about what goes in to becoming a GOOD artist.
That’s a pretty broad generalization, granted, but there may be some truth to it.
paula said,
November 30, 2008 @ 7:53 am
Not shocking but a little disheartening. Until just very recently I thought my ‘audience’ were those people, now I realize it is other artists. I have sold most of my work online to other artists. It never clicked that THEY ARE MY AUDIENCE more so than not. I realize that other artists appreciate art and ‘get it’ ~ they understand the sacrifices and struggles and obviously appreciate the work more because they are artists. Seems simple enough but I never knew that!
I’m always reminded when I see people buying generic crap in stores, or see people’s homes on tv or in real life, that an alarming number of people have not cultivated any appetite or eye for REAL art.
Smaller works are a great idea! congrats on sales!
Eva said,
November 30, 2008 @ 11:37 am
The houses are nice and the colours are great, but, honestly, I prefer your abstract work, it is so unique!
Daniel Sroka said,
November 30, 2008 @ 2:18 pm
If they could own the art themselves and see it each day in their home, the value of the artist’s creative effort might become more obvious.
Yes, but I also believe that people use price as a gauge of value. Especially for something like art where price is so relative. Things that required little effort (i.e. money) to acquire just aren’t valued as much, so matter how creative/beautiful.
Kim Hambric said,
November 30, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
Perhaps the “average” person believes that art is what is displayed in museums, something that they never have the time (or interest) to go and see. When it is something they can afford, they no longer see it as art. It just becomes a product.
I don’t think my non-artist friends would call me an artist. They probably would describe me as someone who makes “those quilted wall hanging things.” Some like my work and purchase it. Whether they feel it is “art”, I don’t know.
There are great artists out there selling affordable things, there are average artists out there selling affordable things, and there are people out there selling cheap doo-dads. Eventually, enough purchasers will notice artistic skill and make more thoughtful purchases. Others will keep buying cheap doo-dads. The artist has to keep on creating and educating.
Dóris Sueli Teixeira said,
December 10, 2008 @ 9:09 pm
I feel art and life like a whole thing, an entanglement, a delicious and wonderful way to show and tell what we are doing here .I am an textil artist,quilter and teacher,this is my job for about 37 years,I have 8 children and what I do, all my art must buy the foods, the shoes, all you know a family needs, and the dreams too. To sale art or usables quilts in a tropical country is a kind of magic.Sometimes I do !!!The quilt I design, the work that makes me laugh and cry and dream about, must be the more expensive.Is my soul,my own,and if someone wants a piece of my soul…Well,you know that.