5 Unfortunate Art World Truths

We have been leading art communities and been leaders in the arts for many years now and we decided to pool our experience and think about the “art world” as a whole. As we did this, we realized there are some unfortunate aspects of the art world but, spoiler alert, we also see a lot of these as very positive things. In Episode #38 of the Thriving Artist Podcast,  5 Unfortunate Art World Truths, we discuss how if artists recognize these truths exist they can avoid discouragement and use these truths to their advantage.   Jamie and Kaylan’s 5 Unfortunate Art World Truths Are:   Art Takes Time: Art doesn’t do well being forced or pushed. But the more we accept this truth and not fight it, the more patience and calm we can bring to our studio practices The Art Market is Oversaturated: Yes, there is a ton of art out in the world right now BUT your voice is unique. Your voice might feel small amid all of it, but small is mighty and we live in a time where with tools like social media that allow our voice to take up space.  Being an Artist and Being an Entrepreneur are Two Different Things: There is a push and pull of making work and trying to sell work. Accepting that these are two completely different skill sets can help free your inner artist during studio time and release her from figuring out the business side. Then you can adopt our business persona when you are working on some of the more outward facing strategic work. Stories Sell: It can feel exhausting to make the work and then figure out how to share the story.  But this is the marketing side of the business that is truly essential to drawing people into your “art world”. Sometimes it can feel overwhelming to figure out how to share your work, but making it a story can be so fulfilling.  A Lone Artist is a Lonely One: We have been fed a story that the artist is a rebel, an outcast and often portrayed alone making their work. But what we have definitely learned over the years is that artists REALLY need people! You will get further faster when you have a strong network and community backing you up! We hope you have found these unfortunate art world truths actually freeing! As always, we are here for you, we are cheering you on, and we believe in the work you are doing as thriving artists. Head to www.thrivetogethernetwork.com to learn more!