How to get the in-come coming?

[Sharon Knettell]

Melanie,

My first mentor, and first husband said you have to take a vow of poverty to become an artist.

I have been struggling for about as long as you have. I am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel and, no, it is not the train coming the other way.

I found I was not emotionally suited to do portraiture, I felt the same wave and so did Sargent who quit at the age of 50.

I spent a great deal of money promoting my work, models, paints, canvas etc. to do a portfolio; then slides, mailings, exhibits, societies, wardrobe and travel. You have to consider this as well because it takes a while to recoup these expenses.

Another alternative is to find something that pays you the most per hour that you can. We have a Whole Foods here, a natural food grocery store, that will give you medical and 20% off your food bill for 30 hours a week. I was tossing that around until I sold some of my big pastels.

I don't have a degree either but I was able to land a part time job at the Rhode Island School of Design, it is a private school and you don't have to have a degree to teach in one.
I was there for three years.

You severely under price your work. You can sit on it for a cheap price or a high price.

Keep sending out those slides. I was in the same contest you were (honorable mention) but I will not sell my work cheap. Build up a local reputation in Florida. There are some great galleries there, and they seem to like figurative work.
Do the most beautiful, full throttle work you can do. I know it is difficult when you get older when fatigue and worthlessness sets in faster than ever. There were times in the past when I would just sit down on a sidewalk and cry.
Rejections are still hard, I got one last week, but I am starting to get some notice from the art magazines.

I saw the movie "The Girl with the Pearl Earring" last night. There was a scene, that to me was most telling. He was sitting with his mother-in-law and a wealthy patron. The mother-in-law trills to Vermeer, oh it would be such a wonderful painting if you were to paint Meister A. with his family playing music or whatever. At this point Vermeer is studying the light on the lovely young maid's face and you could see that he was choiceless.

My husband said to me, he should have done whatever it was to support his family, however we would never have seen that exquisite painting. What was perhaps a loss for his family, was a gift to humanity.

I don't know if any of this helps.

[Kimberly Dow]

Melanie-

Your letter was moving and most likely hit home to more here than would admit. Sharon, I admire you for your responses. Sometimes it seems as if we are supposed to put on this air of 'professionalism' and that does not include admitting to the fact we are struggling financially.

In this career we have chosen it is so much more to most of us than a paycheck. If it weren't we'd get other jobs in a hearbeat. I have no idea where I heard it, but it was some older artist advising a younger one..."if you can be anything else other than an artist, then do it."

I struggle with finaincial issues all the time. When I look over the years I realize that my choice to be an artist has hurt my family. If I were to be a teacher or just about anything else it would have benefitted my family much more. I am blessed that I have an understanding and supportive family, but there have been times (like my daughter's accident last year) when I felt the burden of knowing we could be in a better place if it weren't for my drive to paint. Restaurant management was my field during the times I felt I had to earn a regular paycheck. I usually lasted 8 months at a stretch before being so miserable I'd have to quit. Luckily I have not had to do this for 8 years now.

Last month one of my landscapes was accepted into a show that was being judged by a big shot in Washington DC. My mother happens to live in Annaoplis, MD where the show was being held so I shipped the painting to her to deliver. I had re-framed it modestly for the show, but she called to tell me that I should be ashamed of myself and that she would be embarassed to deliver it with that frame - so she had it re-framed and would be waiting for my check to pay for it. I got a lecture from her that if I was going to do this than I should do it right, etc...no excuses. That's a great attitude, but left me feeling like a failure since I couldn't afford a nice frame at the time. Granted, she doesn't know a thing abotu trying to juggle the expenses of an art career - and she has been one of my biggest supporters - but that small thing sent me into a couple of days of questioning my worth. Needless to say, I haven't thanked her for taking it upon herself to reframe the painting - nor have I mailed the check yet! The painting did not win an award or sell so far - so she will just have to wait.

Is there are career more filled with angst than being an artist? More personally fufilling or depressing? Do you think accountants cry over their sucesses and failures? Does a restaurant owner question his self-worth when the meal gets sent back?

I have always felt I was completely selfish in keeping with this career, but that I have no choice if I want to live a life worth living. If momma ain't happy....as the saying goes.

My hat is off to all the single-parent artists out there and to the artists who are the primary bread-winners of their families.

This may not help you at all, but "I feel your pain."

[Linda Brandon]

We live in a culture where only a small percentage of people care enough about original art to spend money on it, and the market for realist painting, much less portraiture, is smaller still.

I was in a very expensive home the other day and here is what was on the four walls:
1. Gigantic TV screen and stereo system
2. Gigantic picture window
3. Framed hockey jersey with signatures on it
4. Another Gigantic picture window.

The whole house was like that, only gigantic photographs and framed posters were substitued for the hockey jersey. It's just occured to me that there might be a market for gigantic portraits... .

[Michele Rushworth]

...or hockey jerseys.

[Melanie Peter]

Hello Sharon, Linda, Kimberly, Michelle, Mary, Joan, Stanka, Chris, (did I forget anyone?) Thanks to everyone for your posts, your helpfulness and sharing. I've loved looking at all your beautiful work. I especially appreciate being able to express my misgivings and fear to those who understand best. Great therapy! I feel less alone.

Linda, re: our hockey jersey big screen tv culture - do you think it's the same in Europe or Australia or New Zealand? Maybe I'd move! Sharon, I didn't know private colleges don't require a degree. I'll have to check around. Michelle, maybe my wave of nausea is just fear and I'd eventually get over it. Well, anyway, thanks again to everyone. I'll keep you posted, as they say, on how getting the income coming goes. What a sentence.

_Melanie

[Sharon Knettell]

The first thing I look for in the fancy home decorating magazine, including Architectural Digest, is evidence of art in the homes. I am appalled at how little is displayed in even what is considered the most elegant of domiciles.

Check out European home decor books. Maybe it is better over there.