The aesthetic standard

[Dirk Rösler]

It's not so complicated: if you want to earn money, you produce something that someone else is willing to spend money on. If you want to produce artwork, you do whatever you want to say, not what people want to hear. Sometimes people want to pay money for what you want to say.

The point is: good 'traders' in this game know how to do both, and, more importantly, stay aware what side of the line they're on at a given time.

[cyrus]

The point is: good 'traders' in this game know how to do both, and, more importantly, stay aware what side of the line they're on at a given time.

Great! You just restated my question!
So, given that the good ones know how to do both - how do you do both? How do you balance the two issues of making art...that sells?

[tim atherton]

Great! You just restated my question!
So, given that the good ones know how to do both - how do you do both? How do you balance the two issues of making art...that sells?

Study Alec Soth's website and the posts on his blog...

[Greg Lockrey]

Great! You just restated my question!
So, given that the good ones know how to do both - how do you do both? How do you balance the two issues of making art...that sells?

I know that most art is not bought for who the artist is but for if it matches the furniture. Art that is bought for the name is usually put into a vault not seen and to be sold later. I make my art for me. I also do consignments. Sometimes they are both. I don't concern myself either way, it's a thrill for me that my work is being shown somewhere.

[cyrus]

I know that most art is not bought for who the artist is but for if it matches the furniture. Art that is bought for the name is usually put into a vault not seen and to be sold later. I make my art for me. I also do consignments. Sometimes they are both. I don't concern myself either way, it's a thrill for me that my work is being shown somewhere.

OK so you're using the "Just do your art and hope for the best financially" approach.

[Greg Lockrey]

OK so you're using the "Just do your art and hope for the best financially" approach.

I suppose you could put it that way. Consignments are a lot of work because I have to satisfy someone else's requirements. More often than not the client hasn't a clue as to what they really want. Very frustrating dealing with people. Can I call these pieces art? As much, I suppose, that a student can call his class assignment art, it's really more like craft. If I have the freedom to make a piece my way, so much the better for my satisfaction anyway. I derive the most satisfaction from a piece that I do without any predetermined purpose and if it sells, icing on the cake. I can curn out pieces that will sell because I do know what works as decor, but I won't call these pieces art either, but the buyer will. But with all that said, I won't quit my "day job" just for the sake of my art. I do enjoy working with other artists and helping them get their product out. I find that the more successful they are, the easier they are to deal with because they know what they are after in terms of print quality, etc.

[Robert Hughes]

I recall a conversation with a friend of mine years ago over the relative merits of chasing after financial success versus personal satisfaction in the arts. "Do what you like to do", he said. "There's no guarantee you'll be successful if you sell out. You'll be just as likely to succeed by doing your own work, and you'll have more fun."

[CantikFotos]

what if you have mouths to feed with your art?

Camille Pissarro and his family often starved.

[cyrus]

Camille Pissarro and his family often starved.

Atget wasn't quite doing well either . . .

[Mtang]

Yes yes, artists are God's gift to humanity and they fart jewels. Got it. Could we please move on from these empty platitudes about artists and instead address my question specifically: if you're an artist who as real bills to pay and real mouths to feed, how do you reconcile your art with market demand. And don't give me windmills - they don't pay the rent.

I'll address your question specifically, "you don't". A good piece of work sells without others' influences. You are the expert, that's why they buy your stuff. If you can't, and you have to consider dressing up your work or make what's hot on the market in order to sell, maybe you shouldn't rely on your work to make a living, and definitely not call yourself an "artist".
As most people know, there are few "artists" who can make a living just by selling art alone. I agree there are definitely misplaced values in our society today, but that's perpetuated by people who continue to do what the "market" wants them to do.

This is an interesting read about Art & Influence:
http://paulmellender.com/blog9/

Respectfully,
Mylinh