Reflections about selling your art and poetry
Years ago, in my desperate attempt to better understand how to make money from my art, I bought a book called “Art Without Rejection” (by Sheila Reid)
At the time, I bought EVERY best seller, obscure or self published book about the subject.
This book attracted me, because it is a very wise reflection on how often artists, (I also think that it apply here to poets and writers), lose their spirit, by the constant rejections they encounter from galleries, publishers or from the marketplace.
In the book, It said that REJECTION, damages the artist’s sensitivity and questions the artist’s motives and the artist’s ability to translate personal experiences, into valuable art.
She said that the invented system of ‘galleries’, (or publishing houses), are to blame for the rejections artists receive.
Not that the ‘system’ intended to hurt anyone, it is just that by is selective nature, it ended up devastating artists and the whole atmosphere of the art community and its purpose.
The premise of the book was about FREEING yourself from the notion, that you cannot be a great poet or artist, UNLESS, your work reap great financial rewards.
At the end of the book, she mentioned that if you really want to be a great artist..... you should NOT try to make money from your art..... instead, you should buy and sell real estate- make yourself financially independent by any other means.....
She concluded that you should feel free to look for ways to make and share your art without begging for attention from collectors or galleries.
That you can use community based cooperatives, put it in banks, libraries, share it by ANY means you can.
Just ‘PUT IT OUT THERE” (this is before the blessings of the internet, where we can share our ideas with the world freely, through websites, blogs and social networking.)
Now,.............. when I finished the book, I felt cheated.
I did NOT buy the book, so I can hear that by trying to sell my art, I am selling my soul to the devil.... that I actually need to seek to make money elsewhere.
Yes, ...I could see the wisdom in what she wrote.
I AGREED with almost every line in the book...... but........
I felt that there MUST be a formula here that I am missing.
So I kept on buying books about, “how to be successful in your art career”......... and I got MANY ideas that I put to the test through the years.... some worked some less so... and some, just did not fit my nature, and I did not even try them.
And then I remembered that cliche’/ old joke about the drowning man.....
He was drowning in the ocean and he kept asking God to save him....
First came a small fishing boat.... the man refused to go onboard... he said that he is waiting for God to save him.
Next came a jet boat.... the man refused to get onboard and said that he is waiting for God to save him....
After he refused two more boats, he finally drowned.
He was pretty pissed off, when he got to heaven (EVERYBODY goes to heaven in jokes..)
He spoke to God with annoyance and asked: “Hey, YOU.... big guy.... WTF? .....Why didn’t you save me?
God said apologetically: (God is actually very shy, kind and has a wicked sense of humor....... emphasis here on the WICKED......)
“But.. but.. I did try.... I sent you all these boats....”
So, this joke is what I am trying to say here........ maybe not to say, but to think out loud really........
I do not want to FORCE the Universe any more... to try to mold it to my needs/ wants/ demands/ ideas.
Yes, I like being financially comfortable.
I like not worrying about money.
BUT I WILL NOT INSIST on what channel it come trough into my life.... just as long as it comes.....
For some of you, it could be an inheritance, a larger tax refund that you did not expect, a monthly social security check, an unexpected job, an investment that yields a great return, a house you sold for double what you’ve paid for it, or any other means/ channel that you’ve opened to the Universe to give / provide for you.)
For me, some comes in the form of sales from my art... but MOST comes through many other channels.
The important thing for me, is not to be too nervous about selling my art or making my words heard.
I like feeling relaxed and creative.
I Like to share and not to be too ‘protective’ about my ‘rights’,........ about my career.
I work better when I an NOT under pressure.
And I like sharing.
I like to share ideas with you all....... to be inspired by your poetry, your wisdom, or wit, or humor.
And this is rewards enough for me.
Now, I do have one more interesting thing to add here.......
A REAL REWARD that I got recently.....
It did NOT come in the form of money.....
But, Maybe this reward is even BETTER than money......
Well, let me not keep you in suspense......
I will tell you the story.....
Years ago, I read in our local free newspaper, a small article about a group of kindergarden kids in Vail CO, who were asked what LOVE IS?
Their answers were SO cute and so sweet, that I kept the article in my notebook with me.
When Valentine day came around, I was looking for an idea of what to send to my clients and friends in my email mailing list.
I came upon the cut newspaper article that I kept in my notebook.
I chose the sweetest answers and I typed them into my email and sent it to around 400 people.
Last week, I got this email from my friend Rajpal from India.......
It had MY ORIGINAL email with the quotes that I typed about our local kids and their ideas of what love is.
I felt a sweet sense of joy, encompass me.... a tingling of a sort.... a leaping of my heart..... goose pumps......
This little email I wrote, did not die that Valentine Day, years ago......
It circulated the globe for fucking YEARS!!!!!!....
It made people smile....... and it came back to me last week, from India.....
Now........, how much MORE rewarding a piece of writing can get?
I must mention that the email I received from India, did NOT have my name on it...
It did NOT mentioned our local kindergarden kids either.......
So,..... you ask...... with skepticism....
How do I know that it is MY EMAIL? and not the original article.... converted into an email?
Well..... because I DID NOT type the whole article and did not include ALL the answers that the kids gave.... only the ones I liked.......
And that email from India is identical to my original one... that I sent years ago.
At the time, I bought EVERY best seller, obscure or self published book about the subject.
This book attracted me, because it is a very wise reflection on how often artists, (I also think that it apply here to poets and writers), lose their spirit, by the constant rejections they encounter from galleries, publishers or from the marketplace.
In the book, It said that REJECTION, damages the artist’s sensitivity and questions the artist’s motives and the artist’s ability to translate personal experiences, into valuable art.
She said that the invented system of ‘galleries’, (or publishing houses), are to blame for the rejections artists receive.
Not that the ‘system’ intended to hurt anyone, it is just that by is selective nature, it ended up devastating artists and the whole atmosphere of the art community and its purpose.
The premise of the book was about FREEING yourself from the notion, that you cannot be a great poet or artist, UNLESS, your work reap great financial rewards.
At the end of the book, she mentioned that if you really want to be a great artist..... you should NOT try to make money from your art..... instead, you should buy and sell real estate- make yourself financially independent by any other means.....
She concluded that you should feel free to look for ways to make and share your art without begging for attention from collectors or galleries.
That you can use community based cooperatives, put it in banks, libraries, share it by ANY means you can.
Just ‘PUT IT OUT THERE” (this is before the blessings of the internet, where we can share our ideas with the world freely, through websites, blogs and social networking.)
Now,.............. when I finished the book, I felt cheated.
I did NOT buy the book, so I can hear that by trying to sell my art, I am selling my soul to the devil.... that I actually need to seek to make money elsewhere.
Yes, ...I could see the wisdom in what she wrote.
I AGREED with almost every line in the book...... but........
I felt that there MUST be a formula here that I am missing.
So I kept on buying books about, “how to be successful in your art career”......... and I got MANY ideas that I put to the test through the years.... some worked some less so... and some, just did not fit my nature, and I did not even try them.
And then I remembered that cliche’/ old joke about the drowning man.....
He was drowning in the ocean and he kept asking God to save him....
First came a small fishing boat.... the man refused to go onboard... he said that he is waiting for God to save him.
Next came a jet boat.... the man refused to get onboard and said that he is waiting for God to save him....
After he refused two more boats, he finally drowned.
He was pretty pissed off, when he got to heaven (EVERYBODY goes to heaven in jokes..)
He spoke to God with annoyance and asked: “Hey, YOU.... big guy.... WTF? .....Why didn’t you save me?
God said apologetically: (God is actually very shy, kind and has a wicked sense of humor....... emphasis here on the WICKED......)
“But.. but.. I did try.... I sent you all these boats....”
So, this joke is what I am trying to say here........ maybe not to say, but to think out loud really........
I do not want to FORCE the Universe any more... to try to mold it to my needs/ wants/ demands/ ideas.
Yes, I like being financially comfortable.
I like not worrying about money.
BUT I WILL NOT INSIST on what channel it come trough into my life.... just as long as it comes.....
For some of you, it could be an inheritance, a larger tax refund that you did not expect, a monthly social security check, an unexpected job, an investment that yields a great return, a house you sold for double what you’ve paid for it, or any other means/ channel that you’ve opened to the Universe to give / provide for you.)
For me, some comes in the form of sales from my art... but MOST comes through many other channels.
The important thing for me, is not to be too nervous about selling my art or making my words heard.
I like feeling relaxed and creative.
I Like to share and not to be too ‘protective’ about my ‘rights’,........ about my career.
I work better when I an NOT under pressure.
And I like sharing.
I like to share ideas with you all....... to be inspired by your poetry, your wisdom, or wit, or humor.
And this is rewards enough for me.
Now, I do have one more interesting thing to add here.......
A REAL REWARD that I got recently.....
It did NOT come in the form of money.....
But, Maybe this reward is even BETTER than money......
Well, let me not keep you in suspense......
I will tell you the story.....
Years ago, I read in our local free newspaper, a small article about a group of kindergarden kids in Vail CO, who were asked what LOVE IS?
Their answers were SO cute and so sweet, that I kept the article in my notebook with me.
When Valentine day came around, I was looking for an idea of what to send to my clients and friends in my email mailing list.
I came upon the cut newspaper article that I kept in my notebook.
I chose the sweetest answers and I typed them into my email and sent it to around 400 people.
Last week, I got this email from my friend Rajpal from India.......
It had MY ORIGINAL email with the quotes that I typed about our local kids and their ideas of what love is.
I felt a sweet sense of joy, encompass me.... a tingling of a sort.... a leaping of my heart..... goose pumps......
This little email I wrote, did not die that Valentine Day, years ago......
It circulated the globe for fucking YEARS!!!!!!....
It made people smile....... and it came back to me last week, from India.....
Now........, how much MORE rewarding a piece of writing can get?
I must mention that the email I received from India, did NOT have my name on it...
It did NOT mentioned our local kindergarden kids either.......
So,..... you ask...... with skepticism....
How do I know that it is MY EMAIL? and not the original article.... converted into an email?
Well..... because I DID NOT type the whole article and did not include ALL the answers that the kids gave.... only the ones I liked.......
And that email from India is identical to my original one... that I sent years ago.
