We've ramped up for big business, now! Karla's busy working at her store, creating new items every day. I try to get online and list something, at least one thing, on Etsy every day. Karla has gone to a couple small craft shows locally and is prepping for a few larger ones as the Holiday season gets closer.
This is a crazy, crazy business! Being a craft artist is hard work and takes a lot of dedication. But, it's very satisfying when a piece sells. Which, to be honest, sales have been sparse of late. It's rough, putting your whole heart into a piece and then seeing it sit in your store month after month.
Etsy is a wonderful platform, but we haven't gotten very much exposure there. I'm scouring the 'net, searching for ideas and ways to promote. If you have a method that's worked for you, let me know!
Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts
Showing posts with label artist. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Sunday, October 25, 2009
How to Balance Art and Life
If you're an artist, struggling to make a living off of your art, it can be really, really hard to dedicate enough time to your art while not neglecting the other facets of your life. I suppose that can happen with any field of interest that takes time, but I'm going to concentrate on art, because that's what I love.
For Karla and I, it has gotten really tough to dedicate the necessary time to promoting the site, creating new pieces, keeping a regular posting schedule on the blog and store... ugh! It is a nightmare of a balancing act. Between the little boy, my day job, cleaning, cooking, going out... we've only got a few hours each night to work on this stuff. But you know what: we work on it! That's the only way to get it balanced. Do everything you need to do to make life livable and confortable. Then, take your spare time and go at it! If art is what you love, do it, practice it.
I, personally, think it's better to branch out, as well. Let's say you don't want to do any jewelry tonight. Pick up a sketch pad and draw out your next cool design. Grab some polymer clay and work with that for an evening, instead of crystals and wire. It helps clear the mind and, a lot of times, provides inspiration that you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Another source for inspiration, at least for me, is always being observant during my day job. It's always funny the ideas that come to me as I watch someone walk down the sidewalk, or push a cart in the supermarket or whatever!
I think that art should permeate life. Art is inspired by life and it imitates life. Embrace it, think about it and you may be surprised what you come up with.
For Karla and I, it has gotten really tough to dedicate the necessary time to promoting the site, creating new pieces, keeping a regular posting schedule on the blog and store... ugh! It is a nightmare of a balancing act. Between the little boy, my day job, cleaning, cooking, going out... we've only got a few hours each night to work on this stuff. But you know what: we work on it! That's the only way to get it balanced. Do everything you need to do to make life livable and confortable. Then, take your spare time and go at it! If art is what you love, do it, practice it.
I, personally, think it's better to branch out, as well. Let's say you don't want to do any jewelry tonight. Pick up a sketch pad and draw out your next cool design. Grab some polymer clay and work with that for an evening, instead of crystals and wire. It helps clear the mind and, a lot of times, provides inspiration that you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.
Another source for inspiration, at least for me, is always being observant during my day job. It's always funny the ideas that come to me as I watch someone walk down the sidewalk, or push a cart in the supermarket or whatever!
I think that art should permeate life. Art is inspired by life and it imitates life. Embrace it, think about it and you may be surprised what you come up with.
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