I’ve painted most of my adult life, although it has been an on and off again kind of relationship. Frankly, despite the serious illness I’m struggling through, I had what is probably my most productive year ever, and I’m not finished. But a number of things, including my recent experiences, news articles, and even YouTube videos have me questioning things. Among the things I’m questioning is the purpose of this blog.
I had intended to start a website as a way to promote my artwork. I have not done a good job of promoting that site, but then again, it’s there if I need to direct someone to my artwork. The blog exists as all blogs exists. While it may seem that their purpose is to allow the website owner the opportunity to bloviate, in the reality of the web, blogs are a means of attracting an audience to websites. Unfortunately for myself, I started my blog just a few months prior to my serious medical crisis, and the blog, which was supposed to talk about art, sometimes gets distracted. So, I’m rethinking what I want to do with this page.
This brings me to another issue of change: news stories and YouTube videos that hint of a coming art market crash. It’s no secret that the price of art skyrocket at the same time that rent, food, and gas all shot up in price. Twenty five years ago, people would not have been surprised if I sold work at about $1000 a painting, but now, the average price is around $4000 - $5000. And that’s what I priced my work at. But there are now hints that the market is cooling. To what degree, I don’t know.
The New York Times ran an article about an artist whose work went for close to $100,000 when it sold from a gallery, but that was maybe five years ago. Due to questionable sales attempts, it seems that a art flipper sold one of this artist’s paintings rather recently for about a tenth of what his work was selling less than a decade ago. The gist of the artist was not to encourage the belief in a collapsing art market, but to point out the nefarious ways people attempt to capitalize on a hot commodity. It’s kind of like buying and selling Taylor Swift tickets, and it can damage an artist’s reputation in the process.
Because my plan was to use this website more as a window to my art, rather than as a sales outlet, I’m going to remove my prices from my work. It has created a bit of confusion, as well as a few problems. Maybe one day, I’ll change my mind again.
As for the blog itself, my intent was to use it as window into my early work. This means some kind of minor reconstruction of the website, but in the near future, I want to discuss ideas from my point of view, as well as look at what I’ve done, why I did it and what ever things I did right or wrong as it concerns my paintings.
I’m not sure exactly when this will happen, as I do have some important medical procedures coming up. It’s still nice out, so plein air painting does take up a lot of my time.
That also brings up a third issue. I haven’t added any recent paintings. That’s simply because I’m assessing my recent work and deciding whether I need to make changes. I have a plein air study from last spring that I still need to reassess in the next month or so. But I’ll be adding other works soon once the days get colder. Take care.
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