Kickstarter

Steve was an artist way before anything else - you can tell by listening to him speak and describe not only a product but the craftsmanship involved in making the product. 

He simply couldn’t conceive of creating something that didn’t solve a problem in the best possible way. To him, the art was in the solution - in the control - the problem solving. 

If engineering artists weren’t coming up with solutions to these problem like they were supposed to as engineers, they weren’t really artists. Because if you can’t (or won’t) ship, your work doesn’t count, it’s not changing anyone’s life. In Steve’s own words, “it’s shit.”

If your work isn’t impacting anyone else’s life, as an artist, are you still an artist?

It’s worth thinking about. 

And while, as artists, we tend to think of our work as something to be appreciated more so than helpful, I think perhaps that line of thinking is detrimental to our survival as a business. 

Which brings up another “sensitive topic” for us arty types . . . Business. I’ve talked to so many local shop owners, folks dedicated to carrying the work of local artists instead of investing in an outside brand, who’s vendors are still quite afraid of the B word. 

And they should be. 

The B word is serious shit. You don’t want to mess with starting a business if you’re not 200% committed to it. Because it’s a guarantee that at some point in the journey you’ll think “If I’d known it would be this hard, I never would have started.” 

It will happen. Be ready.

And if you’re not, don’t start a business.

But if you are, remember this: REAL artists SHIP. 

You can’t pussy out. 

You can’t just take the comfortable road of making your cool one of a kind pieces and upcycled jewelry and think that because of what you’re doing people will care and come looking for you.

They don’t and they won’t.

YOU have to make them care. 

YOU are the ambassador for your perspective on the world. 

If it’s important enough to inspire creation of art, it’s important enough to take pride in, talk about and PROMOTE!

Because here we come back to your art as the solution to a problem.  

Self expression is a problem - for almost everyone.

Some like to snub their noses at us humans who think self-expression is something of huge importance to health, life and happiness. Thankfully, I’m not writing to them.

I’m writing to the sculptor of vintage circus and side show characters (a lady in my town does just this) who has no clue how to appeal to anyone else with her art - it’s a great niche, if you dig freakish vintage collectibles. But how the hell is she supposed to reach anyone with her art?

Response : Look past the art. Look at what needs your art fulfills in YOU and appeal to those same emotions in your collectors. Sculptures are not computers. Jewelry is not an app. You have to think about the solutions your art provides in more ethereal ways. 

But think about them you should. 

Cause real artists solve a problem. Real artists provide a solution. Real artists reach into the world with that solution to make it available to others. 

Real artists . . . Well, you know.