Art vs the business of selling it
Art
I firmly believe Pablo Picasso when he said,
“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”
“I want to be win I grwo-up I will be a artist and a mom becos a mom is the best job in the wrold a artist is a good job I think becos I love to pay pichr’s.” Tree Lily Butcher, 2001.
Art is what makes us human. Our songs of conquest and sorrow, our stories of magic and wonder, our legends and myths of monsters and men- this is what truly separates our species from other creatures on this planet.
But what IS art?
The dictionary definition of art is as follows:
art: the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination, typically in a visual form such as painting or sculpture, producing works to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional power.
In this manner, in my opinion, life is art.
My ARt
My medium is collage. Invented in 1912 by Picasso (or some say Georges Braque), Picasso's Still Life with Chair-Caning, is considered to be Modern Art's first collage. The work depicts a café scene. In addition to painted elements, it includes a section of actual whicker chair caning glued to the surface of the work.
Playful, experimental, and a challenge to the seriousness of so-called high or “fine” art, Cubist collage inspired all types of Modern artists. It expanded the definition of painting, questioned existing notions of surface and dimensionality, and created a legacy that inspired Surrealism, Dadaism and even Pop Art.
Tree Lily Butcher - Space Frog, 2020 Hand-cut collage. © Tree Lily Butcher
Pablo Picasso - Still Life with Chair Caning, 1912. Oil on oil-cloth over canvas edged with rope. 29 × 37 cm. Réunion des Musées Nationaux / Art Resource, NY Photo: R.G. Ojeda / Picasso, Pablo (1881-1973) © ARS, NY
The Business
This is where it gets really tricky.
Capitalism vs. Artistic Vision.
Selling vs. Selling out
Left brain vs. right brain
There are millions upon millions of talented artists in the world- but not all of them are business savvy enough to monetize their work to the point of it paying for their lifestyles.
I have met plenty of talented artists in my travels who lament the fact that they have to sustain a day job to support their day dream.
There seems to be a ratio of business know-how and artistic talent sprinkled with sales knowledge and charisma which decides whether or not one can manage to be a full-time artist.
This being said, I do not believe I am special in this- I am special in the way I make my own art, not the way I sell it.
Why does my art sell?
I believe my art sells to a wide audience for a few reasons. The first being it is not challenging- I am not trying to change the world, push an idea, shout about politics, etc. Honestly, my art is pretty stream-of—consciousness mess. In plain words- it just looks good. The observer puts more meaning into my art than I do when I make it.
Second, my prices are accessible. I sell prints from $25-$150 and originals from $250-$2,500. Nothing unreasonable. I have seen art in coffee shops outrageously priced and never sold. I know my value.
And lastly, and this is the big one, my 10 years as a waitress.
Wait- what? Let me explain.
As a waitress, I was trained to be able to talk to anybody and more importantly, up sell to anybody. Waiting tables is soft sales- and this skill has been integral to my business today. In my time in fine dining, I learned that stories sell items. You’re more likely to get the Grouper dish of the day if I tell you about the boat captain and his crew on his specific vessel off the Florida coast. If I can tell you about my personal experience eating the sweet Kumamoto oyster for the first time and how thrilled I am that we have them available tonight, you’re more likely to buy a dozen.
This is why I believe waiters and waitresses will not be replaced by computers- people love the connection to another person.
That is why I can sell my art- because I know how to connect with other people when selling my art.
