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i don't know how obvious this is to you. but art is a hobby for me. so i have a full time job. i was thinking that i should maybe publish something about how much money i make from art. but it takes some work to present it in a reasonable manner. the short version is ...
that i don't need to make money from art. and also that i don't make a whole lot of moeny. this also means that i try not to do things "for free", beyond the writings on my website that is.
i made a fair bit of money about two years ago. because i did a thing for google creative labs. and also because i spent a lot of time making plotter drawings (and promoting them here). but considering the time it took me .. it wasn't particularly profitable.
part of that was my fault (i estimated wrong). and part of it is that i just don't charge enough for artworks/ sell enough artworks. (disregarding what people would be willing to pay. which is another story i guess)
could i live from art? probably not. at least not unless i manage to get some more consistent support. and i don't even know how that might, eg work with a gallery (disregarding whether they would want me at all.)
so anyway. that was a little bit of disclosure. that i arguably should have been more clear about sooner.
do i want to make a living making art? yes, but i mean, i don't want to have to actively do all the things this most likely entails. whether it is more actively selling work, applying for grants, replying to request for projects or ... whatever.
i have no art education. and i don't know how the art world works. not really.
this year i've sold two plotter drawings.
i guess this year is ... unusual. i sold more last year. i sold for ~3200 usd. and i also spent 3000 usd. (i didn't have to spend that much. i bought an e expensive inkjet printer. but still. it is a hobby that pays itself. not much more usually.)
having a hobby that pays for itself (disregarding the time. which sort of makes sense when considering a hobby) is a luxury. but i still feel like this is something i might have been more clear about here sooner.
am i charging too much/ to little? am i not active enough promoting work? should i spend less money. hell if i know.
the most profitable year (2017 or 2018, both these years were similar) i had 5 100 usd left over, before tax.
i should say that i'm not careful with my spending. i buy computer equipment, paper, pens (, plotters!) and so forth (shipping is expensiv too). this _is_ a privilege. but i still can't live from this. even if i was far more careful with my time and the money.
there you go. not exactly full disclosure. but some disclosure.
her is an artwork.
apologies for the stream of consciousness format.
finally (maybe): i have a job in it/data science/programming. i make a pretty decent amount of money by Norwegian standards (compared to people in similar jobs, with similar qualifications and age etc.)
i've done some things where the pay was not in line with the effort. for ... reasons. one was some days of teaching. wanted the experience, got to travel, i didn't know if i was any good at it. plus it was somewhere with lower pay than Norway. (good reason? i felt like it then)
(and i feel like it still. it was a very rewarding experience.)
i've had two exhibitions in norway. one broke even for me (probably not the gallery). the other earned me 150 USD. the gallery ( @kunstplass10) hosted the exhibition, and they paid rent etc. i basically cost them a fortune in utilities/rent etc. so very grateful for that.
both exhibitions were successful in the sense that many people visited. and the gallery (these are my words) are not really about the profit. so its _ok_, but still kind of disconcerting/dispiriting.
i use the word hobby some places here. because it describes the situation. but I AM AN ARTIST.
damn. i meant that the second exhibition earned me 150 USD in sales. but it cost me maybe 2000 USD (the last number here is an estimate, but it is not too far off) so it ended up costing me 1850 USD. (not to mention what the gallery paid for utilities etc.)
i try not to _ever_ to ask for this. but it would be nice of you RT this thread. not because i want to sell art (ok, i do, you got me), but because it would be good if more people were aware if these kinds of things.
of these kinds ... dammit.
if you don't like me/my art/this thread. find some other artist who says something similar (they are out there) and RT them.
actually. the most recent work i sold i stuck in the mail. and i don't know where it is. still crossing my fingers that the postal services are just processing things at a slower rate then usual (that is what they are telling me)
thank you for you attention.
because i'm on a roll. or something.
one more thing. i'm not necessarily the right person to go on about this. but: if you don't have to sell art to make a living. consider what happens if you price your work very low (compared to those who have to sell to make a living).
...
obviously i'm writhing this thread rather than replying to emails, and dealing with life in general.
still kind of regretting the use of the word "hobby" initially here. it is descriptive in many ways, but also, kind of inaccurate. at least when it comes to how i feel about it.
here is a blog post about pricing by
@LiaSae / @Fibraquarelle, who makes handwoven textiles. https://blog.fibraquarelle.com/2020/01/30/you-are-underpricing.html
@LiaSae / @Fibraquarelle, who makes handwoven textiles. https://blog.fibraquarelle.com/2020/01/30/you-are-underpricing.html
