14 Comments

Wonderful post. Lots of great points to keep in mind, especially how connections, and not numbers, are what’s really important.

Also, if Bach were alive today I think he would be just as famous as he was when he was alive, if not more famous. And I feel he would be really into synthesizers.

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Ooh! I’m trying to imagine what kind of music Bach would play if he was alive today! I bet it would be absolutely glorious.

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Yes! I make art because it makes me feel good. It will never be "seen" or sold because that's not the point for me.

Others will be trying to make a living from their creations and that's where the numbers game enters the equation.

I want to feel good not be under pressure to "produce" , to sell x numbers to make it work etc.

That's why I have a day job/ am a wage slave. Because by doing that it allows me to do the crearive stuff I'm really interested in.

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I love this, Annemarie! It’s the reason I have a day job too. I want my art and creativity to be fun, to enjoy it & take my time with it, not to put pressure on it to put bread on the table.

I also found that I like teaching & have made a few e-courses. I enjoyed putting the courses together, but I really suck at marketing them! So I’m happy with the trickle of students that find their way to me. :-)

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Beautifully put. I try to stress the creative joys over the commercial realities, as well, but it’s often all but unheard in a world where money equals value. Thank you for the reminder that the creative life is a choice.

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Money equals value is such a pervasive belief, isn’t it? It’s sometimes difficult to remember that we can choose creativity and make meaning and find value without attaching dollar signs to any of it.

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This is a great topic and your reference to past artists makes me think of some of the smart questions that William Collen of RUINS asked me in this interview: https://www.ruins.blog/p/interview-with-kathryn-vercillo

I'm not sure what I think Van Gogh would be like on social media ... but I know that Joan Miro struggled a lot with any criticism about his work and it really affected his mental health so I have a feeling he might be someone who wouldn't be able to resist engaging with the haters / trolls at the expense of his work.

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It can be very difficult to deal with criticism, and knowing that so many famous painters have had to deal with it can be a source of some sort of comfort or strength. After all, our work isn't for everyone, so if some people don't like our art, it should be ok. Except that it's so difficult to retain that objectivity when you're at the receiving end of criticism!

I've been lucky to have been met with encouragement when I share my work; harsh words would probably shatter my fragile confidence in my art. Apart from words, though, I think that not getting any engagement or traction on social media can also be an isolating experience for an artist or anyone engaged in creativity in any form. And that silence, so to say, can add its own layer of mental health issues too...

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That all makes sense to me. I've wondered how I would ever have coped with the "crit sessions" common to art school. It's such a challenge when you're putting out such a part of your heart.

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Doing what makes us happy- not about the numbers. Thank you for this reminder and writing about it!

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It’s always about happiness first, especially with our creative practices!

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So much yes to this, Shinjini. And love how you step out of the myopic present to expand our perspective. Thank you!

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So glad you found this helpful, Dana.

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A brilliant piece! Towards the end of last year I'd allowed IG to affect my mental wellbeing. Not because of numbers but because of falling interactions despite putting myself out there near daily. A break away and a new focus on here has given me back some much needed balance and clarity.

I came to Substack for more like-minded connections and I'm loving it.

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