Real Artists Struggle: "I feel uncomfortable with selling away my art for money"

// The Starving Artist vs. Your Inner G //

A young artist approached me this morning about her feeling of discomfort from the idea of giving her art away for money. She, like myself, looks at her paintings as her babies. She's expressed to me in the past that if she sold one of her paintings, she would want to get the know the person who is buying it from her,  find a connection with that person, make sure her baby will be in safe hands and steer away from it feeling like an ordinary business deal. 

I use to feel this way too, I still have many pieces that I would probably never sell, but it is still hard to give away any piece that is evidently apart of my soul. She did express she does want art to be her way of living, and here was my response to her.

Look at selling your art as living independently. No corporations giving you a pay check, you giving you a paycheck. Only us artists can do that. Thats why the system tries to make it hard for us. Thats why they paint over graffiti on the streets, a way of writing that was born from our ancestors writing on walls- hiding anything they can that represents expression without permission. Since when did expression need permission? In this city 'art jobs' are slim, that is the reality, so you have to be your own boss. It really is a beautiful thing, and we should embrace it more and see it in that light. Fuck the 'starving artist' title, sure it has its dark romantic appeal, but its keeping us in one place. Travel, see the world. Network, make friendships in and outside of the country. Eat amazing food from every different culture, treat yourself to a new fit. Or even open up a gallery. (:


Is it easy? No, but don't restrict yourself from your inner G. However keep in mind there is definitely a difference between the position I've illustrated here, from being a SELL OUT.
It's time for artists to take over, to get this real revolution that we all want to have happen, happen.



ps------ I never mentioned grants in this post. Think about why. Until next time....

GT