Art is a passion; a path; really a need inside of me, wanting to come out in a tangible form. However, every day I am reminded that it is also a business.
For example: I just spent a large amount of time to figure out the EZ form that the state came up with to pay sales taxes. How to undo pushing just one button in an incorrect way? I like it when I get a human to help, but that can be a lot of time on hold. We all know about waiting for the " next available person" on the telephone.
Recently there was a complicated shipping dilemma. Add an upset client into the mix and it becomes a total lesson in patience and sanity. Rarely is one paid for all this time to sort out these basic functions. Yet we must smile, and do our best to keep the customer happy.
Now that is my goal also. Without a patron, my ceramics will sit on the shelf, or my calligraphy hang on the wall, forever. So there is both the fiscal and the human need to keep things flowing smoothly.
If we are in galleries there are shows to enter, time spent promoting ourselves and our work. Often, we must pay to be rejected. Heck, you can go out into society and get that for free, but not in the art world.
It catches me by surprise, and some sorrow, how all artists must borrow time to go into the studio and create. I guess I wish that image of the artist as the " free spirit" were more truly available.I know I chose this path, but it sure gets steep and rocky sometimes
I invite other artists to comment on their feelings about the "Biz" side of art
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