Yes, I get a twinge of separation anxiety with my artwork. Of course there is the anxiety associated with people judging it, criticisms as well as overly emphatic praise, but here's the other thing: I make stuff I like. I make stuff I like and would want to put up in my own home. Otherwise, what would be the point of creating if I didn't like my own creations? It's a little piece of me, a little view of how I see the world or my imagination. The completed piece is a summation of my struggles and triumph. I wrestled with that blank page, that blank canvas, that otherwise useless item that was almost trashed, and I made it something new and colorful; I gave it significance. (Now if you believe in the same Creator God as I, can you imagine Him as the ultimate artist who gave significance to you?? What a beautiful parallel... but I digress). Additionally, some paintings are laden with personal meaning. There's a hummingbird painting I'll discuss some day soon that started a whole new trend in my artwork, but I'm loathe to part with it because it has its own personal significance to me for both it's content and the transitional period in which it was created. But you know what I would do with that beloved painting? Make a print of it and allow other people to enjoy it too, because of all the artwork I've created, that's the one people most admire so far.
For me, making prints seems like the way to go. Who knows what kind of goodies I could create if my handmade creations were made into digital files! Unfortunately, I've hit a snag in my production plans. My paintings are too big for my personal scanner, and the scanners of all the local print shops with whom I've discussed the idea of scanning them. On the other hand, this has been a kind of serendipitous experience, going into local printing shops and bringing a painting with me. I now know that I need a large flat-bed color scanner. I've also gotten leads from local shop owners on other companies that might have the capacity to make those scans. Furthermore, I stopped into one shop that showed me a new product with which
they are experimenting and wouldn't you know it, they were interested in trying it out with my digital images (once I get them scanned). I'm not sure how it will play out, but it did spark quite an entrepreneurial vigor. Finally, toting one piece along with me from shop to shop I was so encouraged by the interest and comments of the print shop employees, especially from people I wouldn't expect to be so intrigued by my art.
Yes, my family and friends have been encouraging me all my life that the things I create are interesting and salable. But they're biased. Getting unexpected complements and interest from strangers, that's been rewarding. I'm unexpectedly encouraged. I'm still on a hunt for my resources and I've hit some snags, but somehow I feel more confident that I'm on the right path. As I sign off, enjoy this elephant who was my traveling partner today.
I'm thrilled for your new venture! Thank you for sharing how personal this is for you. It makes your work that much more meaningful to me :)
ReplyDelete