Looking at Art: How We Assign Different Priorities to Different Parts of Life
How Important is Art, in Your Life?
It seems like an easy enough question, but there are many ways we can answer it.
If you're an artist, chances are it is extremely important to your life... if not central to your entire existence. I'm an artist myself, and I know that if I don't have the freedom to "express creatively," it soon feels like there is something "missing" from my world.
But there's more than one level there:
"Reveal" fine art print from painting by Patricia Ariel
Art may be important to you as a creative outlet.
Art may also be important to you as your primary way of making a living.
These are important, in different ways... their implications and impact on your life are quite distinct.
If you are an art lover, this becomes a much different question.
As the owner and curator of a small independent art gallery, we hear all sorts of reasons why people consider themselves art lovers. And their priorities span a wide range of possibilities.
One of the paradoxes of being in the art business is that lots and lots of people love art, want to support art, admire art... but have little to no interested in actually purchasing and displaying art in their personal spaces.
Even though they may consider art "very important," it remains an "external" concept in the greater context of their lives.
At no time is this more aptly demonstrated than by the "art enthusiastic" couple who visited the gallery a few months back. They fell in love with a small painting priced at about $100 but "hmmn'd and hah'd" over whether they could afford and justify spending $100 on a piece of art.
"Giant Tortoise" giclée print on canvas by Jesse Link
"We're going to go have dinner and decide on this," the husband said... "we'll probably be back later!"
I saw them go across the street to our neighboring rather swank bistro and wine bar... where they would most likely have spent at least $100 for a nice dinner with wine... while discussing whether they could afford to spend $100 on a piece of art.
Priorities.
How Important is Art, in Your Life?
One of the things you learn when you're in the art business is that art generally fills a different type of priority in people lives than most other things.
The nice dinner has a high experiential value for many people, as well as some functional value (we have to eat!)... it ends up having a high priority, in terms of willingness to put out, financially.
A piece of art (generally) has a very high emotional and spiritual value for people... but these tend to be intangibles most people assign a very low priority to, in terms of willingness to put out, financially.
It's an interesting conundrum, as the art itself is tangible, but what we get from it is not.
How do you prioritize art in your life? Are you an artist? Do you sell your art, or do you just make it? Do you own or collect art, or do you just like to look at it?
The Red Dragonfly is an independent alternative art gallery located in Port Townsend, WA; showcasing edgy and unique contemporary art & handmade crafts by local and worldwide artists. All images are our own, unless otherwise credited. Where applicable, artist images used with permission.
I live in Slovakia.. it is a small country and not very rich..it is not easy for artists here... people dont have enough money to buy art.. people focused od a basic priorities - food, living, work dont want to spend much money on art.. but, the more people you know as an artist the more you earn.. thats the hardest part of being an artis..
Thank you @marty-arts; yes it can become really important to make connections... and if you know the right people, your chances definitely become better.
That's a good point - it's harder for people to notice the value of intangibles. Do you think it's easier for people to notice the value of functional art - like carpentry, housing design, beautiful tableware?
@sizzlingmonkeys, yes it seems to be that way, at least to some degree. Very close by our gallery we have a shop that specializes in handmade woodworks... some of these pieces are definitely "art." I think because (for example) most people have tried their hand at carpentry at some time, they can better relate to the work involved. With painting it's sometimes a little different... we're more likely to hear "OH, my kid could do that!"
Hi reddragonfly, yes, I can see how paintings can be harder to sell than woodworks. Have you thought of pairing research on priming with selling the artwork? For example, I have a little rock that I call my gratitude rock. It's just a normal rock that my kids and I found at the beach, and we call it our gratitude rock because whenever we see it, it reminds us to think of something that we are grateful for.
Likewise, perhaps the art pieces have special meanings that a potential buyer might like to be reminded of - for example, whenever they look at a particular piece of art, they are reminded to be kind to themselves or they are reminded of the kindness they have observed in others, or perhaps the painting inspires hope. I guess my point is that the paintings probably already have meanings or stir up feelings in the viewers, but they don't see the value of owning the painting and having daily reminders of these meanings and feelings.
There has actually been research done that show the effects of priming (basically exposure to something changes our subsequent thinking and behavior). For example, one study showed that when shoppers heard French music, they bought more French wine and when they heard German music, they bought more German wine, so there's good reason to extrapolate that when people see a painting they associate with hope, they will feel more hopeful and so on. Perhaps reminding potential buyers of the ability of the painting to provide them with daily inspiration will help make the intangible value of the painting more tangible. Good luck with your art gallery!
Thanks for the feedback @sizzlingmonkeys!
We do-- to some degree-- use priming as part of sales, and we also don't "sell" people things, we "tell stories" about artists and their work. The outcomes are fairly evident... the artists with the more interesting stories with fairly broad appeal are also the ones whose work we most often sell.
Part of what we deal with is also generational change... how people incorporate art into their lives. Writing a new piece about that... try to get it done today. In a broad sense... among Baby Boomers and older, art was more something you "had;" among younger generations it is more something you "experience."
Interesting insight about the generational difference in how art is valued! Yes, I think people are very interested in stories and human connections - so I guess the artists can develop their unique stories!
Looking forward to reading your upcoming post!
Art was always part of my life and so very important. Unfortunately, today there is a flood of pictures in all media so that the recordability decreases more and more
One of the things we notice-- compared to our "old" gallery that was open in the 1980's and 1990's-- is the number of people walking around and simply photographing art, with no intention at all to ever buy any. That can be a little frustrating... not to mention it hurts the artistic value, in the longer run.
They use the camera instead of the brain or the heart
I think there may be a generation coming up who will not understand "appreciation" of anything, outside the confines of how it can be viewed through electronic media.
As an artist, selling my work over the years, I have encountered the whole spectrum of art lovers. So I would agree with you that, purchasing art is about priorities. The couple you mentioned, more likely would have purchased a $20 print. Real art collectors, are people who passionate and enthusiastic, and will happily delay other gratifications to satisfy their itch. But that is their peculiar itch. For other people, it is music, cars, graphic novels... ect. So I have long since come to the point of not expecting that world needs to change for me to make a living from my artwork. I now spend my time on identifying and giving more time for those who really are passionate about art, and more specifically my own. ;-)
Thanks for sharing @leoplaw. That's a very wise approach... and interestingly similar to what we often tell the artists who have their work in our gallery: "We focus on bringing work to those who really appreciate art and build relationships with them... and try not to worry too much about those who have little to offer other than criticism."
Everyone has different tastes. No point in trying to sell someone vanilla when they like chocolate. ;-)
I read the previous discussion, by the way great topic, and It seams to me that art is going trough sort of rough time, everywhere. Since I live in small country, where culture is put in lowest level, thanks to lack of money but also state politic is making more and more zombies, here art sales are hard. As much as you make art that has some background, it is hard as hell..It looks to me that brands became art today..There are exceptions, but somehow this example of couple more easily spending money for dinner, is a good example of art position nowadays.
@jungwatercolor, it's definitely not easy for art and artists these day. We have roughly 50 artists "on the books" at our gallery and out of them only three (that I can think of) actually make enough of a living from their art to not have taken full-time jobs as bookkeepers, waiters, store clerks and so on.
Sort of following up on these thoughts in my subsequent post, if you feel inclined to look at it.
Well, I must admit, now that I read what you wrote about artists with day jobs, I fell little easier, since despite my art degree, I have daytime job also, and it hasn't any connection with art...but Also it makes me sad, since I thought that only in my country is tuff...sorry to hear that..but I believe we will survive...beauty will save the world...call me an optimist :)
I would like to call myself an artist, but I cannot bring myself to do anything artistic much anymore. I want to express my thoughts and feelings, and my hands stumble over the words and forget their lines. When I manage to create a piece, it gets drowned out by a sea of those who have far greater skill. Sadly, I possess little money, and cannot pay what the artworks are worth, even if I wanted to do so. I hope to one day be able to call myself an artist. Now to get my hands to play their part.
Thanks for sharing @atomramble! It is not for me to tell anyone what to do... but I would suggest you keep in mind that art is about YOUR expression, not about the skills and abilities of "other people." YOU are the one expressing thoughts and feelings... not them; your life is YOUR life.
Thank you for reminding me. That is something so easily forgotten.
Nice topic about art and artist, thanks for sharing.....following.
Thank you!
Awesome work dear..
Thanks!
In my opinion Art is doing what you love in a creative way, tnx for sharing with us ^^
That's a really nice description, thanks!