It appears I’ve made a habit of beginning ArtJournal posts with a dicey outdoor adventure. The truth is, I have a lot of those. But there are all kinds of adventures to be found, and not just in the outdoors. For example, leaving behind a thriving, comfortable career in mid-life to become a professional artist has opened opportunities for adventures I hadn’t expected. And not just because I made the leap two months before the pandemic hit.
Here's an unexpected mindset that can help you turn challenges into adventures.
This might sound a bit cavalier for a guy in my shoes, but making a living as an artist is actually not the top of my priority list. Becoming the best artist I can within my lifetime is my first priority. My second priority is connecting with, and bringing joy to people who love art. In third place is doing good, for example supporting conservation and appreciation of the natural world.
Yes, making a living comes in last place in the priority list. Why? I believe if I’m doing the first three, the last will take care of itself. Or so I hope. The universe will provide, right?
Take art fairs as an example. These seemed like a great way to connect with people around art. I get to practice talking about what I’m doing and get some feedback about how I can grow as an artist. In the context of my priorities, it seemed to make perfect sense. And if I ended up connecting with people who fall in love my work and become collectors, even better.
But I hadn’t always seen it that way.
As I explore deeper into the art universe, I’m learning all kinds of things about how artists self-identify, which kinds of paths are taken, and where these might lead. This is the subject of many books and endless blogs (ultimately, probably this one, too). Suffice it to say, it makes your frickin’ head spin. Seriously it does.
At some point one must make choices and try some things out. As a newbie, I have the advantage of ignorance, or at least pleading ignorance if I make some wrong choices along the way. Since I don’t know exactly where I’m going (my four priorities leave a lot of latitude in that regard), my goal has been to try out as many paths as I can and see what happens.
When I began painting many years ago, mainly as a side passion but also with the intent of showing and sharing, I’d not really considered art fairs. I had some preconceived notions about how they might feel, or whether they would be worth the effort or a good fit for me.
This past year I reconsidered. I got curious, reframing art fairs like anyone who is starting down a new path might want to do: as an adventure. Like a kind of social adventure.
I applied and was accepted to three art fairs as a trial run: Lake Oswego, Sunriver and Eugene’s Art and the Vineyard (which was sadly canceled on the heels of the COVID relapse). I bit the bullet and purchased some gear, organized a professional setup, rented a trailer, and off I went.
It turns out art fairs ARE a lot of effort. They can be physically demanding, expensive, a logistical hassle, and take time. All of that was foreseeable.
But it turns out they’re also very rewarding. You meet lots of interesting people. You get to talk about art all day with other people who love art. You get to represent personally your own creative work, understand it in different ways, and see it through different eyes. It’s an adventure and an education.
But here’s the rub. For many, showing at art fairs feels like being a salesperson. Selling is something many artists are uncomfortable with. Selling seems like a bad word, as in “sellout.” And it could be, I suppose, if you don’t believe in what you’re selling.
The implication is important. As an artist, making sure you’re creating work you believe in is priority number one. That means working hard enough on your craft to get there. That’s no simple task since many serious artists are constantly striving for some form of expression that feels just out of reach. That’s normal and necessary to developing a practice. But some objectivity is needed.
Here’s the magic: if you DO believe in your work, it’s not selling, it’s just relating to people.
This is how I feel about it, precisely because I focus on my first three priorities: improve my craft, connect with people, and do good in the process. If I focus on those, I’m never selling anything. I’m just having conversations about art. I’m connecting people with opportunities to bring beauty and joy into their daily lives; to own something truly unique, a product of a creative mind steeped in special places we love and care about.
And that feels great.
A new artist friend I met at a fair told me this: “You don’t know it yet, but you’re a gambler with a painting problem.” I laughed and admitted I was confused. She gave me a knowing look.
At the end of the fair, I finally understood what she meant: you just don’t know what’s going to happen. Prepare all you like, but it’s out of your hands. It may be a bust, it may be a boom. I took this as another great reason to focus on the process and not the outcome.
In the big picture of my journey as an artist, art fairs are just one path I can follow. There are many others. For now, if it inspires me to do my best work, and keep improving, that’s just what I need. And if it connects me to other people who love art, and if it helps me do good, then I know I’m moving in the right direction.
Right? That’s what I thought, too.
Emerging Artist Award at the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts
So, I entered the fairs with low expectations. And I was very pleasantly surprised. I met new collectors, admirers, kindred spirits, gallerists, dealers, new friends, and fellow artists. I also won an award and sold a lot of work.
Maybe the universe IS paying attention. Maybe it was just a good year (despite the pandemic, wildfires and heat bubble). Who knows? Only time will tell.
On that note, I want to give heartfelt thanks to my new collectors who made this summer such a success. I sincerely hope your lives are more joyful for it. I know mine is. It was wonderful meeting all of you!
I also want to thank my friends and family for all the support, heavy lifting in 110-degree heat, braving smoky skies, and doing so with such good spirits. You know who you are. Seriously, thanks.
This fall and winter I’ll be busy developing my style and painting a new body of work for next year. As many of you know, I give my subscribers a preview before new works go public on my website. I also post the newest works on Instagram and Facebook if you happen to follow me there (@robinhostickart). You can always message me directly if something grabs you.
By the way, I have a new page for event listings, generally places and times you can check out my work in person. I always enjoy studio visits, too, so reach out if there’s something you’d like to see.
Thanks for keeping in touch.
