šØ Mindset & Money in Art: Let’s Talk!
Some of my recent research has brought up a topic Iām actually nervous to bring up because people get really emotional around it, myself included. I know, however, our mindset can be most of the problem when we hold ourselves back from making art. So I want to talk about how our mindset, especially around money, influences our artistic journey.Ā
Hey there! š I’m Carrie, and I help self-taught artists who have a home studio, feeling stuck with their art, move from wondering whatās next to confidently expressing themselves through unique, original art.
Today, we’re exploring the connection between our money mindset and our artistic practice. Ever noticed how certain hobbies, like golf, don’t raise eyebrows when splurging on equipment, but art sometimes comes with guilt?
I looked up the price of golf clubs the other day and a single golf club can cost someone US$1500. That doesnāt include the whole bag of clubs or any of the fees to go golfing.
People have no problem with someone who says they play golf as a hobby. No one asks them what theyāre gonna do with their golf practice. Iāve not heard anyone comment, āmaterials are expensive.ā
And yet, when people tell me art is part of who they are, they also tell me they feel guilty or uncomfortable, investing in art supplies or in their learning.
Letās sit with that for a minute. Maybe youāre watching this and know about Artist Strong because like me, you canāt imagine your life without art. Quitting art is not part of your vocabulary. Maybe it even brings tears thinking about it. (It does for me).
Comment below āart is part of meā if you relate to what Iām saying here.
This reaches the heart of my art teacher mission and message to empower people to make their art. If art is part of who you are, how can you invest in this important part of your life?
I can already hear some people saying, āBut Carrie, materials are expensive!ā
Yes.
And no.
You can look at artists across history who were so committed they did things like scrounge canvas from shipyard scraps and donate their blood (the de Koonings). Other artists worked with what was available to them. RomarƩ Bearden created in collage. Just this past week I used my local buy and sell group on Facebook to grab piles of magazines to make art with my daughter.
The first example is extreme but I share it because when people want something, really want something, they make it happen. Sometimes we have to be creative and think outside the box.
We canāt imagine possibilities to gather resources and supplies to make our art if the story we tell ourselves is, āart is too expensive.ā
If youāre a studio artist who has if youāre a self-taught artist who has a studio but struggles to show up is beginning to wonder how another YouTube tutorial or Paint like me class is going to help you and want to know whatās next comment help below or message me to learn more about how I can help.
Gender is the other topic that came up in this discussion. Historically, golf has a male association, and crafting has often been female-centric. I see similar associations with art today.
A friend recently shared that her husband would not blink at spending $1500 where sheās more likely to spend $100 fifteen times.
Someone else described the history of craft and women creating in community. But when you talk about art, itās more solitary. So when she joined classes, she sometimes wondered, āWhere am I in this pecking order? Do I fit in?ā
For me, that brings up the elitist messaging we get from blue chip art galleries and other art world institutions.
I donāt know anything about spending habits and its associations with gender but it would be an interesting rabbit hole to tumble down.
Todayās video is sponsored by my workshop How to Create Art From your Imagination, which you can watch for free. Grab the link below to sign up and start watching right away.
I also feel like this has implications for how we invest our time. If we donāt feel comfortable investing money in our art, how can we ever justify making the time for our art?
I cannot count the number of times Iāve heard people tell me they have to prioritize chores over their art.
Many people are caregivers, either for aging parents or kids, or both! They are trying to find time when and where they can. A friend just talked about this like we are juggling lots of balls, and sometimes there are balls we have to set down because others have to stay in the air.
But how much harder is it to show up for our art if the stories we tell ourselves around our money and time are always about not having enough?
And hereās a doozy: is it the excuse we use to avoid the work our heart calls us to create?Ā
I want to hear from you! Do you confidently invest in your artist practice or do you have an inner critic whispering guilt-provoking thoughts in your ear? Share your take in the comments below. And if you liked todayās video please like and subscribe to Artist Strong. It makes a huge difference and helps us help more artists like you.
And if you show up in your home studio, feeling all over the place, overwhelmed and wondering whatās next for your art, I can help. Choose the time in my calendar that works best for you so we can discuss how to confidently express yourself through unique art.
Please remember: proudly call yourself an artist.
Together, we are Artist Strong.
money and materials have not been much of a problem because I stock up when I do have enough money at the time. my problem is selling art. Where I live there are people not really interested in art. We have a local art gallery and she gives lessons but refuses to meet with me to talk about merging or at least meeting. She stays closed most of the time and doesn’t open unless she is teaching a student or having an art sale. there are some who are interested in my art but they soon lose interest when they find out what I am charging which is an affordable amount. Our church where we worship and fellowship seen my work and is interested in me using my talents so maybe it might turn out to be an open door for me. Things take time ao until something sells I will remain artist-strong. Being physically disabled is a challenge for me because going to exhibitions I have to transport all my art from one place to another by myself. I am not one to give up I still create art even when my studio is overflowing with it Art is therapeutic for me physically and spiritually. I will always remain artist strong Carrie no matter what happens.
Carl, The struggle is real, and I feel your pain. But I wanted to share that I just sold my first painting through my artist website this year. Quite easy to set up, added a shopping cart through PayPal following their directions, which were also quite easy to set up. And all that involved was shipping my painting. People are becoming more and more comfortable looking for Art online and purchasing it online, this could be a solution for you.
I have built websites advertise virtual exhibitions and events on Facebook and have done all I can to sell my art. I do have some potential customers but that’s all. I’m doing my best. I’m sure someday it will get better and I will sell something. thanks for the encouragement
Yes you did! Yay!!!!
It sounds like you might have an avenue through your church. Keep searching! You don’t want to work with people who don’t want to work with you. Cheering you on Carl.
Thank you for this Carrie money and art is such a sensitive subject. And yes, the guilt over spending that much money on yourself when you are supporting a family is very real especially for the female in the relationship. I can honestly say that I have made time for my art my entire life, but sometimes it was on a shoestring budget, and at 1:00am in the morning when the kids were asleep. I didnāt really allow myself to invest the money I needed to in my art and art education until the family had grown up and moved out. Something a lot of people I am sure can relate to. And like Carl said in his comment above, when I had money I absolutely invested in art supplies for the future, and Iām so glad I did as now in my retirement years I have a studio full of everything. It takes a really big MindShift to make my Art my priority but I have done it. Everything else takes a secondary position, even the house only gets me for 30 minutes every morning.š Iām not sure why as a female, it is so hard to put myself first, but 10 years ago I started to do just that and now I have no problem. Nor any need to justify the time and money I spend on my art, because itās not a hobby, itās who I am. My mind shift happened when I stopped saying ā Iām going to play in my craft roomā to ā I am going to work in my studioā!
Lynne I really appreciate you sharing and being part of this conversation. There is such nuance here. And I’m SO glad you made that shift. Look at the art you create and the positive impact you are making through art š
Art is part of me
Thanks for being here Rick. š
Self-expression is one of the most important things we do as humans. Lack of the chance to express oneself is the cause for much asocial behavior, including joining cults and other indoctrination. It’s also responsible for frowns and nasty words we sometimes encounter in a car, on the sidewalk or in any situation with strangers. The unhappiness they exhibit is often from having no other channel to express themselves.
Regardless of whether you can sell your work, you must continue to create as much as you have time for. It makes you happy, it makes you a better person in many ways, as you are able to express yourself.
Never stop. Never.
Amen Randy! Thank you so much for sharing this. And for reading/watching Artist Strong.