Art this past Summer did NOT include IG or FB!
Here we are, at the start of September, and I’m more excited than ever to get back at it in my studio.
I have adopted a Learn-As-I-Go paradigm and I can honestly say that I have learned many things since I started taking my art to market a few years ago. One is that there is a whole lot of work involved in promoting yourself and stepping outside the box to come up with innovative ways to make your art visible. You must really love the process, not only of painting, but the entrepreneurial side of the art world, if you want to be successful at selling your art.
For me, I love it all.
I love the painting process most of all, but I also feel accomplished when I figure out another way to get my art out into the world. But of all the ways that I love getting my art to market, Instagram and Facebook are my least favourite. It is a time consuming, soul sucking process, based on algorithms. The algorithms depend on frequent posts to improve viewership. I’ve seen the popular art platform “Art Storefronts” promote posting 20 posts/day to grow a following. I can’t even!
In the spring, I was posting more consistently and more frequently, and my followers increased only the slightest bit. Some days I felt like I wasn’t any good at doing the right kind of seemingly trendy posts. Then I felt like the people who did follow me, were getting bombarded with some of my meaningless, quick, non-genuine posts, just to post something to keep on top of the IG algorithm. I could feel myself getting sucked into the IG trap. A real mental drain.
When the summer came and my kids were off school, I decided that I was taking an IG break and focussing on my family’s summer. Creating memories that would long outlast any IG or FB posts. That would be my summer’s art. The art of being unplugged and hanging with my possé…fully present.
Enjoying a meal in Wolfville, NS with my crew.
Paddle with my daughter in the Petit de Grat harbour…priceless.
A day in Halifax, NS…I do love bikes!
Pedal with my peeps in Banff National Park.
Enjoying a cookie break on the trail.
I have seen many of my friends drop their kids off at university this past week, and it is not lost on me that these moments are fleeting.
So, instead of focussing on IG and FB posts, I spent quality time with my kiddos, and when I had quiet moments, I reflected on other ways to market my art. And what I’ve figured is this: Art is expensive. Originals come at a hefty cost for several justifiable reasons. It is not affordable for everyone. It doesn’t mean that people who can’t afford originals, should not be able to benefit from beautifying their spaces. And so, stay tuned because I have some fun things brewing.
The best place to see what I’m up to, will be posts on Instagram or Facebook!
Oh, the irony!
But I can say with utmost certainty, that I will not be posting 20 posts/day.
IG and FB handle: @vancoldenart
