About a year ago I set up this site, as part of a half-assed exercise in the performative part of making art. It’s my attempt at having an online presence, while avoiding the whole Instatwitface scene. Unsocial media, you could probably call it – like Eleanor Shellstrop, I am not, by inclination, a joiner-in.
I get a monthly letter from an art group I had to join to take part in an event, which gives details of open exhibitions, competitions and grants. That gave me the opportunity to join the makers in the craft tent at Towersey Festival, which was great fun and taught me the value of thermal underwear while camping in England. In August.
I did a couple of local exhibitions, including a small solo show, found a print company that could scan canvases and make decent digital prints, and sent a whole bunch of emails that were never answered, or rejected with various degrees of politeness. I’ve written semi-regular not-quite-random posts for this site, even had cards printed.
Has it been worth it? Well, I haven’t bankrupted myself in the process (and you can spend an awful lot of money chasing the elusive tail of the Art Market, it seems, if that’s your thing), but I’ve not covered my costs either. I’ve met some great people, seen a lot of art in all kinds of media; learned a lot. Writing these posts has been a good discipline even as I have grudged the time it takes, although I suspect they go largely unread.
Short of time, money, space and credentials, without marketing skills, representation or anything resembling a plan, I haven’t moved any mountains, but so far I’ve no completely binned it either. I’m prepared (for now, at least) to give it another year.
Mostly painting