Comments on: Suffering and the Artist’s Life

By: Bob Ragland

Bob Ragland — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:43:48 +0000

When artists sell their work, it gives them a chance to make and sell more. To suffer as an artist is to not be able to heat and eat, in my opinion. I like to pay my way as an artist.
I will sell , sell ,sell on purpose. Purity leads to the poorhouse.

I paid for my house with my artistic effort.
My car also.

I will art on.
Bob Ragland

By: Ariane Goodwin

Ariane Goodwin — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:45:35 +0000

Ed, I’m thinking you and Paul are on the same continuum, just at different points on the scale of “suffering,” “difference,” and “hardships.”

And, even though the common story is that artists are not comfortable selling their work, I’ve met quite a few who are.

Comfort seems to be determined by the stories that artists tell themselves about the nature of “selling,” and where the collective story of salesperson vs artist has colluded.

When selling is internalized as “hawking” a product it creates a very different outcome than when selling is understood as how you offer your work to the world so the right person who wants it can offer you value for value.

By: Ed Roach

Ed Roach — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 02:46:50 +0000

Paul, maybe suffering is too harsh a word.

Creative minds in our society may have a small chip on their shoulder, (mine included). Many creatives I know are closet loners. Because of their creative outlet, their creative work is typically insular and thus a form of artistic masturbation :)

Growing up we were the different ones, and we took a lot of grief because of it. Most great artists whether painters, writers, musicians, sculptures etc. create in isolation, just them and their art. Many of the great impressionists puzzled the public around them.

Their hardship starts when they must go into the greater world and sell. They are not comfortable salesmen and there is the rub. It’s not a comfort zone, that’s for sure.

Suffer the one maybe?