From time to time we get an email, or a comment on Facebook, questioning whether monetizing your creativity is selling out. Often people speak about art and creativity as if it is something too precious to ‘sell’, and in limited supply. But I ask you this – what other talent can you think of that, if you shined brightly enough, you wouldn’t happily turn into a source of income, or the basis of a job? Professional-level sporting ability, economics genius, a flair for science, a way with teaching? So why is art and creativity any different?
When someone asks me if selling art is selling out my response is an unequivocal, “No”. In fact, I usually go on to say “If you are blessed with a creative gift so potent and true that people are willing to pay for access to it, in whatever form, why not share it? If it can support your lifestyle and family, allowing you to do what you love, why wouldn’t you do it?” Besides, every day our lives are enhanced by beautiful paintings, smart design, stirring words, gorgeous music, powerful journalism, striking photography and more. We are surrounded by creativity every day that, in more cases than most, has been paid for. If the creative behind each of these things weren’t paid for it, they’d probably have to get a ‘normal’ job and the world would be a duller, less inspiring place as a result.
So remember this: The world needs you to shine your creative light and do your thing, and the world might just be willing to pay for it.
The same goes for business. As Steve Jobs said, “Creativity is just connecting things.” Connect your talent to income possibilities and see what happens. Unleash your creativity and don’t be shy of making profits that you are proud of.
As we approach the start of our upcoming course ‘Make Art That Sells’ this topic becomes ever more relevant. In the course top art agent Lilla Rogers taps into her three decades of experience in the creative industries to share how to make art that sells whilst staying true to yourself. I asked Lilla – who has sold art for products worth more than $100 million – what she thought about it. Here’s what she said…
“It’s only selling out if you are selling out to yourself and your own vision. Let’s define selling out. In my mind, it’s dumbing down your work so that you make money. My whole career has been about doing the opposite, in my own work, my agency, and my e-courses.
Any time you sell a piece of art, whether it’s through a gallery or to a manufacturer, you are involved in the conversation of commerce and aware of your market and who is buying. Only when you do a piece strictly for you own self are you potentially free of that. So the question is, how can you make art that sells while being the most true to yourself? For me, the answer is to understand the market, and then elevate it with your art. It’s a dance that takes time. I believe my artists have mastered that very well.
Finally, we live in a time when, unless you are a farmer, you need money to eat. And so you accept the fact that there is some kind of compromise involved. Look at it from another perspective – how totally amazing is it that you can pay the rent with your art-making? This is a relatively new phenomenon in the modern world. For most of civilized history, only a few painters could make livings by painting portraits of royalty or biblical scenes for the Church (the main two big clients). So, from that perspective, it’s a pretty amazing time we live in. I say to my kids, “How cool is it that I bought my first car from making pictures?”
We couldn’t have said it better ourselves.
We are dedicating he whole of October to the theme ‘Love Business’ on the DWYL blog, and will be getting into lots more juicy discussions over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, if you want to learn how to make art that sells whilst staying true to yourself, by understanding the ten hottest markets for art, join the MATS course starting on Monday. You can still squeeze in if you are quick (register here)!
So get creating, get selling, and start feeling proud that you are CREATING your own career!
Beth and the team
