Taking Ourselves Too Seriously

I don't know why artists tend to take themselves so seriously. Artists are always getting their feelings hurt or are misunderstood or aren't appreciated enough. We want the world to know how tender and sensitive we are, how soulful and deep and sometimes I just want to laugh at the silliness of it all.

Let's admit it. What we do is fun. If you're not having fun making your art maybe you really should have another day job or night job or whatever.

Artists complain that they don't make enough money, that the culture doesn't support or recognize them and their intrinsic value. This should not be news to any of us. Would it be a wonderful world if artists were the kings and queens? I don't know. Many of the artists I know are pretty disorganized and spacey. Wonderful, lovely people but I'm not sure I want them for kings and queens if you know what I mean.

And yes, there are artists who are very organized, amazing marketers, genius networkers who build their careers even as they sleep. Have to admit a lot of those people scare me just a little. They're pretty intense.

How did I get going on this subject? Alyson Stanfield posted it on her blog ArtBiz.com and it's had a flurry of commenting go on. You might want to check it out. I think it's in a post called Deep Thought Thursday. You'll have to scroll to find it since I'm too lazy to go find the exact link right now.

As an artist I want to have fun. I've made a living with my art and I haven't made a living with my art and the older I get the less I care about it. I just want to make art and have fun. Some people seem happy to buy it and that's cool. I do have bills to pay. But I just can't get into this overdrive marketing thing that seems to be sweeping a lot of the art world, or at least the internet marketing world.

What do you think? Should artists just want to have fun? Or should we slog away at our work like it's a job that sort of stinks? Too many artists defend what they do as hard work or defend what they do as slaving over their easels. Is this really what they want?

Comments

[Kelly Henderson]

Hi Mary,

I just found your blog and your artwork is lovely. Just have fun or slog away? Well I can only speak for myself as an artist, but for me the answer lies somewhere in the middle of fun and slog. And that's where the tension and balancing come into play. When I'm all fun I don't seem to have much to show for my hours at the end of the day. And I like to see tangible things done. When I slog away my artwork suffers, and I sometimes do too - physically and mentally. And I lose that muse named "joi de vivre". She just quits showing up. So the middle way is what I'm always seeking in my artwork, and in my life too - lots of seeking sometimes finding! Thanks for helping me remember to enjoy the process and not get too wrapped up in things.

P.S. My little girl Sophey always says "just do art Mom". I try to remember this too!

Take care,

Kelly

[sherry truitt]

Food for thought, Mary. I will read the other blog today. For me art is just part of who I am, and so far this week has been fun, productive and thought provoking in many ways.

[Mary Richmond]

I didn't mean to make it appear quite so polarized. I also don't mean that having fun doing our work means just playing without direction. For me, having purpose can be fun. I've learned to work every day and invite the muse and she usually shows up if I show up with intent and openness. For me, that's fun.

I hear a lot of artists complain about how hard they work and how unappreciated they are and that's when I think of them slogging through their work in the studio in misery. Doesn't sound like much fun. As nice as it is to be appreciated, most of us know that art falls way behind a lot of other priorities for people so I figure we might as well appreciate those who DO appreciate it and not worry about the others....

And I do realize that there are many dutiful souls who work every day at their art, who don't consider it slogging but who also don't seem to be having much fun. They worry a lot. And I'm just saying, stop worrying so much and go back to enjoying your work. It is what brought you here,(to art and creating) yes?

[Alyson B. Stanfield]

Mary, you've pimped out your blog since I've been here. It looks great! And, yes, it shouldn't be a choice. You can have fun AND be taken seriously. Think of all of those poor people in the world who don't know that! I think the difference with the question I posed is how you want to be perceived--not how you approach it. Do you want to be perceived as just playing? Or do you want to be perceived as a serious artist with a job (your art)?

[Suki]

Basically as i am aged 62 with who knows how much time left on this earth (our lives are short even if we live 100 years or so) i ask myself the question in my life about various things: is this fun. If it is not fun, then why am I doing it when time is short. I want to do as many fun things as possible.

I also want to be taken seriously as Alyson makes that distinction above. Not considered a hobbyist or whatever. Sometimes the wording of "taking myself seriously" can mean making a commitment to do something and doing it regardless of the ups and downs that arise naturally in the process. I think it is human to have doubts sometimes and to question whether what I am doing is worth it whatever that might mean. Really all this is a matter of semantics I think.

Artwork wise I often have fun, but also I sometimes feel I have no idea what i'm doing and am just making a mess which is okay actually but nevertheless just passing thoughts and feelings.

Some people think it is fun to go to an amusement park. I think it is pure torture. So what we each define as fun differs.

[patti]

I'm a little late joining in the conversation, but I agree with you Mary. I try to have fun in my journal - playing, experimenting, making a mess, making some terrible art, making some excellent art, but the journal is for me so I don't care. It's all about the fun. All this fun leads me to more serious artwork where I need to concentrate more and which I hope others will appreciate. But it still needs to give me enjoyment and satisfaction or what's the point?