Two Different Lenses for the Journey

When people think of artists and creativity, we often assume almost every artist is trying to “make it big” in some way. People tend to connect making money and having big sales with being a success as an artist.

But that’s not the only path artists can take. If you feel you struggle with trying to monetize everything, and you wonder why you can’t just jump onto the business bandwagon, you’re not alone in feeling that way. And what I’ve realized is that artists have so many other journeys they can go on, and so many other ways to be.

The way I see it, there are two different lenses I’ve noticed an artist can choose for their journey (not the only lenses, obviously, but these are very common ones). The first lens is the view that your art has to have some kind of financial value for you. You see success in putting content behind paywalls or subscriptions, making exclusive merch, or building private membership-only communities.

This isn’t necessarily a bad way to do things if this is what you truly like. If you feel your work needs to be priced to be important, that’s a value you have that you may not want to change. And there’s nothing wrong with charging fairly for your work and making a good living from it. After all, both folks benefit in that equation: your fans get to enjoy your art, and you get the funds you need to make more projects and take care of yourself.

But the problem is a lot of creative people are taught that monetizing to the max is the only way to be successful. If they aren’t selling huge subscriptions and earning tons of money, they feel maybe they’re doing something wrong. They may doubt themselves and wonder if they’re on the right path.

Going Through It Too

I’ve gone through this, too. I went through a period where I was thinking I had to constantly be promoting myself and my work so I could eventually make a living from it. But the minute I started thinking about all of that, it actually became way less enjoyable!

I felt a pressure to promote my work constantly, even when I really didn’t feel up to it. I thought I had to be everywhere and do everything to be successful and earn a steady profit. But as I became more exhausted and rather depressed, I started questioning this mindset. I even wrote down some notes in my papers about how I didn’t have to monetize my art if I didn’t want to. I realized I had to remind myself I still have a choice.

What I recognized is that I get the most joy out of sharing my work freely when I can. That’s one reason why I’m a big fan of Creative Commons licenses, because that means more people get a chance to share your work and reuse it. They don’t have to worry that you will come after them with really strict copyright restrictions if they make a copy.

Another thing I realized is that even though I’m open to the idea of selling some of my art or creations one day, I might actually enjoy selling education books or courses about building your creative practice instead. I seem to gravitate towards not selling the art itself, but maybe offering what I’ve learned over time to people who could benefit from the information.

As I thought about these things, I came across a great YouTube video by Brainard Carey. He talked about how as an outsider artist or independent creative, you have the freedom to do whatever you want to do. You don’t have to fit into a box or be what everyone else wants. You don’t even have to monetize your work if you don’t want to: there’s a whole history of outsider artists who were glad to stay out of the art selling business, and who simply built a body of work they deeply cared about. (The irony is that after they passed away, their art often became famous and sold for thousands!)

Coming across that video just felt like a sign from the universe. It confirmed for me what I was already beginning to realize. We can choose!

Another Path: The Second Lens

There’s another path you can take. You can be an artist who shares their craft and works just as hard as a commercial one, but you don’t always have to sell. You can make art because you want to make it, and you have something to share with either yourself or the world (or both!) And believe it or not, that can open up opportunities in new ways.

From my experience, being a less commercially oriented artist has opened doors to sharing my work outside the traditional system. Because I’m not always trying to find a profit for my projects, I often stumble across unconventional opportunities and collaborations. These may not always pay me a check, but they’re deeply fulfilling and expose my work to new audiences.

Another great benefit of being a less commercial artist is that I can archive my work more openly. I’ve recently started uploading some of my favorite projects to the Internet Archive, for example. Since they aren’t locked behind an exclusive paywall, I don’t have to worry about losing profits by archiving them there, and it’s another opportunity for my work to live on.

The Best of Both Worlds

As we wrap up this edition, I want to finish by saying we can also have the best of both worlds. We can offer some of our art for money to build a strong relationship and exchange with devoted fans. (It doesn’t even have to be an expensive price, either!)

Some people really want to pay for and support an author’s or artist’s work, so I think there’s nothing wrong with having a subscription or selling a piece when that’s what you want to do.

I myself am thinking about selling some of my own books and other media in the future. I recognize that’s one way I can get the funds to make more art and show up to in-person events, which can help me build stronger relationships with people and bring my work to them.

But we also don’t have to push ourselves into pay-walling everything we’ve ever made because we’re afraid we aren’t being “successful” enough. If we enjoy sharing our work for free, we can continue doing that, too. You can even mix the two and find what’s right for you!

Check This Out

Here’s a great article on some outsider artists if you need some inspiration: Outsider Artists Who Forged Their Own Paths

You’re definitely not alone! :)