practicing vs. producing

[deliciouspeter]

I've been showing my paintings a lot lately. Basically since I've had stuff on a wall somewhere since february. 2 group shows, one solo currently and another solo one coming next week. Two more group shows later this year, and some odd other stuff on the horizon. Anyway, it's for this next show that I've been working night and day.

I've produced at least 44 paintings since January 2007 and I should have another 6 by thursday of next week. I have a full time job that is often very demanding. I get home from work and paint until 2am. I give myself friday night off to go drink my face off, then wake up saturday and paint until monday.

Therefore...the already questionable quality of my work is declining. I'm feeling derivative and stale. Frustrated. I don't want to sound ungrateful for the luck that i've been having lately, and i am very pleased that people like my work and are willing to pay for it, but i simply don't have time to do anything but paint. Instead of doing a couple of sketches, studies, taking some pictures, I just put paint to wood and push through it, often working on 4 pieces at a time using heat lamps and fans to speed dry.

Has anyone had a similar experience? If not, care to share some stress relievers? Creativity boosters? Beer specials?

[Seedling]

Are you interested in quitting your day job? Are you making enough money with the paintings for that to be a possibility?

I've been doing daily hour-long paintings for about half a year now. The trick for me was to get myself into a groove at which I could reliably and constantly produce work without burning out.

I do my paintings in the morning before work, which leaves me feeling jazzed and productive for the rest of the day. And I typically take at least one day a week off from painting.

My focus has, up until now, been on learning, rather than on producing sellable products. But I recently got talked into showing work at a local gallery, and I’m starting to toy with the idea of paintings made specifically to sell. I’m going to try for a balance between learning and selling; ask me again in a few months and I’ll have more of a perspective on the issue. :-)

I don’t have any desire to quit my day job, but I do want to improve at painting, and I wouldn’t exactly mind if someday I had the option of making it a full-time job. Thus my willingness to go at a slow and steady pace.

At any rate, if I were you, I would say lay off most of the drinking and get yourself some free-time activities that let you relax without giving you a hangover; preferably with some exercise and sunshine and a minimum of screens. (I spend far too much time in front of screens!) But I’m not you; you need to look at what makes a good balanced life for you, and then make it happen.

Congrats on the shows, by the way! :-)

[Ellingsworth]

Are you interested in quitting your day job? Are you making enough money with the paintings for that to be a possibility?

I've been doing daily hour-long paintings for about half a year now. The trick for me was to get myself into a groove at which I could reliably and constantly produce work without burning out.

I do my paintings in the morning before work, which leaves me feeling jazzed and productive for the rest of the day. And I typically take at least one day a week off from painting.

My focus has, up until now, been on learning, rather than on producing sellable products. But I recently got talked into showing work at a local gallery, and I’m starting to toy with the idea of paintings made specifically to sell. I’m going to try for a balance between learning and selling; ask me again in a few months and I’ll have more of a perspective on the issue. :-)

I don’t have any desire to quit my day job, but I do want to improve at painting, and I wouldn’t exactly mind if someday I had the option of making it a full-time job. Thus my willingness to go at a slow and steady pace.

At any rate, if I were you, I would say lay off most of the drinking and get yourself some free-time activities that let you relax without giving you a hangover; preferably with some exercise and sunshine and a minimum of screens. (I spend far too much time in front of screens!) But I’m not you; you need to look at what makes a good balanced life for you, and then make it happen.

Congrats on the shows, by the way! :-)

Awesome advice. Seedling is there anywhere I can see some of your paintings? I also agree with getting outside in your free time, maybe even take up some daily exercising and make it a routine you stick to.

[Dile_]

lol@lazyness :S

Its right there in her signature :)

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=74879

[chazanoble]

I've been showing my paintings a lot lately. Basically since I've had stuff on a wall somewhere since february. 2 group shows, one solo currently and another solo one coming next week. Two more group shows later this year, and some odd other stuff on the horizon. Anyway, it's for this next show that I've been working night and day.

I've produced at least 44 paintings since January 2007 and I should have another 6 by thursday of next week. I have a full time job that is often very demanding. I get home from work and paint until 2am. I give myself friday night off to go drink my face off, then wake up saturday and paint until monday.

Therefore...the already questionable quality of my work is declining. I'm feeling derivative and stale. Frustrated. I don't want to sound ungrateful for the luck that i've been having lately, and i am very pleased that people like my work and are willing to pay for it, but i simply don't have time to do anything but paint. Instead of doing a couple of sketches, studies, taking some pictures, I just put paint to wood and push through it, often working on 4 pieces at a time using heat lamps and fans to speed dry.

Has anyone had a similar experience? If not, care to share some stress relievers? Creativity boosters? Beer specials?

Quit your job or cut back on some work hours if possible. If that's not possible find a part time job that doesn't ruin your creativity. Reserve an hour a day to do physical activities (walking, running, b-ball, ultimate frisbee, sex with the gf[or bf?!?]), to get oxygen in the brain so your creativity comes back. (Getting exercise can actually make you more productive in the long run) Also lay off the beer. If you have a house, sell it if mortgage is going to be a financial burden. Find a modest place to live, and paint for a living if that's what you really enjoy. If you are worry about losing your social standing, just realize it all culturally relative. All you need for a good life is your health, good relations/participation with your family/community, doing what you enjoy and a roof over your head.

[Magic Man]

You're overworked and burning out, plain and simple. Reduce your workload to what you feel is a decent amount, and go from there.

If you want to improve your painting more, reduce the hours at your other job, you only have so much energy for yourself.

[DavePalumbo]

If you want to improve your painting more, reduce the hours at your other job

Or slow down on the paintings. Keep working hard, but don't feel that you need to produce 100 pieces a year.

[Ellingsworth]

lol@lazyness :S

Its right there in her signature :)

http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=74879

lol, thanks for the link I'm blind. Ahh, but here's my excuse I was in a rush to go out and see TRANSFORMERS! :)

Back on topic.

Yeah doing what Dave said also helps, if you try to start exercising maybe try running around your block every morning, helps you wake up and feel alert for the rest of the day, I just started doing it and after a week I feel great. That way you will have more energy after a week to put into your paintings.

[Seedling]

Awesome advice. Seedling is there anywhere I can see some of your paintings?

Aww, you made me blush. :-)

I've got to get my website updated again. . .

[deliciouspeter]

:( :0 :)

[deliciouspeter]

Thanks everyone for responding and giving real advice. After I wrote that it just felt good to write out my feelings.

Seedling: Day Job: I really wouldn't want to quit. I'm busy now, but I know it will slow down after this next show and I like having some structure and guaranteed income. And I like the job. Good people, enthusiasm and a mission statement that has nothing to do with profit.

My focus has, up until now, been on learning, rather than on producing sellable products.
That is exactly what I meant by practicing vs. producing. I've realized that most of the joy of painting/drawing/creating is rooted in developing myself and ultimately learning and getting better. It took this experience to learn that and I feel like I'm painting for the invisible critics over my shoulder and instead of being inspired...I'm being insipid.

But I recently got talked into showing work at a local gallery, and I’m starting to toy with the idea of paintings made specifically to sell.
Seems like the same thing happened with me. A couple of gallery shows fell in my lap and I've been working like the Amish ever since.

I also know exactly what sells and what doesn't. It's like painting money. But I don't need the money...I just want the exposure and people to like my work...so I end up painting what 'they' like, which isn't necesarily what I like. Not sure if that is a bad thing, but it did lead me to this state of toasted-marshmallow-brain.

I’m going to try for a balance between learning and selling; ask me again in a few months and I’ll have more of a perspective on the issue. :-)I'm going to hold you to this.

Chazanoble:
If you have a house, sell it if mortgage is going to be a financial burden. The house is really my only bill to pay. No car, paid off my school loans, but I love my house. I finally have a studio and a wood shop! I suppose I shouldn't complain. And my job is awesome. Seriously somebody throw a frozen dodgeball at my head.

Excercise, sunshine, take it easy, no beer: All common sense things that are easy to remedy. I'm going to work in my garden as soon as I get off work (friday is my day off from painting) and have a nice dinner with my girlfriend and go to bed early.

Thanks again everyone for taking the time to comment. This felt a bit like a therapy session.

[Seedling]

Hey Deliciouspeter, will you be my new buddy? ;-) My husband and I just bought a house. (Oh my gawd, STUDIO SPACE!) We've already started the garden, even though we haven't unpacked. Sounds like you and I are in very similar circumstances all around. Have you got a sketchbook or a webpage or sumpthin' I can go peek at?

Oh yeah, there's no need to do away with the beer altogether. A nice cold one at the end of a long day is a wonderful thing!

[Ironteenrich]

Where you from in Chicago? I'm from the south side, maybe i'll have to come stop into your show

[deliciouspeter]

Of course I'll be your buddy, Seedling. We always have been, we just didn't know it.

ironteenrich:
I live under the kennedy expressway with some other people who are out of touch with reality. I can actually high-five truckers from my bedroom window. To be a bit more specific near belmont and sacramento. But originally from the southside too. Beverly...it's the cradle of civilization.

[Ironteenrich]

Of course I'll be your buddy, Seedling. We always have been, we just didn't know it.

ironteenrich:
I live under the kennedy expressway with some other people who are out of touch with reality. I can actually high-five truckers from my bedroom window. To be a bit more specific near belmont and sacramento. But originally from the southside too. Beverly...it's the cradle of civilization.

Haha, my brother in law and sister and their kids live in mount greenwood the town over, i live around palos heights area a little more south from beverly.

[palette]

I've been showing my paintings a lot lately. Basically since I've had stuff on a wall somewhere since february. 2 group shows, one solo currently and another solo one coming next week. Two more group shows later this year, and some odd other stuff on the horizon. Anyway, it's for this next show that I've been working night and day.

I've produced at least 44 paintings since January 2007 and I should have another 6 by thursday of next week. I have a full time job that is often very demanding. I get home from work and paint until 2am. I give myself friday night off to go drink my face off, then wake up saturday and paint until monday.

Therefore...the already questionable quality of my work is declining. I'm feeling derivative and stale. Frustrated. I don't want to sound ungrateful for the luck that i've been having lately, and i am very pleased that people like my work and are willing to pay for it, but i simply don't have time to do anything but paint. Instead of doing a couple of sketches, studies, taking some pictures, I just put paint to wood and push through it, often working on 4 pieces at a time using heat lamps and fans to speed dry.

Has anyone had a similar experience? If not, care to share some stress relievers? Creativity boosters? Beer specials?

Wow deliciouspeter, all I can say, is I am the exact opposite of you, so maybe we can learn a little from each other (which is what these open source forums are all about).

The majority of my time has always been utilized developmentally. I rarely
exhibit. I have built up a reputation slowly; for high-quality work. I have no shortage of creative inspiration. Today, I sell privately and regularly; without
a gallery.

I am not anti-commission, as galleries work hard for their commissions and, in the end, I think they fetch more for the piece most of the time, which often makes the commission academic. Instead, I'm anti-pressure. That's why I've steered clear of a gallery relationship.

Ironically, having said that, I think there may be a point soon where I can begin to seek out a viable and comfortable symbiotic relationship with a compatible gallery that is capable of handling my work in a no-pressure, I-do-the-type-of-work-when-I-want way.

I think the biggest problem facing developing artists today is choosing when to pull the self-promotion lever, because once you pull it, your experience shows that it can lead to a drying up of development.

I believe that people pull this lever early for two reasons. First of all, we are creative types and we want to establish a creative identity. If one is developmentally at work, but the world isn't aware of it, there's a desire to 'show everybody what it is I do'. Secondly; money.

With regards to the first reason, I learned to accept that others are out there
getting the public accolades while I am working on development and not being as high profile publicly. I got comfortable with all that.

With regards to the second reason, I set myself up by hard work to be in the fortunate situation where I am successfully self-employed as an artist, but to do this I had to initially make a ton of sacrifices. I passed on drinking, smoking, driving, high rent, eating out, movies, video rentals. I used the library, learned how to cook, shopped economically etc., because for me time is the grand commodity.

The good news is, as my career got it's traction on my own terms, it's left me healthy, fit and very productive and I can now afford to do all the things that I went so long without, including regular travel to the world's finest museums. which is where I do most of my learning nowadays.

Good luck with your personal goals and journey. Like any journey it's one step at a time. Thanks for your post, too. The thing I learned from you is that I have to keep it so I'm not afraid of a little hard work once in a while; burning the midnight oil so to speak. Your post inspired me to fire things up a notch.

Thanks,

your pal palette

[Seedling]

Hey Palette, I would love to see some of your work. Care to share?

[Chris Bennett]

Hey Seedling, so you have put those terrific studies of yours onto the market!
Great!
How did they do?

[deliciouspeter]

palette,

I think when you're ready to start exploring a relationship with a gallery you'll find that galleries are as different as artists. I've met gallery owners who seem downright evil and some that are so incredibly kind and supportive i have a hard time taking my check from them. this goes without saying to you, but be sure you choose the gallery and not the other way around. seems like you're in a great position to walk away if need be. I don't know if you have an agent, but it may be worth it to you.

On comission, I absolutely support the gallery getting thier share and ususally they make it very clear what to expect. They are paying rent, insurance, food, promotion, etc. Some do it better than others and with that it is a bit easier to give up HALF of what the buyer paid. I still have a hard time doubling my typical price, but having work in a gallery leads to so much additional business.

As for self promotion/motivation. I agree with your two points completely. For me, It is all about making a quiet little name for myself. I don't ever expect to make a living on this stuff, but rather just a interesting body of work that could be appreciated by a few people. My grandparents had some mildly successful local artist friends and their home was decorated with their original artwork. Beautiful, personal work. Of which I've researched and found they were very appreciated in small circles. I suppose that had a profound impact on me. Money is nice too, but if this was my livelihood, the pressure might be too great and I wouldn't be able to say no to anyone.

I hate to ask, but I am obsessed with quantity lately...how many pieces do you produce in a year? In what medium?

It is great to hear from a professional artist who is willing to speak so candidly.To continued success and safety in your travels.

[Seedling]

Hi Chris! Thanks! I’ve sold seven. A few more and my hobby will have paid for itself. ;-) It’s a slow but encouraging start.

deliciouspeter – sorry I went for so long without checking my e-mail! I sent you a reply. :-)

[Mr Man]

Hey just thought Id slip in another little tip in terms of energy boosts. I cant start the day without my special shower. All it is, is to simply shower as you do normally but then when your nearly finished turn up the heat so it hurts just a tiny bit and then quickly blast on the cold! This really wakes you up and makes your skin or nice and tingly :) Its also a good Idea to have 40 winks in the late afternoon.

Rich.

[deliciouspeter]

update: show went well, and when I woke up on saturday it was the first day in months that I didn't have anything to do. It felt awesome. Anyway, I sold 4 paintings, and there are pictures on my site if you care to look. thanks everyone for taking the time to post. see you in 2008. david
http://www.rettker.com/galleries/gallery12/images/everylittlething.jpg

[Seedling]

I'm digging your paintings, DeliciousPeter. :-)