The Business of Art: Being an Artist Under a New Paradigm
Not long ago, I got an email from the organizers of the largest regional holiday arts and crafts show in our area.
Along with it, a refund check for our prepaid booth fee for the 2020 Holiday Fair, normally scheduled for early December.
With that... that final notification that there will be no in-person holiday art shows in 2020.
From a safety/practical perspective, that's probably a sensible enough thing. Although we're not located in a "high density" Covid area, the sorts of crowds drawn to indoor arts and crafts shows are probably not an idea formula for good health, these days.
That's all fine and well... BUT...
No Shows = No Holiday Revenue
Although I by no means can claim to make a living with my painted Alchemy Stones, outside holiday shows nonetheless contribute some $3,000-$4,000 to our 4th quarter income.
And now... that has officially gone down the drain.
Which now leaves me pondering the question of to what degree I can hope to replace at least some of that lost revenue with significantly ramped up online sales in November and December.
Over the last week or so, I have been organizing my "inventory" and sorting out all the pieces I don't currently have in my existing online stores.
It's going to be a lot of work put everything online, not to mention the work it'll be to spend 60 days or so in an all-out social media blitz.
Blogging Revenue? An Unknown Factor...
In the past, I'd been contemplating turning this former Steem, now Hive, blog into a daily event as a small attempt at gaining a small revenue stream.
I already have a Patreon campaign going, although it has not been particularly successful. So why not a daily blog? It least with Hive, potential upvotes don't cost anything for people.
Once upon a time, there was also a program called "UpFundMe," which has subsequently (I think) been replaced by something called ARCHON, also started by @upfundme. I might explore that a bit more, as well.
Whatever Happened to Hive Commerce?
Once upon a time, I sold a few pieces on then Steem, via something called @steembay, which seems to have long since died a slow death.
As best I can tell, nothing has come in to replace it. Nor have any new hive-based blockchain commerce projects started up, except for virtual goods.
Rocks aren't exactly virtual!
Well, back to the drawing board... among considerations, the reality that there simply may not be a place for art, under the current paradigm. Not because art isn't cool, but because it has no functional place.
Just something to consider.
Because I am trying to make some semblance of income — a living, even — I now add this footer to all my posts, in the hope that someone, somewhere, might decide to take a further look at my work, and perhaps consider supporting independent art.
Thank you, in advance, for your consideration and support!
My Alchemy Stones Patreon appeal
Alchemy Stones web site and blog
Thank you for supporting independent art!
2020.10.20 AS-TXT-042/008