So, for the artist, selling has historically been the purview of the gallery owner or agent. The artist has been thought of as too "pure” or too “temperamental” to be the direct agent for his or her work and that translation into the hands of a party willing to pay dollars for it, for the privilege to own the work of “genius”. In contemporary society, this is no longer true. The artist must sell his or her own work to survive. This may seem an obvious observation but the sentiment and the after-effect still color many artist's approach to the commercial side of creating.
That commercial side of creation has been problematic for me over the years, in spite of a dedication to its resolution. One way I have attacked the demon is to approach it head on – I show up to a select number of local and regional fairs and craft shows. This also bolsters my local economy ethos; what I consider an essential act of rebellion against corporate domination and a balancing of the scales of economic disparity. When an artist scratches an artisanal itch and stands with farmers and other makers within a community, there is a new kind of enduring hope present in that act. When you, the people who chose those objects to purchase, do so from a passion for the handmade, the local and the rendered, a solidarity is expressed through the support and the appreciation for the craft, care and artistry of the maker.
That kind of romantic vision fuels my enterprise and I am proud to boast a 20+ year track record. In the days of Amazon, it is hard to compete. But local fairs make my work visible in my own neighborhood, my studio part of the fabric of our community. That kind of work imbues meaning in my life and in the lives of those I work with and who appreciate and buy my work. I am proud to be part of a makers community in Chatham, Columbia County and the Hudson Valley – artists and artisans who live through the skill of the hand and the years of mastery put into the work we create.
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