Safety in Numbers
20x20 Acrylic on Canvas
It's time for the artists in Southwest Florida who do outdoor shows to begin applying. Deadlines are approaching and decisions must be made. Many shows have become quite expensive, some $400 or more, with no guarantee that the public will show up and purchase. But most self-representing artists want to put themselves out there to meet with valued collectors and to get to know new customers.
Gallery artists are also having a difficult time. Many galleries are struggling during the current economy, and some have closed. Galleries are also not able to do as much as they did in the past for their artists, looking more often now to sharing reception costs and advertising.
Now there is a whole new generation of Internet artists. They gather followers and make sales without even leaving their studio. Thousands of images can be quickly a prospective collector, purchased easily, and have their choice delivered right to their home.
Now that so many schools are choosing to cut art and music programs from school budgets, will the next generation even care about original art like humans have throughout history? Will our instant gratification young people go for low priced, mass produced images over a beautiful and timeless original?
Yet many artists are doing just fine. They've built up a good reputation, taken good care of their valued collectors, and continued to build their art business even in a down economy. People still want to live with beautiful things around them and are willing to pay for quality.
