At the market – giving this a go
A wee outing to Grassmarket Market this month to get some feedback from the public.
I’ve always thought I had to sell my artwork through a gallery. For me it somehow gave the work more credibility, ‘If a gallery will take it, it must be good’. But having spent the last 3 years running a market stall selling fudge, I’ve had the opportunity to observe and talk to other artists who are selling directly to the public.
It doesn’t exclude them from exhibiting in galleries but it allows them to get direct feedback from their audience as well as some much needed cash.
I guess the big question for me was ‘Why am I making art?’ I had to think about that question for a bit… This is what I came up with:
Because I can
Because it keeps me sane – it’s the best escape from real life, to get absorbed in your work
Because I have a deep seated urge to do it
Because I’m pretty much resigned to the fact that a comfortable retirement will not be an option without having an additional income and I don’t want to collect trollies at Asda or work in B&Q
Because I want to create something that makes someone else smile.
After putting my list together, it kind of seems that by only trying to sell through a gallery, which, to be fair, I still feel excited about – to walk past a window and see your work shining out at you is a bit of a thrill – I’m missing out on some other opportunities.