Under the porch

Old Dog has been under the porch, gnawing at the meaty ideas lately posted by Uncle Ken.

"Which is something like are you the better person for just plying your art and following your own course, or should you try to promote because otherwise it will just die with you."

I'm not clear on the question and how it relates to being a "better person."  Can we tell if we are better people, or is it up for others to determine it?  I don't know how "better" should be defined in this case.  Happier?  More successful?  Healthier?  Nebulous speculation, indeed.  NebSpec? 

When you die, your artwork doesn't disappear; it is simply no longer in production.  Maybe it will be discovered as works of genius, and much moolah will be made by it's acquisition.  Or maybe it will end up on the scrap heap, never to be seen again.  Does it matter to the artist?  No, he's dead. 

I keep thinking of Van Gogh.  Did his work die with him?  I like his stuff, but it doesn't seem like he had a whole lot fun in it's creation, and he certainly didn't get rich from his paintings.  He painted because he simply could not do otherwise, and there is opinion that he had a few personal issues.

Other artists, like Dali and Picasso, embraced the social aspects of the  art world and were relentless in their self-promotion, becoming wealthy and successful in their own lifetimes.  Is their stuff really any "better" than Van Gogh's?

Art is a subjective concept and it's definition changes over time.  Where do you draw the lines between art, craft, and design?  Is it the rarity of the object, and how should value be assigned?

It's a buyer's market.  If the right people like your stuff you've got it made.  But how do you attract the attention of the right people?  I think the best solution, requiring a minimal level of self-promotion, is to get representation from a gallery and let them do handle it.  Let them take their cut off the top, and you can get back to your painting.  Maybe you'll sell more stuff, maybe not.

Another path is to enter juried exhibitions.  They don't accept everything, and if you make the cut you'll get good exposure.  Is there an ultimate goal?

In a response, Mr. Beagles wrote "You take something that's fun and make work out of it, and it's not as much fun anymore,"

This is also true, but I think he's talking about monetizing hobbies, which is different kettle of worms.  It can be done, but it is not easy and it sucks the pleasure out of amateur endeavors.  For some good examples you can research the many failed KickStarter projects.

These are not good answers but they're the only ones I have at this time, and I've given it a lot of thought over the years.  More thinking and gnawing is required.

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Like Uncle Ken, I used to be a much bigger fan of cars than I am now.  Used to be that you could tell a Ford from a Chevy or Plymouth a block away; not any more.  Cars are much more practical today, with some exceptions like the cartoony 700hp Hellcat models from Dodge.  Really, 700hp?  Seems a bit much to me but apparently there are enough customers with more dollars than sense.

The big problem with public transportation is time; not all jobs are easily accessible.  I've known people that had a one-way commute of over an hour via bus, subway, and much walking.  It was longer in the wintertime so it can be a tough choice.  For many, car ownership is a necessity, especially if a family is involved.

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Although some of my interests skew in the tech direction, I don't invent diddly-squat.  I've designed some trivial objects and posted the files to Thingiverse, in case anyone else wants to check them out. For an example, Mr. Beagles can go here: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:943205

I made Uncle Ken a half-height version for use as a brush holder, which I'll assume he still uses.