PAINTING ART in the ABSTRACTby Micheline |
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MESSAGE FOR ART LOVERS
You don't need to buy to be a patron of the arts. There is nothing wrong with your money, there is certainly nothing wrong with buying works of art but when your budget is blown wouldn't you like to know that you still have much more to contribute to your favorite artists? So, what are these other
attributes you have to offer?
The information highway has given you direct access to thousands of self representing artists who have their own web pages. Art galleries are wonderful but they only represent a very small percentage of the world's creative people and no, they have not cornered the market on all the best. Remember, galleries have many criteria for artists to meet, particularly marketability, and this means much talent gets left out of the loop. There are also many artists who prefer to stand alone. Please don't misunderstand, you are not being told to abandon an artist just because they have gallery representation. Any artist can benefit from what you have to offer. MORAL SUPPORT: Visiting an artist's web site helps a little. Most sites count the number of hits and it is gratifying to know one's site has been found but it doesn't say anything about your feelings on what you saw. So, how about a quick email? One of my favorites was very short, "love what I see -will be watching for more". What can be more encouraging then a patron who can't get enough? CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM: You don't need to be an expert in art to be a muse. The simplest observation can be inspiring. Here's my example: An interested party informed me that they loved my images but would prefer it if I used brighter colors. At first, this sounded like someone wanted a painting to match their carpet but I never ignore anyone who takes the time to make a contributing comment. I slapped some raw color onto a new canvas and started down a whole new road. Did this person buy my new work? -no -my new style didn't suit them. But, you can see that the simplest comment can be inspirational. REFERALS: You examine an artist's work, you know its good but it is just not for you. Is there anyone you know who might thank you for referring them to the site? Word of mouth can work wonders. PATIENCE: You've sent your praise, you might even have made an offer to buy but hours later (maybe days) still no response. Please be patient. Artists need to spend a great deal of time in their studios and away from their computers or they will cease to be artists. That doesn't mean they should be rude enough to completely ignore you. If this happens, don't take it personally, their loss not yours. Now that you understand
your enormous importance in the art world, I hope you will continue to
enjoy your position as a Patron of The Arts and enrich the lives of your
favorite artists.
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