Now I'm running in CIRCLES getting ready for ACC. But a reader sent me a question I promised to answer, and I'll do my best.
With permission, I quote the e-mail:
"I am about ready to drop a chunk of change for a website. I am torn between selling my art via internet vs. having someone copy my work because it's so easily available to be viewed. I'm so tired of having galleries profit off my hard and creative work that I felt the alternative to be the internet. On the other hand, I'm tired of people copying my art. In your honest opinion, what do you think?"
I've been thinking about this for the past few days. There are many issues I started to address. For example, the assumption that galleries are profiting unfairly from artists. This perception can come from bad experiences, faulty pricing, misunderstanding the role of the gallery, etc. That's enough material for a book right there.
Then there's the whole copying thing...now THERE'S a can o' worms. I'm still smarting from two people copying my work in the last year. Greater minds than mine have struggled with this issue, including software companies, fashion designers and the music industry. Am I going to come up with a simple answer to this one? Not likely!
Selling your own work from your website can be tricky waters to navigate. So many ways to approach it, so many issues to consider.
Artists having to drop major bucks for a website is wearing thin, too. There must be other options...and there are. That's a book, too.
Where do I begin??
As I mulled this all over, it came to me. There IS one simple answer.
Don't make decisions out of fear.
When fear drives you, it forces you into a very small place. A place impossible for a real artist to thrive and produce and grow.
You MUST step away from the fear and make the business decision that is best for YOU and for your artwork.
Here's a little story about why fear doesn't even begin to work for you in this context.
While preparing for my very first show, I found out that another artist, well-known for copying other polymer artists' work, was also signed up for booth space.
I panicked. I was SURE this person would come to my booth (we knew each other) and steal my designs.
I was so sure of it, I considered pulling out of the show.
Then I followed this solution to its ultimate conclusion. And realized it was absolutely NOT the way to grow my business.
What if I DID drop out of the show? What would that mean?
If I ran from THIS situation, I had to be prepared to run from ANY situation this person could possibly participate in. In effect, I had to watch eternally, then run the other way.
Never publish my work. Someone might see it and copy it. Never appear in a show. Someone might see it and copy it. Never sell it to someone. They might copy it. Never put it up on the internet. Someone might copy it.
See where I'm goin' with this one?
The result would be my work would NEVER, EVER get out into the world.
I came to the conclusion that the ONLY possible action I could take was to make my work as wonderful as I could make it, and get it out into the world as much as possible. And make as big a name for myself as I could.
IF I refused to run away from this person's footsteps, then they would be forced to ALWAYS be in the role of following in MY footsteps.
And here I'll share one of my dad's favorite stories about a basketball-crazy friend of his. In perfect seriousness and with a straight face, this guy told my dad that the secret to winning at basketball was for the team to get ahead--and then stay there.
I always laugh at that story, but it's true. It's the only way to play this art game, too.
Get ahead. And stay there.
