I hired an art consultant awhile ago.
It nearly killed me.
I've been feeling kind of bleak for awhile. I haven't been sleeping
well for a long time, and this last trip home made it even worse. I
was only getting a few hours sleep a night, not eating well, and
getting no exercise. I was exhausted, depressed, and totally at a
loss with my life and art.
I came across a series of great articles by an art consultant. I've already spent tens of thousands of dollars over the years doing major shows, marketing, advertising that used to work for me, but weren't any longer.
What was another $150? I could talk to someone who has an industry perspective I don't have. I thought I would get a "reality check"--either confirmation for my changing focus, some concrete "next steps" I could take, maybe a few tips on how to make my overall marketing attempts more focused and powerful.
Instead I got--what's the word?--shellacked.
I will not mention names or go into details. I approached him, after all, and asked for his opinion. He has a point of view, and I willingly paid him for it.
In hindsight, there were signs that this was not the right way to go about figuring out what to do next.
In hindsight, it was not a good time to talk with someone about something as important to me as my art.
I was exhausted from my trip home to Michigan. The stress of grieving family, the disruption to my schedule (I slept even less, if that were possible AND I'm trying to get ready for a show), the lack of exercise, the eating...oh my, the eating! I was far from my sources of strength. I LOVE my family, but I cannot be the artist I want to be there.
I've also been in a state of spiritual crisis, for lack of a better word.
Lately, I've been reading a lot of the literature that explores our predisposition as just that--a function of our brains and consciousness that easily attributes purpose in life to a "higher power", to an extent that borders on pure superstition.
It was easy to let go of that "magical thinking"--I'm extremely pragmatic--but I've struggled for what to put in its place.
I felt unmoored. I was in a fragile state.
The bulk of the hour was spent listening to advice that baffled and dismayed me. It was obvious he had not really looked over the information I'd given him beforehand, as he suggested many things I've already accomplished, and really didn't have any solid ideas of how I should proceed.
He finally said if I wasn't achieving the success I wanted, I must be sabotaging myself somehow, which was one of the cruelest things I've ever had said to me.
I was crushed and devastated. I spent the next 24 hours in a state of shock and dismay.
I think I cried for 24 hours straight. I wrote to a couple of artist friends, who offered me much-needed support and insight.
After reading their kind and thoughtful words, I was able to talk with my husband Jon more openly about what I was feeling the last few months and why the consultant's words had been so painful.
I've never been very religious, but always considered myself quite
spiritual. My feelings about my art made me even more so.
I told Jon about my "loss of faith" in my life. He told me again where he gets his drive. And this time I could really understand it, because I needed to.
As he talked about why HE does the work he does, I realized that there
are powerful altruistic, ethical and moral reasons why people should
do the best they can, and those reasons can be enough for me.
There are indeed many "realities" and I can choose which one I embrace.
We can choose to be a "force for good" in the universe, not because just there is something bigger that cares about good and evil, but because WE care.
And because we CAN choose.
I want to thank my friends Bonnie Blandford and Lori Simons for caring, and for restoring that peaceful place in my heart I could rest in again. And Nicolette Tallmadge for her podcast, because when I listened to myself being interviewed, I could HEAR myself again. And of course, my beloved partner in crime...er, life...Jon Udell.
I share this with you so if you choose to try an art consultant, you will be better prepared than I was. There was enough good stuff that may prove very helpful in my next steps. There's usually some truth in ANYTHING someone has to say about your work.
The trick is sorting out what is helpful and what is simply one person's that may have nothing to do with YOU, no matter how credentialed and respected that person is.
Here is what I gained from the consult:
My website needs to more accurately reflect the passion and focus I say I have for my work. There are many small revisions and updates I can do to achieve that. It was hugely helpful to have that pointed out to me.
I need to make more wall hangings. LOTS more wall hangings.
The wholesale craft shows are not going to build the market I need for my wall hangings. Knowing that may free up a lot more time to make lots more wall hangings! That energy might be better spent building a stronger resume of solo shows.
These three things alone may be worth the price of that consult.
Here are things to keep in mind if you choose to purchase someone's opinion about your work and your next steps:
Know that when we ask for someone's opinion, we are secretly hoping they agree with what WE think. There is a shock when they don't! Be prepared emotionally for that disconnect--it's always painful and rarely pleasant. There are people who can frame their advice more kindly. I myself prefer the "here is what you're doing well, here is what you could do better" approach. But then, I'm a mom.
When you feel that disconnect, try not to argue. You've paid for someone's opinion, you might as well listen to it. BUT if you feel the person does not have enough information about your work to give you concrete advice, try to share that with them.
Here is the most important thing missing from my consult:
The guy never even asked me what my goals were for my art.
In hindsight, this single missing question says it all.
How can anyone tell you anything useful if they have no idea where you want to go? Or what you was willing to do to get there?
Ideally, a consultant looks at your particular situation, gets some idea of what you want (money? prestige? gallery representation? venture capital? fame? more sex??) and tells you if your current approach will get you that or not. If you're lucky, they have suggestions for an approach that might work better.
Granted, there are some common principles for success. BUT if you look at the varied opinions of various art consultants, you can see even they do not have a consensus of what those principles are.
Add in that many of the the approaches that worked in the past, aren't working so well anymore. We may have to do something different, get more creative in how to get our work out there.
If you feel someone is not listening to you at all, then let go. They have a standard "box" of advice that may or may not help you. They are not going to step outside that box to give you what you need. You can't make them, and it's a waste of time and energy to try.
And be sure you have a circle of support for afterwards--people who will help you remember that your art is necessary, that you must persevere.
Because the world needs every bit of beauty, hope and passion you can bring to it.
That's our job, as artists. That's what we do.
