Painters Block

"Art is a business". That was the primary message at an information session I attended a few months ago at school when a few gallery owners came to OCAD.  I guess it is a business, the production and selling of goods- luxury items I suppose. It's the business part of art that pays the bills, but its also the same part that makes me weary of making new art. Maybe I'm just making excuses.

If an artist is supposed to keep on top of art history, contemporary artists and movements, new trends in art,  local galleries, big galleries, galleries for new emerging artists, gallery owners, art aficionados, web presence (blogs and websites), advertising and branding yourself, keeping on top of "customers", shipping and handling, installation, price lists, storage, overhead, profits and art making, there really is no room for anything else. It's a daunting task and I wonder if its right for me.

I've put a lot of time, effort, and money into making art, but apparently there is a whole other side I've neglected to think about. I know I should just make some art and worry about this after, but I just find it so frustrating. The more I think about all of the things that lay ahead of me, the more I wonder if I can handle being an artist. I don't want to make anything if I have to constantly worry about how to please the "customer" and how I can sell more. If pleasing people is my career of choice, I would just stay in retail.

Although art is a business in so many ways, art's initial purpose is not to be sold but to be contemplated on.

No one ever told me that being an artist would be easy, but does it have to be so unattainable?