It is Wednesday so, in the interests of alliteration, I shall be offering some words of wisdom for you. What will these words of wisdom be? Will these words actually be wise? Am I even writing this on a Wednesday? These answers may be answered below, or equally they may not.
So here we go, this is today's wisdom:
Sometimes you need to make what sells and not what you love
OK so I have definitely told people before, in multiple Blog posts, social media posts and even on my own website that you should do what you love. I wholeheartedly stand behind this, you need to create things that you love and you need to find joy in your hobby, but sometimes you also need to be practical. We are not living in a magical fairy world where money grows on trees and if you need to make money from your hobby you are, occasionally, going to have to do things you don't want to.
I have (this is going to be a shocker I know) rather eccentric tastes. What I like is most definitely rarely, if ever, what other people like. That is absolutely fine when I'm buying things for my own collection or creating pieces for myself, but it is not a practical approach to running a business or, for that matter, creating models that I intend to show. Occasionally I need to create things I do not like, because if I did not I wouldn't ever sell anything and none of my resins would ever place. Whilst it is brilliant and wonderful to express my creativity through incredible and 'unique' models, it is also important that I create some more 'normal' pieces.
Now that doesn't mean everything I paint that isn't a bizarre watermelon themed decorator (although in my defence that was actually a commission) I don't love, but it does mean that I do not really get inspired through painting them. I am currently working on four horses, one of these is for my show string and the other three will all be sale pieces. With that in mind the only one I really lie is the brindle Schleich, a lovely looking horse but one that I know will take some time to sell. Whilst I know the decorator that I don't really like will probably sell very quickly. I am also not in love with the little resin foal but what I do know is that it is an accurate representation of a bay Clydesdale foal and for showing purposes that is the most important thing!
So what should we take away from my Wednesday Wisdom. Well take away this, it is great to be able to create art you love, but there is nothing wrong with being practical and creating art for the commercial market, afterall, we do all need to eat.
