Why do we do it to ourselves??

Artists…actually, most creatives that I know do it.  (Of course, there are ALWAYS exceptions to the rule, but, for the most part as a collective…we DO IT!)

WE DON’T VALUE OUR GIFT THAT HAS CHOSEN US!!!!!!  (And so…how is any one else going to see our value, if WE don’t…#justsayin )

I just had a session today with the bestest coach ever…(full disclosure – she is a very dear friend also – but, that doesn’t discount her amazeballness!!!)  One of the questions she posed to me was, “Don’t you find value in what you do?”.

Mike drop.

And, then, I received an email from an art school in a town that considers itself a very artistic town….they are looking for teachers for the next year.  They pay $160/day.  You might think that it works out to $20/hour.  But, I’m here to tell you – and every artist who has ever taught will concur with this – for every hour that is taught – there is at least an hour that goes into preparing, not to mention expenses!!!!  And this is a community that wonders why the arts are slowly dwindling in their town.

WE DO IT TO OURSELVES.

I’m not writing this to point fingers.   I’m writing it, because I truly want to know.  I’m guilty of it also.  (ie., the question from my BADASS coach this morning!) BIG TIME!!!

Do we decide that because we love what we do so much that it makes it less valuable?

THAT, should make it MORE valuable!!!

We are the risk takers.  We are the ones who have the courage to be different in a world where everyone thinks we should be the same.  We are the ones that have day jobs who come home and are compelled to create. We are the ones who would DIE if we had a day job, because our creativity weaves its way into the very fabric of our being.

We are the ones who are changing the world.  We bring in the new ideas.  We are the ones that are channeling in the messages through our color combinations, our words, through every single creation.  It comes from GUS (God, Universe, Spirit).

So, how does it change?  Do we slowly educate people, and tell them OUR truths as artists?  I have had several people tell me that I really shouldn’t say some of the things that I have said in this blog, but how are they to know, if we don’t share?

How can we expect them to know that for every painting that takes us a couple of hours to complete, that there are hundreds that did not work?  How do we explain that when it gets right down to it, that we probably only make $5/hour?

I really want everyone who reads this to understand that I am NOT pointing fingers.   I’m guilty.  I’m just looking for solutions.

What makes us so afraid to be honest with the public?  What makes us cringe when someone asks us how much a creation costs?

Why is it that we are the first ones who are asked for donations for an event, when all that we can write off is the cost of our supplies, with the promise of “exposure”?

Our time is valuable.

We are valuable.

I’ll say it again…..

WE ARE THE ONES WHO WILL CHANGE THE WORLD!

May we walk together as one.

Paula

 

8 Responses to Why do we do it to ourselves??

    • I agree I give art away all the time while others charge! It’s not that I’m not giving but this needs to stop I’m worth getting paid for hours of work! A gift is a gift but not always gifting because I’m afraid to say a price! Great blog!

  1. I agree I give art away all the time while others charge! It’s not that I’m not giving but this needs to stop I’m worth getting paid for hours of work! A gift is a gift but not always gifting because I’m afraid to say a price! Great blog!

  2. I think it is a complex issue. I do give discounts, usually to people who collect my work and have bought many pieces, or if someone is buying two at a time. I also do it when feeling generous, if I charged by the hour for pieces that take months to do they would be too costly for most, I think I make about 50 cents an hour on some paintings :-). I recently raised my prices, I actually had some say that though they were too much for them to afford, they thought I was not charging enough. I go around and around on this myself. xo

  3. I totally agree Paula. I receive so many requests for donations of my paintings to charity events for auction. I stopped when a painting I would have sold for $1,500.00 was instead of being placed in the auction was put in the raffle for $10 a ticket and I received no recognition at all and not even a thank you note from the charity. They even had the nerve to ask for one of my large works this year. If we don’t value our time who will?

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