I would be the first to admit that everyone's taste in art is different. That said, there are many artists -- alive and dead -- who command significant following. The French Impressionists remain hugely popular in part because their subject matter was generally non confrontational and concentrated on the prismatic make-up of light through the use of primary colours mixed on the canvas. Their popularity in the twenty-first century is measured in gallery attendances and prices paid for their better-known artworks.
When the Impressionists were hard at work honing their new-found skills, their economic situation was generally dire, basically because they needed to create a market very different from that which prevailed at the time for serious works of art. Clearly, the constant rejection of their creativity must have been debilitating for years on end. I can only imagine how their wives and families must have pleaded with them to "get a real job".
I too frequently find myself in a guilt-ridden state, questioning my selfish decision to indulge my creative passions at the cost of a regular income. My fervent hope is that the Internet will change everything to do with art sales as it has elsewhere. Hypothetically, I can hawk my artistic creations around the world at the speed of light. There are online payment systems and shipping lines can deliver in days. My audience counts in the billions. In theory.
While I too paint non-confrontational artworks, preferably of attractive landscapes and seascapes, I need to be reminded that only a small number of the world's population likes what I do. Not even members of my own family tick the "like" box, because their tastes are diverse too. I was reminded today by a gallery director who decided earlier this year that, while "your work is excellent, it does not fit our aesthetics". Not good for the ego, but oh well.
It would be helpful to my marketing efforts to be advised as to what "does fit our aesthetics" in an open and honest manner. "Nice colours" really doesn't do it for me, although I understand that good intentions are at play. My suspicions are that the non-artists among us don't possess the vocabulary to critique an artwork, let alone offer a frank and potentially bruising comment if necessary. That's the problem with political correctness -- it really doesn't offer any usable guidance.
So, I'll just paint subjects which please me, hopefully improving with time, and I will have to deal with my conscience alone. Time will also play a part in establishing a reputation. I regularly remind myself that I only need one customer per artwork. Now all I need to do is to stay sane while I locate those art connoisseurs.
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