Working in the art world in the year 2022 is an interesting place to be. More and more people are becoming creators, and even though not all of those can, or even want to call themselves artists, in most cases that is exactly what they are. If we look at one particular definition of the word ‘artist’ we will read:
- a person who practices any of the various creative arts, such as a sculptor, novelist, poet, or filmmaker.
Now this definition is a bit dated, but it’s still way broad enough to meet the criteria I’m making it fit into. You’re creating graphics for NFT’s? You’re an artist. You’re doing beadwork and giving the finished pieces to friends and loved ones? Yup you’re an artist. You’re selling large prints of your photography or painting? You’re also an artist. We can go on and on. It’s an amazing time to be alive, and watch what gets created by amazing minds, with amazing tools that even 5 years ago may not have existed.
Many of these people though, want to make a living from what they create, and even though I find that exciting for us, and for them, I have found a small problem. That problem is best described by knowing your own worth, and being able to answer the question ‘what do you do?
A lot of the new talent coming into the art and content creators’ industries don’t know how to describe themselves and what they do when asked by someone else, and this is a problem I come across a lot.
Let me use a short conversation that I have a lot while out in the world as an example.
Me meeting someone at an art event or networking event: “So what is it that you do?”
Other person: “I’m a fine art photographer”
Me: “OK cool. What is your subject matter?”
OP: “Nature, architecture, portraits and wildlife”
Me: “If you had to pick just one, which would it be?”
And that’s where the conversation either stops or takes a long pause while the other party thinks, or sometimes completely ends. Don’t get me wrong here, there is absolutely nothing wrong with loving what you do, and you could love all those things that were mentioned in the conversation above, but to answer in that manner is not doing yourself any favours if you are planning on creating a name for yourself, a personal brand, and making money from it. You need to be able to explain to someone else what you do, and that definition of you and your work, should make them want to know more, not need to know more because they’re confused, WANT to know more because you’ve piqued their interest.
So, how DO you define yourself and your work?
Let’s dig in a bit and see how we can improve things.
Firstly, everyone who has the ability to go onto Amazon or go into a store and buy a camera can technically call themselves a photographer. Anyone who can go into a craft shop and buy paint and a canvas can call themselves a painter or an artist, and if they have created a couple of minimal, or creative pieces in the first month or two and a friend or family member bought one…. sure, they can call themselves a professional artist, I guess.
But that should NOT be how you introduce yourself in a networking situation. The terms “artist” and “photographer” and “fine art photographer” are basic building blocks that do nothing more than stick you in a category with millions others.
Stick those descriptions on your website? Sure!
Put it on your business card? Absolutely!
But do NOT answer the eternal networking question “so what is it that you do” with the most generic non descriptive version of what it is that you do.
My view on life is that everywhere I go in public is technically a networking event and therefore an opportunity to talk to people but as an artist of any kind you are going to want to get out and go to specific events where people who could love what you do hang out. It’s a chance for you to cold call without having to knock on someone’s door.
At a networking event of any kind, the doors are already open for you, all you have to do is walk up to someone and introduce yourself. I go to networking or art events to network and see other artist’s work and also to connect with potential new collectors for MY work.
So what do I call myself then?
Good question. If you don’t use photographer or fine art photographer, what can you say? This is where thinking hard about what brought you into this line of work comes into play.
Why did you pick up a camera in the first place? Was it for the love of nature? An emotional connection with the ocean? You were maybe looking for an avenue to communicate with the world by sharing your pictures.
Think hard on why you first got into the art world as a creator and then turn it into a one line elevator pitch.
The picture above is me with Robert Kennedy Jr at Sotheby’s Auction House in New York and yup that is one of my limited-edition pieces behind us that we were auctioning off that night for charity. If I’d walked around that room that night and just answered the “what is it that you do” question by saying I was a fine art photographer, I would have made very little impact on anyone. What did I work out for myself then I hear you ask?
I’m going to answer it using the same exercise I suggested that you put yourself through a couple of paragraphs back. The “why did I get into this in the first place” question.
I spent 20 years or so as a professional recording engineer before I picked up a camera. I got into the visual arts for the same reason I got into music. Creativity is something I’m good at and helps me feel complete. As
so wisely says in more than a few of his videos, talks and articles. Find what you’re good at and then go all in.
I’m getting to how I describe myself and what I do, be patient. You can scroll down if you like, but hey, don’t spoil it for yourself, let’s go through the process of HOW I worked it out, so it helps you too. OK? OK.
I know without a doubt that being creative is my main strength, so I focused in on it. Moving from mixing a record for Creed to shooting landscapes was not a big jump. The process remains the same:
Compose the song, compose the shot.
Edit the song, do post editing on the shot.
Master the song, print the shot.
Boom. Same process.
If you really want to know about why I picked up a camera though, it was because there is amazing power in a well composed and well captured image. Even more so when you have passion behind the reason you’re taking that shot in the first place, and the same applies to painting.
Passion gives it power. You now have to find the reasons you started in the first place so you can communicate them. Anyway…back MPA (that’s me) networking my arse off at Sotheby’s in New York….
I’d nudged myself into the present of Robert Kennedy Jr and John Mcenroe to introduce myself. They are now standing in front of me. I have their attention but only just. They meet a lot of people for sure. Mr Kennedy said “So Michael, what is it that brings you here? What is it that you do?”
I replied, “After over 20 years as a professional recording and mix engineer in the music world working with everyone from Led Zeppelin to Sean Paul, I picked up a camera a few years ago and now I put my energy into capturing the magic of the ocean and waters of the world and printing it, so the world gets to see how amazing this planet really is.”
I told him a 9 second story of the adventures and loves of my life.
If I’d had said “I’m a fine art photographer” I don’t think the response I got would have been the same, especially as the art piece I’d let them auction for the charity was Requiem which is a now sold-out limited-edition picture of a desert. (That’s another story)
Try it one day.
Try not saying you’re an artist, or a photographer or a painter. Try describing what it is you feel you do. To me saying I’m a photographer just tells someone that I use a camera. It doesn’t say anything more about me, and in that ten seconds that you sometimes have in small or large group to connect with them, giving them passion over a general description will move you forward in the conversation every time.
Using the method above gives you more chance for curiosity to take hold of the person in front of you. Take that opening when it comes and share a bit more on you. Still not with me? Let me use me as an example. You’ve seen my one line explanation above of what I do. When invited by words or body language to go on I usually say something like this:
I am in love with the look and energy of water. I chose water as my main subject. Water speaks to me, it calms me and I feel energized in its presence. And I try to capture that so I can share it. Hearing an art collector or art lover say “Wow” when they are in my Miami gallery never gets old for me. It sends a tingle down my spine every time, and that’s my reward.
I don’t say that because I want to impress them. I say it because that’s my story. It’s my life. I come across very few artists in the world without a passion for their subject. I come across a lot of artists in the world who don’t know how to define the magic they capture. Now let’s go onto the next revelation. Are you ready?
People do NOT buy art as soon as they hit your website or gallery. They want to connect with you AND your work! They want to relate! Share a moment or passion.
Put simply, they buy art because they fall in love with YOU the ARTIST, and that combined with your art IS ALL AMAZING. You have to sell YOU first. Share your passion.
So what I’m saying, is FIND the essence of why you do what you do and use that as your explanation when asked. Trust me when I say that the reactions are so much more positive and as already said, a collector loves you before they love your work. Good luck, and much love.
Oh and there’s a pic below of the desert shot. I titled it Requiem. I shot this in the Valley of Fire State Park. The reason I chose to hand this first edition print to the Waterkeepers Alliance Charity is simply because the waters of the world are dwindling. This is the result when there is no water. Beautiful? Absolutely. Able to sustain life? Not so much.
Cheers, and good luck out there.
Much love
Michael
Oh, and if you like this story, a follow would be lovely, plus one of those wavey hand thingies too.
