My art is almost exclusively about getting good feelings, which of course is difficult to put a price tag on…
This is hard, but of course I want to make money on my art and that others also put a value in the paintings the same way I do myself, a value not only on a financial level but more importantly on an emotional level. My art is almost exclusively about getting good feelings, which of course is difficult to put a price tag on.
Okay, this sounds fuzzy…
I know we need more joy in this world, because there is a lot of darkness. I therefore need more positivity and my painting is thus selfish, I paint simply to feel better myself and I will always do it for my own well-being. With that said, I also find joy in others taking part in (okay, this sounds fuzzy), the energy from the paintings. In a way it is true, good feelings are a strong force, an “energy”. That’s also why I have no problem separating from a piece, painting gives me what I need, and when one painting is finished, the next takes over.
“Nice water, but maybe you should add something that tells a story”…
I am not of the opinion that a “real artist” should only paint concrete messages, that a work must tell a story that an acquaintance of mine said: “Nice water, but maybe you should add something that tells a story”. Absolutely, there are other artists who tell stories, nothing wrong with that, but my art is on my terms and it’s about conveying a specific feeling, not a message. We are fed by messages all the time awake, and our subconscious processes these in our dreams when we sleep. I simply think that we need more good feelings in this information society we live in.
This making-money-thing…
Now that you know why I paint, we can go into this making-money-thing. For some strange reason, it’s a bit taboo to be interested in making good money as a painter. I absolutely want to do it, even though today I am a long way from it. I see no fault in other professional groups charging for knowledge, experience and working hours, nor do I see any fault in individual artists doing the same, on the contrary.
Sometimes it takes a day, sometimes it takes weeks…
Many people think that art is expensive, but it is so easy to miss what lies behind an oil painting and how many other paintings that have led to this one. It is all about years of learning lessons that have refined the skill, everything that has inspired me to find just the right light and motive and what arouses the right emotions, this takes time. Then we come to the very process of creation, the execution of the experiences. An oil painting takes time, it is not something that is “thrown together” quickly. Sometimes it takes a day, sometimes it takes weeks. Sometimes the painting needs to rest to find its way back to the vision and the right feeling, it is simply a lot that comes into play. Sometimes it takes 3 hours of active painting, sometimes 30 to finalize a piece. Usually I don’t want to think about the hourly rate for painting when it’s done, it’s really not impressive, especially with the knowledge and experience that comes with this price. Art is honestly often underestimated by the artists themselves.
With that said, art is often a little too cheap and probably mine as well. This is where I am now, but over time I hope for change and that more people see that art is not just an interior detail but something that conveys more than that, something that creates added value and hopefully more value.
Thanks for the word!