I need a wife. But I am one. In there lies a predicament. I don’t want a modern wife, a liberated one with her own goals … like me. I want the other kind, like the ones from the fifties who freshen up before you arrive home, mix you a cocktail, clean the house, make dinner – and manage all of the small business details of your artistic career.
OK, I really just want one who will manage all of the small business details of my artistic career.
Striving to be a better painter takes continual ‘work’ if I can call it that. It takes time. And the better you get, the more you want to put out there so that it is seen, and it sells, and it grows. Unless you are ‘kept’, you need to feed your pigment habit, as well as your family. This forces either economic success, or an alternative income. If those are my options, well… there is no option.
I’m fortunate. I stumbled into a nice career of finger painting (believe it or not). I’ve managed to create a income as an artist, though my tactics were far from traditional. My success depended as much on my ability to produce a proposal as it did the art I created on site. The balance of business and art were equally weighted, no doubt about it. As the years move on, I’ve become more and more dedicated to classical art, and the study of it. All I’ve ever wanted was to be an artist, surrounded by peers, making a difference in the world. My vision has become more focused, and my dedication and passion for it has not wavered.
But all the tenacity in the world doesn’t change the fact that if art is to be your business, there is business to be done. There is as much going on behind the easel as there is in front of it: web sites, blogs, shows, frames, marketing, client contact, press releases, finance and taxes. It is almost too much for one creative mind to absorb, let alone accomplish. Complicating the issue is that the more time I spend in front of my easel, the less time I want to spend at my desk. But it seems that their demands for attention coincide. One without the other is only half the recipe, and your cake will flop – unless of course you have a good wife. Then perhaps it will show up well frosted.
Comments
2 Responses to I Need A Wife
Yes, I think we’ve all lamented about needing a wife when we feel overburdened with adult responsibility; truth is, the woman of the fifties was more like a MOTHER than a wife with that sort of caretaking–loving as it might have seemed. But even the most adult of us need an occasional respite from taking care of everything…sounds like you are going to have to hire an assistant, Kelly. Wish I were there to apply. In the meantime, I send you a mental ‘There, there..’ and hand us both an imaginary glass of wine.
Posted by Diane Pool · via kellysullivanfineart.com · 125 months ago
Hi Diane – always good to hear from you. Yes, an assistant would be nice – all in good time. And I raise up and toast our imaginary glass of wine, and look forward to the actual ‘clink’ – all in good time.
Posted by kelly · via kellysullivanfineart.com · 125 months ago
Success
Leave a Comment
Name (required)
Email Address (required)
Website/Blog Address
Comments (required)
Remember Your Info
Check this box if you want email updates when people comment on this post
To help us prevent spam,
Please enter the code in the box:
(Click the submit button below after you’ve entered the code)