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| Faded Irises by Jean-Pierre Jacquet Oil on Panel | 16 x 12
FASO artists & creators have sold over $828,910 worth of art via ecommerce on their websites over the last 90 days.
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Hi There,
Art is an incredibly personal and meaningful profession. The average person doesn't wake up and decide they want to seek out an art career, attend 4 years of college and get an entry-level job after the fact. So much of artists' work comes from their unique life experiences and their ability to make an impact with their art.
In the article below, I'll discuss the ways in which you can make a dent with your artwork that, while it might not change the world, it sure will leave a mark.
Don't forget to reply to this email and send us any questions you may have!
Enjoy, Clint Watson
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Most people don't remember much about the commencement speech at their college graduation.
I don't recall much from mine. But, while I don't recall who the speaker was, I do, very clearly, recall one tiny part of his speech.
I now know that tiny part of his speech was the parable of the starfish:
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| One day, an old man was walking along a beach that was littered with thousands of starfish that had been washed ashore by the high tide.
As he walked he came upon a young boy who was eagerly throwing the starfish back into the ocean, one by one.
Puzzled, the man looked at the boy and asked what he was doing. Without looking up from his task, the boy simply replied, "I'm saving these starfish, Sir".
The old man chuckled aloud, "Son, there are thousands of starfish and only one of you. What difference can you possibly make?"
The boy picked up a starfish, gently tossed it into the water and turning to the man, said, "It made a difference to that one!"
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| That's the only lesson I learned from the commencement speech. But, reflecting upon it 25 years later, it may be the most important lesson I learned in all of college:
It made a difference to that one.
For years, I've talked about the huge gift artists possess and the importance of sharing your art with the world.
I've even, on occasion, discussed how art changes the world and you can "change the world" with your art.
What I've always meant by that is not "CHANGE THE WORLD" in the big sense, with a capital "C." But, that if you change one person's life, even if it's your own life, you've "changed the world" in the "small" sense. As in, it made a difference to that one.
Now that the internet is a central part of all our lives, BoldBrush lives in the middle of the high tech world, surrounded by startups who, amazingly, claim almost daily that they are "changing the world." It's a phrase that's become nothing but hype and delusion. The smartphone changed the world in the big sense. Eliminating the flu virus would change the world. Achieving world peace would change the world. But no, in the grand sense, your startup to sell life insurance on a website, or to find a parking spot in San Francisco is not "changing the world."
The phrase has become so cliche that I'm hesitant to use it anymore.
While your art may not CHANGE THE WORLD (in the big sense), it will certainly "change the world" (in the small sense). So I need a different phrase that expresses what I'm really trying to say, which is: your art matters.
Fortunately I found the answer in David Heinemeier Hansson's short post, Put a Dent in the Universe. David says:
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| To truly be inspired for great work, you need to know that you're making a difference. That you're putting a meaningful dent in the universe. That you're part of something that's making a difference and that your role in that something is significant. This doesn't have to be grand at all... The key is that your efforts would be missed...if you stopped doing what you're doing.
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| David describes exactly what I've been trying to express. Your art would be missed if you stopped doing what you're doing. Even if you only have one customer, remember: It makes a difference to that one.
My life's work is BoldBrush and FASO Artist Websites. I put everything I have into it.
We're not the biggest web site host. And we're not the biggest art organization in the world. We're not CHANGING THE WORLD. But we are, as David says, "putting a dent in the universe." We have thousands of artist customers and, at least a few of them would miss our efforts if we stopped.
And that's enough for me. That's enough for the BoldBrush team. We find joy and nobility in our daily work, knowing that we made a difference to that one. We strive daily to make our dent.
It's the same with your life's work, your art, your passion. We want you to pursue it and we want you to share it. Because, when you do, if even one person is transformed, it made a difference to that one.
So, like the little boy saving the starfish, go out and have courage to Make your dent.
Until next time, remember that Fortune Favors the Bold Brush.
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