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We've all heard that the artist's life is full of rejections. We can't all get juried into a show. Only one of us who can be the artist in residence. There is only enough grant money for one of the applicants. Just one person wins best of show.
Eventually, we all get to a place where we wonder if it's worth the effort to keep applying for that signature status, or if we should bother to apply again to that gallery we never get into. We are not alone. In fact, really reputable shows occur regularly that feature artwork rejected by other venues.
We think, if you never try, you never know if you can succeed. But how many tries should we make before giving up?
The answer depends on each person's resources. If you run out of energy, money or time, the answer is made for you. But what if the only thing stopping you is exasperation? Should you keep trying?
Here are some reasons I have quit in the past. Wait, what?! Am I telling you to quit? Well, if playing this art game is depleting you, I guess I am. Honestly, sometimes taking a step back is the best thing you can do.
It's true that the more you try, the greater the likelihood you will achieve your goals. But goals change. Do you really need this one you are working so hard at? Will your marketing plan unravel without it? I will often quit trying when I ask myself these questions.
More often, I won't quit the entire endeavor. But I will reevaluate how I approach different parts of it. Have you heard of the 90-90 rule? It says that we overestimate the value, and underestimate the effort it takes to complete the last 10 percent of a task. Identify the parts of your project that you absolutely will not ever leave at 90% of best. For example, quality may be something you are not willing to ever compromise in your art business. But the work that doesn't impact quality is negotiable. You have to do it before you consider the project complete, but you won't fret if you only get it mostly finished. These can be tasks involving any aspect of your art business. But here is an example. You absolutely need to create a collage with the best quality you are capable of. It's for an upcoming exhibition. You planned on building your own custom frame.
The art quality is not negotiable, but cost and time to get the frame situation resolved are. You can spend more money to save time. Maybe you purchase the frame this time instead. Or you can spend more time to save money. Maybe you can't afford a new frame, but you don't have to create such an ornate one. Or, you can quit those negotiable parts at 90 percent. Attach some wood blocks to the back of your artwork and decide to present it frameless. Call it stopping if you hate that Q word.
Every time you try again to reach a goal, you are working with an increased knowledge base. There are lots of nuances you never know about until you retry. I can't tell you how many art shows I have been a part of, only to find that the collectors were most interested in art that was not in my wheelhouse. I usually give a show three tries. If I still feel like sales or other opportunities are not materializing for me, I let that show go. I might circle back a few years later to see if things have changed. But it feels wrong to keep participating in venues where nobody is interested in my artwork.
If I keep winning, I will stop entering. This sounds ridiculous. But personally, I want to be a part of the art world where I'm learning, and challenged, and I'm better for having had the experiences. I'm not a beginner, so I would never take a beginner oil painting workshop. Why would I keep participating in competitions that are effortless? Some that support charities, I will participate in sporadically. I suppose I'd be tempted to keep entering and winning if a show had a big prize purse. But I'm not THAT good yet, so the ones I win easily don't have big payouts.
Some activities are actually harmful for sales and marketing. When our world became politically divided in 2020, in a way we haven't seen so intensely before, I pulled away from exhibition opportunities with political leanings. If your art is all about activism, you will have had a different response. Mine is not. I sell my work to people of all races, in all political parties, and from all belief constructs. It would not have served me well to take a stand. It would have hurt my sales. So, I quit interacting in those circles.
I also quit teaching and hosting workshops in my home studios. I can't social distance here, and like everyone, I feel I have an obligation to operate in a way that doesn't jeopardize anyone's comfort or safety. I had people asking me to continue in person teaching, but it wasn't worth the liability to me. When I weighed the risk of someone taking ill, I decided to quit hosting groups in my studios. What happened was I delved deeper into online and in person one-on-one mentoring sessions, and found them really enjoyable. Someday I may return to the 6 to 12 person workshops I ran for all those years, but for now I want to do more of the one-on-one work, where I get a front row seat long-term watching artists improve.
For decades now, I have been attempting to figure out the optimal art societies I should belong to. I think we all join and quit several over our careers. I'm no expert on this, but I feel like the ones I am a member of currently are serving me well. I'm looking at them all to make sure we have a mutually beneficial relationship. If I'm paying them dues and I don't feel like I'm getting some special enrichment I can't get anywhere else in return, I won't renew next year. This has happened with some overseas societies I had signature memberships in. It got to be too expensive, and too inconvenient to enter their exhibitions, so I left. I get the same accolades in stateside shows with less hassle. Now I only participate overseas in places where I have dear friends who live nearby and can be my ears, eyes and legs at the locations.
I have also quit trying for the accomplishments that aren't meant for me. For example, I know artists who have targeted specific shows and conferences. They know that if they can get their work into those competitions, and if they can get on the faculty for those conferences, they will be more likely to find collectors interested in purchases at a higher price range. I am happy being prolific and creating art in a moderate price point. There is no reason for me to spend time and energy knocking on doors for parties I don't plan to attend.
So, what do we do when we have a sales or marketing goal in mind, and we can't get accepted into the program that will make it happen? I'm a big fan of thinking outside the box. If you can't attain a goal, create your own path to a similar goal that you will absolutely achieve through tenacity. I was finding the art world a hard place for sharing my paintings with people in a way that would build quality followers. In response, I gave up trying to find additional existing platforms to build my collector base. I founded two small groups of artists, and we set to work lining up venues for traveling exhibits. Now, we are always surprised by people who follow what we are doing online, and come to our show receptions at museums, galleries and art centers where we are making lifelong connections.
Quitting one pursuit frees up time to go after another. It's always a good thing to try hard and often. But it's also a little insane to wear yourself out working hard at whatever is not working for you.
Sometimes the choice to quit is a matter of priority. I chose to focus on becoming the best oil painter I can be in this one life. It kills me sometimes that I don't have another life to be a sculptor, and another to be a stained glass artist, and another to do wood turning. But I quit those other paths to walk down this one undistracted.
What if sales are great but you don't enjoy it? Should you still quit? If you have hungry mouths to feed and need the money, you may not have a choice. But I have always found that my sales increase when I am doing what I like. There is a sweet spot where the income streams from teaching, art sales, commissions, awards and collaborations come together in a way that is fun. Work hard to find that balance, and let go of the to do list items that prevent you from reaching it. I had to stop engaging so much with social media, to find my current sweet spot. I'm sure I lost income opportunities by making that decision, but in the end it feels like the right choice.
Having said all that, if you are having fun, DON'T quit. Even if you die trying, you will still enjoy the journey.
What are some art experiences you've given up on, and why? Will you ever go back and try them again?
Sincerely,
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