I don’t blog often. Actually ‘rarely’ or ‘never ‘would fit into
that sentence just as well. It’s not that I don’t like to write; I do, very
much. But I write when something moves me or when I feel I need to get
something out of my being and into words. It’s why I love poetry. I can write
in obscure tones the deepest feelings that need a place to go. I can’t do what
so many fine bloggers do which is to take everyday moments and spectacularly
make them sound like you just read a wonderful novel or short story. We all
have our strengths and I guess blogging isn't one of mine, which puts me in a
bit of a predicament.
As an ‘emerging artist’, there are tons of blogs and articles that
give you advice on how to market yourself and your artwork. Tips on what you
should and shouldn't do flood the internet for people like me, hoping to get
that big break. A lot of them are very helpful and I have taken the advice of
many wise artists who actually have the privilege of creating for a living. I work
a ‘regular’ job and create on my off hours. And it works OK for me as I
tend to create best at night anyway. I put the music on, most of the time with
headphones, and start working with color and shapes until I’m either out of
ideas for the night or just plain tired.
Included in these wonderfully
helpful articles for emerging artists is the nearly mandatory preface that, as
an artist trying to get yourself and your artwork noticed, you must blog, and
blog often.
Strike One.
Another highly suggested
formula for artists trying to gain momentum in their art career is that the
artist needs to ‘make a name for
yourself’; i.e. create work that everyone will recognize as yours. It’s
something that I see written over and over again and it is a piece of advice
that I just can’t seem to take on.
Strike Two.
Let me explain. I get it.
It makes perfect sense and it’s not because I want to be rebellious, it’s just
that I don’t work that way. To some I may look like a confused artist, but I am
truly always working from my heart and my guts, and the truth be told, they’re
usually pretty confused!
Think of the times you have
walked into a gallery and perused the show of an artist. There is generally a
theme to their creations. Sometimes it’s subtle, but normally there is an
identity associated with the artist and their work. Let’s face it, when you see
a Picasso or Van Gogh or one of the many other famous artists’ pieces, there is
usually very little question as to who the artist is when you approach it. In
fact, you can probably guess correctly standing several feet away.
My work comes to me from
music. All of it is inspired by music. I let the music take me to the colors I
use, the shapes I create, the types of tools I use, etc. I don’t listen to the
same genre of music every time I paint, either. I listen to a lot of different
types of music and actually, I guess you can say that music is
my tool. And because it’s always different, so is my artwork. When I had my
first show last year one of the first things I heard from people was how
different all of the work was from piece to piece. It wasn't said as a
criticism, but rather a compliment.
I realize that there are
people out there who may think I do too much of everything, and that’s OK. If
you saw my resume of jobs I've held you would know that I don’t stay anywhere
that I am not feeling content or satisfied. The same goes for my paintings and
what I create. I paint what I am feeling at the moment. All of it is abstract,
yes; but I don’t have a general ‘theme’. I am fairly certain that
someone walking into a show with my work hung would not see it and say, ‘Oh,
that is definitely a Sue McElligott piece’. It would be a wonderful compliment
for sure, but on the other hand, I don’t need my work to be personalized to me.
I've always wanted my work
to say what it needs to say to the viewer of the piece. It’s why I don’t like
signing my work on the front of the piece. In fact, I stopped doing that and I
sign on the back and usually at an odd angle so someone doesn't think, ‘oh, she
signed it THIS way so it must be intended to be hung in THIS direction.’
In the end I guess I make
art because I love to make art. I don’t have a ‘theme’ to my work other than it
being abstract in nature. I like to price my work on the lower pricing scale so
that people can afford it; I donate my work to non profits, I give pieces away
to family and friends when I want to, and I also have ‘giveaways/contests’ on
my social media sites simply because the thought that someone wants to hang
something I've created on their wall makes me happy.
Possibly
Strike 3.
All of these topics are of
heated debate between some artists but I don’t get involved in them. Some may
say I’m not a ‘true artist’ but rather a 'hobbyist'. And I think I’m OK with
that, too. As Sammy Davis, Jr once sang, ‘I've just gotta be me’! If I have to
sit out of the game and in the dugout, I’ll do it. As long as you give me my
tools to create, I’ll be just fine.
Sue McElligott is an artist who works mainly with acrylics, but
also with oils and mixed media. She spends her time working a ‘real job’ 3 days
a week and uses the remaining days to create art and market her work. She lives
in Nevada City, CA with her husband of 23 years, their 14 year old dog and 2
feisty cats who basically run the household. Her next show is scheduled for
July 7th – 28th 2014 at The Center for the Arts
in Grass Valley, CA.
