Your jewelry has such pretty, clean lines. I liked your Phoenix post. A friend asked me to design a backpiece tattoo of a phoenix...I didn't feel comfortable doing it but the idea was beautiful.
Sayo, I think that is a very interesting article. I find that artists tend to undersell themselves alot as well. I caught myself thinking that I should lower my prices when I first started (despite my prices already being quite affordable) and it all has to do with the balance of self esteem and the intrinsic artist personality. Artists are just that, artists, we are not door salesmen, marketing experts or business men. Artists with both attributes are one in a million. It is innately difficult for true artists to boost about their work and put their work up high on a golden pedestal. So when you put artists into a situation such as Etsy whereby you have to state a price and you're competing with other wonderful talents, your insecurity about your work and worth is at stake. It is so easy to connect sales to worth and even worse when you're making a living out of it. The act of underselling yourself might result in sales but what is the meaning of that transaction? I think Etsy is a great exposure to all the raw talents everywhere but it definitely opens up a fast flowing wound of inner personality clashes.
I think there's certainly a place for beautiful, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces, but it's also true that most people can't afford expensive jewelry - and I think a lot of people might be hesitant to buy "investment" pieces from etsy, where they can't actually see and feel and try on the pieces in person. There are all sorts of debates about what is craft vs. art, but I really appreciate metalsmiths and other craftspeople/artists who offer beautiful, non-generic pieces of art and jewelry at affordable prices.
Your jewelry has such pretty, clean lines. I liked your Phoenix post. A friend asked me to design a backpiece tattoo of a phoenix...I didn't feel comfortable doing it but the idea was beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSayo, I think that is a very interesting article. I find that artists tend to undersell themselves alot as well. I caught myself thinking that I should lower my prices when I first started (despite my prices already being quite affordable) and it all has to do with the balance of self esteem and the intrinsic artist personality. Artists are just that, artists, we are not door salesmen, marketing experts or business men. Artists with both attributes are one in a million. It is innately difficult for true artists to boost about their work and put their work up high on a golden pedestal. So when you put artists into a situation such as Etsy whereby you have to state a price and you're competing with other wonderful talents, your insecurity about your work and worth is at stake. It is so easy to connect sales to worth and even worse when you're making a living out of it. The act of underselling yourself might result in sales but what is the meaning of that transaction? I think Etsy is a great exposure to all the raw talents everywhere but it definitely opens up a fast flowing wound of inner personality clashes.
ReplyDeleteMy my what a novel.
Thanks for the link!
I think there's certainly a place for beautiful, handcrafted, one-of-a-kind pieces, but it's also true that most people can't afford expensive jewelry - and I think a lot of people might be hesitant to buy "investment" pieces from etsy, where they can't actually see and feel and try on the pieces in person. There are all sorts of debates about what is craft vs. art, but I really appreciate metalsmiths and other craftspeople/artists who offer beautiful, non-generic pieces of art and jewelry at affordable prices.
ReplyDeletePS: Your rings are so beautiful... I want to be adding one to my finger very soon!
ReplyDelete