My last blog post addressed the desire of many collectors to engage in fruitful dialog with artists whose work they admire, find interesting, and even might want to collect. Recognizing that the opportunity to participate in meaningful conversation about art can benefit both the audience member as well as the artist, you might ask “so what is the artist’s responsibility in the equation?”
Don’t be coy, evasive, condescending, dismissive, or worse yet – downright rude. It is just that simple. And you know this is something that occurs all too often. Artists can be their own worst enemies in that they build barriers between themselves and the community that wants to engage with them.
If someone approaches me with an interest in learning more about my art, that is a compliment. Even if they do not have the formal art background to ask their questions using the vocabulary of an artist, they deserve my respect and attention. After all, they just might be my future clients. I am not suggesting I will have answers to every question, but I will try to provide information. In some instances, I may ask questions in response in an effort to illustrate to the viewer that their instincts are valid.
To foster dialog: I title my artwork; I am willing to talk or write about my process or my finished artwork, I share information about my tools and techniques, and I am willing to do demonstrations and teach workshops about my process. In doing these things, I bring people “on board”, and you can do the same.