Friday, December 9, 2011

Social Networking

I am feeling interested, yet precarious about social networking at the moment. I was encouraged on my “Linkedin” account to connect my blog to my website... helpful... good idea. It brings me here.


I want to share. I want people to see my work. I like being creative on the computer. I want to sell prints, share ideas, gain exposure, get feedback... I want to find ways to make a living as an artist.


I think it will take practice and discipline to know when to engage and when to step away. At some point I need to create something new and not rest on the laurels and marketing of past work.


Writing a blog is a way to engage in and perpetuate ideas, creativity and new work. It has also become another angle of marketing... which is fine. However, I do struggle at times with seeing my art as commodity and that has often cut off the joy of creating. I’m not against making money for my work, it still is a goal for me. My prayer is that I don’t forget vision and love in my work. I often ask myself whether I am creating out of love, or fear. When I am inordinately preoccupied with money it generally means I am operating out fear.


If any of you would like to give me feedback along the way, I ask that you would occasionally remind me hold on to that vision of operating out of love.



2 comments:

  1. Hello, my friend!!
    I can relate. I write music. Then it sits in a folder in a file unless I encourage it to go somewhere. But when I send it out or market it, I struggle with the feeling that the art I sunk my heart into has become a commodity. I totally get it. I'd love to make $$ writing music but at what point to we become people pleasers and paint/ write for the tastes of others and not for our own passions?? The infinite struggle. I've learned to leave it completely in the hands of God, realizing that any gifts I may have are to be used for His glory and are from Him originally anyway. God can take the most seemingly trite event or piece of work or connection and cause it to bloom beyond what we thought possible. Keep loving it, Claire! I get very frustrated when I'm hit with the revelation that writing has become work and that my heart is not in a given project. Yuck. I hate that feeling. So I'm going to keep writing as I am inspired by God's word and work in my life. That's what it really boils down to for me. Love you!

    Joy

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  2. Thank you Joy! (I just noticed it was you, after reading this two days ago.)

    It has become work, and I do hate the feeling. Yucky, yuck, yuck indeed! And yet there is still the voice in me that pulls me into the possibility of creating art in a way that is life giving to myself and others.

    Have I strayed away from the heart of creating for the glory of God, from imaging Him from a place of love? I'm sure I have... not fully, but if I'm honest, I do feel a little off the track.

    There is a pendulum swing response that tempts: "My heart isn't in the right place, I should give it up." (Oh how we go to extremes!) I don't think that response would bring smiles and delight to the Creator either.

    Your words have a gentle pull back to the heart of creating work. I appreciate them.

    Ian lost his job two days ago. It was sucking a lot of life out of him, so it is in many ways good. We are, however in a deep hole of debt. It is a good time to be reminded not to strive and panic to produce. To stay centred in Christ.

    I recently read a reflection on Matthew 6 by one of my new favourite artists, Makoto Fujimura. Consider the lilies... He said the antidote to worry is not to strive to get things done, but to actually be attentive. I work hard, but I think it will be increasingly wise to work OUT of that space.

    I'd love to hear what you wrote sometime.

    Thank you friend,
    Claire

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