Who knows why this happens

Have you ever noticed that what we love most is not always what others love?

I'm speaking about our artwork of course although this may apply to other things too.

A few years ago, I opened my doors for North Yorkshire Open Studios. Over two weekends, visitors can tour artist's studios and sometimes their homes to see the work they're making and to buy finished pieces.

It was my first time participating and I didn't really have enough pieces to fill the walls so I added a couple that I didn't think were finished. I figured it didn't matter because no-one would buy them and I could finish them after the show.

My first visitor was a local lady from the village. She immediately alighted on one of those unfinished paintings.. "I LOVE this one" she said, "I'll take it!"

My second visitor had come up from London especially to see my work - guess which painting she chose to take home...yes, it was the other 'unfinished' piece :)

This was when I learned that vital lesson: as artists we are not the best judges of whether something will be popular.

I do think I know when something is good or not, but of course I am measuring "good" by my own criteria. Perhaps I am judging the composition, the use of colour, or whether I expressed myself fully. Perhaps I am excited by a new technique or by a breakthrough idea.

Meanwhile, the viewer has their own set of criteria for judging a work and each person's criteria is slightly different.

I've been reminded of this again with my current exhibition.

I am so excited about the works on paper that I made most recently. When I first saw them framed, they took my breath away.

They are quite literally pieces of me - each one a pure reflection of how I feel. I look at them and recognise the deepest, most private parts of myself, so of course those are my favourites.

One in particular has a special place in my heart and no-one has yet guessed correctly which one it is. Hint, it's below....

Sooner or Later and Closer to Fine

Roads Not Taken and All I Never Said

Others in this series have gone to new homes, or have been reserved and will be shipped after the show, but these four are still available.

If my favourite doesn't sell, it will have a special place in my home office - I even have the picture hook in the wall ready lol.

But this has made me think about the way we judge our work. Very often, I hear other artists judging their own work by whether or not it sold.

If someone else liked it enough to buy it, we think it means that piece must be 'good.' And likewise, if we have a show and nothing sells, we can be hard on ourselves, assuming our work wasn't "good enough."

But actually, sales have very little to do with quality. They are related to personal taste and personal circumstances of each individual buyer. Someone might love the thing you don't like. Or they might love the exact thing you love, but just not have the budget to purchase it.

So how do you judge your work? For me it's all about MY tastes and my preferences. I know when I've made a good piece of work and I know when I've fallen short. Money changing hands (or not) doesn't change that for me.

Take my new work. I have no idea if it is 'sellable.' I have no idea if people will want paintings of dead people on their walls - especially when those dead people have nothing to do with them. But I can't let that stop me making what wants to come through me. 

Oh and if you're interested in seeing some of the work I've been making, I have a special surprise coming up in August. For the last few weeks of my show at Scar Gallery, we've decided to shake things up a bit. 

So many of my abstract works have sold that the gallery will be looking a little sparse by then, so Lorraine and I came up with a plan - I don't have exact dates yet, but in August, we'll be showing some of my current work in the gallery. None of it is finished and it won't be for sale, but you will be very welcome to come and have a look :)

More details to come as soon as we have firm dates. (I'm not trying to be mysterious - it's all to do with when we can transport the paintings over to the gallery as they are quite large!)

Anyway, to wap up today's thoughts, I just wanted to share the idea of staying true to who you are, and what you enjoy.

As Andy Warhol once said: “Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide whether it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they’re deciding, make even more art.”