How many have made it completely on their own?

[oscar]

How many have made it completely on their own?

When I say made it, I mean who has become somewhat known to well known as a sculptor. On their own I mean who has become well known completely by themselves? No wife or husband, no wife or husband helping, no wife or husband supporting, No gallery selling your work. You make all your own sales. No agent. No teaching job. No job at all for that matter. And practically no friends.

I hate to sing the blues but am I the only one who has it this rough? Prices are supposed to go up as you get older but I find myself settling for almost nothing. And selling work on the street for that matter. I have a warehouse full of art. I've scrapped over a hundred pieces. You all know I'm bi-polar. I'm almost 50. I'm seriously thinking of selling off the equipment and scrapping out the work (steel). The money will last a while and then what? I'm un-employable.

So the poll question is; is it possible to "make it" completely, and utterly, on your own?

[StevenW]

Well first off, practically no one is unemployable.. One of my best friends has Cerebal Palsey, is completely wheelchair bound and he has a job, another one is also wheelchair bound, broken neck in a drunk accident and he has a job in computers too. If you assert yourself you'll find something. That said, my good friend Thom "made it" all on his own, has none of the things you listed, he does carpentry and custom stonework on the side and other odd jobs, but is largely supported by his sculpture. He bought an old bar in Leadville Colorado (population less than my graduating class) for next to nothing and rebuilt it into a house/studio/gallery and he sells several large pieces every year and many smaller ones, just enough to keep him going and in material and tools and such. He still has to do bathroom remodels and lay stone, tiles and the like, but he's making it at 57. He places his pieces in hunting lodges and local hotels where they get attention and he has his gallery sign on the only highway through town. Whenever I see him he has someone looking through the place if only to browse in awe. I am more 9-5 myself, but I'll get out of that and maybe just work enough hours to pay my basic bills (so I'm not losing anything) and spend 4 days a week doing exactly what I want, my own rock and my own gallery and just living.

[Aaron Schroeder]

No one I have ever known has made it on their own. All the happy artists I've met have had a network of love and support in one form or another.

[evaldart]

Theres alot of different ways to "make it". Suppose you have to define that for yourself. Fame, financial flourishing...hell, I don't think anyone has ever made in "on their own". I have seen somepeers rise to enviable hieghts and there was always a connection in place. Sometimes their work is good , sometimes not at all (in my opinion) but that good-friend of theirs, who was already in, made the proper introductions. I have had a few nudges in the right direction here and there but the relationships dissolved because I wasn't proving to be a seller. To my dismay,I have benefitted little from representation. But I have experienced a tremendous volume of selling for a very long time running my own show (and yes, the wife has always worked wonders with her organizational, bookeeping and managing skills). But I have had to pursue this from every angle possible...galleries, street fairs, museums, craft shows, commercial and architectural, universities...you name the venue, I have probably found a way to peddle my wares. Sometimes some commissions are regretted and resented as time lost away from the hardcore "Fine " art, but a warm house a stocked fridge and laughing children erase those ills.

I will do whatever it takes to keep this boat floating - and I do so because it far too late to get up in the morning and try to do something else, even if I wanted to.

A little secret for tough times...your a city boy, BURGLAR BARS. You get a minimum of 250 a window, throw a little creativity into it and you can get 500. I can make a window unit in 45 minutes, nice ones, and install it in 15 (about 40 bucks worth of steel). This has gotten me through some rough spells. But shshsh. We can'y let the art crowd know we're doing this...they'd certainly look down their noses at us.

You have been fortunate enough to be able to make work for 30 years, thats a rare success in itself. Maybe its wearin you down and frustrating you but you've always found a way to keep it going and I have a feeling you will continue. You a SCULPTOR not a damn seamstress...now act like one.:D

[grommet]

Sage advice Mr. Evolved-art.
Oscar, are you truly unemployable? Like social security unemployable? Could take a bit of the strain off you.

[jOe~]

I had a similar discussion with someone not too long ago. I said there ARE many self made men. He said "NO!" I listed several rich entrepreneurs. He said, "No! They did not do it by themselves--they all had a staff". End of stupid argument. Oscar, you sound like a wildly creative person--full of new and different ideas and solutions to the tried and true. But when you have to deal with non-art problems you seem not to use your most potent weapon.

[EJB]

[QUOTE=oscar;49247]How many have made it completely on their own?

Who wants to?

[oscar]

One suffers from a lack of self esteem when depressed.

Fu*k everybody. I am the greatest sculptor of all time. Now back to work.

[StevenW]

That's the spirit. :)

[evaldart]

One suffers from a lack of self esteem when depressed.

Fu*k everybody. I am the greatest sculptor of all time. Now back to work.

Nothing at all wrong with that sentiment. But your supposed to keep that one to yourself. Besides, your wrong...I am the best sculptor of all time...oops, did I say that?

[GlennT]

How someone "made it" may be good inspirational reading for people. What interests me more is what they have made, and why.

Oscar, I could hardly care less if you are dislexic, bipolar, or a gerbil. Your communication to this forum has been entirely verbal. As far as I can tell, your "art career" is a fabrication of your mind and you are entertaining yourself by making up a fictional character and posting here. That will seem the more likely explanation for the phenomena known as Oscar until you get some balls and post examples of your work like the rest of us, if there in fact is any to post.

[iron ant]

Oscar,my sister is bi polar,and she functions well while on her meds.and it is a terible excuse for lack of total detication to what you do.Selling Art,like any other business takes networking,relationship building,and a heck of a lot of legg work.You have to learn to balance the ups and downs,as I have experienced it all,lost it all,and gained it back by hard work.Now get up off that thing,and start producing art,funcytional things to sell,and any other way to bring in cash with your materials and skills.Unless your the old mountain man in Jerimia Johnsdon,nothing in life really come buy itself,and the joy of sharing sucess would be nill.As far as the jab at my wife,that was uncalled for.It takes a special strong women to live with a sculptor,when the passion for art is at the top of the list.........IA

[StevenW]

Well, even if it is a fabrication of his mind it's a pretty good one... :)

I was just getting ready to hand out the party hats too... :(

[oscar]

GlenT, my biggest problem with the bi-polar has been a big mouth. I often put my foot in it. I often offend people and 5 minutes later am begging to have apologies accepted. You won't see this as much of a problem and think it's easily remedied, but it isn't. This is a big reason for screwing up with a bunch of galleries. Offend a fewor more and they talk amongst themselves. Bingo, you are banned.

Talk to this message board administrators. If you can have all my previous posts removed, I will gladly and most appreciately, start anew and tell everyone who I am and show what I've made. Until then, bite me!

[oscar]

Iron Anr, everyone knows a person with bi-polar. I use the analogy; is every broken leg broken in the same spot? We are all not the same. Period! You mention networking and relationship building as necessary to acheive any success. Duh! Why do you think I started this poll? Can a person go anywhere without others? The answer you all are giving is a resounding, no!

So screw it. Back to my cave.

[evaldart]

[QUOTE=It takes a special strong women to live with a sculptor,when the passion for art is at the top of the list.........IA[/QUOTE]

Damn straight, you guys haven't even met me but I'm sure you can imagine that my wife has her hands full - I can beat her in arm wrestling, but she's probably a stronger person than I am. Being sure I don't manage to botch THAT up is as important to me as making art.

[StevenW]

Oscar, everyone with any zeal for life sticks their foot in their mouth, it's part of living and is to be expected. The secret to making it good is to walk around with BBQ sauce on your foot.

I know I'd like your work, whether it's imaginary or not... Don't ever feel like you can't show it here.

[evaldart]

Iron Anr, everyone knows a person with bi-polar. I use the analogy; is every broken leg broken in the same spot? We are all not the same. Period! You mention networking and relationship building as necessary to acheive any success. Duh! Why do you think I started this poll? Can a person go anywhere without others? The answer you all are giving is a resounding, no!

So screw it. Back to my cave.


We all got caves (the luckier ones anyhow), so why would you give a rats-ass what a bunch of idiots and wussies think anyway (your words). Arguing with other artists is a LUXURY not a necessity - who else is gonna listen to your raving, or my raving or anyone else here who has seemingly superfulous, hare-brained schemes and paranoias rattling through their hyperactive brains all the time.?

[jOe~]

It takes a special strong women to live with a sculptor,when the passion for art is at the top of the list....Mine has a very high pain tolerance.

[GlennT]

Talk to this message board administrators. If you can have all my previous posts removed, I will gladly and most appreciately, start anew and tell everyone who I am and show what I've made. Until then, (edited:rolleyes:)!


Lame-o excuse-o. Just post one picture of your alleged work. You don't have even have to reveal your name. If your work is awesome, your verbal sins will be forgiven, just like the music of Wagner is incredibly elevating despite having been composed by an anti-semite. If your work is bad, well, who better to tell you if so and why and what to do about it than this well-rounded crew?

[evaldart]

Oh, lighten up O. My past words were bitin' me in the ass long before the invention of the internet. And they continue to do so. but I'm just being me and some people think thats allright - so put yer damn work up, you can still be Oscar and we'll give you a well-earned cyber-throttling. But we might like it too...

[iron ant]

Osar,your a trip,try to throw advice and reality, and you bark back,I believe you are very insecure,period.Also,Most people don't have a clue what Bi polar really is,unless they have close friend or family member that has it,Duh ditio dude.It really does not matter what we feel about your work,post it and you might get some really good replys to help you focus on your art.Also,making art can be personal,and nobodys work is liked by all.
Now you ragged me for producing a series of Stainless steeds,thats cool,but what is your medium.Do you weld steel,carve marble,work in wood in clay,or all the above.What seperates us sculptors from most craftsmen,is we can work in a variety of materials,understand there properties,and manipulate them when needed.Removing your prior post is totally insignifigant to showing your work.Hey I nutted up and showed mine,ready to be thrown to the wolfs,and I was actually "tickled pink" to get support from fellow sculptors.
Good ol soulthern "haveagooodun" IA sorry I don't bite sour apples

[oscar]

Iron Ant, I never ragged on you for doing the steel horse commission. A job is a job. I ragged on the patrons for wanting them. Every fricken where, there are fricken horse sculptures. I'm bloody well sick of them.

I constructed with wood as a child. Was trained classically with clay. Picked up a torch my spring quarter of my second year in college and it's been nothing but steel ever since. Well almost. There has been some mixed media with the majority being steel.

Every time in the past on the web when I disclosed my identity, it went bad. Showing just a few pieces won't get it.

Sorry for all my wussie blathering. No one else to talk to.

[cheesepaws]

Like many have pointed out already, success or “making it” is largely subjective.

The idea that a sculptor must work free of the support of other artist, galleries, patrons, etc. is wonderfully romantic, but seems either misinformed about the reality of the making a living in the field or delusional about the cultural/societal value of art. It seems to me that sculptors, perhaps even more than other kinds of artists, not only thrive as part of communities but often downright NEED to be communal. How many times have you called up another sculptor to borrow a tool, or a truck or a strong back?

Exactly when was it that sculptors (or any artists) didn’t have a network of supporters? Perhaps the flaw lies in the question itself – “Is it possible to ‘make it’ completely, and utterly, on your own?” Why would you want to? Frankly, I have trouble considering anyone who rejects a community of fellow artists or a network for getting your work seen as being a sculptor at all.

To Oscar I would add - I hope you don’t let your demons simply serve as excuses for not accomplishing your desired level of success. Let them set the bar by which you measure your obviously substantial accomplishments.

[oscar]

Delusions of granduer. Gotta love 'em.

[cheesepaws]

Delusions of granduer. Gotta love 'em.

Personally, I suspect much like you, engaging with others does not come naturally to me - perhaps adding to the "grandeur" of a path/career requiring networking.

[oscar]

"Delusions of grandeur", is a terminology used by shrinks for grandiose ideas. Somehow in the last few years it has become a grandiose idea that an artist can be isolated and famous. Somehow in the last few years the artist has to be as much of a social salesman as any stock-broker, car salesman, or office worker. Artists used to be allowed to be different. Now they have to be liked. The artist has to be liked. In fact, the likability of the artist is way more important than the likability or talent of the art. Myspace and Facebook have changed everything into a social order. Those more sociable, as shown by how many "friends" they have on their page, are deemed superior. Galleries no longer have any tolerance for anyone of any difficulty. No individualism is allowed. As a visionary, I gotta say, this is one hell of a nasty path we are on!

[evaldart]

The best and worst thing about this creative life is not having a clue as to what will happen next. I've been on this rollercoaster for 17 years full time. There are myths in place about what an artist should be like as a person, but the fact is; among us we have all the same ratios and spannings of type that exist in the general population. I have known people who were Van Gogh...but they were a carpenter, or who were Pollock but they were a lawyer (not mine) who were koons but they traded bonds. In art history The eccentrics and the wierdos stand out because of the drama; those characters built a stereotype that is unfounded. If I'm wierd it will be up to someone else to rubber-stamp that one in my dossier. I'm doing just what I should be doing in exactly the way it must be done.
. If the primates choose to reward me, fine...if they don't, well, I'm outfitted for survival.

Next year COULD be THE year...for any of us, the year of grandeur...or maybe last year was, and it just didn't feel like it.

[suburbanartists]

I used to be a location manager for big budget movies in the NYC area. I worked daily with many "successfull" actors, directors and producers. Some of the most famous people in the world. Redford, Depalma, Coppalla, Demi Moore, Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, Scarlet Johannsen, Whoppi Goldberg, D. Trump, Al Pachino etc.

Would i trade my life for any of there's .......No way

Well maybe Hanks he's a pretty good guy.

"Success" for most of those guys really pretty much sucks. They are constantly hounded and bothered. But they need this never ending attention to keep their ultra fragile ego's massively inflated. Either way they whine like little school girls because "it's just to much" or "why doesn't anyone like me anymore."

Some of these "Sucesses" do rise above most of the crap but they are very rare.

I'll take my life and if i ever "make it" please promise to kick me in the balls if i start acting like a jackass.

[iron ant]

Now they have to be liked. The artist has to be liked. In fact, the likability of the artist is way more important than the likability or talent of the art.

Perhaps your confused,yes it helps for a client to like an artist when a commision is at hand,but to say it is way more important than the art itself is absurd.The likability of the art comes first,then relationship and networking usually come next.When you sell a piece at a gallery,and you have no clue who bought it,how can your "likability" be the factor of the sale.Oscar,since you refuse to share your work with us,have you ever had a solo show,Group show,commision,sale,seires of over 10 works at once.What is your commitment to making art,or as I suspect, maybe you really are not producing,but you want us to think you are.Play your hand and show me your studio at least with one freeking piece,or you will be regarded as a blow hard. by me and probally many others on this site.Actually most of us are glad to show are work,and thats why we are here....IA

[CroftonGraphics]

I dont understand,

if you absorb yourself in the creative process, shouldnt that be enough to 'have made it'? All the rest is just add ons.

[Will]

When speaking about being a purist, yes. In my mind, it is about the process. The flesh bag I walk around in does get excited when I get a show or someone has an emotional reaction to my work though.

W~

[evaldart]

OOOOH! "Flesh Bag"...I like that one, I usually use "jelly-blob", but I like yours better.
Only a few things that came out of instructors mouths stayed in my brain - and one of them is the referring to the human body as being composed of bags of water...illustrated the need to pay attention to the effects of gravity during figurative efforts. Its a visualization I employ regularly. See... art school's not a waste of money.

[Cantab]

I haven’t reached any substantial level of recognition (and don’t expect to). However, I am working my way into situations that offer me a relationship to the public. I exhibit in all local shows, I am becoming a member of an arts co-operative with its own gallery, I also exhibit at one of the biggest art venues in my part of the country by being a member of the organisation, I am a committee member of a regional arts festival, I keep my workshop open to the public, I teach basic carving, I have small shows in local education centres, I contribute to art fairs and sculpture trails and with a good web presence, I get requests to do things. If ‘making it’ is the issue, then start low-key and see where it leads…..

I also find that this relationship with a public, and with other artists, is useful in refining what is more substantial and what is weak in my work. This has helped me to develop my work in order that others like it as well as me. If you have a warehouse full of stuff, you have to ask yourself why. SO: build relationships with your artistic peers. Don't try to do it alone....