I’ve been doing some more organization of my galleries for portfolio work and while I’m not entirely happy with how they are organized, I’m not sure of a better way to do things. I don’t particularly want to organize by year, because some years would be much larger than others. So far in 2023 I’ve created more art than I did all of last year. There’s nothing wrong with that, per se, but it feels very uneven to show work that way. This year is more productive for me because I have an idea that I’m expanding upon (the swirling lines) and they are quicker to create since the format is smaller (4×6 or 5×7 usually) and I’m using archival markers rather than watercolors. Hence, more productive-looking.
I don’t want to separate by media because that would end up with one huge gallery of watercolors mostly, with a medium sized mixed media (if I’m honest), and a smaller other mediums gallery. I wouldn’t call what I do fine art although others might (not sure who would, but others might…) so using that category doesn’t feel honest to me either and then I’d once again end up with one big category gallery. So for now I have it divided into 2019 and older work, 2020 and newer, and current (year) work. That means that each new year, I just move the previous year’s work into the 2020 – newer gallery, but not a hardship yet.
I think it’s still a lot of imposter syndrome that I deal with. Like I said, I can’t imagine my paintings being classified as “fine art” because I have trouble seeing them that way. And if I can’t see them as more than hobby dabbling around, how can I expect anyone else to. One of the reasons I think I delay on getting my shop up is “what if no one buys anything?” and it’s a valid concern. Putting up a shop involves me actually taking action on something. I have to be responsible and manage the shop, if someone does order something, then I have to complete the sale, package up the work of art, send it out, stuff like that. But then again, a friend contacted me last November saying her mom wanted to buy some Christmas cards from me. I’d posted about making some for myself but had kind of given up the idea of doing any for sale. She wanted two dozen! And while none of the designs I do are very complicated, part of that is being familiar with said designs and still having to do twenty-five hand painted cards. Five sets of five cards, in five different designs. And I did it! It was a bit crazy but maybe I can sell these things, and other things, too!
I mean, I’ll never know if I don’t try, right? And if nothing else, then I have a shop with items in it that just.. sit there. That would be no different than the status quo, to be honest.