I really enjoyed learning about the Abandoned Art program you and @stormyowl have been involved in. Sounds like great fun. Especially being there to see the faces of those who find the gifts.
It's a win-win. People are happy to find something they can use and the artist gets the thrill of making someone happy with something they created.
I wonder if any of this ever results in those artists that wish to sell their work actually being able to do so? In your case, you were just wanting to unclutter somewhat, but do you know if this has led to other artists actually earning something because someone liked what they made enough that they bought some more from them?
Guessing it's not about the money in this case, but sharing the love of art and creativity. I also know that it's difficult to keep making art if there's not a way to subsidize it's creation.
I think this all great and wonderful of you both. Highly commendable.
Long before the project both @stormyowl and I were selling things we made and she still does. She makes beautiful jewelry, wire wraps stones and crystals. A few of our other friends also do that but for the project they made new things to give away.
We made things to sell. Which means that we didn't make like one piece of jewelry to wear ourselves or give someone. We made lots of different pieces but of course not all of it sold.
For me I boxed up my creations, thinking I'd sell them someday. I realized my life was going in a different direction but I still kept them. One day I decided I had too much clutter and started clearing out old things. (But not my crafts! Not until I heard of the project.) I started letting go of things that had value - that could have been sold - but chose to donate them. Or, in the case of things that were broken, to be fixed 'someday', put in the trash. I wanted the space, not the 'stuff'. Not easy for a borderline hoarder! I learned the joy of letting go.
To answer your question, no, I haven't heard of people finding a market for the things they give away. I think a better way to do that would be to donate to a fundraiser type thing. I have made sales from donating my jewelry to a silent auction. Not many, but some.
I totally agree that it's hard to keep making art if it doesn't earn enough money to at least buy more supplies! I once swore that I wouldn't make another single piece of jewelry until I had a way to sell it. (I had an Etsy shop, didn't sell much there, but that's another story.) I kept to that for a few years but my creativity stagnated. I needed a creative outlet to be happy.
So these days I still make things, for my mental health! The project gives me a way to put them out in the world, letting others enjoy them, giving me space to make more!
Okay. I thought it could go either way as far as the giving away something followed up by a sale. I'm glad I asked. So much seems to be given away for free now I'm not sure how anyone actually makes a living, or how the competition can keep up. In some cases, they don't.
Well, it sounds to me like this is mostly for a means of seeing people happy with their art finds and for you to continue using your creativity without the added issue, and potential stress, not to mention time, of finding a way to sell it. The art goes, people find them and put them to use, you have more room to work again, you make more, and the cycle renews.
I think it's great. May it continue to bring happiness to everyone involved.
Doesn't mean it couldn't happen, only that I haven't heard it did.
There you have it in a nutshell!I did craft fairs for years. Many years. I mostly did pretty well. Did the Renaissance Faire for 3 years. Then I had my own store. That was the best, much easier having customers come to me. After that I found setting up and taking down a booth was too much like hard work so I stopped doing that. Tried selling online but a lot of competition there. Things went into boxes and that's the story of my crafting life!
I have many artist friends. Some struggle, a few make a living at it. They all do the work, put the time and effort in, some click and others don't. I don't know why.
I'm curious, if you're willing to share, what your art medium is?
Oh, well, I don't know that I have one. :) I like to create, but that mostly manifests itself in writing, and lately, the writing is for posts here. I prefer fiction and editorializing, but find myself swerving into all sorts of subjects.
I do like taking pictures, when there's something interesting to capture.
When I was in high school, I wanted to become a comic book artist, but never really got good enough at drawing and of course, talk about competition. I've dabbled in video here and there, but really, I end up back at writing.
I do like to see what others are doing, ask them about technique, what they use to create things. I would still like to get stories in my head into the real world, and while many of those will take novel form, others may wind up in comic book series some day, with someone else doing the art. :)
My first thought was Scott Adams draws Dilbert and he's not a great artist!
But, yes, it's a competitive market, no guarantees of success.
However you create, in one form or in many, it's a gift to the world. And stays a gift even if you get paid for it!
If you really like the idea of the Abandoned Art Project I could see you making bookmarks with some of your writing, maybe some of your photography? You could add contact/feedback info. You could even make it the 'tag' so no extra packaging, and if it's interesting or pretty people would probably save and use it!
It's an idea, anyway, right? I'll think about it. It would be cool to see what people think when they discover it and have an honest use for it.
re: Scott Adams
I guess I've never really looked at Dilbert from a technical standpoint. A lot of comic strip artists don't really need to be great, they just need to convey an idea, and be consistent in drawing their characters. You don't usually have a lot of different angles in that type of art. It's normally two-dimensional, from the side and more or less straight on the subjects.
That, I might be able to manage, if that was what I was interested in. I, however, tend to get more ambitious with my composition than what my art talent will allow. :) And I really haven't been in production mode for years. Roughly 34 years ago, I wrote and drew a small graphic novel. Other than some character developing here and there, I really haven't done a whole lot more than that.
Yes, just a suggestion!
You are right about the Dilbert comic. It conveys an idea and doesn't pretend to be 'art'. More is expected from graphic novels, as you know better than I. I think if you are still thinking about the idea from years ago it's worth letting it percolate, playing with pencils on blank paper, doodling, and seeing what happens. Nothing to lose, no pressure, no expectations, find out if it's still something you'd like to do!