"Starving Artist"

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The phrase "starving artist" is so commonly associated with creatives that it can almost be expected for the value of their work to be questioned. Yet, when people throw that phase around, do they think of how artists are often actually starving both financially and emotionally?

To my fellow creatives, what are you feeding yourself?

Do you buy into the belief that you have to be sad or depressed to make "good" art?

How do you define yourself as an artist? What makes YOU feel good about your art?

No matter the type or genre of art that you choose, a price value must be put on that work. Still, one of my constant burning questions (at least, for myself) is: how do you put a price value on your work without underselling yourself and, at the same, not asking for too much?

We gotta eat, too!

*Testimony: I remember the first time I increased my asking price on a painting and how nervous I was for the person's response. It was one of my absolute favorite paintings (a gold woman with a fro represented by the crown of Africa) - but that didn't mean others saw as much value in the work. I put out a price and the person didn't even question it! And that is how I began being more confident in what my art is worth in both a monetary and emotional sense.

That is not to say that receiving a "no" regarding a price won't be hurtful and sometimes discouraging. But, it is to say that we cannot shy away from acknowledging the quality of our work.

We have to really consider how much we are giving and asking of ourselves to acknowledge the value of our work. Yes, we create a product. But, that product is more than just an item.

We create feelings.

For me, that is what is most important. I use art to deal with my emotions and I am learning to understand just how much value is in that process alone. Pouring your heart and soul into something is not easy and can often be scary, if we're being honest. Why can't we, as creatives, see the worth in exposing some of our most intense vulnerabilities and honor that through how we present out work?

As the year begins, one of the best mottos I have carried over is: Know your worth, and add taxes to it. Sales tax.

Cheers to knowing your worth and cultivating that! ✨