The world is your oyster, but community is your superpower
When I decided to start this newsletter, my intention was to figure out what I needed to run a successful art practice and share that information with as many people as possible. What I didn’t account for was people (my community) sharing their stories, words of encouragement, and support. It’s been overwhelming, and I am grateful.
It got me thinking about community and our responsibility as artists to our community. And, in turn, what is the community’s responsibility to the artist?
I am still mulling the full scope of this but I do have a few theories on how artists and their community can work together.
Be vulnerable and transparent about your journey and needs.
Have you ever been in a relationship and the other person refuses to tell you what’s on their mind? So you play a very long guessing game speculating about their wants and desires, and ultimately everyone ends up dissatisfied.
Imagine if you just said what you wanted, and they did the same. In the art/community relationship, it’s critical to be transparent because a community does not have the bandwidth to play detectives and Scooby Doo through your goals. Tell them. I want to sell my art. I want to teach seniors at the community center. I want to do a nude sip and paint.
Whatever it is, your community is there to help. They can connect you with resources, feedback, or find people who can support your journey.
Connect or (re) connect with people. It’s an awesome feeling for everyone.
When I launched my newsletter, the intention was definitely to grow my audience. But I was pleasantly surprised to reconnect with some old friends who offered me insight, love, and encouragement. They also talked about their journeys in the creative space, and we were able to exchange support and advice.
Connecting with the community is a great way to stay in touch with what is going on. It’s also a great way to recharge when you are feeling down. Just call an old contact and chat away.
Community is about giving as well as receiving.
I have been very lucky to receive a lot of love and support early on in my journey as an artist. But I am very clear this can not be a one-sided affair. I have a duty as an artist to give back to my community. That can take the form of reading a friend’s short story or encouraging someone to go for a fellowship. It can be a kind word or small donation to a worthy organization — or better yet — a hungry person. Community is a circle that never ends and I am lucky that I have one, and it keeps growing. And if you didn’t know, now you are a part of mine too.
If you would like to be more engaged with my community, feel free to join the paid subscribers list. You can also like and share my post with folks who you think would benefit from it. Also I am doing a SOFT launch of my shop on my website. Check it out. Thank you!