Hello, good evening/afternoon/night (no, not 'goodnight'!). I'm an artist. I don't have super-clean teeth, perfect complexion or great success. Please stay with me. I don't think you need all those to succeed, but it certainly helps when promoting yourself because people like healthy-looking people. It seems. Mostly. Although Shane McGowan has a considerable fan base, doesn't he? Mark E. Smith too. Cults, the pair of them.
How does one become successful? Like most bloggers I sometimes, in my hour of desperation, read those blogger tips about how to attract a zillion readers in one hour. Also like most bloggers, I swear to do as I'm told, go away, work at it a bit and give up. You too? You're not alone.
Creating a successful art blog almost seems contradictory, most artists being so wrapped up in their art-making as to have little time for blogging never mind building a zippy, handsome site then filling it with fascinating (written) content. Images we can get any and everywhere, right? But can that artist make themselves interesting/appealing? That's the hard part.
'Build it and they will come' some fool once said and it's become a kind of mantra for pro-plus positive thinkers, as if you building that thing is eventually bound to attract the right audience. Others would say 'Don't bother' but I'm not interested in the pro-negative types right now, or ever, actually, because the easiest thing in the world is not bothering due to an assumed air of superiority through inaction which guarantees no chance of failure because you didn't try, right?
Building the damned thing is only half the battle as described by blogger tips. Maybe a third. The rest is SEO optimisation, tagging, social networking, pinging etc. Successful art bloggers presumably all do the right thing. The blog part of an art site should be where you learn about the artist; get to know and probably quite like them (without going so far as to buy from them). I've not yet found a Successful Art Site run by an interesting/original-thinking/literary artist. If you think you have, do let me know.
Apparent contradiction time: is it possible to create 'different' art, write in other than the plainest prose whilst expounding loved-up Positive Vibes, have no Great Advice to give and yet be successful? In other words, if you're a natural outsider (ie, inherently non-mainstream) that surely negates success, doesn't it? Of course. So as an outsider you have to accept that your place is outside. Idiotically, some of us still look at The Successful Ones in the hope of getting some tips (I said I do have moments/hours of desperation) if only by looking at how they go about things. All in vain. A donkey may as well go study a race horse in the hope of becoming one.
I've nothing against healthy/nice/ well-balanced people. After all, without them (or those who manage at least one of those attributes) societies might collapse into anarchic cesspits filled with psychotics; or, to be pro-anarchic, societies in which we all take care of each other with no State interference - take your pick. It's just that the most original/creative/interesting art frequently stems from the wayward, the outsiders, those with some darkness in their soul. Right? Of my cultural lights, off the top of my head, I cite Lee Perry, Sun Ra, William Burroughs, Mark E. Smith...each slightly deranged/ original-minded and rebellious (apply to whichever you think right).
Apologies for what might be stating the obvious to you. Yes, truly creative sparks fly from 'hot' minds, as opposed to luke-warm ones. Perhaps that fiery aspect is what most people shy away from, preferring to cosy up around a nice, comfortable glow. If you get my drift.
If you visit this site regularly, well done. I mean - thank you. Yes you. I built it for people like you. We may be few in number but so what?
Here's something I made over the week-end. TTFN
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| RTomens, 2018 |
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