I admire every artist and creative person who is able to pursue their passion as their profession, and their profession as their passion. When I entertained the idea of full-time photo, I realized I didn’t have the stamina. Your questions and the perspective you have on art can only strengthen your own art I imagine. Now, when I draw or take photos, I’m doing so from the lens of learning more about the world, myself, or trying to share info about the world for others. I wonder if art = content, but content doesn’t always equal art?
Thank you Sue! Absolutely, I think content does not equal art always but the reverse is true. I imagine all of these questions feel even more dire when you are pursuing your passion professionally!
This video and the thoughts you shared were SO thoughtful – a good hot take on social media, being reduced (?) to "content creators", and the ultimate death spiral that is both endless scrolling and "chasing the algorithm". I've been trying to adjust my own outlook as well, trying to think more high level about what I want to put out into the world and also what I want to do just for me, and trusting that have fewer truer fans is better than too many casual spectators.
I think this really comes down to how we think about time. The problem as I see it is every day/week is an opportunity to be seen. And being seen is an important part of being a creative for hire in my opinion.
Ideally we should post a perfect image that is both for them and for us, or even post two images every day.
That is the best use of the opportunity of social media. But, we can’t work that fast and keep sane so we need to make some compromises.
And I think one way to think about it is what is the absolute minimum we can do.
For it’s one post a month(#kidlitartpostcard), and maybe a WIP reel or two, and a bunch of low stakes stories.
Then I think we can go for a period of more intense posting, like doing a alphabet project, then revert to the minimum.
There’s something to be said for doing the default minimum instead of maximum in my opinion.
I think disappearing for a period is also a good strategy that we can use whenever we need to.
Hi Adam, thanks for sharing! Completely agree that it boils down to time and how we want to best use it.
I love that notion of sticking to a default minimum and having periods of more intense posting; it's something I've found myself doing as well. Those intense periods lead to really good growth and visibility but would be unsustainable to follow year round. I also like that idea of there being an end to the intense periods so that you can reevaluate your priorities and make sure the work you're making is what you really want to make.
Love the “one for you, one for me” thought! I’m going to try and practice that!
I admire every artist and creative person who is able to pursue their passion as their profession, and their profession as their passion. When I entertained the idea of full-time photo, I realized I didn’t have the stamina. Your questions and the perspective you have on art can only strengthen your own art I imagine. Now, when I draw or take photos, I’m doing so from the lens of learning more about the world, myself, or trying to share info about the world for others. I wonder if art = content, but content doesn’t always equal art?
Thank you for sharing what you’re thinking!
Thank you Sue! Absolutely, I think content does not equal art always but the reverse is true. I imagine all of these questions feel even more dire when you are pursuing your passion professionally!
This video and the thoughts you shared were SO thoughtful – a good hot take on social media, being reduced (?) to "content creators", and the ultimate death spiral that is both endless scrolling and "chasing the algorithm". I've been trying to adjust my own outlook as well, trying to think more high level about what I want to put out into the world and also what I want to do just for me, and trusting that have fewer truer fans is better than too many casual spectators.
Definitely! Cheering you on as you reflect and adjust ❤️
Everything you write resonates me and I appreciate that as you wrestle “for yourself,” you draw us into your thinking.
That means so much to me Kim! Thank you 💛
I think this really comes down to how we think about time. The problem as I see it is every day/week is an opportunity to be seen. And being seen is an important part of being a creative for hire in my opinion.
Ideally we should post a perfect image that is both for them and for us, or even post two images every day.
That is the best use of the opportunity of social media. But, we can’t work that fast and keep sane so we need to make some compromises.
And I think one way to think about it is what is the absolute minimum we can do.
For it’s one post a month(#kidlitartpostcard), and maybe a WIP reel or two, and a bunch of low stakes stories.
Then I think we can go for a period of more intense posting, like doing a alphabet project, then revert to the minimum.
There’s something to be said for doing the default minimum instead of maximum in my opinion.
I think disappearing for a period is also a good strategy that we can use whenever we need to.
Thanks for asking ;)
Hi Adam, thanks for sharing! Completely agree that it boils down to time and how we want to best use it.
I love that notion of sticking to a default minimum and having periods of more intense posting; it's something I've found myself doing as well. Those intense periods lead to really good growth and visibility but would be unsustainable to follow year round. I also like that idea of there being an end to the intense periods so that you can reevaluate your priorities and make sure the work you're making is what you really want to make.