Breakthrough

I seem to have made a breakthrough in terms of a business card and website. These 2 things have been weighing heavily on me since I've been here. (Well, I've been trying to get a website up for about 2 years now!!) I'm not sure exactly what's caused this but a few things have helped. I belong to a bunch of "tribes" on Tribe which is an online conglomeration of various interest groups (a lot artistic and loosely related to Burning Man) One of them that I recently joined is "Breaking the Starving Artist Paradigm". I posted about my difficulty making the transition from photographing for fun to trying to market myself and start a career as a paid photographer. Someone wrote back the following:

I totally understand you X!ne! Some times I wonder if I'm even more afraid of succeeding than failing!! When we as artists deside to take our art out of the studio and make a living selling it, it's like we make the decision to take responsibility for our lives. We take that which is sooooo personal, our art, and we put it out there for all the world to see and we measure our worth by the income it creates. Wow, talk about a powerful thing!!! Of course it's scary! It's like we are selling our innermost selves.

Just think about how hard it is to be open in a relationship. We have all these fears that the other person won't like what they see. We have all these barriers and self defenses, but true connection cannot happen until those barriers come down. It's the same with selling your work. The barriers are not seeming able to complete business cards or a web site. It keeps the distance from exposing yourself to total strangers.

This has been my experience. I had to separate myself from my work. Like, "yes, I created this, but know it has a life of it's own". Kinda like a parent letting the child go into the world to be it's own person. When I don't have that personal attachement to my work, it's easier for me to sell it. To get out there and do what needs to be done.

Many of you have been very, very supportive and given me similar advice. I guess the lesson is, you learn and act when it's your time and things just can't be rushed.

I've also met an artist here and we've been sharing a lot of our ideas about life, art, and work. He's been an artist all his life, studied art during his youth in Ch!na and then has lived and travelled the world as an artist. (He even lived in NYC for 7 years - what a small world!) He's an inspiration to live a different lifestyle and he's also supportive of my efforts so it's pretty cool.

So yesterday I met with a graphic designer who designed a simple business card for me (which I'm supposed to get any minute but this is Mexxico so I'm not holding my breath) and who also does websites. And in the meantime, I found a photoserver/site where I can post a portfolio for free (Monkey View). You can check out my online portfolio of wedding photos. And fortunately, so can the couple who runs a hotel/wedding business before I meet with them on Monday to disccus the potential of working with them.

Once again, life is full of potential. Who knows what will come of any of it?