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We just got back from a three week stay in three very different cities in Italy. One common thing that really stood out in these diverse cities was the patronage of the Arts over the centuries. When did patronage stop being a main way for artist to earn an income? 

This is not a “sour grapes” blog, but an analytical assessment. I had wondered many years ago, about how an impressionist wildlife painter sold so many of his paintings. At least twenty-five years later, I bought a book that showed how one couple bought countless paintings from this wildlife artist, as well as other artists. I am not sure if they bought the works because of a love of the pieces or for a possible increase in a monetary investment.  However, a lightbulb lit up and I finally realized that having a patron was the make or break difference for this artist as well as others. The artists could afford to make the art that they loved by having a patron, as has been done for centuries in Italy.

As well as being a painter, I am also a collector of other artists’ work. As an artist, I understand the limitations of income that artists endure. I worked for many years in my science related background to help make money for the expenses of college and room/board for our three sons, all the while painting for international and national exhibitions. My artwork could not give me the income that my science did.

After being turn off by gallery representation many years ago by a shyster gallery owner who sold my work without paying me [and others], decades later, I finally reached out to other galleries, hoping to find great gallery representation. Unfortunately, I have not found any galleries that want to represent any of my many subjects, styles or media with which I create, but I do sell through my website. It is not enough to live on, so I wonder how do other artists market their work without the aid of a patron.

I am curious how other artists make a living by only selling their art. To supplement their income, I know that some do workshops and others work in an art-related field. How many live solely on selling their artwork? How long did it take for them to do so?

When auction houses sell abstract paintings for many millions of dollars, realistic painters wonder why their comparatively lower-priced works are not purchased by patrons. I belong to many professional art groups, and I am always surprised to see that these extremely talented artists are not selling their work as well as they would like. When they mention that the galleries that they have worked with for 30+ years have folded, it makes me wonder why patrons are not scooping up the fantastic artwork that is available. The artists seem so discouraged, that some say they wonder why they should even bother creating. Somehow, that attitude needs to be fixed.

When looking online for how to find patrons, an artist does not get much useful information. Ads in magazines, acceptance to national and international juried shows does not guarantee sales. What do these artists do with their artwork that does not sell?

Some artists destroy or paint over older pieces, figuring that since the artwork did not sell, it must not be good. A recent cartoon showed how an artist’s castoff piece was found by children, whose parents frame the loved abandoned piece that their youngsters found. It reminds me of the Dr. Who episode where Vincent Van Gogh is shown how museum goers adore his work. It brings tears to my eyes, every time that I have seen it, and I do not cry easily.

I have no answers for this dilemma. Many artists cannot do the show circuits that may increase the recognition of their artwork, due to other obligations. Many cannot afford the high prices for magazine ads. Entry fees and shipping costs keep some artists from sharing their work.  

I wish that I could end this blog on a high note, giving encouragement to young artists, but I can’t. Being an artist is something that you are. You MUST create. My wish is that somehow patrons will once again support struggling artists, as was done for centuries in Italy.