hi, it's me ~ the lady who keeps this blog~ :)
After just over two years of keeping this blog and posting hundreds of my creations, I had my first public comment questioning the value of what I create. Normally I would not bring focus to this but because I tend to talk candidly about these subjects on my blog and podcasts, in my continuing effort to encourage others that they too can make a living as a creative, I thought this would be a perfect example to remind all of us of our worth~ that the value we place on ourselves and on what we create is of supreme importance.
To ever be an artist of any kind, and actually sell your creations ~ valuing your work is a decision you will have to make. And if you grow as an artist and a business owner, this is a decision you will continue to make time and time again. As we all know creative work in itself is incredibly subjective ~ and more often than not it's selling price is in the eye of the beholder. Since it is in the eye of the beholder, the first value that must be placed is your own, and that will directly correlate with the value you place upon yourself, combined with your business intentions ~ each incredibly personal choices.
Valuing myself and my work enough to attach a dollar sign to it has been and continues to be one of the most challenging parts of being in business for myself, especially as an artist. I give great thought to every part of Creative Thursday, and especially the pricing of my creations. I will therefore not use this post to publicly justify my pricing. I will say that it is my intent as an artist to create meaningful, quality creations that I love and that I hope add great value to the world ~ and as a business owner it is my intent to price my products in a way that feels fair, and right with the value I place upon myself and my work. I trust that my loyal following of customers understand this. And to those customers who continue to show their support by enthusiastically purchasing my creations without question, I am endlessly thankful.
Before I sign off, I also want to add that I completely understand that we all place different value on different things, and that is just as it should be. And of course I'm not asking anyone to purchase my work who does not want to, for whatever reason. I also want people to feel like they can comment freely even if they disagree with me. I truly appreciate a willingness to bring up subjects that can be considered "controversial" or "uncomfortable" ~ I know it's not always easy in a public forum, and I can relate, always feeling slight trepidation every time I post something here that I think is not what everyone might relate to or "want to hear"~ always hoping that it comes across right in this written medium. I actually do appreciate this particular comment for all the thought it has stirred in me. With that said, however, I do not post and share my work here on this blog ever asking for approval of its worth. And I would ask that if you feel compelled to challenge that publicly you first consider whether that challenge is coming from security or insecurity in yourself. And second I would ask that you give some thought to the kind courage it takes for any person to create or express from their personal selves and share it publicly. Then put yourself in their shoes.
*Edit* Monday, October 20 ~ this is turning into such an interesting discussion, via the comments ~ so I have to also say thank you to Amy for beginning it with her initial comment, and let you know that I will be back with more thoughts related to this subject and a whole other one that was opened as a result of this, but in the meantime I am responding via the comments below and thanks to everyone so far for graciously chiming in.
*Edit* also on Monday, later today :) ~ Just in case you don't read through all the lengthy comments below ~ I wanted to respond here about the use of my words "insecurity and security" in my last paragraph above. It seems that it is being misunderstood and it is important to me clear this one up, as it seems to be calling Amy's character into question and that was nor is ever my intent to call ANYONE's personal character to the table on this blog ~ I should have been more clear in my statement. When I said "you" in the "you feel compelled to challenge..." ~ I meant this in general for all of us posting in the blog world, and I include myself in the "us" because I do ask this of myself every time I hit publish. It is very important to me that my words here or on any other blog come from a secure place in me. If it ever does not read that way, I'm truly sorry. It is entirely clear to me now more than ever just how much everything, not just pricing :), is left open to interpretation. So in an attempt to be clearer, I am not calling any one person or Amy insecure. I am just asking all of us, myself included, to think clearly about our intentions before we hit publish on our own blog and especially on anyone elses. How it is interpreted beyond that is out of our control but if we feel solid and secure in our intentions that is always what matters.
