Sales...

Wow...I just did my taxes and was expecting a big bill for the entire year of sales tax.  *sigh*  Let's just say it was pitiful.  As an artist, my income was beyond abysmal. What is odd is that I thought I was doing pretty well - all year!  I attribute that to my non-consumerism and somewhat "campy" lifestyle.
By campy, I mean that I do like to go camping.  It is cheap, self sufficient and empowering. I am a member of a ladies camping group called Sisters On The Fly (SOTF) and we meet up all over the country.

 I have met some of the most amazing and beautiful characters! It is truly a joy to participate in the events. I went to the great Smokeys and learned how to make biscuits in a dutch oven. I met real wild wolves in the mountains of New Jersey, along with sisters that made me laugh for the whole visit!.  I learned some incredible local customs and emergency camping and flood skills with my friends in Pennsylvania.  I learned the skills and preparation needed to paint in the wild on Assateague, a barrier island in Maryland.
 
 I have a couple of events already planned for this year.  I hope to go fly fishing in Virginia in a couple months and plan to toddle off to one of my favorite waterfall wonderlands in West Virginia for the Camp Like a Girl event.

I tend to stick to my mid-Atlantic area mainly but I am dreaming of more if I can ever afford a newer vehicle. I really want to go to Maine for an event in September. That brings me back to my point...and now I need to decide which point is more important.  Point one is that my income is abysmal.  Point two is that I barely noticed.

So, with regards to point one; I need to make my art more accessible to my audience.  I guess that means that I need to define my audience a bit more and market my work to those folks.  One of my "sisters" gave me a idea, which I intend to follow.  She suggested that I try a different point of view - which is simply brilliant.  Sallianne, I am on it girlfriend!
Another sister/mentor suggested something that I have been missing - YouTube.  So I think that I will ask friends to take video of me working and start creating videos of my process or working plein air or whatever.  Perhaps I will do something inspirational for someone on video.  I like the idea. Thank you Karen! One never knows what will truly connect with the viewer.

Regarding point two; well, I like my lifestyle.  It minimizes the impact of my own situation and the poverty that is prevalent in my world.  No, I don't wear designer clothes or carry designer bags or dine in fancy restaurants.  But in order to get the photos, the paintings, the artworks that represent my world, I do not need or really desire any of those things.  I like to go camping.  Camping is typically inexpensive, fosters creativity, communication  and is a whole lot of fun.

I do desire and quite possibly need a newer vehicle that I can depend upon to carry me around the country on my little adventures.  My current vehicle is over 10 years old and has over 200k miles.  However, each month my old SUV is free unless I need some maintenance.  I hate to give that up because I am not making enough for a $300 a month payment to some rich banker for a replacement and cannot afford the tires/brakes/upkeep or whatever on top of the payment...So...what to do?  Playing the lottery has odds equivalent to becoming a successful artist in my lifetime so I guess I will keep trying to make beautiful art and improve my sales skills... and play the lottery too.
There;  I just doubled my chances!