Smart Art

It is not all about the money. Sure, we all have dreams of making loads of money from creating things we were born to make, but the end game of being an artist has more to do with making history than making money.

The most famous fashion houses today are a true testament as to what kind of ‘legendary’ we seek to be. We still utter the names of dead designers when speaking of today’s fashion. If that is not considered legendary; then I do not know what is. See? It doesn’t really matter whether you are chasing a slow dime or a quick penny because you will end up at the same place if you are not consistent in your actions.

Making history is one of the things that does not require you to have money. It may involve tons of sacrifices, but what level of greatness does not? So at some point in your life you are going to have to figure out what kind of artist you are; a slow dime or a quick penny or do you want to be legendary?

Sure, you could argue that accumulated money could make you a legend, but for a true artist, you would have missed the point. “I was a legend because my work was legendary.” That statement is what truly drives us all.

It’s disappointing to see that the spirit of art is dying in Namibia. No one wants to do anything for free any more; even if making history is at stake. I cannot say that I don’t understand the dilemma because in the same light, we are all trying to cultivate a lucrative industry, therefore, we feel the need to be all about the money. However, we are going about it the wrong way. See, to truly be in business, not just as a fashion designer, but as any creative, you are going to have to do some things for free.

The only caution is to be picky about what you do for free. A baker will host cake-tastings and cater for desert at events in exchange for recognition and the opportunity to set up and display their work. Designers have celebrities.

Again, you have to be selective about who you choose to work with depending on the calibre of clientele you want to attract. It is by far the best advertising you will ever do and no matter what it costs you, you will find that it will all come back to you tenfold because of that one free job.

These are the sacrifices of any artist. If you had to gift your best art piece to the biggest art collector in the country, you would do it. Not in the hopes that he will pay you for it, but rather because every time someone sees it in his house and loves it, you gain a client. So again: It’s not about the money.

A quick dime or a slow penny can be made at any given moment doing just about anything. Money is easily acquired doing ordinary things. History… Not so much. You would have to do something extraordinary. That is what any smart artist would do – make smart art.