Babble + Yak

Yak:Emma I think that its fairly safe to say that most makers (including crafters and artists-I am just using the one word for convenience) have a peak selling time, and that for most makers, their peak time is the run up to Christmas.  I applied for my Edinburgh Christmas show in May, my November show shortly afterwards.  Me and Jess have been talking, thinking, and planning Christmas really, since the summer.   For the best part of last week I have been home home.  I walked by the sea, always a head clearer, worked on some new screen prints and if I am honest watched a few (too many according to my Dad and Jess) Christmas films.  Now I am not talking your 'classic' Christmas films like Elf, the Grinch or a Wonderful life but Christmas at Pemberley Manor, A Very Country Christmas and my most recent watch; Switched at Christmas.  You may laugh, roll your eyes or judge, or think what has this got to do with being a maker but bear with me I ...

Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up” – PabloPicasso Yak: Emma  I have found it increasingly difficult to make art without the purpose being to sell it.   When deciding to start a creative business, the work I was producing was made for me.   I was creating work because I wanted to create it.   As time has gone on, with some of my work, not all of it, there has been a little voice in the back of my head questioning is this for me? Or am I making it because I know it will sell.   Now the purist out there might think I am a sell out, I am not, I am simply a creative who loves to make and wants to make a living out of what I love so must find a balance.  Or do I? even in the  writing of this short post I have wrestled with myself about this point.  Its good business sense to be commercial, but is it good for me as an artist? Is there a balance? Or is it a case of unleashing what's within and letting the a...