Art Pride

Pride? I have been thinking about this one a lot lately. What is it about the products we buy that makes us want to show them off? Is it the price? Do we need to spend a ton of money to feel good about what we own? Do we need to have people look at what we got and think “damn, they must have money to own one of those”? Most people I know will go into a store, walk up to something they like only to check the price and find it’s the most expensive one. I know most times it happens to me. I have seen it even happen in our booth.

But just spending an insane amount of money on something doesn’t mean you show pride in owning the product does it? it’s the whole experience behind owning something. When we hear about a product over and over, see people with it, even know people with it, soon we will also want it. I know the more something is out there the more and more it wants to get more out there (and double that if someone puts it into a song). I read something about it taking people 5 times to see something before they buy it, I don’t know how true that is but we are trying hard to get to that number 5 view.

I try not to be one of those pushy salesman type in real life or online. I just inform people of what I do and let them come to me. The whole idea behind going on tour was to build brand recognition and to grow a lager fan base. Some things like these just cant be done sitting in your studio dreaming and even if the internet can gain you views from halfway around the world, there’s nothing like going there and shaking hands and smiling with the public. You gotta get out there by being out there and we are out there. I think of myself much like a musician playing gig after gig, playing just one more venue, meeting one more person, making one more fan and building on it.

The most important part of my job is making sure the people who do come in contact with my art know I draw all the circles freehand. Most will walk by and think they are prints and done with a computer. Sometimes people don’t even notice the circles. So education is of the utmost importance. I show people I draw them freehand, I also talk a little about our touring and how we both work on the art and that that’s it, we have no “real” or “daytime” jobs. I want everyone to have a story behind the piece they buy, I want them to say they saw me drawing, they need to be able to look me in the eyes and shake my hand. Some even take pictures with me to put with the piece. That kind of one on one helps give the art value.

Then with a little luck they will share they experience with everyone who asks about the piece on their wall. With their excitement out there burning up city to city the fire will soon catch on. So buy original art with pride, show it off every chance you get. We all have homes, we all have walls, we all have the same things everyone else has, so set yourself apart with art and celebrate your difference. Go ahead and brag about your kid owning more original art than the neighbor’s kid. Invite people over to wittness the unpacking and hanging of an added piece to your collection, tell them the story of how you found it and how the artists made you laugh. So who rocks your walls?