"If you're clear on your goals, you won't be jealous of other artists."

Why Are Artists So Often Jealous of One Another?

(Transcript)

Ann Rea: 00:00 It is a lot easier to accomplish things when you have defined an achievable, specific goal.

It is 10 times easier if you have a study partner or if you have a community or if you have a mentor like me. You’re much more likely to accomplish it and have a lot more fun along the way.

So if you don’t have someone in your life who’s got your back and who understands your deep desire to make and to sell art, you need to have somebody in that category in your life sooner rather than later.

Too many artists are very isolated. It’s very isolating. They’re very isolated by nature, right? You have to spend an enormous amount of time by yourself making art.

What makes artists jealous?

And let’s face it, a lot of other artists are in competition with one another because of the scarcity and permission-based art establishment.

So that scarcity breeds competition amongst artists, and that competition breeds jealousy, and that jealousy breeds snobbery.

Ann Rea: 01:02 We all know the snobby artist and snobby gallerist.

What is that snobbery really about?

It’s really just a very thin and flimsy veil covering deep insecurity.

And when you’re talking to affluent collectors, there are affluent for a reason because their confidence and they don’t fall for the snobby bullshit.

So be yourself and tell the truth because the truth is the best marketing strategy. And if you don’t know your mission, you need to find out.

I obviously want to recommend that you apply to enroll in Making Art Making Money program.

But in the interim, you can start by writing down your SMARTER goal and finding yourself an accountability partner or a study partner who will, who will be in lock step with you as you both accomplish your goal.

Ann Rea

Ann Rea, Fine Artist & Mentor

Ann Rea is a San Francisco-based fine artist. She created Making Art Making Money, the leading and most reputable business program for fine artists since 2005. Rea’s art and business savvy have been featured on ABC, HGTV, Creative Live, The Good Life Project, in the book Career Renegade by Jonathan Fields, the San Francisco Chronicle, Art Business News, Fortune, and Inc. Magazines. Rea’s artistic talent was commended by her mentor, art icon Wayne Thiebaud. 

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5 Responses

  1. I went to the Photoville Photography exhibition on the Brooklyn waterfront over the weekend. I love their workshops and their Leica camera loan program. And I love photographing people there, and speaking with other artists, listening to what they have to say and to their experiences as photographers. But as I walked around the photo exhibits, I kept feeling angrier and more frustrated because of my jealousy. Why was some of this mediocre work given a huge place to exhibit and a huge audience (including well known photographers and publishers, etc., who would see their work)? Of course there was fabulous work there. Of course I was very moved by so much of it. I just couldn’t stop feeling that it wasn’t fair that my work was rejected, when it would have totally stood up to the quality of what I was seeing. I didn’t want to feel that way any more, so I had to go home. I hated it that I felt so defeated.

    1. It’s great that you are honest about how you feel BUT jealousy is a product of the scarcity and permission based art establishment which is what you describe above.

      Do you want to “show” your art at this fair or do you want to “sell” your art. These are two very different objectives.

      You can always show you art if you “pay to play.”

      Jealousy is the opposite of duty. No artist is entitled to recognition or sales.

      If you want to sell your art then it is your duty to serve a mission greater than yourself and deliver it to a target market.

  2. Not gonna lie, I felt envious of other artists before but never tried sabotaging them, instead I just wished I had their amazing skills but I don’t feel (not that much) like this anymore. I decided to improve my own art and I’m satisfied with the results so far.

    What has been annoying me is how someone I know acts towards my art. They trace copyrighted images in a drawing app then just apply random colors and pass as their own art and sell commissions done on this way, and whenever I share my art this person tries to “offuscate” mine immediately by posting their own art with a manipulative subtitle or something completely random as if to the other people don’t see what I’ve posted. This person also lives for the praise and absolutely hates constructive criticism to the point of making a scene, yet made sure to try to tear down a drawing of mine that didn’t looked very good.

    I couldn’t be less interested in competing with them or trying to prove anything because my audience and techiniques are completely different but I think it’s sad how a grown up person decides to do that instead of using their envy to improve themselves….

  3. Very rarely. Throughout school, college, etc., I have always been singled out for my art in a positive way, but so far I haven’t tried to sell myself. Still, the early accolades have formed a sort of secure ‘core’ or art confidence, which might actually seem arrogant to others, I don’t know. I was recently rejected for an art show, and though I was disappointed at first, my response was to look at ways to get more attention, and to research the shows and the judges! I mean, if they’re looking for ‘locals’ in their county, or seem to favour indigenous artists, etc, or well-known people, how am I ever going to compete. I am so pleased I have this tough skin because it will mean I’ll keep trying.
    I have had jealousy directed AT me. I draw very well and everyone knows whether they admit it to themselves or not that it’s the most fundamental art skill no matter what you end up doing on canvas or print. I had a ‘friend’ for many years who I met at one of my earlier college courses who simply could never learn to draw, and her attempts to undermine my confidence were quite obvious, I always saw through her.
    There is one lady I know right now who draws as well as I do and I am not competitive with her in the least, nor she with me. We do very different paintings and have different goals and we appreciate and support each other. It’s so nice, and refreshing.

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