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Friday, December 3, 2010

Times are Tough for Everybody

When money is tight, and the economy is hurting, artwork is the last thing people think about. It was and always has been a luxury item; something people buy after food and rent.

It’s not a staple. You don’t need it to survive. When all is said and done, art is the last thing you consider buying after all your bills are paid. That is if you have any money left at the end of the month. With unemployment at an all-time high, these factors have increased ten-fold.

I shared some “starving-artist” recipes with you awhile back, and joked about how that phrase goes in and out of fashion, depending on the economy. Today it’s not a joke, and competition between artists is getting ugly.


There are many “wanna be” artists out there; people who hang up their shingle thinking they might make some extra cash when times are tough. Doodlers and drawers come out of the woodwork and offer their wares at next-to-nothing cost. People are getting hungry and desperate. The disparity between the rich and the poor is growing.

I didn’t intend to make this a doom and gloom piece, but it seems to be heading that way. Even normally successful businesses are being hurt. Government policy, unsavory business practices, and greed have brought us to our knees. Like you, I’m waiting for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Our economy needs us to go on a spending spree, but most of us are tightening our belts. After all, it was our money taken from us through taxes that got us into this mess in the first place. And now they’re asking us to give them even more by increasing taxes on gas, food, and staples.



If we managed our personal budgets the way the government manages our tax dollars, we’d all be living on the street.


This holiday season, I wish each of you cheer, blessings, and the faith in yourself necessary to get you through this. I’ll need the same. If we pull together, support one another, and help one another, somehow we’ll get through this. On the bright side: art is an investment; it can lift your spirits and define your "space" in a good way.





Photos in this blog, including my bird artwork, were taken inside the “Green ‘n Groovy” store at Bella Vista Shops off Daniel’s Parkway in Fort Myers. Owner, Lisa Boucher, has a broad array of merchandise from recycled art, funky jewelry and clothing to new and unique, one-of-a-kind pieces.

7 comments:

  1. Nice Blog, thanks for sharing!

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  2. Hey, Joe, thanks for stopping by! I admire and respect your talent. Folks, click on artsinwonderland.com/

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  3. Many thanks for your refreshingly honest summary of the way things are for many of us at present. The relatively low cost is one of the reasons I'm concentrating on greeting card design at present, rather than trying to sell my paintings. But it takes an awful lot of greeting card sales to make ends meet but, as you say, we all need to encourage and help one another, particularly in these hard times.

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  4. It is unfortunate that when times are tough, arts and culture are seen as expendable items. there is a need to feed people beyond their physical needs. True art collectors will always know that. This isn't a slam against people that don't buy art. I need to pay bills in tough times too and consequently make decisions based on that. What's needed is more recognition for where art fits in a society's priorities and the benefits gained by encouraging a thriving arts community.

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  5. Thank you everyone for your thoughtful comments. I agree wholeheartedly that art should be as important as other necessities in life. Sadly, it isn't always viewed that way i.e. budget cuts in schools, etc. If we all stick together and sound off, we can make a difference!

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  6. t is nice yet sad that their are others out there who understand how we got into this mess. just wish that congress would figure it out. even after the lase election when people were shouting we need change and vote many new people into office we still see party bickering and dead lock on policy changes. Now the republican party is holding unemployment extensions as hostage for their agenda items.
    why don't we vote to freeze their paycheck until they get the economy running again. Who else gets paid for doing nothing but standing around and saying do not want to do it that way. Thank you for putting this blog up and I pray that we will get back on the right track soon

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  7. I do, too. I appreciate your comments! Don't you just want to take those politicians (all of them) and smack them!

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