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Subject:   Some more thoughts Name:   Rich Date Posted:   Jan 28, 08 - 7:13 AM Email:   red_bellied_newt@yahoo.co.uk Message:   It occurred to me after our second meeting that I am not the only person who has had difficulty with the notion of selling my work. The way I see it is that art needs to be grounded in reality to be exciting. Art that's accessible to all (I don't necessarily mean free by the way!). I'm interested in my work reaching as many people as possible (without compromising my integrity). I don't think art should be exclusive and deemed too "evolved" to be sold. Why not? Is what we do so important it is beyond value? Is being an artist not worthy of payment? I only say these things as I have had all these thoughts and admittedly been a bit of a purist until recently. The truth is I have wanted to sell my work but I don't know how. I've struggled to bring the creative and the worldly together and I believe bridging that gap (however horrendous it may seem) is the challenge for me now and not something to avoid. Otherwise I would only share my work with those who got it. How boring. How limited. For me, art grounded in reality is about making a living from what I love doing. Simple as that. Not floating off on my cloud of artistic self-importance. The aboriginal Australians sell their work - and they are as far removed from our material world as you can get! I am not and never will be inspired by money. I have spent a fair few years living outside and am far from wealthy, but to say art is beyond value for me is an illusion that has made me miserable and blocked for far too long.

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