My thoughts on decorative art

A very good friend said to me the other day:

“I love what you do, but we worry about you as friends. There are so many artists out there who produce beautiful decorative artworks. As a person who recently bought my own place and want to decorate it, I don’t really worry about the message behind the artwork. Is it worth it for you to put so much effort in when making decorative art?”

I didn’t answer her immediately, but I thought it over after that night, and here are my thoughts:

Yes, people do buy art to decorate their home

Short term wise, decorative art is easier to sell – especially when you can quickly produce many designs to fit different colour palettes and styles. It can be a great way for an artist to support themselves. However, a piece of art acquired for purely decorative purpose will only be relevant as long as it fits the style of the room.

Aesthetic goes out of fashion, stories don’t

In contemporary culture of fast art, there is a new look every other day. You may have 10 pieces of art on your walls, but the most talked about piece is always going to be the most intriguing one, the one which you have a story to tell about. People ask me about the story behind each piece all the time, and I do have answers ready for them.

Another thing you might have noticed is that I rarely dress my subjects in contemporary clothing. This is not only because I find beauty from our honest bodies, but also I don’t want my stories to be limited in a particular era. Another thing is aesthetic can be imitated faster than you can get your head around, where stories can’t.

There are many ways an artist can support themselves.

For many artists, it all comes to the money issue. How can an artist survive if they can’t sell their original works like hot cakes? The short answer is:  don’t rely on just selling the originals. If you look over the entire artist career and see the value they bring to the world, original artwork is just a very little part of the whole story. Artists can get funding for public projects, do commission works, write books, design merchandise or even do public speaking. The list is endless if you put your thinking cap on.

Original artwork is the rawest form of idea which will be collected by people who believe in me

I define my success by how many people I have impacted through my artworks. The people who will collect my artworks are the ones who believe in me, who want to see more of what I create, who are on the journey with me all the way. The act of collecting might happen now or later, it depends on one’s situation, but it will happen eventually if they are that kind of person.