How to get a million people to see my work (...Buddy Holly and your parents)
This week two things dawned on me as I wrestle with my Quest Of The Four Questions (how to get more humans to see my artwork, to care, to give money and before I’m dead).
First, humanity’s greatest quests always set unfathomable imagination-capturing goals. In 1961 Kennedy declared he wanted to put a man on the moon by the end of the decade, in 1960 Nike’s goal was to ‘crush Adidas’ and in 1495 Christopher Columbus proposed to reach the East by sailing West.
Second, life is shorter when you realise Buddy Holly died a year into his fame at 22 and if you see your parents once a year that may only be a further ten times.
So today I’m sharing unfathomable goals for my Quest Of The Four Question. I’ll keep a tally in my sketchbook to share with you…
(If you gasped, then, good!)
Of course to help thousands of people care starts with one, so I wanted to share this encouraging note from someone that hinted I’m on a right track. It’s why I spend the dark early mornings alone with my ink, thoughts and imagination. They purchased an award-winning piece of mine about travellers on a bus called ‘Tales from the 470’.
“Yes, I really am happy to support your imagination and hope lots of others do too. I love the idea that someone is out there in my own neighbourhood noticing things in a way that gives us all pause to look at things better and deeper. Keep on looking.”
I also know that people care most when they are familiar with my subject matter so here are two more pieces inspired by people I spotted at my first World's 1st Ever Honesty Box Gallery Exhibition (the body-swapping machine and the wizard)...
With a grand goal I now need to make some big bets and that’s to where I turn next…
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Previous post: Why we're all like this artwork of mine (and my challenge to you…)
The whole journey: 'World's 1st Ever Honesty Box Gallery Exhibition' Adventure
Why we're all like this artwork of mine (and my challenge to you…)
For the past month I've been on an epic adventure to answer the four questions that torture all artists. So I'd like a quiet fireside chat with you to reflect for a moment.
(I call it ‘Quest Of The Four Questions’ which are how to get more humans to see my artwork, to care, to give money and before I’m dead).
Let me explain the predicament of the first question by sharing the tale of a man named Galbraith.
You see, Galbraith's predicament is that of all artists on earth. But it's also yours if you long to write a book or sing a song or merge your conglomerate to make the world's largest. You're a Galbraith if you want to create something for other people.
But if getting more humans to see my work was the only question to answer I would purchase a Times Square billboard (incidentally, if you can help me with this I'll happily accept...). Inspiring people to care is another matter.
That's why I hide in plain sight around the city and capture unnoticed people then imagine their tales. Tales have a way of floating over the defenses of humans and piercing their hearts.
Here is an artwork I completed recently that inspired care (there were supportive people and ridiculing, but people definitely cared)...
The City Of Sydney and City Of Brisbane both shared it with their parking inspectors which was a victory for the second question.
I'd now like to give you (yes, you reading this now) a small challenge for the next one week. I hope it will help you care...
I'd love to hear how you go (just contact me here).
Next up I've got an unusual way to answer the Quest Of The Four Questions.
If you'd like to follow my adventures I'd love to keep you in the loop by subscribing to my newsletter here.
Previous post: The theft of my Honesty Box art (and does a sign make all the difference?)
The whole journey: 'World's 1st Ever Honesty Box Gallery Exhibition' Adventure
The theft of my Honesty Box art (and does a sign make all the difference?)
Getting people to care about my artwork is the second in my Quest Of The Four Questions (right after getting more human beings see my artwork).
There was a time when no one cared for Picasso's silly triangles or Damien Hirst’s gaudy gold art because tomorrow’s masterpieces are unloved today. Or worse, unnoticed.
So I did two things this week with my World’s 1st Ever Honesty Box Gallery Exhibition to inspire care (and a thief - or the wind - but more on that in a moment).
First, I displayed my hand written sign that explains the story of the Honesty Box on a prominent window ledge in Clarence Street. I’ve learnt the voodoo magic of a story to ignite human imagination (and watched as passersby read it).
Second, price is the town crier of value so I added $120 price tags to some of my personally signed original prints.
What happened? Upon returning less than an hour later they were gone (accompanied by a spike in visits to my website from that location).
Some may be shaken by the prospect of a thief in my midst who took valuable unattended goods but what better proof that a human being cares about my artwork? (after all, the greatest artists have been subject to art heists).
On a quainter note I also shared this Emma and Tom’s juice print with the owner’s of that brand and gifted a number of similar pieces to the architectural firm whose window ledge I used above. It showed me the power of telling a story not to passing foot traffic but one on one, to individuals that inspires care.
There was also a near-miss for serendipity. I wrote a note on facebook to Gumption Coffee (in The Strand, Sydney) after a print of mine was collected by their wait staff. I was contacted by someone who’d flown in to see the Archibald Prize and missed finding it by merely 15 minutes.
Where will the Honesty Box take me next? I’ll soon find out.
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Previous post: What happens when art is left on a seat? (and other public places)
The whole journey: 'World's 1st Ever Honesty Box Gallery Exhibition' Adventure
What happens when art is left on a seat (and other public places)?
My 'World's 1st Ever Honest Box Gallery Exhibition' took a sharp turn to the unexpected this week by leaving the safety of a room with four walls for a room without and a gigantic blue roof called the sky.
Yes, my next experiment went into the big wide world...
To mark the occasion I created four new works of unnoticed objects specifically for everyday locations with tales to make the audience think (you can also purchase one for yourself here!)
These works became personally signed artworks encased in a plastic covering, marked with a price tag and instructions on the back then left around the city of Sydney (two were signed in white ink with a larger price tag).
Of course trading venues presented challenges unfamiliar to great galleries of the world like the Guggenheim Museum or the Tate or the Museum Of Old And New Art.
- When people aren't expecting art, will they notice it?
- A thoroughfare has people but does it have attention?
- Would my artworks be mistaken for rubbish and disposed of?
These questions (as part of my bigger Quest Of The Four Questions) and more will be answered next…
In the meantime, I’d love to hear from you (contact me here) if you’d like to place some of these works around your city...
Or if you work at the Guggenheim Museum or the Tate or Museum Of Old And New Art perhaps you’d like to take my Honesty Box inhouse?
If you'd like to follow my adventures I'd love to keep you in the loop by subscribing to my newsletter here.
