Thank you! ❤

I have three granddaughters who are very creative, and starting to get into this Internet thing with their arts. As a grandparent, it's kind of scary, but I am also very proud of my granddaughters! Your comment warmed my heart!

Familial support is so nice ❤️.

It’s true! I think it’s a lot of the reason our efforts to “get out there” are lost on social media.

@@erinisabellabee If you're authentic or weirder than the average person, you're likely to get as much worthwhile interaction from making your own obscure website as you'll get from social media. Plus you can do whatever you want and answer to no one.

Not just Art Accounts, although im an artist i run social media for a non-profit railway that supports hospices and charities at events. The exact same thing is happening in the railfan niche. The vast majority of followers on IG and Tiktok are liking and following to step up their own accounts. Genuine interaction is limited

@-gusgarcia Normal is a good thing, you e d ott.

That’s great! And exactly the point I’m getting at - the general public thinks that everything is to be done online now, but I think the art world is thriving in person. In the right environment art will sell well in a gallery or studio. Glad to hear that’s working well for you 😊

@@erinisabellabee Hoping all the best for you! :D

As you said its become so saturated and in a way that cheapens it too, like fast fashion. Its hard to think deeply about a specific work when you're scrolling to the next thing immediately. Not like in a gallery. And also you can easily miss texture, colours, size, not like in a gallery as well. I guess it could be good for exposure, but most of the audience is probably just empty attention anyway (as you alluded to). @@erinisabellabee

My guess, is because your studio and gallery is a physical space that influences people.

Absolutely! Time is out most valuable asset and we have total control over how we use it. Balance is key.

maybe you should just start to let go, why pressure yourself to create? let life unfold like it does, don't force it. 😊😊

That's amazing! It sounds like you seriously did the right thing for yourself. I love that backing off from social media helped you, and that you're able to reconnect with your close friends and your real world life. It sounds like you are using it the way we all used it when it first came out, before it became this big giant flashing light promising fame and fortune. Stoked for you!

@@erinisabellabee thank you for the video, and thank you for the words. I legit hope more people get to see your video and realize that we can't spend our lives glued to a screen. I hope we can all find peace and happiness

I love the sound of this It sounds peaceful. I only have one Instagram account for my dog lol, but I use it to find people who struggle with similar things. I post the things we do and just things I’ve learned. If people find peace in my account I’m happy, if I get no likes on a post I’m happy.

I used to want a lot of followers until I realized that I absolutely do not want that anymore. I only go on Instagram to post occasionally, because I like having all of my artwork in one place. I don’t care about the interaction anymore, and it is very liberating

Absolutely! That’s so true and so frustrating.

I'm so glad this resonated with you! If I can do anything to help people end the doom scrolling then my work is done. It's such a time suck and totally hurts our mental health!

This is so tough for writers! I feel you.

Absolutely! So glad that you have been able to find success outside of the social media world.

That’s awesome! There’s so much opportunity out there and some of the most prolific modern day artists hardly show up on social media. Get it 🙏

beautifully written! Knowing and understanding your self-worth is very important.

I agree that we have the responsibility to show what a real human has in their heart - that's totally the essence of what art should be about! Where things get lost is when our self-worth gets mixed up in how much engagement we're getting on social media - it's totally backwards. We should be creating the art that we want to create, not what we think people want to see.

so true

Totally, everyone wants a piece of the pie but they don't always consider if it's for the right reasons. I could have picked some high-return niche to make my videos about, but I chose art because that's what really matters most to me!

Exactly! Thank you for joining the conversation, it helps to show people proof that it's possible without socials!

I totally agree! Social media was just getting started when I was a young teen. It’s definitely been disheartening to watch what it has done to society.

It really is! There are certainly those who find luck online, but in person is so much more impactful.

I can relate to this so much! I was a hairdresser for 5 years before switching out of the field. It wasn’t for me because of how exhausted I was by talking to people ALL DAY, but it also was so tough how competitive it can be and how much of a popularity contest it is. Good for you for putting yourself first, it’s not easy to do especially in an industry like that!

I hope that you will pick up your tools again, too. It's awful having something made with love used in such a way, but their actions can't take a single thing away from the beauty you create. As another artist, I wish you the best in regaining that inspiration and happiness again that drew you to art initially. ❤

Man if you art is getting copied, it tells you something. That its good! If you enjoy what u are doing, keep doing it and forget the rest.

I'm sorry to hear that your work got copied! That must have been really frustrating. I think to get back to creating you have to remember that you made art for yourself in the first place, not for anyone else. It's so easy to lose sight of that!

I totally agree - it has really hurt the way we interact with each other.

Totally! It's definitely unnatural to have so much influence. In a way it can be a good thing, but too much of anything can be bad!

Good points! The points I made are definitely from my own point of view - living in a big city - but I know it's not the same for those in smaller towns. I do think that those less populated areas can be even better than big cities for building community, though. Some of the small towns I've been to have a closer community than any big city ever could. The idea of being able to generate income via art is definitely a plus with the rise of social media, but it also comes with a lot of downfalls. Being able to have success in that arena almost requires someone to be good at producing content and reaching a wide audience - a skill that is much harder than it looks. Some of the most amazing artists I know struggle month to month because being "seen" and "successful" on social media is VERY tough - there is so much competition for us.

@@erinisabellabeeI’m 50 and gen X, so I can very much see it from the side of someone the grew up without the internet and social media, but it still influenced me at an age where I found it easy enough to learn how to use it. It’s been a big positive in my life, but it’s definitely had its down side. One thing I can tell you for sure, “flow mode” can be easily disrupted even without social media. Especially with undiagnosed ADHD (something the internet made me realise I have!). Also, remember that once upon a time there was a fear that books would ruin humanity. It’s not really “unnatural” to have so much exposure, it’s just something that is new. My life grew hugely when the internet was formed, especially social media. I’ve made friends that I’ve had far, far longer than any I’ve made IRL, because I found people I felt more in common with. It has helped me be more creative, it did allow me to have a creative career for around 10 years, which I ended for some of the reasons you mentioned, pressure to create stuff people wanted to buy was a big one, but that would have happened without the internet. If you want to make a living, for the vast majority of us there’s always going to be a need to make what people want to see or you just can’t live and again, that’s nothing new and will happen without the internet. I do agree with a lot of your points, obviously especially around getting away from the distraction (just don’t assume if the internet wasn’t around “flow mode” would automatically be easy). However, the internet has made being creative much, much easier for everyone in many respects. Even though it has its downsides. (I know you’re not saying otherwise, I just wanted to give an insight from someone older).

Absolutely! It's hard to find the balance. I feel that this platform (KZfaq) at least helps with that. I don't find myself enjoying the shorts scroll as much as I do the Instagram scroll, so I don't get sucked in on this platform - I choose more carefully what I consume here.

It's crazy when you're looking for it how much those signs will appear! I look forward to creating more content on here! ☺

I’m so glad that the message stuck with you! It’s so important to analyze these things and listen to ourselves. There’s a way to find balance in everything and we all have to connect with what works for us.

Thank you! It's definitely a constant effort to find that balance. Best of luck to you as well! 🥰

@@erinisabellabee thank you!🫶🏾

Definitely not alone! ❤️

🥹 The biggest thing I want from this is to have it reach people who need to hear this. I'm so glad you found it!

Absolutely!

I like to think we are much more than the things we have!

🥰 Thank YOU so much! All I wanted was for this message to reach people, and I'm so glad you found it and that it was valuable for you!

Thank you so much! Of course, I'm hoping to get more and more of my thoughts and message out there. It helps to know that it resonates with people! 🖤

I meditate and exercise every morning and it does so much for me, too. It’s so important to continue to connect with yourself!

It takes so much practice to do so! Don't you always find that the best work comes from the times you didn't focus so much on the outcome?

@@erinisabellabee yes! always!

I think we all need to take back the "personal" part of our art journey a little bit. It's so much more difficult to create from your heart when everyone is watching!

I think that's awesome! Do what's true to you and the right people will find you.

Awesome! So glad it helped you 😊

Awesome!!! Thank you for subscribing! 😊😊

Totally, I didn’t directly address the concept of selling out because to a certain extent people do have to make a living - but it really is a thing. I can see how it can be tempting but I also can’t stand to make art that doesn’t make me feel something.

@@erinisabellabee Thanks for replying! For sure. People have to make a living. 💰💰💰 I think what was lost was the push back against the strangle hold corporations have over art (music, film, art gallery’s, etc.) I remember going to shows where bands played, people displayed their art, sold indie comics, sold crafts, gave out zines, etc. Do those events still exist? I remember just a heathy pushback/rebellious attitude against working for some soulless company. From what I understand nowadays many creatives feel that if their work isn’t recognized by the mainstream it’s not worth doing/hold no value. I guess because there is no more local art scene to be apart of. (I’m sure there are some healthy local scenes but not as much as there used to be). Does that make sense?

@@pb2325 Of course! I'm totally here for the conversation. The scene does still exist - the struggle is getting people to come out and appreciate it. There are still musicians and artists pushing for these types of events and hosting them, but it's SO HARD to get people to show up. It really depends on where you live - I'm in Los Angeles where the art scene is still thriving, but the. music scene struggles unless it's what's "popular" right now.

@@erinisabellabee Sorry for the late reply! I grew up in/on NY/Long Island and the scene was great. It’s still going but it’s mostly middle aged people. Not sure what the younger scene is up to. I’ve been in Japan for a number of years and the underground art scene seems to be doing ok but not as massive as it was 15 years ago. I’m really curious about the local scene in LA. Are there still indie comics and publishers? Has everything moved online?

Thanks! Me, too!

I'm so glad you connected with it! Thank you for watching!

Thank you! ☺️

🥹 thank you so much! That means so much to me you don’t even know.

Yay!! So glad it helped ❤️

Thank you so much! And absolutely - that's the whole point after all!

Thank you for watching! Stoked you found it useful ✌️

I’m so glad they could help you! 😊 thank you for listening in!

Thank you for watching it!

Thank you! 🖤 I'm so glad you liked it!

I think that if you aren’t plagiarizing someone else’s idea, you won’t be proven to have done so. No matter how “alike” your original idea may be, it won’t ever be identical to someone else’s. If it’s really that close to someone you admire without even meaning to do so, maybe that’s a sign you SHOULD stick with it because you have a gift! I don’t ever worry about people “thinking” I’m copying someone else, because I’m not and I would not.

@@erinisabellabee thank you. 🥹 I am just really a bit scared because I have read sometimes harsh comments under other people’s works and I was often thinking it might look similar to the works the commenters were referring to but is not the same. It makes me anxious. 😥 but well… in the end, I will only know if I try. 🤔 but since I have a few challenges before I can start, I have enough time to gather courage. 😄

I think it also helps if you are developing the idea in a collection then all the pieces are connected with this theme and make sense together as a unique whole, so one piece resembling another artist becomes just a sync or an inspiration@@lme4339

☺️ I'm stoked it resonated with you! Thank you for watching!

Very true!

Haha exactly! Sometimes we have to slap ourselves out of it a little.

Thank you! That would be wonderful!

So glad you can identify with this message - it's all about mindfulness!

Aww thank you!

Glad you can relate!

It really did, I totally agree. People on the outside looking in see it as more opportunity to get your work out there, but those of us behind the glass know how tough it really has gotten.

I’m a cranky old gen Xer too. It didn’t ruin everything. It isn’t a fact. It changed things, but there was a time when people thought people reading books would be the ruin of humanity. Books changed things, magazines changed thing, TV changed things, movies changed things. Things change and some people don’t like it.

@@erinisabellabeeit’s always been tough and that side of it used to be even tougher because there was often nowhere to show off your work. It’s tough now, but there it means there is a venue for everyone and a slim chance, rather than pretty much no chance for the vast majority. As I said in another comment to you, there’s definitely downsides, but some have always been there in a different form.

Thank YOU for watching! I'm glad you enjoyed 🥰

So glad it helped you! The 20 minute limit definitely helps me with productivity and then staying away from the app.

Honestly, I think KZfaq is the best platform to be on! It has gotten me more reach than any other platform with the most GENUINE responses.

I think people can be a bit too forthcoming with their personal information on the internet, honestly, so good for you! Do what makes you comfortable 🤘

Absolutely! A lot of us struggle with the moderation part - it can be such a time suck.

Totally agree - learning is one of my favorite things to do, and our time is so valuable!

Thank you! ☺️

Thank you!!

Flow state is where it’s at!

Real life is definitely cooler! ❤️

Thank you! Love flow state.

It is disheartening when the posts that don’t even have your artwork in them get the most attention! I see that so much on other artist’s pages. We just have to create what we feel is true to ourselves!

@@erinisabellabee Yeah. Earlier this year I conducted a test by posting a photo of myself on instagram. No art, just my goofy mug. I got 34 likes, including some from people I don't know and don't follow me. My average art post averages around 5 likes. It was disheartening, but it helped me realize what people are primarily drawn to on the platform. That in turn helped me to not place so much stock into how my posts are received.

Isn't it wild?! I've found myself opening the app when I don't even mean to! It definitely takes a CONSCIOUS effort to make these changes.

I don’t have any experience using twitter, but I totally get it! It’s all about creating what makes you happy.

yep. @@erinisabellabee

That’s a great way to do it, I’m sure it’s super effective!

I totally get that! To me, you can look at that two ways: - there is little engagement because the platform rewards consistency by showing your posts to more people, so the lack of engagement is not at all a reflection of your work! - if that still really bums you out, I say just don’t use it! There are soooo many artists that don’t use social media and still find success in galleries and art fairs. Do what maintains your mental health, otherwise your creativity will surely suffer! I will say this though - if you enjoy consuming KZfaq content, you could always try your hand at creating on here. I find that this platform more than any others rewards authenticity - you can make content that is true to you and people will find it. It doesn’t even have to be high quality. Good luck on your endeavors! ❤️

You gotta do what is good for you!

😂

Exactly, it's not all about sharing it! We create first and foremost for our souls.

@@erinisabellabeeYou know what I mean.

Thank you!

It truly is - it's hard to find the balance from seeking inspiration from others and just comparing ourselves to them. I think if it was negatively impacting you it's a great idea to stop watching them!

I think that makes sense! Sometimes I operate in that way as well. I think either way it's all about balance.

It’s great that you’ve made sales! It really does still take effort - that’s the biggest thing. Sometimes you can put forth all the effort in the world and not get those results. I’m totally still figuring out the establishing a network part.

@@erinisabellabee It takes a lot of time. If you manage to get your work shared by other artists who already have a big audience it can go faster. But at the beginning it's very slow and have to give more than you get out of it.

Thank you! Good luck to you as well!

Thank you! Really glad you liked it!

This is a pretty big question, but to me an artist is anyone who creates what they think is art.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Definitely! It's still totally doable - I see it all the time where I live when I go to art shows. There are tons of successful artists who are terrible at social media! 🤣

Thank you!

It hurts the soul, right?!

To me this is like a ranting, venting video.

I do engage with other artists, and I don’t expect anything that I’m not also putting out in to the world. I’m just choosing to limit the amount of time I spend doing so. I’m well aware that I’ll get what I put in to it - I put things up on Instagram to have somewhere for people to find my art when they go looking for it because that’s the way a lot of people look in this someone’s “legitimacy” these days.

It could be a bit of a vent, but I made a point to share what I’m doing to change my relationship with social media along with suggestions for those looking for the same change.

I agree that it's frustrating that AI is on the scene, but I genuinely don't believe it devalues us as human artists at all. I know it seems like a giant dump has been taken on the creative community, but it's a FAKE dump.

@@erinisabellabee Fake dumped indeed, but unfortunately it still stinks up the room like the real thing lol

Absolutely this!

I think it's still worth posting! Think about all of the people who post photos and videos of their daily lives with no expectation of anything in return - the good old days of social media. Thank you so much for the kind words and for taking the time to comment!

Thank you!

This statement wasn't about the fear of death, but the fear of living an unauthentic life.

Man, you had to have been real tired to fall asleep on the toilet. That sounds dangerous!

​​​@@erinisabellabee ... It would have been dangerous if I were an Oompa Loompa.

The most annoying part about that is that it literally says in their policy that nudity is OK in artwork. I’m sorry they took it down!

It is, but the algorithm seems to have a much better design that gets content in front of the right audience. KZfaq also rewards its creators monetarily, which for artists and creatives is how we can keep creating.

🥰

I agree, I'm definitely going into this new year with a totally different vibe with social media. No expectations!