Loving your progress "unplugging" it makes sense to me. It's great that it's helped with your productivity. I myself struggle with instagram ever since it's been taken over by Meta. The number of people who see my posts have gotten much smaller, even though the audience was never that big to begin with. I think they are trying to get us artists to pay. Kudos to the lucky ones who seem to have a strong following. I find substack essential for getting my message out. Facebook is ok, not as bad as instagram oddly enough. My boundary is avoiding doom scrolling through reels. Work in progress but it's getting better.
Thank you Lydia ..I am putting my phone aside also for longer stretches . I would like to return to the old me who checked emails now and again and did not rush to respond to comments ,messages etc. If you check out the video on my post via link on "Death of the Follower " Jack Cont clearly outlines why the people who see your posts have disappeared..The video is longish but well worth watching. It's never about the quality of what you post or how often you post any longer ..I'm not even convinced that numbers matter any more. Happy to know you are appreciating Substack ! !
Loving this Heather! I am feeling so exhausted from social media and the full time artist gig. I’ve been enjoying reading your post. I loved your illustration of when you tripped over your kitchen drawer. I giggled. Sorry for the pain though! It’s nice to see someone braving a new world here.
I have recently been pulling back a bit. I find I couldn’t care less about posting on IG and FB. It used to be so important to me and all consuming in many ways. I shut off messenger on my art page due to the literal daily scams that 1 out of 5 is real. I got into a prestigious gallery and May and ended up hating it and now this is my last month. It was demanding and I felt like a wholesale provider for them. I’m just so tired of producing and producing. I am ready for change too and 52 to boot:) Keep writing Heather! Kate
Kate! Thank you so much for this response! I do completely understand the exhaustion ! It's difficult as a self promoting artist to find the right route in these changing times. Marketing our art shouldn't be a full time job without benefits! Finding that sweet spot is key I feel . I have had very positive and horrid experiences with galleries over time so understand where you are coming from. . I was attracted to Substack as I could invite my people here -and there seems to be more opportunity to connect more deeply with others. I have always loved your art ! I hope you discover the balance you need and deserve as an artist
I have also pulled way back. I did find my self checking in to see family over our Thanksgiving weekend, also i am looking for something on marketplace so I do a quick check there as well. I really feel your absolutely right, it has given me some sales, but in the end the soul sucking way doesn't feel good any more. I am fortunate to have a bricks and mortar platform for my work. I do feel that also has positives and negatives too. But for now I'm grateful for it and keeping involved with the local art community and our sketch book group seems to fill me up enough.
Thank you for this comment Elaine . It's always lovely to be in solidarity with other artists like yourself! it's been trial and error for me ,and many missteps along the way but I do know now I do not want to create a ball and chain for myself by monitoring my posts constantly and then being seduced into scrolling/posting further. It's a machine with a powerful pull indeed. It's great to be in the mindspace of not fearing that I am missing out! The outdoors and my art table beckon!
I found myself checking your SM's while you were away, and then remembering you had unplugged, Because we communicate with each other so often I was at a loss as to how I could just ask how the trip was going. I realise I was under considerable stress at the time because I would have known that there is still email and text (but roaming fees for texting 🙄) but this is how social media works, our minds feel there is no other channels to pursue. All consuming at times. I myself am finding, as I get older, that our choices in how to live have been limited. Something as simple as a "land-line" telephone is no longer available, when the Networks do an update emergency calls are no longer available (how is this acceptable??). Congratulations Heather! This was a big brave step for you, an artist who has built her art career recently on Social Media to get the word about your work and sales. But you have shown us that there is another way! Brava! and Thank You.
Loving your progress "unplugging" it makes sense to me. It's great that it's helped with your productivity. I myself struggle with instagram ever since it's been taken over by Meta. The number of people who see my posts have gotten much smaller, even though the audience was never that big to begin with. I think they are trying to get us artists to pay. Kudos to the lucky ones who seem to have a strong following. I find substack essential for getting my message out. Facebook is ok, not as bad as instagram oddly enough. My boundary is avoiding doom scrolling through reels. Work in progress but it's getting better.
Thank you Lydia ..I am putting my phone aside also for longer stretches . I would like to return to the old me who checked emails now and again and did not rush to respond to comments ,messages etc. If you check out the video on my post via link on "Death of the Follower " Jack Cont clearly outlines why the people who see your posts have disappeared..The video is longish but well worth watching. It's never about the quality of what you post or how often you post any longer ..I'm not even convinced that numbers matter any more. Happy to know you are appreciating Substack ! !
Loving this Heather! I am feeling so exhausted from social media and the full time artist gig. I’ve been enjoying reading your post. I loved your illustration of when you tripped over your kitchen drawer. I giggled. Sorry for the pain though! It’s nice to see someone braving a new world here.
I have recently been pulling back a bit. I find I couldn’t care less about posting on IG and FB. It used to be so important to me and all consuming in many ways. I shut off messenger on my art page due to the literal daily scams that 1 out of 5 is real. I got into a prestigious gallery and May and ended up hating it and now this is my last month. It was demanding and I felt like a wholesale provider for them. I’m just so tired of producing and producing. I am ready for change too and 52 to boot:) Keep writing Heather! Kate
Kate! Thank you so much for this response! I do completely understand the exhaustion ! It's difficult as a self promoting artist to find the right route in these changing times. Marketing our art shouldn't be a full time job without benefits! Finding that sweet spot is key I feel . I have had very positive and horrid experiences with galleries over time so understand where you are coming from. . I was attracted to Substack as I could invite my people here -and there seems to be more opportunity to connect more deeply with others. I have always loved your art ! I hope you discover the balance you need and deserve as an artist
I have also pulled way back. I did find my self checking in to see family over our Thanksgiving weekend, also i am looking for something on marketplace so I do a quick check there as well. I really feel your absolutely right, it has given me some sales, but in the end the soul sucking way doesn't feel good any more. I am fortunate to have a bricks and mortar platform for my work. I do feel that also has positives and negatives too. But for now I'm grateful for it and keeping involved with the local art community and our sketch book group seems to fill me up enough.
Thank you for this comment Elaine . It's always lovely to be in solidarity with other artists like yourself! it's been trial and error for me ,and many missteps along the way but I do know now I do not want to create a ball and chain for myself by monitoring my posts constantly and then being seduced into scrolling/posting further. It's a machine with a powerful pull indeed. It's great to be in the mindspace of not fearing that I am missing out! The outdoors and my art table beckon!
I found myself checking your SM's while you were away, and then remembering you had unplugged, Because we communicate with each other so often I was at a loss as to how I could just ask how the trip was going. I realise I was under considerable stress at the time because I would have known that there is still email and text (but roaming fees for texting 🙄) but this is how social media works, our minds feel there is no other channels to pursue. All consuming at times. I myself am finding, as I get older, that our choices in how to live have been limited. Something as simple as a "land-line" telephone is no longer available, when the Networks do an update emergency calls are no longer available (how is this acceptable??). Congratulations Heather! This was a big brave step for you, an artist who has built her art career recently on Social Media to get the word about your work and sales. But you have shown us that there is another way! Brava! and Thank You.