Art + Social Media
I have three blog post drafts sitting in . . . what is it? A blog post box? My to-be-posted queue? I don't know. Anyway, the point is that I've been trying to find something to talk about and I can't.
Well, maybe that's not true.
I read a great article about social media last week. And it's had me back on my social-media-should-I-shouldn't-I hamster wheel again. Not that I ever left. And I started trying to find some articles or thoughts about why artists should or shouldn't use social media. And all I found was articles about why they should. When only one side of an argument is represented in a general Google search it's usually a bad sign. Which makes me suspicious and irritated. Come on guys. I can list the reasons why and artist should use social media in my sleep. I know why I should be in there. I just can't shake the idea, the feeling really, that I shouldn't be.
Anyway, Andrew Peterson's essay that I mentioned above was refreshing. But, playing devil's advocate, he's an established artist. People go looking for his work. He has a community already.
So I guess where I am now is is social media necessary to establish yourself as an artist in today's society? Which might be a better question. Because, for myself, I know the answer to is social media a good thing? (For me personally, no.) Now, I think the best way to engage with an artistic community might be at things like conferences and galleries. But. Getting to the place where you tentatively have people to meet and talk to at these events. That might require some use of social media. Maybe not the posting my work, but engaging other people about their work.
Ugh. I am so not good at this.
But that's okay; it just means I have lots of room to grow.
At the end of the day, social media is a tool. It's how I use it that makes it good or bad.
