Clayton Hauck 7/13/24 Clayton Hauck 7/13/24

2024 07 13

One of my favorite things about youtube is the small channels I randomly come across, like this one, which posted a simple video with some geographical triva and history. An older couple out and about creating content just because they find it interesting to explore and share some knowledge with the rest of us… or perhaps they are angling to be the next Mr Beast. I don’t know.

I was out in this part of the world a few years back. It was my first time exploring Duluth, Minnesota and Superior, Wisconsin. While there, I was struck by the history of the place. Clearly, this region was historically swarming with activity due to the large ports and industrial infrastructure. As I drove around, I imagined how the place had changed so dramatically since globalization took hold and how it might change back as globalizations wanes. Then, I ventured to the nearest brewery and was struck by how modern and, dare I say, hip the scene in Duluth was. Quaint, yes, but people are moving there and doing things. It’s a big world out there and there are increasingly more ways to explore it.

-Clayton

-Clayton

Clayton Hauck 5/17/24 Clayton Hauck 5/17/24

2024 05 17

Putting yourself out there as an artist is rather daunting. I’ve long preferred the more transactional method of calling myself an editorial and commercial photographer. I have what someone wants (a skill in making nice images) and they have something I want (money, and sometimes exposure). It’s a deal! Although, the money side of the deal is proving to be increasingly challenging these days, which is a topic for another day. In part because of the increasingly changing photography landscape (more supply, less demand) and in part because I’m getting older and wanting to focus more on things I want to focus on, I’ve been turning a bit more towards calling myself, and acting like, an artist.

While this artful pivot is still a slow-moving work-in-progress, I’m finding my brain is becoming a bit more in tune with the things needed to move down the path towards art. Things that a younger me would decide are deal-breakers, an older me sees more as fun challenges and absurd realities that can further fuel my drive to create things. I realize I’m being quite vague here, however, most of what I’m referencing boils down to sales. Things I rather dislike about my current reality in the commercial photography world (selling yourself by any means possible) are also things that successful (not always good) artists also understand and excel at. Always Be Closing.

I have no idea if I’ll ever become a successful artist, as taking myself seriously enough is a challenge I may never overcome. Pricing an image or art piece at $10,000 because it’s worth it is something I find much harder to do when the prospective buyer is the general public, as it immediately rules out 99% of the population and means your buyer will be a rich collector or investor type, and I fancy myself more a man of the people. Defense Mechanism Alert!

But who am I kidding, really? I currently sell my images for $10,000 to corporations, who can afford it, while thinking this is a more justified and acceptable path. Is it?

via Allison Schrager’s Known Unknowns substack:

Becoming a successful artist these days takes jumping through a series of hoops: the Yale MFA, showing at the right galleries, and—if you are lucky—being featured at events like the Biennial. It is hard to imagine that anyone who works at any of these places would indulge an artist who doesn’t adhere to the doctrine.

But that is also the case for many of our most elite institutions, in consulting, media, academia…—pretty much everywhere. And the result is more predictability and less creativity. Don’t take this as an anti-woke rant. Some of the institutions I have in mind are not woke by any stretch, but they still demand a certain type of employee who went to a certain type of school and is conformist in nature. And this really matters in a winner-take-all economy, because climbing to the top of these institutions, or affiliation with them, is important, at least more important than it used to be. No wonder productivity is down.

I liked this quote above from Allison because it showcases how the art world is largely structured and guarded just like any other line of work. This idea is originally what kept away from the art world but these days is more so pushing me towards it.

My 40’s will be interesting as I have no idea where I will be in another ten years. The landscape may change so much I’ll be forced to move to a trade (certified arborist, here I come!) and leave photography altogether; or perhaps we’ll all be living easy off our universal basic income checks. But for now: Fine, art.

-Clayton

While this artful pivot is still a slow-moving work-in-progress, I’m finding my brain is becoming a bit more in tune with the things needed to move down the path towards art. Things that a younger me would decide are deal-breakers, an older me sees more as fun challenges and absurd realities that can further fuel my drive to create things. I realize I’m being quite vague here, however, most of what I’m referencing boils down to sales. Things I rather dislike about my current reality in the commercial photography world (selling yourself by any means possible) are also things that successful (not always good) artists also understand and excel at. Always Be Closing.

I have no idea if I’ll ever become a successful artist, as taking myself seriously enough is a challenge I may never overcome. Pricing an image or art piece at $10,000 because it’s worth it is something I find much harder to do when the prospective buyer is the general public, as it immediately rules out 99% of the population and means your buyer will be a rich collector or investor type, and I fancy myself more a man of the people. Defense Mechanism Alert!

But who am I kidding, really? I currently sell my images for $10,000 to corporations, who can afford it, while thinking this is a more justified and acceptable path. Is it?

via Allison Schrager’s Known Unknowns substack:
Becoming a successful artist these days takes jumping through a series of hoops: the Yale MFA, showing at the right galleries, and—if you are lucky—being featured at events like the Biennial. It is hard to imagine that anyone who works at any of these places would indulge an artist who doesn’t adhere to the doctrine.

-Clayton