“Emerging Artist”

There are some really arbitrary rules in the arts.

According to someone else who decided this, there are three categories or professional levels to artistry: Emerging, Mid-Career and Established. They don’t have anything to do with age or talent, but each of these levels comes with their own set of rules.

The evolution of someone’s career will change as:

• Their portfolio grows

• They develop a signature style

• Their business evolves

• The size of their audience grows, and

• They begin to sell more art consistently

Someone is considered an Emerging Artist for the first ten years of selling art. For me, this means I have more years as an Emerging Artist. I didn’t start selling my art on the public market until two years ago.

One thing to keep in mind is that these aren’t combined with other forms of art. If I was considered a mid-career sculptor and switched over painting, that title would not automatically transfer over to my new craft.

It’s Just a Term…

These titles can feel really limiting. If you’re like me, you might choose to throw it all out the window. 

“Emerging Artist” is a technical term. I don’t really use it because I’ve been making art my whole life. I still have journals and sketchbooks that go all the way back to high school, but I don’t have a body of work to show that my title should be anything other than Emerging at this time.

Honestly, this system makes me want to say “fuck the rules.” I’ve always been an outsider and I don’t aspire to be like those who have had the privilege of going to art school. That option wasn’t and still isn’t accessible to me.

I get to continue on with my own journey of learning in a way that works for ME.