How To Define Success?
November 10, 2011
The November 2011 symposium sponsored by the San Francisco Bay Area Metal Arts Guild had me thinking...
A portion of the programming is titled, "What Does Success Look Like in the Jewelry World?" The panel discussion will be led by Sarah Turner, Assistant Director for Academic Affairs at Cranbrook Academy of Art. Panelists include Lola Brooks (artist, faculty at Rhode Island School of Design), Brigitte Martin (Founder, Chief Editor of Crafthaus), and Sienna Patti (owner of Sienna Gallery).
The big question remains...How do you define success?
Is the definition of success external or internal? By external, I mean by measures such as the number of books or galleries that represent your work. External might be how much work you sell. Internal is how you feel inside. Do you meet your personal goals?
What do you mean by “Success”?
Is reputation a marker of success?
Is making money a definition of success? Do you have to make money to be successful?
If you sell work at high prices, is that a definition of success?
Is it possible to be a successful artist and never make any money?
Is money the sole definition of success in our society?
What is the relationship between critical attention and financial success?
These are some really good questions. If you're like me, perhaps you wrestle with these questions all the time. All of the advice offered through the Professional Guidelines, ASK Harriete, or the Professional Development Seminar is based on experience and a measure of success. But each measure of success is only one ingredient. Every recipe for success is going to be different.
I lay awake at night torturing myself. By daylight, it is much easier not to think about such stuff and go make something in the studio.
I'd love to hear what you have to say. What is your question that if answered would bring you success?
How do you measure success?
Harriete Estel Berman working in the studio on a new Judaica Seder plate for Tu Bishvat. You can see the entire process of fabrication in a special album on Flickr.
RELATED POST:
What do you mean by “Success”? by Andy Cooperman
This post was updated on February 12, 2022.