So, I dropped my notebook open to a page from sociology of art, and looking at it, it reminded me of a particular point in one lecture.

The artist’s brush.

Many modern artists, in this age of capitalism, face a problem when it comes to selling art: deciding its worth. And while there are hundreds of things to factor in, it boils down to a few things in my mind.

Artists are humans, not machines. Art is a form of expression and creativity, and even when commissioned, that artist is the one who determines the final product, because of their style, materials, and overall aesthetic process. The artist’s brush, is all these tools the artist’s uses, whether they be physical or mental. And it is the artist’s brush that the artist uses to determine the true value of their work, whether to them, or in terms of a literal dollar price.

However, in a capitalist society, not everyone can afford what they want, and everyone wants all they can get for the least amount they can get it for.

So, an artist has two choices, ultimately.

In choosing to value their art highly, pricing it how they feel it is worth, they run the risk of making their art unobtainable to the masses, but each piece they create, sell, and get commissioned to do has a reward reflected in how you value yourself. And while you run in to more favorable patrons who appreciate art and all that goes in to it, you find very few can actually afford to buy the art you produce, and those who cannot afford to commission you may, because of artists who choose the latter path, complain about the value of your work and your unwillingness to lower your prices below a point you feel your art is worth.

On the other hand, if you choose to make your art available so it is affordable to everyone, cutting prices always in an effort to sell all you can, you devalue yourself, your process, your art, and essentially end up producing for the sake of creating objects to be sold. You find many people who see these commodities being sold so cheaply, and while you get many patrons who wish to partake of your art, because you have devalued yourself so much, your art becomes more like a commodity to the patrons, something similar to what one would expect to be mass produced in a capitalist society. And while your patrons may find enjoyment in your work, there is less appreciation for the process, the artist’s brush, than most artists would believe their pieces deserve.

So, juggling the value you place on your brush and the budget of many of these patrons is a hassle, and finding the perfect balance is impossible, as you’ll always run in to complications. The artist’s brush is facing a crisis in this modern capitalist society, where mass produced and cheap goods are the common market items in most facets of life, from food, to furniture, clothing, etc. There are people out there who appreciate the artist’s brush, and always will. But you must choose, whether to truly honor the value you place on your brush, or sacrifice that for the sake of making a living in this society.

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Well, thanks for reading if you did. Feel free to comment, this is mostly opinion and interpreted observation, so go ahead and disagree with me because I love criticism and discussion. This'll be the last you probably hear from me until like Wednesday.

P.S.: This was a thing discussed in that class, at least partly.