Today I feel fed up. Much like the characters in this artwork. Well, not that I know they are fed up, perhaps they’re just tired and hot, it being a summer Saturday afternoon in France. They are in their later years, and perhaps worn down by the labour of life lived thus far, with its inevitable tragedies as well as joys.

I am fed up because I am doing everything I can to try and get the word out there about Grandpa’s prints, in order to connect the people who appreciate his artwork with the opportunity to buy a piece. Quite frankly, I don’t really know how best to do it, but I have been trying to follow the advice online, and it seems to be getting me nowhere.

The thing is, I know for a fact that there are people who enjoy Stan’s unique style and eye for character and beauty. I have already sold some of his prints to them, IRL. But, having thought the best way to find the widest potential audience was opening an Etsy shop, I have now come to realise just how much competition there is out there for everyone’s attention. Some artists are selling their pieces for hundreds of pounds, and have repeat orders from the same customers. So there are people out there with the interest in art and the ability to pay good money for it.

Yet I am struggling to find the ones who like our prints. And I have tried everything that I’ve been advised to do… I followed the advice on how to set up the Etsy shop to attract buyers, I posted on Instagram (really not knowing how or what I should be saying) and it feels like I’m shouting into the void… there are so many people vying for the attention of the world, and I just don’t have anything to say that is exciting enough to get the algorithm to spread my content wide enough for my potential customers to see it.

And in the process, I have spent so much money. And not made one sale. So, I’m stepping back for a while. I’m leaving the Etsy shop up and running and I enjoy writing the blog, and Pinterest and Facebook feel do-able to me. But Instagram has a way of invading my life and thoughts to an extent that makes me feel uncomfortable, so I’m leaving that behind.. goodbye to the algorithm that demands feeding with ever more specific kinds of content, and that feeds me with other people’s content which adds nothing of value to my life.

I have decided to stop spending money for the time being, and just hope and pray the right people find the Etsy shop. I can’t do any more, especially since I’m about to embark on a really important personal project which speaks to my mission in life. I won’t have time to faff on with making content for Instagram, or the head space to worry about whether it’s the right kind of content. So, that’ll do. For now at least. And let’s see what happens. I’ve decided to give Etsy a year and if it doesn’t help us find homes for Grandpa’s amazing artwork, then I’ll have to find another way.

Ugh. I am so fed up. But looking forward to the freedom of losing the burden of creating content for the Instagram algorithm, at least…

Anyway, that’s my stream of consciousness done. Hope you have a sunnier outlook at the moment!

Print available in our Etsy shop