Falling Off Track (part 1)

Each summer for the past 3 years, I've spent my months focused on developing my watercolor skills. I paint ALOT, then mat and frame each piece. Next I photograph each one, name and upload to www.blackbirdcreations.shop. Along the way I also posted to both Instagram and Facebook to reinforce my identity, stay true to my personal brand, connect with collectors and others, and hopefully make the occasional sale. This has been the scenario each year, and Fall 2023 was no different.

I arrived back in Phoenix with about 70 new pieces, and eager to swing back into my normal "winter" season. I had some big events to attend, goals to meet, and a renewed idea that I didn't want to play small any longer with my art. I also made several commitments in 2024 that would require extra money and I hoped to pay for these with the sales of my paintings.

So, putting my marketer's hat back on, I did what I've always done based on recommended practices for online sales. Post 4 times daily: 1) an affirmation or personal positive post, 2) something about myself or my brand or values, 3) something lighthearted or lifting another up, and 4) promote a piece of art that I produced and ask viewer to go to my website. I was pretty consistent - doing this maybe 5 days a week, more or less. I followed the best practices of Meta (FB and Insta), with limited number of likes and even less sales. But I could read the analytics and see how many views I would receive (somewhere around 400 per post). This was my affirmation that at least I was reaching an audience, and hopefully I would be known in my circle as an artist.

Early in Dec 2023, I was on a Zoom call for a course on the business of art I was taking with The Art Queens. The leader had gone onto my Insta page to give some constructive tips. What she said made sense. Art is different from other products or businesses she inferred. She said it would be helpful to curate my postings to be more about my art and less the other stuff. A sort of portfolio presentation. Ok - I can do that. There was also a discussion with the group about Meta's algorithms and how a lot of artists are feeling a slowdown in sales.

Later that day I decide to go into Insta and start making posts that are aligned with a more artist-centric perspective. To my shock, my Instagram account was blocked. So was my Facebook page. Everything was disabled. Meta had determined that I repeatedly ignored their policies on posting pornography! Me??? I don't paint nudes and I don't even post photos of my g-babies in a bathtub. I am a painter - mostly landscapes, oceans, wild horses, still life and vintage trucks. Surely, there is someone I could speak to about this. At this point I am panicking: the "habit" of connecting with others, promoting my art, following the rules for social media success had been interrupted. And it looked to be permanent. I started to spiral into all sorts of ways to get back online.

A week later, I reviewed my thoughts around the whole social media prison I had been sentenced to. It occured to me I have absolutely no rights in this world. I was not a "paying customer" & I do not own my posted content. The injustice I feel of being accused of something so ludicrous was offensive, but does not negatively affect my brand because they only posted to me what they deemed my transgression was. Meta has no humans that can help, and they can accuse you of things but present no proof. My accounts were disabled and all content was lost. I cannot get a new account unless I get a VPN, a new phone number, make up a new name and change my business name. Really?!?

My thoughts turned toward myself in thinking how dumb was I to make social media my prime business model. Why do we, collectively, think we have any rights in that world? How did I get sucked into thinking this was a good idea? And maybe this is the Universe's way of opening my eyes to the nefarious nature of social media.

I know I didn't do anything wrong and my account was hacked. I don't respect Meta and their business model. What I have learned since is just how reckless their "security" is and they mainly care about larger customers with paid ad accounts.

I also know that artists sold paintings BEFORE social media. I know there are ways to play larger in the art field that have little to do with social. I will have a booth at the OFF THE VINE wine festival in Tucson, AZ on February 17. There I will have about 140 pcs of my Art of Zin watercolors painted with pigments and wine. I will be able to meet real live humans, potential collectors, and make new connections. And connections - connecting is my WHY for making art in the first place.

Thanks for reading! I appreciate your listening to this - and please come back for part 2. If you are a creator of anything, I think we can relate to the next post.

😎