I don't live off my art but art helps me live

I am not exaggerating in the title.

I saw an artist define a professional artist as someone who lives off their art. I don't meet that definition, as I don't live off my art. I have disabilities and don't have the output to be able to.

​However, I create original art to the highest standard I can, have exhibited and sold art. I call myself an artist (semi-professional as part-time). But someone can be an artist and not sell any of their art. An artist is someone who does art (whether selling any or not). Yes, that includes amateur artists, in my books.

Recent paintings by Xanthe Wyse as a banner

I am passionate about art as therapy. Creative expression and a goal of an exhibition, even though I didn't know how, gave me a reason to live. After I lost everything and was mistreated when vulnerable. I couldn't even fill out a basic form or make a scrambled egg (with a scrambled brain). It's taken years to have some degree of independence, after the effects of a mental injury from trauma.

I wanted to avoid mention of my diagnoses but they affect me every day, whether I avoid these labels or not. My primary diagnoses are bipolar disorder (type 1) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I have significant impairment and cannot work fulltime (including painting). Both disorders come with a high rate of suicide.

I would actually be 'eligible' for 'euthanasia' in countries like The Netherlands. Sounds grim but people with similar disabilities to me are opting out. It takes courage to live. Making a sense of meaning and purpose actually helps. My art helps me a lot, although it can be discouraging at times putting oneself out there. I kinda suck at the self-promotion and sales part. I don't have the energy socially.

The mental health struggles in my semiautobiographical novel, Pet Purpose: Your Unspoken Voice, was heavily influenced by my experiences. It took me years to write, painting out the story in metaphor first, to try to organise the complex themes, while also processing grief and trauma. Soar Purpose is the sequel, although it will probably take me a while to get back to it.

Crashing by Xanthe Wyse

I have done most of the processing now, often with improvised art (even if it was 'making a mess' in my view). My local community got behind me, and I was awarded two small art grants for art materials and exhibition fees. I had been painting with old paint and cardboard from the garage.

The painting, 'Crashing' (above) sold for $150 in 2018, when I didn't put prices on my art. 'Crashing' was quicker to create than my fine art pieces (which take at least 5 painting sessions each). Yet, I was in an intense mood episode and not otherwise able to function. It was made in my late Dad's garage, with repurposed materials. It also features one of my early signatures 'xyz' before I signed 'X.Wyse' for 'Xanthe Wyse'.

With the art grants, I was able to build a collection of artist-grade paints, which I use now. I prefer to paint on canvas. Panel is good for fine details, although I am not usually a fine-details person. I am currently doing a selection of paintings on canvas board, with the intention that they would be easier to courier to someone than a stretched canvas. 

I am still finding out what people might like. Still takes me just as long to do a painting - multiple layers and usually over several days (not including preparation and finishing steps), no matter what I paint on, when I'm painting in my current fine art style.

I feel a bit discouraged when I see art priced very low. Like either the artist or the customer doesn't really value it. Most of my art at the exhibitions sold in the NZ $50 to $200 range. That included artworks on primed mdf. My exhibitions were held in 2018 and 2020 and consisted of my raw, process artworks. I've been described as a 'mood painter' for my more dramatic works. I've also entered a piece or two (mostly sculptures from repurposed materials) into group exhibitions.

My skills and style have developed since, feeling confident now to paint fine art, even though I originally had tuition in traditional watercolour and oil painting, decades ago. So confident, that I had uploaded snippets of paintings-in-progress, before they were completed. Although, that takes a lot of time and effort, with little feedback, so I will mostly make just a short summary video of each painting.

I am not particularly keen to exhibit my art again (very stressful, socially etc). I also have limited space. So I will be offering originals for sale on my website soon, within New Zealand. I am a bit anxious about whether they arrive in one piece, or get damaged, although I would be happy to have a painting go to a new owner if someone is travelling through Taupo. Heck, I would even come out of my shell and meet you for a cuppa in town.

Looking at price range of approximately NZ $150 to $300 for each painting, with approx $50 more for a gallery wrapped canvas or panel over canvas board. There is a widely held view that smaller paintings are worth less. Small paintings can take just as much time as medium to larger paintings. Extra cost of materials only really factor in if using fine art grade materials on very large paintings. I tend to usually paint approximately an A4 to A3 size (including square shapes). The size is mainly the practicalities of only having a small space to paint in (and store materials and finished artworks).

Because of the costs of shipping, at this stage, I am only offering fine art print reproductions (A4 size and smaller) to customers internationally. A few larger sizes within New Zealand. I don't actually make much of a margin on these, as most of the cost is to the boutique printer with speciality equipment (much more sophisticated than a standard CMYK printer).

I still need to look at shipping costs for originals, plus photograph and varnish the latest two. I would appreciate any feedback about whether they would prefer paintings on gallery-wrapped canvas (bit nervous about shipping it) or canvas board. Canvas board would be a lower price point and I expect lower shipping but then one needs to think about framing (either a traditional frame without glass or a floater frame without glass are options). Still the same amount of work that goes in.

I would only occasionally use panel if I want a lot of detail (such as the painting of the window washers).

Hope to have some originals up for sale soon. Originals are valued more than art prints, as there is just one of each, and they cannot be replaced.

Let me know what you think! (Canvas board or gallery stretched canvas?)

'Naturally light' (Robin) Fine Art Print

NZ$35.00 - NZ$55.00

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'Not a Typical Office Job' Fine Art Print

NZ$35.00

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'Sun Flutter' Fine Art Print

NZ$35.00

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Some of my art journey

I put some pics of some of my past artworks (before I invested in a better camera) into a video. The first painting shown was on oil painting I did 30 years ago, in an adult small group class (with a supplied reference pic). My 'art as therapy' efforts were drastically different.

My signature evolved along the way - it is quite an effort to hand-paint my signature, especially small on my more recent pieces. I think a hand-painted signature adds authenicity to an original art work (especially in this day of AI generated images).

I don't make a living from my art. Quite often, an artist is not really valued during their life time. I do take the steps to try make my art last more than a life time. I share my passion for art, whether I sell it or not. Sometimes, pieces have been shredded (yes, passionate artist).

I am hoping the recent artworks will go to good homes.