To put it simply, I'm Violet Rose. Violet's been this alter ego I've had since I was 10 that's acted as my voice and a paper manifestation of who I wanted to be until eventually... I got there in reality! As an artist (or business person otherwise), your brand is a natural extension of yourself, and that's what's in the name.
So where I find myself now in this biznazz world is attempting to check off the box: "What is your niche? Your target audience?" ...I think I am and always have been a square trying to fit into a circle. In an effort to condense all my interests and inspiration into one neat little package, I feel like I'm stuffing too many shirts into an already-full-weekend-trip suitcase. I cannot get this damn zipper shut.
Flashback to angsty 2016 me, here's a draft I never posted, which was titled "Wtf real world, I have to choose a path?":
Life ain't peaches n cream, for the artists & otherwise. You don't get handed a certificate with explicit instructions on how to brand yourself when you walk the stage at graduation.
For those of you (like me) who didn't attend a ritzy art school, establishing yourself might not be something they taught you in class. And at a time like this in our young lives, we're probably still trying to find ourselves as a person, let alone as a business.
The beginnings are daunting. Think about how tough it is to write the first paragraph of an essay...Then think of that essay as the beginning of your future...Then try swallowing that wad of pressure and writing that damn first paragraph. I'm telling you, daunting.
Too many artists give up during this phase, finding the way into recognition stifling & choosing a career path with immediate security.
Well, I've never been one to choose the easy way. I used to look at the picture of the finished product in the craft instruction packets when I was a kid & try to figure out how to build it on my own. I don't like the idea of security, because my interests bounce around too much. I can't imagine choosing one steady desk job for the entirety of my working career. So I like my odds in the ever changing art world!
That doesn't mean it's not easy to deviate when the road gets bumpy. As I said, I couldn't seem to pick a category for myself for years, and the idea of settling on a "brand" seemed impossible. My friend reached out to me today, a beautiful photographer & graduate from SUNY Oneonta. She's currently in that icky spot.
I'd like to share something we talked about that could be helpful to you as well;
It's human nature to want everyone to like & respect you. But when it comes to your work, you could be the sweetest human being on the face of this galaxy and it still won't be some guy's cup of tea.
And that's okay! We can't make something that appeals to everyone, & that's why we must choose our audience. As much as I would love my art to reach everyone, it probably won't, and by narrowing things down while you're trying to wedge yourself into the art world, you can focus a lot better on the brand that will grow and change with you over the years.
Does this mean we can't explore??? Hell nah.
But beginnings are key. You're not gonna end up in the Met on your first shot. If you want to be recognized, you've gotta start with the smaller stuff, and eventually you'll build a reputation big enough to reach those larger audiences.
The art world isn't for quitters. Sometimes we temporarily settle, but the interaction with our audience makes it completely worth while. You have to be driven to put yourself out there with anything, let alone stick with something you know might not always succeed in the way you want it to. So the pursuit of passion is for the brave~
Fast forward to 2020, I'm proud to say I have stuck with what most people think of as a pipe dream. And holy shit. The amount of support I've gotten from friends and family is really what's driven me, because...
I create art for YOU!! I create art because I wake up every day and feel so compelled to do so! I create art because there are thousands of ways to express a feeling or a thought and this is the way I've chosen. I create to create more conversation. I create to put some beauty out there amongst the sometimes ugly reality. I create to evoke a laugh, a smile, a deeper question, that I need for myself and that I need to share with YOU!!
And I guess you guys like it! I may feel like a square trying to fit into a circle when I try and narrow down what niche I'm a part of, but my brand is Violet Rose and I'm happy with where I am today :)
So I say to you fellow artists, screw it!! Just be yourself, your brand is naturally a reflection of you, and if you have something good to share then please just share it with others the way you know how~
Be brave Buds,
xoxo Rose