How much time should an artist spend creating work—and how much should be spent making sure people see it? That question sits at the heart of a recent Currencies of Value conversation between art appraiser Jennifer Garland Ross and New York-based artist Elizabeth McAlpin.
McAlpin works in printmaking, sculpture and mixed media while maintaining a full-time career. She participates in exhibitions and art fairs, shares resources with other artists, and makes use of a home studio as well as dedicated printmaking facilities. Her approach illustrates the trade-offs between financial success, creative independence, visibility and time.
Asked how she defines success, McAlpin offered a revealing order of priorities: “I define success as an artist in three ways: first, making the work; second, sharing it with others; and third, selling it.”
That distinction matters in the art market. Attention does not necessarily translate into sales, and an artist’s audience size is not a substitute for evidence of demand. McAlpin has found that meeting collectors in person at art fairs can create meaningful relationships, even when a purchase does not follow immediately.
Representation presents another choice. A gallery can offer expertise, collector relationships and opportunities, but the right partnership matters more than representation for its own sake. For McAlpin, maintaining independence allows her to direct her resources toward the work itself.
Ross sees parallels with her own experience running Art Peritus and developing Currencies of Value. Writing, research, marketing and managing a business each compete for attention. The question is not simply how to reach more people, but what opportunities justify the time and effort required.
Ultimately, the most useful measure of success may be whether the life built around creative work is worth what it costs. The full essay explores McAlpin’s process, her approach to exhibiting and marketing, and what artists, writers and entrepreneurs can learn from defining value on their own terms.
READ THE FULL ARTICLE: https://jgarlandross.substack.com/p/the-cost-of-being-seen-5-lessons
Elizabeth McAlpin is a New York-based artist working in printmaking, sculpture, and mixed media. Her practice explores an evolving range of creative processes while she continues to balance her professional career with her studio work.
Artist website: https://eternalnarrative.com
Artist collective: https://www.gallerylegnyc.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_eternal_narrative_/
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Jennifer Garland Ross, AAA is the founder of Art Peritus, a fine art and personal property appraisal and advisory firm specializing in appraisals, collection management, conservation oversight and complex insurance claims.
Follow Jennifer:
Substack: https://jgarlandross.substack.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennifer-garla…
Instagram: Jennifer Garland Ross (@jgarlandross) • Instagram profile
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