Mike I have been in and around the art world my entire adult life and the Long Rifle community reflects the art field perfectly, abet in miniature. One meets the same types and witnesses’ the same discussions and expressed feelings on ALR and other forums as one does in the arts. You’ve got the doers, the wanna be’s, your imitators (technically good, but they have never created anything original in their life), dabblers, collectors and admirers. Within those broad categories the spectrum of talent and knowledge is wide and diverse but like all pursuits in life the majority fall smack dab in the middle. With few exceptions the arts and crafts buying public does not know fiddly squat when it comes to fine art, the crafts, a gun. They will literally buy anything put to them with a little “art speak” and sold with a little flattery. They, the public, will buy any !@*%&@ thing, the galleries and craft outlets depend upon it. Frankly, talent is cheap, there are loads of people with talent, few though are willing to put their time in to develop their talent into skill toward true self expression. Fewer still are willing to walk the poverty path to gain an uncertain future in the arts or crafts – but many are willing to present the face of an artist while producing mediocre work (for a while), and they will sell it.
You can’t control that Mike, all you can control is what you personally make and offer for sale. I have seen your work and you have talent and are creative. Becoming burnt out is a real thing, it happened to me in pottery after finding myself married and a child on the way but realizing the public didn’t give a care or know if my pots were a cut above – I got the same price as that other fellow who dabbled at it. I made pots for a living, he didn’t need to. Basically you have a few choices Mike, continue in the knowledge you are a fine maker and will eventually be recognized as such, quit, or, triple your prices.
