About Me
My name is Kim Schroeder – and talking about myself is NOT one of my fortes.
There’s really not much to say here. Totally self-taught artist who’s never fit in, sold out, or given up on making things work with her craft. No credentials, degrees, references, or guild associations – and no brilliant success stories…YET.
I’ve been an artist my entire life, back when pencils, paper, and paint were popular. Difficult times – always struggling to make ends meet – pursuing a hundred different paths with my talents – never thinking that adult coloring books would be the thing that clicked. There’s definitely something to be said for the path of least resistance!
I wouldn’t say that art is all I’ve ever been good at, but it’s all I’ve ever really been appreciated for, being a “great artist”. Always felt sorta disingenuous to me, ‘cuz I never really spent time being “great”. I’ve spent most of my life trying to make people “happy” (with my art). Let me tell ya, those are two VERY different things! It’s said, when you try to make everyone happy, you don’t make anyone happy. As a true-blue Virgo (the severe servant sign) that reality is not does not compute. We pour ourselves out in every direction to please people. In return, I never developed my own personal style.
I saw my art made people happy and it was easy for me. So, ever since I was little, that was my calling – to be an artist. ‘Cept this was before Internet. To be a legit artist had a lot of requirements. Certificates, diplomas, guild and gallery associations, a big-ass honkin’ portfolio to lug around. Credentials………..and a whole lotta rejection. Virgo’s don’t do well with rejection. I just wanted to make art. I didn’t want to build a “reputation” (at all). I also wasn’t interested in handing 60%+ of sales over to a gallery, or paying an “agent” to take care of my “career”. I just wanted to make art.
Truth be told, I think I unconsciously took the most difficult path. If no one else says it, Virgo’s can be awesome self-defeatists. But, I’m a recovering Virgo and empath.
Along came personal computers, Adobe, and the Internet.
I can still remember the first time I “emailed” work to a client. Suddenly, the world opened up. I didn’t have to just work locally. I could send work anywhere in the world and get back responses IRT. I could even get paid “electronically”. It was BIG deal. It cut out the middle-men, leveled the playing field where my work could speak for itself. Fast-forward and now we have platforms and marketplaces specifically for art, all sorts of great software, the ability to build our own little shops and galleries. Portfolios are virtual! Delivery and payments are instant. Shit, you can even pay in something called “crypto currency”. And, let’s not get started on NFTs.
It’s crazy to think, anyone under the age of 30 doesn’t understand how weird “virtual” products are. That it’s possible to make art in bed, or on the subway – anywhere. And, without expensive supplies and inventory. Or, all the work that doesn’t sell – piling up around me as a reminder of failure. I can create something once and sell it over and over – at a price anyone can afford.
