Art vs Commercial Art: Choosing Soul Over Sales

Lately, I’ve been wondering if I should stop creating from the heart and just start painting abstract florals that match people’s furniture.

You know the kind - soft pink petals, gentle brushstrokes, maybe a splash of teal to keep it “modern.” Safe. Pretty. Sellable. Art that doesn’t ask anything of the viewer except to match the throw cushions. And honestly? On the days when I pour everything into a piece — my story, my scars, my soul — and it gets ignored while someone else sells 12 canvas prints of leafy blobs… it’s tempting. But then I remember why I started this in the first place. Not to decorate walls. To express something real.

This isn’t made to match a room. It’s made to make you feel something.

This is the kind of art I create when I choose Soul over Sales. It's not trendy. Unapologetically honest!!

I Tried to Sell What People Want - It Didn’t Work

I’ve tried the commercial route. I made throw pillows, tablecloths, notebooks - beautiful things, don’t get me wrong. I even listed my work on commercial art sites, paid for the premium spot, hoped the right collector would stumble across it. Nothing. No sales. No magic. Just silence and a monthly reminder that I was paying to be invisible. And deep down, I knew why - because my art isn’t meant to be consumed casually.

It’s not designed to be liked in two seconds or slapped on a mug. It’s layered, raw, and sometimes uncomfortable. And let’s face it — that doesn’t always fit in the shopping cart.

When Success Looks Easier for Everyone Else

I see other artists finding success with work that’s more decorative, more accessible, and I get it. There’s a real market for art that’s easy to live with, that brings calm or colour into a space. Sometimes it’s abstract waves, sometimes it’s soft florals, sometimes it’s whatever the algorithm’s favouring that week. And honestly, there are days I feel left behind. I question myself. I wonder if I’m making things harder than they need to be. But then I remember — I’m not trying to please the masses. I’m trying to be honest. And honest art often takes longer to find its people.

No mess, No chaos. Just a quiet screen, and the choice to keep going....

The Cost of Staying True

Staying true to your own voice isn’t easy, not in a world that rewards quick wins and surface shine. It means creating without applause sometimes. It means trusting the work even when it’s not selling. But it also means never compromising who you are. I’ve learned that the real cost isn’t in not being seen — it’s in silencing yourself to fit into something you’re not. I could make art that’s easier to digest, but I’d lose the part of me that needs to create, not just produce. And that’s a price I’m not willing to pay.

Redefining What Success Means

I used to think success meant sales, recognition, a steady stream of validation. Now? It means making work that feels like mine. It means creating pieces that carry emotion, memory, tension — not just colour and composition. It means looking at something I made and knowing I didn’t hold back, even if it NEVER hangs on someone's wall.

Of course I’d love to sell more.

But not at the cost of my voice. I’d rather take the long road with my integrity intact than sprint toward popularity on someone else’s terms.

That, to me, is success!

The Comments That Matter Most

This is why I keep going - Not for likes - but for connection.

So no, I won’t be switching to soft florals or painting to match anyone’s couch. I’ll keep making art that moves me — and hope it finds the people it’s meant for.

If this resonates with you at all, please drop a like, comment — or better yet, share it. It might be exactly what another artist needs to hear today.

As I always say: YOU GOT THIS!