Art & Money

In which Freedan’s opening an art store and Instagram account sets him off on an existential rant

If money can’t buy happiness, why is it a driving force in so many peoples’ lives? The old adage is true in a way, but also misleading. It is true that even billionaires have ended their lives. It is true that not even untold riches cannot heal past traumas, or repair broken relationships. In the modern world, however, money is necessary for our basic necessities, including food, water, and shelter. Without these things, even the staunchest optimist is in for a rough time.

My relationship to money has always been one of begrudging acceptance, at times bordering on extreme irritation. This is due in large part to my nature. I am one who finds the greatest value in intangible things, such as knowledge, beauty, experiences, and relationships. Much of what I do is unpaid, including years of research into a variety of esoteric subjects, a large body of artwork, and a significant amount of time volunteering.

Despite not being paid for much of what I do, I have been quite satisfied over the past year. I could cover my rent with passive income from investments, along with income from my small web design business. This left me the time I needed to read, study, draw, paint, explore, and volunteer. I could make much more money from a corporate job, but it would leave me deeply dissatisfied. This dichotomy between meaningful simplicity and empty riches is what is is alluded to when people say that money can’t buy happiness.

Now, however, a number of events in my life are forcing me to focus on money. My roommate, who I have been splitting rent with for the past year in order to afford housing in my city, is moving out. At the same time, a major economic downturn has caused my assets, from which I derive much of my passive income, to plummet in value. All the while, prices for rent and food are going up, not down. I could rant and rave for weeks about how this situation is the result of corrupt policies, how it all could have been avoided, how it’s criminal that housing is so expensive. Some day, I will explore those topics in depth. For now, however, I find myself agitating over one of life’s most basic necessities: a home to call my own.

In the present culture, to make one’s own way in the world, one must be an entrepreneur in addition to one’s primary occupation. One aspect of this that I find positive, is that it encourages people to share their insights and creations with others, contributing to humanity’s collective knowledge and culture. The frustrating part of it is that business, marketing, all of that is separate from knowledge and art. I would happily share what I’ve learned and created without any expectation of monetary gain, if I knew I could take care of my basic needs at the end of the day. Alas, this is not the case, so I delve into the world of commerce and marketing, to ensure I can keep doing what I do.

On that note, I’ve put together an art store!* You can now buy prints, shirts, and coffee mugs of your favorite sketches. Products featuring my digital paintings are in the works. I’ve also started an Instagram account. I’d appreciate some engagement there, as I’m trying to connect my merchandise to my account, but Facebook (Meta) doesn’t trust me yet:

*For those wondering how this will affect my NFTs, I do have something in the works! Whitepaper coming shortly …

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