Is It Possible to Over-Inform?

I am not as good about letting people know what I am up to as I should be. I do try to get the word out when I am participating in shows and when I have something going on. But at the same time, I am not one to post about every little thing that I am doing and email everyone I know and every list I am on every time I make a new piece.

There are artists who do so and it can be rather accosting, especially if they are prolific. I'm glad that they are so busy, but at the same time I would rather find out about their accomplishments when they have more to say and show overall and not on a case by case basis. Emailing everyone every time you have made a new artwork and posted it to your blog just seems like a lot of ego-stroking to me, especially when you are regularly doing so multiple times per day.

Perhaps I am just jealous of those artists' abilities to think of themselves first and assume that everyone cares so much about what they are doing as to keep up with it so regularly. I know from experience that I don't have that kind of an audience. There are many people who keep up with my work and what I am doing, but they aren't sitting at the edge of their seats in eager anticipation. I would actually prefer that my audience don't do so - that's a lot of pressure, especially since I am so experimental and may not have anything new worth posting since so many things just don't work out like I'd planned.

I tend to be busy and get to things on my own time, and I have found that a majority of my readers/viewers will often do the same. So I prefer not to bombard them with little snippets of information here and there, instead sending them an overall invitation or larger announcement. However, there are people out there who are excited to be included by finding out about things while they are happening, and they are more likely happier finding out about every little thing as it happens.

So I guess as an artist you need to consider your audience first and foremost. Are they happy to be so included, or are they put off by it? It really depends on what sort of person you are and how your audience responds. But do consider that before you start emailing everyone you know about everything you're doing - otherwise you may be disappointed to learn that some of them not only don't care but consider it an affront.