I periodically look on Google to see how my websites are doing, in terms of their visibility and location in the pecking order. I’ve reached page 2 for ‘Artist Tameside’, but if I’m anywhere via ‘Artist Manchester’, I’ve yet to find it. Clearly, this concerns the fact that Manchester is a much bigger place than Tameside. However, it is more complicated than that.

One problem is the fact that I have sites for both ‘art’ and ‘photography’. In the past, had photography existed, the distinction would not have counted. Michelangelo was a painter, sculptor, architect, poet, and engineer. That all that creativity resided in one place was eminently reasonable in those days. Only in the modern era are these things separated out. So, I have two focal points, with the dilution that implies. In fact I have more, as I also write, but I have no website for that.

There is an additional issue, however, and that is that ‘artist’, in spite of the above, is a broad term in other ways. A person might be any of several types of artist that might not readily spring to mind: a ‘make-up’ and ‘bridal' artist are a couple of examples, but I have also seen ‘sandwich artist’. Plus, of course, there are many musicians and singers who use the term.

So, if you are looking for an artist in Manchester, you might never find me, but you might end up with a full stomach, great looking hair, and whistling along to some nice tunes!