What Is a K-Shaped Economy? (Easy Explanation)

What Is a K-Shaped Economy? (Easy Explanation)

Imagine the letter K:

• The top arm goes up → people, industries, and income levels that are improving
• The bottom arm goes down → people and industries falling behind

Instead of everyone recovering or struggling together, the economy splits into two different directions at the same time.

Who’s on the top arm?

People with:

• Remote jobs
• Salaries in tech, healthcare, engineering, finance
• Savings and investments
• Higher education
• Stable housing
• Disposable income

Their income is stable or rising, and they still spend money — including on art.

Who’s on the bottom arm?

People dealing with:

• Hourly jobs
• Retail or service industries
• Rising rent
• Higher cost of groceries, gas, and insurance
• Debt
• No savings cushion

This group used to make up a huge part of art-fair traffic. Today, they have to choose between wants and needs, and art unfortunately becomes “maybe next year.”

Why does this happen?

Because different parts of the economy recover at different speeds:

• Jobs that can move online recover faster.
• Jobs that require physical labor or in-person work struggle more.
• People with assets grow their wealth.
• People without assets fall further behind.
• Inflation hits the lower-income group the hardest.

So one group moves up while another group moves down — just like the two arms of the letter K.

How This Shows Up at Art Fairs

I see it clearly from inside the booth:

The “Upper Arm” Buyers

These buyers still purchase art — but they’re more selective.
They look for:

• A strong emotional connection
• Clean and professional presentation
• A well-defined style
• Quality materials (metal, archival paper)
• A meaningful story behind the work

When they connect, they buy big.
I appreciate every one of them.

The “Lower Arm” Buyers

These are the people who used to buy small prints, gifts, and “something for the living room.”

They still love art.
They still love talking to artists.

But life has gotten heavier:

• Rent
• Groceries
• Utilities
• Medical bills
• Car repairs
• Kids’ expenses

They step into the booth, compliment the work, smile… then say the line I hear almost every weekend:

“We love it… maybe next year.”

It’s not rejection.
It’s survival.

Why Shows Feel So Hit-or-Miss

This is the real reason:

• The top half of the K still buys.
• The bottom half is disappearing from shows.

So you get:

• Great sales one weekend, flat the next
• People walking fast through aisles
• Fewer small print sales
• Less impulse buying
• More careful decision-making

It’s not the promoter.
It’s not the artist.
It’s the economy dividing the audience.

How I’m Adapting

I’ve had to shift my approach:

• Market hard before the show
• Focus on my strongest pieces
• Keep the booth clean, simple, and professional
• Share my story clearly
• Be patient with slower crowds
• Understand buyers are more thoughtful, not cheaper

The hardest part is the self-doubt.
Every slow show makes you question everything — until you talk to other artists and hear the same thing from every direction.

We’re all experiencing it.

Why I Still Show Up

Even in this strange K-shaped economy, there’s still that moment when someone steps into my booth, stops breathing for a second, and whispers:

“This one.”

That moment is worth everything.

It still exists — just takes a little longer to find.

So I’ll keep showing up with my best work, my early-morning images, and my heart… for the people on the upper arm who still value what we do, and for the ones who will come back when life gives them room again.

Art always finds its people.
And so do we.