Comments on: The Truth About Surviving as an Artist http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html a multi-disciplinary dialog Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:40:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Jay http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-190264 Jay Fri, 10 Oct 2008 14:54:33 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-190264 i feel as though I'm addressing my deceased grandfather, known to friends and family as Pop. Many of us, and I included, live in that gray smudge of a middle ground where everything is seen as having its virtues. From this vantage point a person who retires alone to that room mentioned above, therein to craft his or her own personal navel to contemplate shares a common validity with a person who can successfully exchange that navel for a suit of clothes. Back to my 'drawing neigh' position where I argue that the degree and quality of virtue and aesthetics has to do with how close we are to a realm of existence that some might term 'spiritual' and others 'extra-dimensional'. I would further argue that our every thought and action can be seen in this light. Granted such a thing, and carrying the supposition further, it might then be said that every thought and action has some aesthetic potential. Then, to the extent that art and aesthetics overlap each other, we might say that everyone is an artist to some degree. How very seventies of me! How very Picasso. My point in this is that the pursuit of quality more defines an 'artist' than does any lifestyle choice. And people like Dali and Benvenuto Cellini - and Rex - spice things up. i feel as though I’m addressing my deceased grandfather, known to friends and family as Pop.

Many of us, and I included, live in that gray smudge of a middle ground where everything is seen as having its virtues. From this vantage point a person who retires alone to that room mentioned above, therein to craft his or her own personal navel to contemplate shares a common validity with a person who can successfully exchange that navel for a suit of clothes.

Back to my ‘drawing neigh’ position where I argue that the degree and quality of virtue and aesthetics has to do with how close we are to a realm of existence that some might term ’spiritual’ and others ‘extra-dimensional’. I would further argue that our every thought and action can be seen in this light. Granted such a thing, and carrying the supposition further, it might then be said that every thought and action has some aesthetic potential. Then, to the extent that art and aesthetics overlap each other, we might say that everyone is an artist to some degree. How very seventies of me! How very Picasso. My point in this is that the pursuit of quality more defines an ‘artist’ than does any lifestyle choice. And people like Dali and Benvenuto Cellini - and Rex - spice things up.

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-190211 Steve Durbin Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:33:36 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-190211 pops, With your statement, "artists are supposed to suffer and be shunned," you certainly put yourself at the opposite end of the spectrum from Rex, who was being deliberately provocative--not that he'd disavow anything, I imagine. Most artists are somewhere in between. A blunt comment by critic Peter Schjeldahl in an interview by Deborah Solomon (Artforum, Summer 2008) seems to bear on this: <blockquote><b>DS</b> Do you feel moved by the basic nobility of artists, the desire to be aline in a room, trying to add meaningful objects to the world? <b>PS</b> There is tremendous poignancy in that, but you know something? It's a great privilege to be an artist. You get to discover the outer limits of your talent and freedom. You get to see the world from a high place. If you flop and end up with a square job in Dubuque, you will already have a wealth of knowledge and experience that 99.9 percent of humanity can only dream of. Do not whine.</blockquote> pops,

With your statement, “artists are supposed to suffer and be shunned,” you certainly put yourself at the opposite end of the spectrum from Rex, who was being deliberately provocative–not that he’d disavow anything, I imagine. Most artists are somewhere in between.

A blunt comment by critic Peter Schjeldahl in an interview by Deborah Solomon (Artforum, Summer 2008) seems to bear on this:

DS Do you feel moved by the basic nobility of artists, the desire to be aline in a room, trying to add meaningful objects to the world?

PS There is tremendous poignancy in that, but you know something? It’s a great privilege to be an artist. You get to discover the outer limits of your talent and freedom. You get to see the world from a high place. If you flop and end up with a square job in Dubuque, you will already have a wealth of knowledge and experience that 99.9 percent of humanity can only dream of. Do not whine.

]]> By: pops http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-189919 pops Wed, 08 Oct 2008 08:11:46 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-189919 wow! although many good points are made in this "article", it repels me. not only the arrogance, undue confidence and manipulative nature of it but its relentlessness. the way that one person (karl zipser) responded with something which only suggested disagreement and that they would think about it, and then quickly came the "counter argument" from the author to attempt to further sway the person thinking about it. i can tell you have studied marketing because of the manipulative nature of your writing. it disturbs me that the way this is written feels so full of spin. it seems that you are nothing more than a local artist who is not only selling his art. to say that van gogh was weird or mad, like this was a bad thing, shows not only your lack of empathy but your dismissiveness towards real (weird) different, creative people. so van gogh wasnt intersted in marketing, so what, its fucking boring and if he hadnt suffered his art would not have been so good. so youre comfortable, youre making art full time by selling it to consumers, great. commercial art is awful, if it sells to the everyday joe it only reflects the products they already buy, the capitalist crap they already believe. artists are supposed to suffer and be shunned. to be able to make art and have a bourgeoise, boring, comfortable existence breeding is a contradiction. it disgusts me that you would endorse spending $7000 on an outfit...this only confirms that not only are you a money driven materialist with no idea of the value of money but someone who is without any artistic integrity who belives that material things actually mean something. you argue like a neo-nazi, you echo the consumer morons you attempt to fool into buying your "art". so youre making money from doing something you "love"? thats fine...but its the arrogance, preachy self righeousness and greedy materialism which leads me to believe that your art is nothing more than the kind of thing people buy because a) it matches their sofa and b) it conveys ideas which are either exceedingly simple/obvious or completely contrived/sentimental for it to be commercially viable. pops wow! although many good points are made in this “article”, it repels me. not only the arrogance, undue confidence and manipulative nature of it but its relentlessness. the way that one person (karl zipser) responded with something which only suggested disagreement and that they would think about it, and then quickly came the “counter argument” from the author to attempt to further sway the person thinking about it. i can tell you have studied marketing because of the manipulative nature of your writing. it disturbs me that the way this is written feels so full of spin. it seems that you are nothing more than a local artist who is not only selling his art. to say that van gogh was weird or mad, like this was a bad thing, shows not only your lack of empathy but your dismissiveness towards real (weird) different, creative people. so van gogh wasnt intersted in marketing, so what, its fucking boring and if he hadnt suffered his art would not have been so good. so youre comfortable, youre making art full time by selling it to consumers, great. commercial art is awful, if it sells to the everyday joe it only reflects the products they already buy, the capitalist crap they already believe. artists are supposed to suffer and be shunned. to be able to make art and have a bourgeoise, boring, comfortable existence breeding is a contradiction. it disgusts me that you would endorse spending $7000 on an outfit…this only confirms that not only are you a money driven materialist with no idea of the value of money but someone who is without any artistic integrity who belives that material things actually mean something. you argue like a neo-nazi, you echo the consumer morons you attempt to fool into buying your “art”. so youre making money from doing something you “love”? thats fine…but its the arrogance, preachy self righeousness and greedy materialism which leads me to believe that your art is nothing more than the kind of thing people buy because a) it matches their sofa and b) it conveys ideas which are either exceedingly simple/obvious or completely contrived/sentimental for it to be commercially viable.

pops

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-76693 Steve Durbin Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:38:14 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-76693 Frieda, I found and enjoyed the book myself, and likewise recommend it. How fun to have a family connection to it! Frieda,

I found and enjoyed the book myself, and likewise recommend it. How fun to have a family connection to it!

]]> By: Frieda http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-76590 Frieda Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:29:06 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-76590 I just ran across this post and comments. My grandfather wrote this book. I too am reading it and learning from it. I encourage others to read it. It is: "How to Make a Living as a Painter" by Kenneth Harris It is out of print but Amazon has several copies for sale I just ran across this post and comments. My grandfather wrote this book. I too am reading it and learning from it. I encourage others to read it.

It is:
“How to Make a Living as a Painter” by Kenneth Harris

It is out of print but Amazon has several copies for sale

]]> By: Steve Durbin http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-28775 Steve Durbin Sat, 28 Jul 2007 12:05:23 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-28775 boni, Hopefully Rex will notice your comment here, but meanwhile, his most recent post relates to his <a href="http://www.artandperception.com/2007/05/food-for-thought.html" rel="nofollow">artistry as a chef</a>. boni,
Hopefully Rex will notice your comment here, but meanwhile, his most recent post relates to his artistry as a chef.

]]> By: boni http://artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-28715 boni Sat, 28 Jul 2007 03:18:25 +0000 http://www.artandperception.com/2006/11/surviving-as-an-artist.html#comment-28715 Am rereading an old book "How to Make a Living as a Painter". Googled the author out of curiosity. Ran into your discussion. Curious if you live totally on the proceeds from your art? If so, would love to hear details. Our family has lived off our pottery artwork for 30+ years, raised three kids. Many perks, but often difficult financially. Now would also like to paint for a living... Am rereading an old book “How to Make a Living as a Painter”. Googled the author out of curiosity. Ran into your discussion. Curious if you live totally on the proceeds from your art? If so, would love to hear details.
Our family has lived off our pottery artwork for 30+ years, raised three kids. Many perks, but often difficult financially. Now would also like to paint for a living…

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