Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Lessons Learned - Now I Have a Choice


Ann Rea - Artists Who Thrive


After many years with all my art education, I was forever attempting to navigate my way through the art world, figuring out what I could and couldn't accept. I found relatively few answers to my questions, in spite of how much formal art education I got. If I didn't want to pursue an art career, I didn't think I had any other choice or option. But I know now, I do have a choice!


 Sadly Universities provide next to no information for artists to survive within the art establishment, and I believe more importantly, how to thrive or support themselves through there art work. It was my opinion you might survive if you were a man, or if you were willing to do a lot of ass kissing. Neither was an option I wanted.

Ann Rea has been the one person I found affirmed my way of thinking, and provided practical suggestions to apply to making and selling art. I can not say enough about her, and the work she does to re-educate artists who simply want to support themselves creating art work that they love to make and that has value  over and above the art they make. Finding this out was a confirming enlightening moment for me as an artist.

This recent video she posted on her site, Artists Who Thrive, about Canadian artist Linzy Arnott, I couldn't find a more compelling reason to opt out of the 'art establishment' and become a fully immersed in the the 'new creative class' that Ann Rea advocates.

2 comments:

thesycamoretree said...

While I think higher education is a great idea, I truly think they do a disservice to people by not teaching them practical ways for thriving (rather than just surviving) in the work world. Glad there is someone like Rea to be a mentor to other artists as they navigate their way!

Unknown said...

You are exactly right Bev, very much disservice and handicaps people economically. The educational system is oriented toward consumerism to produce a society that promotes an economy that is credit rich and cash poor.

Generally there is an avoidance of the whole idea of actually making a living from art, never mind thriving, that perpetuates the 'starving artist myth'.