Recently my right to call myself an artist was called into question - I was showing my art at a festival and happened to overhear a lady talking nearby. As she gestured towards my artwork, she stated that she didn’t want standards to drop because “they were letting people in” who. . . read more
What is art? Why is art important? And why are YOU an artist, rather than anything else? Today I'm asking these questions to everyone, in the hopes that we can create a truly all-encompassing response. . . read more
Life as a visual artist is remarkably different from most other life pursuits. It is a path taken when the passion to create art usurps more traditional thought processes about academic education; or about steady, reliable income with reasonable expectations of financial growth.. . . read more
This recession has completely changed the playing field when it comes to investments. Commodities that were not considered viable stock in the past are slowly gaining attention, and some people are even looking at investing in art.. . . read more
When people think “business networking online” they probably think of LinkedIn. But for artists, I don’t think LinkedIn is the right network for making business contacts - I think Twitter is, and here's why:. . . read more
A couple weeks ago I attended a design event where one of the panelists made a statement that didn’t sit well with me. In fact, what she said has been bugging me for the past 2 weeks.. . . read more
Few of us have the opportunity to live in (or near) an artistic mecca like Paris or New York City, and as working artists it’s easy to see the disadvantages to that. But while living rurally does pose some obstacles for the ambitious artist, there can actually be great advantages too.. . . read more
Do you know what ingredients are in your paints, pencils, inks and dyes? If you do, then you have a great head start in knowing what materials you are working with on a daily basis as well as the broader actions you are participating in.. . . read more
Is there a need for art curators anymore? Contemporary art curators guide the collection and display of artwork, whether in museums or galleries. They often explain, or help clarify, the intent of the work, too. Yet times are changing.. . . read more
If you take a look at a traditional diptych or triptych, you’ll see that it’s not just a series of images that go together - instead, a single composition stretches out over each of the canvases, creating one painting out of many smaller parts.. . . read more
A few years ago, I was on the verge of concluding that art was either for snobs or elitists, and that it was exclusive, as opposed to inclusive. The general public is often led to believe that art is for those who’ve received a nearly spiritual calling.. . . read more
I’ve noticed a trend in the last few years involving art websites. Many of them (if not all) are starting to take the social networking route to build community online. But only a few are meshing with the mainstream art world.. . . read more
Throughout the course of history, art centers and art schools always brought forth the next era of artistic expression - THEY determined what was fine art by bringing it into the mainstream. Today, with instantaneous communication. . . . . . read more
When does an artist go too far and become a commercial “sell out” to his or her peers? And why does profitability seem to be both a dirty word and the thinly veiled longing of our artistic society?. . . read more