Art & Fear

We have listened to many different kinds of artists talk about many different ways they incorporate and make art their life. It's given me plenty to think about--both of my older sisters are currently trying to have dance careers, one starting a company in Milwaukee, while the other teaches children and is trying to get into a company in Chicago. In my family we've been talking frequently about ways to make a living through the arts without being completely broke, and the guest speakers we've had in the class have really opened my eyes to the myriad of possibilities.

My eldest sister gave me and my other siblings this book for Christmas, and it's been very helpful for me. Personally, I have a lot of fear connected to my artmaking! The different ideas we've talked about in class have strongly reminded me of this book, and I would recommend it highly. It's fairly short too!

One other book that I've flipped through that made me laugh recently is The Pablo Helguera Manual of Contemporary Art Style, a satirical look at the contemporary world of art. This quote in particular made me think about our entrepreneurship class:

"Art is an uncommon profession, one that is best defined as an entrepreneurial religion. This is because it offers the possibility of spiritual fulfillment but at the same time it operates like any other enterprise of our capitalist world. When the novice initiates his relationship with art, he tends to see it as a spiritual calling, but secretly awaits a personal and financial remuneration that goes beyond internal fulfillment. When such remuneration is not received, it is replaced by great perplexity, distress, and bitterness."