The Studio!

A: When I arrive at the studio in the morning it’s rare for me to immediately start working.  Usually I read  something art-related – books written by artists, about creativity, etc.  At the moment I’m reading The Artist’s Reality: Philosophies of Art by Mark Rothko. As usual I am struggling to understand aspects of the art business and figure out what I need to do next to get my work seen and collected by a wider audience.  The Artist’s Reality reminds me why I decided to make art in the first place.   It helps reconnect with temporarily forgotten parts of myself and is a much-needed  reminder of what I love about being an artist, especially in light of the business side that is becoming so complex and demanding of attention now. 

Balancing the creative and business aspects of being an artist is a continual struggle.  Both are so important.  An artist needs an appreciative audience – very few artists devote their lives to art-making so that the work will remain in a closet – but I also believe this (from a note I wrote years ago and tacked to the studio wall):  “Just make the work.  None of the rest matters.”

Comments are welcome!