No Nobel Again

Dang it! I didn't get a Nobel again. Shooot! No Ferrari for me, no studio in the south of France. I guess I'll have to get by on my greenback prizes for the rest of the years. Yes, I said years. It's good to earn art money anyway. I'll just go green the Ben Franklin way.
Cheers,
Bob Ragland- NON-starving artist in Denver

Lazy Art Dealers Don't Churn

I was having a conversation with a colleague , we were speaking about the way he was being actively promoted and publicized.
There are two million artists in the workforce and not all of them are smart about getting the word out about themselves. Newspaper stories of the human interest kind can help an artist become better known. Turns out that Whistler was one of the best self promoters art careerwise. Art dealers who are savvy know what to do , to get an artist the notice and respect they deserve. I get brochures in the mail on a steady basis from one gallery and it's always a joy to look them over , again and again. Real art dealers churn the waters for their artists, they don't wait for special events, they know how to create excitement and get themselves and their artists paid.

Neglect

I am wondering if any artists have noticed the lack of coverage of visual artists in certain listings? I am making reference to those Forbes magazine top entertainers lists. I think it would be informative to the general public to list visual artists who are making a good living in spite of the economic downturn. No matter how bad times are artists still make art and sell their work. It seems the visual artist can't get any ink, no wonder the lay public thinks we are all starving. Just an observation.

Not So Hot Artist

I attended a museum opening exhibition recently. My work is in the permenent collection , some of my sculpture is in the sculpture garden. I often go out to look at the work, it's just nice to be able to see it. A lady came out and stood looking in the direction of my work. She stood for quite sometime looking. I asked her as she was leaving the garden, what she thought about the sculpture? Well, I got an answer that went like this, the womman said "I wasn't looking at your sculpture, I was looking at the mural behind the sculpture." So I ain't so hot. Reality check time for yours truly. I didn't take any offense at her comment. I told her people like her made me strive harder to be more succesful. Rejection has a way of making me stronger. I did say to the women that my art life would continue on purpose inspite her not seeing my sculpture. When you're hot ,you're hot, when you're not you're not.

My Best Effort

I try to give my best effort to my art life. So far, so good. I am so weary of all of the doom and gloom financial reports. If I spend more than I make , I guess I deserve to be stressed out. I designed a frugal lifestyle for financial times like the present one we are in. Being an artist has different kinds of rough patches, believe me , I have had my share. I am insulating myself from as much of the bad stuff as I can. Yesterday I went and bought me some adult beverages, and I had the dough to do so. My best effort is to do what I need to to have a sound art life. It's working.

Rough Economy

A rough economy should make an artist improve their skill set. Just like rejection , it should be a ingredient to get stronger. Rough economies create tough artists. No whining, just don't be trying to get ten thousand dollars for a postage stamp
size work of art.
If you got bread and shelter and a way to make your work, that's all that matters. This ain't the last time we will see a rough economy, we just will have to deal with it.

GateKeepers Part Two

I just spoke with a jewelry maker on the sidewalk in the Cherry Creek area. The jewelry maker and me were having a converstion and the lady whose shop was letting the artist use the space came out and got in the way. I have passed the place often and went in a couple times to look at some wood sculpture displayed there. Be cause of the owners gatekeeper attitude , I won't be going in again. New artists have to put up with some very harsh people in the world. Me I have very thick skin, new artists, not so much. I love the blog, I get to vent!!!!!!