Welcome to our Art Advice Column, "The Artist is IN," where contemporary art concerns meet practical guidance! Whether you're an emerging artist or a seasoned art professional, our column is designed to provide thoughtful advice for living in the 20th Century Art World.
We would love to help. Email us with your questions to artandcakela@gmail.com. All posts will remain anonymous. Stay tuned for regular updates.
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Dear Art and Cake,
I am worried about my future as an artist. Prices will be going up for daily necessities. Will people be able to afford art? Will I have to get another job and give up painting? Will there be jobs for me to get? Is the art world safe?
Thank you!
Scared in Los Angeles
Dear Scared,
The world has never been safe, but some of the best work has been made during perilous times. Do what you need to do. Focus on necessities, reject the consumerist urge to buy more stuff and keep things simple...reduce, contract, and in doing so, make space for yourself and your work. The moment you think about who will buy the thing you are making is the moment the thing you are making will start to suck, so put those thoughts aside. There's a difference between a job and a career...you can always get a job, but a career takes a lifetime to cultivate.
Samantha Fields
Chair, Department of Art & Design
California State University, Northridge
As a long time teacher, working two jobs- one full time and one part time, I always had a day job.
I also wrote reviews and artist essays. I choose to do this to be free from the anxiety to make a living from
my art. Many artists I know chose this path. They paint (make their art) either before or after their job. If you are entrepreneurial then you might be comfortable with the risks and rewards of selling your art as your income. There is no easy answer to this question. Even Rembrandt taught students in his home and ran a gallery on the first floor to help support himself and his family. There are business of art classes to help you decide. Good Luck!
Nancy Kay Turner
Artist