ART FOR FREE! But at what cost?

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:21:00 -0400

Consider my art = humanity "proof":

Without art there is no culture.

Without culture there is no civilization.

Without civilization there is no humanity.

Art is humanity.

A couple of nights ago I watched the PBS documentary Breaking the Maya Code. The film is a fantastic illustration of what I mean. Someday the world as we know it will be consumed by time and our structures will become like the Maya's. Well, probably...maybe. Who can say for sure? But I suspect that this may very well be the case.

It seems to me that when we [modern humans] want to learn about ancient cultures and civilizations, it is rule-of-thumb to turn to the art produced by the people of that time. From studying the art of an ancient people we are able to then learn something of their scientific, mathematical, literary and philosophic discoveries and achievements as well as everyday life. Art is the ultimate history book. It is timeless. It is universal. It is profound. It is underfunded.

As an artist I am impressed, and sometimes overwhelmed by the great responsibility I have to culture and civilization...to history. I, along with my fellow artists, are the observers and recorders of our time. Our work is creative and often fun, yes. But it is also important and urgent. Given the importance of the artist to the survival of a culture it is extra frustrating how underpaid and exploited the artist all too often is.

Artists bring beauty and joy to their communities. They inspire new thought and innovation. In my opinion, human creativity is among the greatest of our natural resources. The creativity and innovation that comes from art is what makes PROGRESS possible. All of humanity hungers for beauty and joy. Everyone wants it, but no one seems to want to pay for it. Yet, so much money goes to the destruction of our world through war and environmental degradation for the sake of power for a very few, very rich people. What does this say about our values? What does this mean in the terms of progress for humanity?

Art is being taken out of schools. Galleries are closing their doors left and right. People have learned to accept industrialized production-line produced mediocrity in the place of art. Who will buy an original and critical work for $500 (or more!) when they can get something that they don't have to think about, and matches their couch just as well, for $25 at Target. I don't think we are better off as a civilization for this. The world needs more Herb and Dorothies.

Currently I am working on a couple pretty large-scale projects in my community: a women' art show next spring and a mural/installation with incarcerated kids. Both of these projects (like nearly all the work I've been doing for the past 5 years) I am doing on a volunteer basis. In other words, I'm not getting paid. I do this because I believe in art and humanity. I do it because, like it says on my home page:

I believe creating a tangible, physical dialogue about the world that surrounds us is the responsibility of artists. I believe art has the ability to transform communities by inspiring meaningful dialogue about issues like race, class, gender, faith, governance and love if approached and executed in a thoughtful way.

However, I also have to eat and pay my bills, including my taxes. President Obama has been pretty big on promoting volunteerism. Volunteering is great, but it's a very finite resource in a world that runs on $$$$. For now I'm hangin' in there doing my work with integrity even if it is without pay. I hope to be paid for something in the near future because I need to be. How's that for hope, Mr. President?

-Larissa

My Relationship With My Sketchbook

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:52:00 -0400

I think it's pretty safe to say that, regardless of chosen media, all artists share one very important tool in common: the sketchbook. The sketchbook is the place to keep all those random (and not-so random) musings, ideas and creative inspirations that can come to the artist without any warning. My sketchbook goes EVERYWHERE with me.

I've seen sketchbooks take many forms. I've seen sketchbooks that were piles of napkins, file folders stuffed with bits of things, lined notebooks, voice recorders, recycled paper bound in leather, virgin paper bound in leather, spiral bound, soft covers, paper covers, moleskins, hand-made paper, elephant-poo paper, and on and on. Choosing the right container to house my precious creative ideas can be a difficult choice with so many options.

I've been thinking about sketchbooks a lot lately because mine is nearing capacity. My current sketchbook is spiral bound. I like the spiral binding so I am able to open the front cover all the way to the back. This sketchbook was a gift from my alma mater, CCS in Detroit, a couple of years back when I was a guest speaker. It's pages are a rough kind-of heavy weight brown recycled paper. The cover is thick pressed black cardboard embossed with the CCS insignia. In addition to the scribbles and notes filling the pages it is also stuffed with pieces of scratch paper, fliers, brochures and other bits I have picked up in my artistic adventures. The whole thing is held closed with a fat gum-band and the spiral binding has become a bit warped. It's come a long way from the nice crisp book that was placed in my hand as a gift. I still remember writing on the first blank page...with a nice new black Sharpie. I have a thing about writing in my sketchbook almost exclusively with a black Sharpie. I don't know why. Somehow it just seems so real. So permanent, the way I'd like my work to be.

My sketchbook is like an old friend. We have history. We go way back. Seeing the latest edition almost full is both exciting and scary. There's a real sense of satisfaction at seeing all those pages full. COMPLETE! It's also hard when the time comes to move on to a new one. Will my new sketchbook and I get along? Will we share good ideas? I don't know. Well, I have a little time to find my new friend. My old friend still has a few blank pages left.

-Larissa

My sketchbook:

Flight of Thought

ART FOR FREE! But at what cost?

My Relationship With My Sketchbook