MY NAME IS LARISSA.

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