Another day; another artist

Today was the graduation ceremony for NSCAD students. Lots of very happy faces. Even with the world in as much instability as it seems these days, I still believe art can make a positive difference. And obviously, so do the graduating students.

An honorary degree was given to Betty Woodman, a ceramic artist of renown, who is about to open a retrospective exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. I wasn’t familiar with her work before today but am intrigued by what she had to say. She addressed the women in the audience directly as she felt they had more obstacles to face as artists. And her experience is as a woman artist. She began by saying she is seventy-five years old, married, raised two children and never stopped making art. The art was her first priority. She would go into the studio as soon as the children were off to school, before washing dishes or making the beds. And maybe the dishes and beds were never attended to that day. The art always came first. She has always been passionate about her work and the passion is expressed as integrity, her own personal, honest search and discovery. That integrity can only enrich the experience of people who connect to her work.

Betty Woodman certainly didn’t look seventy-five. Her hair was dark brown (yes, I know, I do it too!), she was lively and smartly dressed. So maybe we need to revise our thoughts of what aging is, but that’s another topic (although I do think being involved in making art does keep a person young: living on the edge). She’s a good role model for anyone, in any occupation. Her dedication and focused passion are inspiring.

So the message is be honest. I know the statistics aren’t so great for being a successful artist. And government funding is getting even more insecure. If you can’t do anything else (because it's a difficult path and needs to be a considered choice), then make art with all your heart, passion and integrity.

Posted by leya at April 22, 2006 06:22 PM