The last day I was in Ottawa I went to visit my friend Jackie. She was a student of mine a few years back. We got in touch again some months ago when she emailed me after seeing a video I was in on TV. It was being aired on BRAVO. A production company in Moncton, New Brunswick had given me some music composed by a musician in Manitoba and they had given him a painting of mine. (I think it was in the summer of 2002.) He was to create some music to my painting and I, a painting to his music. It was a lot of fun. They had shots of me in my studio painting, some talking about my work, and also some swimming and boating. Ultimately, I didn’t like the painting I did, so it has gone through many changes and become something else.
It was so good to see Jackie again, to see she is painting a lot, very good work. It’s exciting for me to see students mature, especially if they are still making art. I think I’ve mentioned the statistics before. But, here it is again: of the graduating class, ten years later, 10% will still be making art. Of those 10%, 10% will be making over $10,000 a year from their work. Roughly, 1% succeed financially. The rest? Good question! It’s not an easy life, trying to make a living making art. Teaching is a good gig. Nice work, if you can get it. (And keep it.) Given the proliferation of galleries in Manhattan, it feels like more than the 1% are exhibiting.
Most artists need a good “editor” in the early years. And maybe later too, come to think about it. I suppose that is what school is, but that kind of mind needs to become part of the working process. So many times I have thought I had a really good painting only to look at it the next day and wonder what I was thinking. The real test is, as always, time.
I don’t mind being away from my studio at times. It is nourishing to be in another environment, especially with my children and friends. Making art is a twenty-six hour a day job. And I take it with me wherever I go.
Posted by leya at December 25, 2006 01:39 PM