tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041402774788684644.post940133426235360740..comments2023-04-28T02:15:50.172-07:00Comments on Painting from life: The Artist's PickettySharon Knettellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04024744293096824911noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041402774788684644.post-43012544780159294792014-05-11T09:28:21.285-07:002014-05-11T09:28:21.285-07:00I never say "why bother"- but maybe some...I never say "why bother"- but maybe some should not. We are graduating from what I could glean from the United States census data 30,0000 BFA's per year! We have a GLUT of artists now slicing up a smaller slice of the pie. Many cannot pay off their debt- Time magazgine estimates that art students carry the highest debt load.<br /><br />Holland tried artist subsidies that many people refer to fondly as an exemplar but it was a total flop. The artists rushed out pieces- one was a crushed shopping cart to meet the governments quota. The Dutch government was left with warehouses filled with unsaleable junk it could not even auction off. It was a debacle. It ended up shredding some of the more egregious stuff- it was paying fortunes in warehouse fees.<br /><br />This is an article from 1992 in the New York Times- it has gotten worse since.<br />http://www.nytimes.com/1992/09/14/world/out-of-space-dutch-state-dumps-its-non-masters.ht<br /><br />Sometimes artists have unrealistic expectations of what is out there to support them- and the arts have become unrelenting begathons. Rhode Island, 30x 40 miles wide and deep has 20 theater companies-20!<br /><br />Some creative people are creating work co-ops like a B and B in New York- where they work on their art, work at the B and B and some live there.<br /><br />Artist co-operatives may be the way to go with like minded artists- impossible here in Rhode Island as everything is RISD and the figurative arts are held in little regard. This might work in other areas.<br /><br />I just think that there are unrealistic expectations out there and young people should be aware of that and not cripple themselves and their parents with debt. I hire a lot of young art students. A Mass Art BFA grad showed me her portfolio- puerile, cartoony things- I told her that it was not ready for prime time- she thought I completely did not get it. I encouraged her to go into movie making, her other interest.<br />Sharon Knettellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04024744293096824911noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4041402774788684644.post-70253270719576356032014-05-11T08:28:25.241-07:002014-05-11T08:28:25.241-07:00Then are you saying, why bother? Perhaps artists ...Then are you saying, why bother? Perhaps artists need a guild, or a union, or some way to organize?<br /><br />MaggieMaggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07117958622673363944noreply@blogger.com