I go through cycles of thinking about My Art Career… and not giving a stuff about any sort of any career. I’m 62. Sort of retirement age, trying desperately to release some pension to boost my income a bit, to take the pressure off. (Computer systems updates and portal refreshing seems to be holding me back, but I am trying!)
Art is the only thing I’ve ever really cared about in terms of progression, vocation, work ethic. I taught for 35 years or so in a variety of settings with students ranging from 3 to 83 years, but it wasn’t a career, it was funding. When I have taught and mentored other artists it has often been rewarding in terms of my own development. Teaching children and young adults and older adults can be really good fun, and rewarding in a different way, but I always had one eye on when I could stop. But what I have now I don’t see myself ever stopping. This is it now till the end, for as long as I can manage it.
I know other (possibly younger) artists who are always looking at the next big thing, where they should be looking to show their work, who they should meet, where they should go to do these things. I wish them well, and admire their drive, but frankly I can’t be arsed.
Most, if not all, of the things I found myself doing have happened by accident. Somebody asks me, and I say yes. I rarely put myself forward for anything. My upbringing tells me this isn’t right. It doesn’t feel right. It feels egotistical, boasty, trumpet blowery, and a bit rude. So what I do is manufacture my own things and hope for the best. Then people I have met ask me to join in with them, and sometimes I ask them to join in with me. It might seem a bit incestuous, closed circle cliquey, but gradually the circle widens.
This week my circle has widened: to Athens, via Liverpool (thanks again Wendy Williams). Whoever knew that could be a thing? If my damn pension thing gets sorted, I am planning a travel fund, so that maybe, this time next year when someone says “Fancy going to the Art Fair in Athens?” Instead of just posting my work, I can go myself.
I expect that is the sort of thing Career people do. But when I do it I will be going with friends, looking at art and talking about all sorts of stuff. It won’t be Networking. Networking makes me feel a bit queasy.
