episode 7 of creative conversations
This week I am joined by artist Susan Hughes, who had organised an exhibition at Weymouth Library. We talk about the exhibition she has arranged and put on. About Weymouth artists group, ArtWey CIC and how she fits within this group. About the ArtWey Big Draw and cultural Olympiad project, ‘the Giant Wall’.
http://creativedialog.wordpress.com
We talk about being a professional artist, about finding your audience and selling your work. Susan talks about coming back to drawing and the influence that Betty Edwards’ method of drawing has had on her. We hear about her life drawing class and how working with a spreadsheet helped her convince herself that these classes could work. That artists should not be afraid of dealing with money, that a bit of a business head is good. But it is a struggle to manage all aspects of being an artist, of marketing, doing the admin, bookkeeping and finding time to produce your work.
The most important thing though is to just enjoy making work. To enjoy that quiet space to produce your work. To find a way to make it as enjoyable as you can and realise that it is going to be difficult.
have some new audio visual work shown at counterText11 in Bridport. It’s a great opportunity to meet other artists and talk about our work, our ideas and future possibilities. Been really great to be part of this show.
Episode 6 of creative conversations is now online at; http://creativedialog.wordpress.com
This week I finish my conversation with Alan Rogers, Cultural Coordinator as part of the Weymouth and Portland 2012 Operations Team, at Weymouth Pavilion.
We start by talking about how he balances the difficult decisions of working within a limited budget. We go onto hear what Alan thinks about the long lasting effect of the cultural Olympiad on this area. & I end by picking Alan’s experience about ways artists can build in sustainability in the incredibly precarious career of artists practice.
It’s easier to do these recorded conversations with people I do not know & i have decided to not give participants a chance to review my draft edit. I clearly state at the start what i am about and what is to happen with my recordings. I emphasis that the recordings will go onto the internet and who knows who may end up hearing what they have said, so they should be careful.
Also they can now listen to olde recordings, to my previous conversations, so that gives people an idea of the show.
Just back from talking to an individual artist. Refreshing how honest and open our conversation was. Pointed out clearly this time, that they need to be aware of the comments they make as the audio would be posted on to the global internet and who know who might listen to it. But this warning did not hinder our conversation.
It was great having our conversation around our sense of place and how as artists we try and figure out how our practice fits within the landscape, along with ways of earning a wage. Also discussed how to move up the ladder, how art competitions are turning you down due to lack of experience or lack of exposure, but how you get these experiences without getting the work, the opportunities. As a lot of young people are finding out, it is very difficult. And it does not necessary get any easier as you get older.
