Decades ago I was curated for a solo one man show exhibit at Honolulu's then sole museum, campus galleries, fund raisers, interviewed by reporters to critically acclaimed reviews as front page art news but no follow up from me since I thought being commercial meant selling out. I did not use the momentum I achieved in academic circles with marketing tools like drop-off portfolio a contact sheet of my work, bio, artist statement, business cards, web sites solely so my professional art career is in the skids literally nowhere in sight.
At work I heard testimonies from Hollywood locals for the 1st time I am receptive to do art about idols, icons, landmarks, hollywood celebrities which I brushed off as kitsch, going with the market demand and selling out with accessibility and easy money.
Being a typical starving artist one has to earn a living outside of what we believes in to survive. In ideal artist's world an angel. mentor, talent scout, philanthropist like Peggy Gugenheim did for Jackson Pollock and the New York school. Serendipity , divine arrangement since God is the ultimate artist would find a way for artist's to make a living. Artists as part of creative process would find a way to expose and share their work with the work. Through happy coincidence, numbers game, networking so synchronicity can happen to meet and be discovered by likes of David Geffen, Theo Van Gogh, late Gertrude Stein and Brian Epstein to be recognized, groomed, represented, financed so artist can practice their craft what they do best. Sometimes it can happen and practiced as law of attraction and taught as god takes care of His own kind artists.
The business side of art most artists have very little urge to toot your own horn. Your art should speak for itself. So artists hope and wish to operate in the background while agents and talent scouts to come to our aid, cause to be our art patrons to level out the rough patches of road. Artist's way in reality the wolf is constantly pounding on your door answering the call.
I will edit more later. Most artist adapt to climb financial hurdles, smote fire after fire whereby recreational painting is the last resort to solve living costs.
Starting at ground zero all aspects are an upgrade as I can afford only the basic art supply materials. I hoard paints, paper, wood paneling, cheap frames when I find them on sale. I ask gallery director if I may display with push pins let the art do the talking. When I lust for life zipping away I retreat to my backyard and paint.
I lay out paintings to dry on cement in my backyard out in the open air so dirt debris stick to wet paint as part of my art. Like skid row, shanty town studio I improvise makeshift tables to paint. Ideally I can use a hand to clean up the clutter as I try to do. I anticipate one day creating assemblage, sculptures from found objects so I save broken shards, ceramics, records, stuff to use. When I open my front door I see my outdoor studio it beckons me to paint so I struggle to focus on daily life. Actually the world is an artist studio usually front & back of your car.
I prefer to in commercial area since rent is cheaper square footage so I may exhibit my work in 10' walls. Making life more inhabitable with art inside my living quarters. Taking a break means painting indoors when it gets dark at dusk and dew arrives I can paint. I use what I have 24x36, 18x24, 16x20, 11x17 useable paper.
I would prefer archival and better grade of paper, better brushes, name brand paints, easel, the works basically truth be told to give patrons and future generations who will discover my work a chance to preserve my works. Like all artists we can make do I can paint anytime anywhere except windy & rainy weather. Acrylic paint doesn't dry in moist night air so I need tofabricate or buy metal print rack to stack paintings to dry. I need digital camera, laptop able to handle photoshop for photo editing artwork, Paying photographers, graphic artists like I have their work is not up to par with what I want in the end my image suffers. I hire geeks to help me with uploading images and most technical stuff as I have old tools to work with because public computers don't allow you to do personal stuff.
Painting is my raison-etre I have a little voice to express. This year my work has suffered taking on different tasks to bolster my income. I love sales so I am still looking for right match that pays me what I am worth. Happy Holidays are here so end of my day of public contact at 5PM it's dark. I am prolific and capable of great work when I can put my mind to painting. Since I have not found the patrons, agents, art lovers I have met before I have no following for my art. So my art is a hobby instead of full time devotion as I choose to do. I do it anyway every chance I get to paint despite circumstances.
Renting storage space, tool shed would allow me to paint indoors. Buy a shed to store my clutter would allow me to paint at my heart's content. Or an awning.
Ideally unstretched canvas 20x20' to lay on floor to paint. mural panel boards would take too much space to store from weather. I am not sure how artists can afford huge canvas to play with.
Last wk. I chased down alleged gallery owner, self-proclaimed agent who I met on campus like many before him kept my work after I requested they be returned. Ignoring my intellectual rights he chose to make prints and sell them off as he promised to pay me 55% over the phone but we had nothing in writing. It took weeks of begging on fb, messaging, ph. calls, voice mail to no avail I said clearly I own the copyrights no one else so he returned my art.
Through a mutual acquaintance I clarified I am always ready for legitimate business where everything is signed and dotted. I have been burnt many times where whole collections were stolen or hid from me. Losing your art is traumatic an idea one has slaved over mind and heart is unappreciated. You may see images at www.tgartworks.com. Click on image to see assortment of paintings.