This weekend I had a chance to participate in the Making Art In The World panel during Pratt Institute’s Reignite weekend. It was great to be back at Pratt, but as it often happens with panels, we didn’t have enough time to discuss everything. I admit, I left Pratt with a lot on my mind and feeling that, unfortunately, the lack of time didn’t let us have a real dialogue.
So I decided to write about some of the points discussed during the panel with the hope that I would hear your comments and experiences as artists “making art in the world”.
One of the points discussed during the panel was the importance of the viewer. In my work, I want viewers to be active participants rather than inactive spectators. And I wonder if it’s even possible to say that we don’t take the viewer into consideration when we exhibit our work in a public space? Why bother taking the work outside of our studios if we don’t want people to see it or respond to it?
Professional development for artists was also briefly mentioned. When I graduated from Pratt, professional development wasn’t part of the curriculum. I always think I acquired my professional development through the process of learning how to balance a full-time job and creative time. I learned how to interact with people with different interests and backgrounds, stay abreast of technology, and consequently apply all of the above to the business of art. But as mentioned at the panel, I agree that the current situation for an MFA candidate or a recent graduate is very different. MFA candidates now have an overwhelming amount of information, but a lot of pressure as well.
As I mentioned on a previous post, I think the key is to understand that a creative career is a life commitment — a marathon not a sprint. Having a clear idea of our priorities (in both art & life) is a good way of staying grounded while feeling pressure at any stage of our careers. Here are some of mine, and I look forward to hearing about yours…
A healthy lifestyle and my family are definitely number one to me. Appreciate the opportunities and people around me — my community. Have a positive and realistic view of where I am and where I want to be next. Follow my own path and welcome change to my creative process. And to absolutely never lack ideas or the curiosity that keeps me going and active.
Leave a comment