tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post7085028657457481310..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: Starving ArtistsDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-5857908824989809902013-04-21T13:42:19.509-06:002013-04-21T13:42:19.509-06:00Making it big in any of the arts isn't easy, b...Making it big in any of the arts isn't easy, but once the bug bites, it's almost impossible to ignore it!<br /><br />Morgan Mandel<br />http://www.morganmandel.comMorgan Mandelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10118929301591850918noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-39160866577410433032013-04-15T14:16:12.256-06:002013-04-15T14:16:12.256-06:00I hate to be a buzz-kill ... and Lord knows I woul...I hate to be a buzz-kill ... and Lord knows I wouldn't be upset if I sold a few more books ... but it is all about supply and demand (ooo ... listen to Chris Big-Brain) ... and have you seen the supply in a book store ... or on Kindle? Sheeessh! But please don't tell my wife I said that ... I'm not ready to be WalMart greeter.<br />That said, my daughter, who received a BA in dance from WMU, asked me several times while she was in school if she should abandoned dance and get a degree in accounting. I asked, "Do you love accounting?" She said, "No, I love dance." I said, "Then pursue your dream ... and it will work out for you ... if it doesn't, then I will back you up." Words I lived to regret ... but hey, it did work out for her.<br />Christopher Hudsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667548312923348614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-77421733923730704122013-04-15T13:54:52.754-06:002013-04-15T13:54:52.754-06:00Thank you so much for this post - and the painting...Thank you so much for this post - and the painting, I love it. I have young boys, and I would like to see them pursue their passions no matter how much money they might make. And when I look real close at the Spitzweg painting, I can't help but think the poor man is actually rich beyond measure...Ian Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00180358189855284967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-78845416578893651452013-04-15T13:12:36.004-06:002013-04-15T13:12:36.004-06:00Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I agree that a...Thanks for the thoughtful comments. I agree that asking for artists to be self-supporting is very difficult in our social/political climate, but I would be at least partially satisfied if we supported artists the same way we support sports. As one of my friends said, "can you imagine what our world would be like if they handed out art scholarships at the same rate as sports?" Kim Pearsonhttp://www.primary-sources.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-71215798969506050492013-04-15T11:20:43.622-06:002013-04-15T11:20:43.622-06:00Good post, Kim. Movies are considered art, yet wri...Good post, Kim. Movies are considered art, yet writers, who are also artists, are not compensated the way actors are. Sometimes even the scriptwriters are not paid on the level of others involved in making the movie. Even so, I would still encourage those who feel they have the "writing" gene to write, be it poetry, fiction, nonfiction, scripts, commercials, whatever.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-29582560193700160892013-04-15T10:40:46.216-06:002013-04-15T10:40:46.216-06:00Good for you, Kim! Keep up the great encouragement...Good for you, Kim! Keep up the great encouragement.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-41812977612793365882013-04-15T10:20:29.573-06:002013-04-15T10:20:29.573-06:00Stuart, I do indeed feed my grandson's talent ...Stuart, I do indeed feed my grandson's talent ... in fact, he knows me as the "art gramma" (he has 2 grammas & 1 step-gramma) because whenever we get together we do a project, whether its drawing or music or telling stories. Another wonderful thing about this is that it not only feeds his talent, it lights a fire under me as well. I'm always much more creative after a visit with him.Kim Pearsonhttp://www.primary-sources.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-40346273336992378052013-04-15T08:58:49.785-06:002013-04-15T08:58:49.785-06:00Great post, Kim! We've all felt your frustrat...Great post, Kim! We've all felt your frustration. Lord knows, after twenty-five years of fighting this business (altho not all of it's a fight!) I've had my share of gnashing of teeth. I always try and remember how Hemingway said he wrote best when he was hungry :) Susan Mary Malonehttp://www.maloneeditorial.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53631902223498958052013-04-15T08:15:43.058-06:002013-04-15T08:15:43.058-06:00I think you channeled my father with those comment...I think you channeled my father with those comments about never making a living off writing. And what choice do we have? It's not like we can stop being an artist. So we find day jobs to support our true passion.<br /><br />Great post.Jodi Carmichaelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00744726333983892310noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36800717374235978562013-04-15T08:13:19.478-06:002013-04-15T08:13:19.478-06:00I have to say, too, that we never allowed the term...I have to say, too, that we never allowed the term "starving artist" to creep into our minds and speech. I think this is pivotal to behaving as though you're a success, with a good job, and a decent income. Once you fall into that mindset, even joking about it, you're one step closer to doomed. Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-86256163801882326332013-04-15T08:07:53.252-06:002013-04-15T08:07:53.252-06:00This post reminds me of the introduction to my RWA...This post reminds me of the introduction to my RWA chapter meeting yesterday. We've moved our venue to a bookstore/cafe/art gallery, and the owner welcomed us with a joke.<br />"What's the difference between an author [insert any field of the arts here] and a park bench?"<br /><br />"The park bench can support a family."<br /><br />So true, and watching the schools cut budgets for all the arts is so sad. I'm a lousy musician, but at least I was exposed to music in school.<br /><br />Terry <br /><a href="http://terryodell.com/terrysplace" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><br />Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-86596500726908289222013-04-15T08:07:31.696-06:002013-04-15T08:07:31.696-06:00My husband and I have figured out how to make a li...My husband and I have figured out how to make a living at the arts, and I'm grateful. It takes a lot of focus and determination, and running your work day as a business, with art being the end product. That concept seems to work. That said, the most difficult thing about it is the size of the customer base. I once calculated that 1/10 of 1% of my city actually bought art - the rest simply supported the arts with their lip service. I still have the plaque that hung at my gallery door: Support the Arts - Buy Some. I'm sure I offended a few lookers with that one.Danihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-83798726334076400772013-04-15T07:57:00.556-06:002013-04-15T07:57:00.556-06:00I wrote arts advocacy articles for the Lehigh Vall...I wrote arts advocacy articles for the Lehigh Valley [PA] Arts Council for a decade, Kim, so I'm right there with you and have all the proof I need that what you say is true. The arts shore up our culture, period. Their economic worth is quantifiable, as our local arts council collects data on the impact of the arts. <br /><br />Artists know that this is how they create meaning of this crazy thing called life—but it is so elemental, and the artists are the ones who get that, the process will continue whether it makes money or not. If necessary it would go underground; there will never be a world without the arts. But because it is a quality of life issue, it's hard for Americans to see its true value.<br /><br /><br /><br />Kathryn Crafthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08371458857187160425noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-53397212836202176102013-04-15T07:50:30.294-06:002013-04-15T07:50:30.294-06:00Not only do too many people not encourage artists ...Not only do too many people not encourage artists they don't support the arts. Consider what has happened in schools where art, music, and drama departments have been cut. And when counties and cities have budget constraints, where do they look first for cuts? Libraries. It is sad indeed, because the arts are connected so strongly to our humanity.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-41595010378270913662013-04-15T07:11:10.683-06:002013-04-15T07:11:10.683-06:00With so much chatter about entitlement and accusat...With so much chatter about entitlement and accusations aimed at those charged with sucking the life out of the system, I know for a certainty that recognition of and financial aid for artists/musicians/writers would never make it past the financial powers that be. Alas, the naysayers would have heyday, exclaiming that no culture ever reached the pinnacle of world domination based on the likes of Rembrandt, Bach, Caruso, or Hemingway. Coming from a family rich with writers, artists, and composers, I bemoan such cultural shortsightedness. Still, I encourage those of mine who possess such extraordinary talents; and I love this post, Kim. I can even envision that different world of which you speak — if only catching a tiny glimpse as it races by and disappears into never-never land.Linda Lanehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06686488133905538811noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-74717050493267220892013-04-15T06:21:35.660-06:002013-04-15T06:21:35.660-06:00Very few artists, writers, and performers manage t...Very few artists, writers, and performers manage to earn a fortune at what they do. That's what makes artistic endeavors so special. We do it because we love it, not because we expect to be the next J. K. Rowling. Those who do it for riches quit after their first masterpiece languishes in artistic no man's land. For those who persevere, it's still better to keep the day job until they become the next J. K. Rowling. It would be nice to see a cultural shift.Diana Hurwitzhttp://www.dianahurwitz.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-89848543946416793702013-04-15T06:08:05.411-06:002013-04-15T06:08:05.411-06:00For every naysayer about our hopes and dreams is a...For every naysayer about our hopes and dreams is a grandmother feeding those same hopes and dreams. That's our role. We can balance dreams with stories of reality, but to shout down a child's creativity is criminal. Who knows if that love of music will turn into a career in math? Or that love of drawing turns into a love of architecture. I love working with my two-year old grandson. He's such a wonderful blank page on which we write whatever he likes. Keep up the good work.Betsy Ashtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06871010122475160477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-36360961629858994032013-04-15T01:00:06.538-06:002013-04-15T01:00:06.538-06:00A concentration on arts instead of money would und...A concentration on arts instead of money would undoubtedly improve our society in the West and over the whole globe. It is the greed of the money worshippers that has placed us in the current straits we are all (except, of course, the wealthy) suffering. Good luck to your grandson. And make sure you keep feeding his talent, won't you?stuartaken.nethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05695584662320617659noreply@blogger.com