A Lesson On Making Money & Art

Published on October 28, 2010

I’m a process girl.

I need time to process a situation–reflect on it. Journal. Do all that good stuff….then I’m ready to talk.

That’s where I’m at now. I want to share about my recent travels to Austin, Texas and Cleveland, Ohio. Let’s start with the latter, shall we?!?!

When I was between the ages of 18 to 22 I worked as a gallery assistant at this Artist-run, alternative Art gallery in Cleveland called SPACES. I bet you can imagine how cooler then skool I thought I was. Washing floors, picking up empty wine glasses from the bathroom floor, and painting walls was never more glamourous then those years I spent doing that at SPACES!!!

But in between the grunt work–I got to be around Artists and open my mind to a whole world of possibility of what Art is or could be.

SPACES is not the place for hanging pretty pictures on the wall and calling it a day…this is a place about ideas and stretching perspective on Art, culture, and other yada yada yada stuff.

For example–this is the kind of place where one summer I thought I was the biggest thing ever because I was the assistant to Joseph Kosuth. Oops…I mean THE Joseph Kosuth–the man who’s in all the Art History books for doing THIS.

Yeah. Get what I’m saying?!?!

But, in a strange way–SPACES is a bit elitist even though it’s mission is to create an alternative place for all Artists to experiment and work out these sometimes abstract ideas they have. They want to accept everyone.

But not everyone gets it—and not everyone works this way at all.

So I can see how many Artists might feel intimidated by visiting SPACES–or even resist what is present there.

I honestly get a kick out of it. I even admire the audacity it takes to do some of the things the Artists do there…..like build a sculpture using soba noodles below.

But is it my cup of tea? Does it speak to my heart and soul?

No.

But Artists do.

And that desire to be heard—and that passion to express one’s existence in this world certainly does.

That’s what I relate to at SPACES–even if I don’t get what the heck the Artist is trying to say or do at all. Even if I don’t like it.

I support it—I give it a standing ovation and a good ol’ pat on the back.

And what I like too is that there are Artists out there that create this. That are brave enough to give something totally-absurdly different a chance and call it Art. I LOVE that these Artists create because they want to make a statement–create a conversation–bring attention to something they feel is important.

So many people get caught up thinking that Art is commerce and it must be sold to hold value.

Not always true.

What I realized from my visit–is that I still hold the lessons I learned and the conversations I had during my years at SPACES deep inside me. I still believe passionately that all Art doesn’t have to be something one does to make money for it to be valid–important–amazing–and to make an impact.

Art just needs to be created.

And truth is….why you make it–is worth more then any ticket value could hold.

So just keep creating, Artists.

Just keep putting it out there.

Keep the conversation going and keep expressing the way you do best.

You’ll find your audience…and in the end, that’s where the real abundance is.