Measuring Success

A couple ways to measure this success thing, sometimes i think it's just getting up in the morning. Other days it's when i have sold a piece and have a little foldin money, and one more bill gets paid. Still at the end of each day and at the end of my life I will answer to myself and whatever god happens (if any) to show up. People who do what they want seem to have attained success,also if they are acknowleged and admired or even hated and acknowledged this could be success, all depends on what the goal was originally. Mostly success is looking at myself in the mirror and knowing i did everything i possibly could and then some to realize and materialize my dreams.

Mission

What is the artist mission? I like what it said in the intro about artist acting as free radicals in society. Artist are the conscience of culture, the awakened dreamers of the unconscious mind, we speak out against apathy and stagnation. We create laughter when it's not funny and throw paint when the world reaks with injustice and intolerence. Artist speak the thoughts people don't know they have and would probably be terrified of. In many ancient culturs there is a trickster archetype that appears to stir things up when the world becomes to safe or people are taking themselves too seriously. This court jester makes people laugh as he pulls the rug out from under them, this is an artist mission.

Artistic Attitude

What struck me here was the description of attitude in flying and air craft, pretty metaphoric. I think an artistic attitude is one of positive approach seeking to know seeking to express. At times this attitude may appear wreckless and feelings may be hurt but there is always passion never apathy and the notion that " I may be wrong! But here goes!!" anyway someone's always gotta be first on the dance floor. Also the only attitude you have any control over is your own.

Artistic "Self"

This one is tricky. i was a real shy kid and mostly just listened, now i am little more outspoken and feel that even though my thoughts and knowledge is not absolute and may often be wrong, discourse is key to survival and prosperity. I like to see how art work affects people when they don't know who did it, it causes the viewer to make assumptions about the artist based solely on the work. I used to go by Ray Simpson and when i would meet people who had seen mywork they would be surprised that i was female. Does it change the art itself that i am male or feamale? it certainly does change the world's perception. i don't think you can look at someone and know who they really are, you know what they want you to sometimes if you are paying close attention you may see something more private.
In order to survive we must adapt, this means to me that we grow and change shedding our old selves and constantly resurfacing who we are. In the world today artist self seems to be agood bit about celebrity status and marketing, cool people doing cool art wearing cool clothes. this is the world of media but some of the most talented artist i have met do not look the part so i demand a recast of the artist self to be determined by each individual artist themselves. If we seek our true selves through life and art we may find something that is constanly evolving and changing.
"Darkness, call me brother! that i may not fear which I seek." -Anonymous

Inspiration

My inspiration seems to come from the outside world and from inside my own head. I am often more inspired if I am in an environment that has more active stimli - museums, music, physically adorned or diverse people, great architecture etc. When I have been deprived of these things my inspiration still exists but seems to come from further inside my own well of vision. Inspiration can also be like lightening- striking without warning and leaving you with a sizzling sensation all over. I like the idea of art collaboration, this really can get my juices going and reminds me that we are not in this alone, tying into partial definition of wego. Also the art that can come from collaboration can have a multifaceted yet concise nature more so than individual works can. Working together can be inspiring from a competitive perspective and people may introduce concepts or techniques that you alone would never have imagined, encouraging you to attempt different stratagies towards your artistic ventures.

Audience

I often tell myself that i make images for myself, because i find them beautiful or haunting or they are to remind me of something i need to remember. Now l realize that "making art in a closet doesn't count" this epitomizes the idea that the audience is a part of the art. I recently did a show in a local restaraunt and only sold 3 pieces but got some really great feedback from people about the images. Not all was that they liked it and would hang over their couch but some people thought the work was " creepy" and " disturbing". One image I sold was an icon of the Virgin of Guadalupe, the woman who bought it was going to replace her actual crumbling statue of the Virgin with my image-this was very flattering. The process of completing a body of work and exhibiting it felt like the art had come full circle, like it now had an extended life outside of my space and in other spaces and in other people's daily lives.

In The Making Intro

Why am i an artist?
Until now i haven't thought into that as much as i should. I used to get angry when someone would call me an artist, " I'm a photographer ! Not an artist." like to be called an artist was slanderous. Still a part of me needed more than flat paper prints, no matter how beautiful and touching, a part of me needed smeared paint, gritty surfaces, slick curved reflections, more than 2-D. I can't help but make things..french toast with homemade wiped cream, mini paperclip sculptures, piles of stones, alters, arrangements of acorns, boxes with photos and specimans from the world. Objects call me to them, begging me to tell their story to the world. The world tugs at me to ingest it and transform it somehow into a language that can't be spoken -a communication of elements themselves raw and unfettered. ok not real sure what that means but it sounded enticing.
I guess I am an Artist because i must be, because creating and transforming the world is like breathing- if ya wanna live ya gotta do it.
With the age of art as it is with no limitations and plethora of possiblities is a blessing and a curse. Like great power comes with great responsiblity etc. I believe it is truly exhilerating and terrifying to have so much knowlege and resource, the only question is what do you do with what you've got?