How to survive and prosper as an artist selling yourself without selling your soul, 7th edition

CHAPTER 1Career Development for Artists: Then and Now In the late 1970s, I began counseling visual and performing artists and writers on career managementand development, an occupation t

Copyright © 2018 by Caroll Michels

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Michels, Caroll, author.

Title: How to survive and prosper as an artist: selling yourself without selling your soul / Caroll Michels.

Description: Seventh edition | New York: Allworth Press, 2018 | Includes bibliographical references and index.

Identifiers: LCCN 2017051395 (print) | LCCN 2017051788 (ebook) | ISBN 9781621536185 (e-book) | ISBN 9781621536130 (pbk.: alk paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Art—Vocational guidance—United States | Art—Marketing.

Classification: LCC N8350 (ebook) | LCC N8350 M46 2018 (print) | DDC 702.3—dc23

LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017051395

Print ISBN: 978-1-62153-613-0

eBook ISBN: 978-1-62153-618-5

Printed in the United States of America

WITH GRATITUDE

To Monika Verma of Levine Greenberg Rostan Literary Agency for all her support and assistance, and to Tad Crawford, founder and publisher of Allworth Press, where the new edition of my book found its real home.

Chapter 1 Career Development for Artists: Then and Now

Chapter 2 Launching or Relaunching Your Career: Overcoming Career Blocks

Chapter 3 Launching or Relaunching Your Career: Setting Up Shop and Entering the Art World Chapter 4 Presentation Tools and Packages

Chapter 5 Exhibition and Sales Opportunities: Using Those That Exist and Creating Your Own Chapter 6 Art Marketing: Digital, Print, and Social Media

Chapter 7 Public Relations and Press Relations: Keep Those Letters and Emails Going Out and

Coming In

Chapter 8 Pricing Your Work: How Much Is It Worth?

Chapter 9 Dealing with Dealers

Chapter 10 The World of Grants and Other Fundraising Resources

Chapter 11 Generating Income: Alternatives to Driving a Cab

Chapter 12 Rationalization, Paranoia, Competition, the Overwhelm Factor, and Rejecting Rejection

Appendix of Resources

Notes

About the Author

Index

CHAPTER 1

Career Development for Artists:

Then and Now

In the late 1970s, I began counseling visual and performing artists and writers on career managementand development, an occupation that I am credited for inventing Originally, I called myself an

“artist’s consultant.” In 1990, I changed my title to “career coach and artist-advocate,” a descriptionthat succinctly describes the work that I do

Prior to inventing a new occupation, I worked in a collaborative of artists and architects, Rucker-Co, that was founded in Vienna, Austria Three members of our group, including me, moved

Haus-to New York, where we formed a nonprofit organization, Haus-Rucker-Inc We were primarilyinvolved with public art projects and also performed a study on ways to utilize urban rooftop spacefor cultural, recreational, and commercial facilities The study was funded by the NationalEndowment for the Arts in conjunction with The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science andArt Before Haus-Rucker-Inc disbanded, we had a solo show at Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris;

Archéologie de la Ville was one of the museum’s inaugural exhibitions Our work has continued to be

recognized well into the 21st century, with a retrospective exhibition in 2014–15 at Haus amWaldsee, Institut für Internationale Kunst in Berlin

This book contains information and advice derived from all my experiences when I was working

as an artist, as well as those of my clients, and most certainly some subliminal messages that Ireceived from my childhood and adolescent years I have offered perceptions, observations, andadvice that would have been invaluable to me when I first started working as a visual artist

Although I am no longer doing artwork (I am an obsessive dance student), I have always beenproud that I was able to live off my earnings as an artist I established a track record for winninggrants and corporate sponsorships I developed my own public relations campaigns and was regularlypublished in newspapers and periodicals

Managing my own career was something that no one person taught me I learned from severalindividuals, positive and negative encounters, trial-and-error experiences, and intuition

Measuring my success as an artist’s career coach is very similar to measuring my success as anartist In both professions I have achieved immediate success, long-range success, and no success Ihave received direct feedback, indirect feedback, and no feedback I have felt successful in my workwhen my clients have followed up and used my advice, leads, and information that led to invitations

to exhibit and perform; were awarded commissions, grants, and fellowships; received presscoverage; and were successful in their negotiations with art dealers

Although many of the examples and anecdotes I use to illustrate or make a point involve visual

artists, performing artists and writers will also be able to identify with many of the situations.

This book does not provide all the answers an artist is seeking, nor does it contain everything anartist needs to know about the art world However, it fills in the gaps that have been omitted,overlooked, or ignored in other publications; it elaborates on subjects that have been inadequatelycovered and challenges some basic notions about what an artist’s career is all about It containsadvice, opinions, and impressions that will not be particularly palatable to members of the art world

—including artists, the media, funding agencies, art collectors, art dealers, arts administrators,curators, and critics—because it also explores the ills and injustices of the art world and sheds somelight on who is responsible

When the first edition of this book was published in 1983, there was only one other book on the

market that offered career advice to artists It was titled The Artist’s Guide to His Market, and it was published in 1970 Although in subsequent editions the sexist title was changed to The Artist’s Guide

to the Art Market, in all the editions the author consistently advised that it would be unrealistic for

artists to believe that they can earn a living through art sales.1

Many more books on career management are now on the market Some of the books expresssentiments that are optimistic and empowering Other books continue to put art dealers in the driver’sseat and believe that dealers know best Some books were written by people with little or noexperience in the art world and approach art marketing in the same way one would go aboutmarketing a new restaurant or selling underwear online!

This book addresses artists’ roles in advancing and bettering their lot and taking control of theircareers What artists need most is objective advice, but what they usually receive is reinforcement of

a myth of what it is like to be an artist All too often artists are characterized as underdogs, andaccordingly this image is strengthened throughout their careers I can’t promise that all of my advice

is objective, since my own personal experiences come into play, but the original incentive to writethis book came about when I realized how much underdog philosophy was being published under theguise of “nuts and bolts” career management

You will rarely find the word talent used in the forthcoming pages The belief that an artist has

talent is a subjective judgment, and there is no guarantee that a talented artist will be successful orthat a successful artist is talented

CLIENT PROFILES

My clients range in age from their early twenties to their late eighties When I started working withartists, most of my clients were women This substantially changed in the 1990s, and today gendersare equally divided

Clients have included painters; sculptors; printmakers; fiber artists; installation artists; poets;playwrights; novelists; comic strip artists; graphic novelists; journalists; animators; photographers;craft artists; theater and film directors; film and video artists; performance artists; choreographers;dancers; classical, jazz, and pop musicians and composers; and opera singers

Clients have included well-known artists, unknown artists, beginning artists, self-taught artists,artist couples, arts administrators, curators, art dealers, art consultants, art critics, art serviceorganizations, and theater and dance companies I have assisted a rabbi, a retired executive of Macy’s

department store, a retired host of a television variety show, a national gossip columnist, a Time

Magazine “person of the year,” prison inmates and ex-offenders, physicians, surgeons, architects,

psychiatrists, psychologists, attorneys, and book editors

Clients have included artists who have just graduated from art school, self-taught artists, midcareerartists, artists who have surpassed the designation of “midcareer,” career changers, and artists whoare concerned with their “legacy” (see page 45).

When I first began working with artists, most of my clients lived in the New York City area.However, today, through phone and email consultations, I help artists nationwide, as well as thosewho live in Canada, Europe, Japan, South America, and Central America I also meet with artists inperson in Sarasota, Florida, where I am currently based

I have advised and assisted artists in developing such basis career tools as fine art résumés,résumés to secure teaching positions, artist statements, and biographies I have provided informationand advice on exhibition, performance, and commission opportunities I have advised and assisted inthe preparation of website content planning, exhibition proposals, book proposals, grant proposals,and brochure development I have advised artists on how to negotiate with art dealers and to preparefor studio visits I have also served on a team to assist a client with a complicated copyrightinfringement lawsuit, which was successfully settled

I have counseled artists on complex and seemingly less tangible career challenges such as helpingartists learn to see themselves in relation to the world at large and as participants in the specificworld of art and its various components I have also counseled artists on handling rejection as well assuccess and on maintaining momentum and overcoming inertia

However, the most significant aspect of my work is helping artists take control of their careers

THE CHANGING APPROACH TO ARTIST CAREER

DEVELOPMENT

Calling myself an artists’ consultant and “hanging out a shingle” was not an easy task For valid andcomprehensible reasons, deep-rooted skepticism was intrinsic to all arts communities Initially, itwas difficult to reach artists and convince them that what I had to say and offer was worthwhile

Another factor that enhanced skepticism of my newly invented occupation was that I crossed thesacred line of discussing money, marketing, and self-promotion, and challenging some very basisperceptions about the art world I would go as far as saying that to some people I was considered a

“witch.” To a large extent these career development topics remained controversial throughout the1970s, and well into the 1980s and 1990s Things began to change when the century changed

Today, career development programs and resources for artists are plentiful and address artists atall career levels For example, the Mint Artists Guild in Detroit sponsors a program to help teenageartists develop career and business skills The program was founded in 2015 by writer and journalistVickie Elmer Young artists receive training in business and career strategies and receive exhibitionexperience by showcasing their artwork in public spaces

New Business Models: Going to the Extreme

On the other hand, in certain ways career development tools for artists have gone to the extreme,mirroring a prevalent political philosophy that corporations are people and people are brands Thishas happened by well-intentioned individuals who know little about the art world or the specialchallenges fine artists face It has also happened by some leading artist service organizations whohave joined the bandwagon and are naively encouraging artists to implement strategies and methods

borrowed from the business worlds of nonartists Many of the strategies have no relationship to how

artists within the art world really function.

The new business model has embraced the commercial vocabulary of advertising agencies Artistsare addressed as if they were a new energy bar about to go on the market and need a “brand” to besuccessful For those who understand the inner workings of the art world and the mysterious andvaried reasons why art sells, the simplistic and gimmicky emphasis on “branding” is insulting andcrass As one of my clients commented: “I cringe each time I hear the word ‘branding’ when it refers

to an artist I keep seeing the image of a cow whose skin is being seared with a branding iron.”

Some websites that focus on art marketing offer artists reams of advice about “branding” and

“rebranding” their image, promising fame and fortune if they use “branding” techniques

In stressing the importance of “branding,” the author of one such article writes, “What do you think

of when you hear, ‘Have it your way’? How about, ‘The real thing’? If you said Burger King andCoke, you’ve already been swayed by the lure of branding.”2 Most unfortunately, the author seems tothink that marketing fine art and marketing hamburgers are one in the same

Benny Shaboy, who for many years served as a career coach to artists and as editor and publisher

of the monthly Art Opportunities Monthly, pointed out that

Fine artists may be impressed with the credentials of members of various businesscommunities at first and believe there must be something to what those people say Oncethey think about the application of the recommended marketing techniques and businessstrategies, however, most realize the advice just doesn’t fit the way in which artists’careers work or the way in which the art world operates.3

Regional and national artist service organizations are producing webinars and videos that adviseartists on career development One video series4 is divided into four topics: business, finances,social media marketing, and legal I watched the video about business and thought that the counselor’sadvice could very well be pertinent to the business of art if the business were, for example, an artsupply store or frame shop, but certainly not the occupation of a fine artist It is doubtful that visualartists and performing artists would relate to much of the advice—especially when the counselorentered highly subjective territory, warning viewers that their product or service has to be “excellent,

of high quality, and good.”

I asked one of my clients to screen the same video Because he wears two very different hats, as afine artist and a consultant to business start-ups unrelated to the arts, I was interested in feedback Hisresponse:

Clearly a business person wrote this script without consulting any artists As an artist, some

of it seemed ridiculous … “know your customer,” for instance … kind of true but notrealistic Knowing the customer takes lots of sophisticated expensive research and it’soften wrong

New titles for artists have been invented to coincide with the new business models, with anunderlying insinuation that when artists refer to themselves as “artrepreneurs,” “artist-entrepreneurs,”

or “creative entrepreneurs,” this will lead to career success The reason why these based” titles evolved and why fine artists are encouraged to use them is directly related to a lack of

“entrepreneur-understanding about the differences between fine artists and commercial artists In addition,misguided business advisors, arts administrators, and even some artist career coaches also lumptogether all art market audiences without an understanding of the various distinctions between theconsumer market and the fine art market (see page 132).

Uninformed business advisors, arts administrators, and career coaches also seem oblivious to the

fact that “art is not a business like other businesses,” one of the key points attorney Micaela

McMurrough succinctly pointed out to the US Tax Court when she successfully defended her clientagainst the IRS accusation that the artist had underpaid taxes.5

Selling Art from Artists’ Websites: Advantages and Disadvantages

From the very beginning of website development, some artists have used their sites to sell art Buyinginto the “artist as entrepreneur” philosophy, many more artists have set up stores on their sites aimed

at the consumer market without giving it too much thought

There are several advantages of selling work from an artist website For example, the elimination

of paying the exorbitant 50 percent sales commission that most art dealers charge Selling work from

an artist website can give artists a strong sense of autonomy and independence, free from thesubjective whims of the gallery system, which can be very harsh, cruel, and nonsensical Mostimportant, many artists are receiving a steady stream of income, which helps to defray the high cost ofstudent loans and high cost of rent Generally, and with exceptions, of course, artwork sold throughartist websites tend to be priced less than $500, which is within the comfort zone of the public

There are also many downsides to selling work from artist websites For example, vying entirelyfor the consumer market sales does not encourage creative exploration or experimentation Just likeany other “store” owner, artists with commercial websites will consciously or subconsciously createartwork that they know will please the public and hesitate to change gears for fear that it willnegatively impact sales

In an article in The Atlantic, writer William Deresiewicz dissected the career track of artists who

are creating “product-driven” art He writes:

It’s hard to believe that the new arrangement will not favor work that’s safer: morefamiliar, formulaic, user-friendly, eager to please—more like entertainment, less like art.Artists will inevitably spend a lot more time looking over their shoulder, trying to figureout what the customer wants rather than what they themselves are seeking to say The nature

of aesthetic judgment will itself be reconfigured “No more gatekeepers,” goes the slogan

of the Internet apostles Everyone’s opinion, as expressed in Amazon reviews and suchlike,carries equal weight—the democratization of taste.6

Gallery dealers and art consultants are not interested in competing with artists’ website shoppingcarts The chaotic design and unsubtle commercial orientation of many artist websites can turn offcurators and those people positioned to award artists public art commissions, residencies, grants, andother awards Although the submission guidelines of these venues do not state “artists who sell workdirectly from their websites need not apply,” generally it is an unspoken rule

Young artists do not anticipate the likelihood that growing older can coincide with a yearning toreceive art world recognition and come face-to-face with issues relating to their legacy (see page

11) If an artist spends his or her entire career only catering to the taste buds of the consumer market,

it is unlikely that respect and acknowledgment from the fine art world will occur.

This book is directed at artists who are primarily interested in the fine art market For artists whoare more interested in reaching the consumer market, there are books and online articles available.(These resources are listed on the Artist Help Network site under the heading “Career” and thesubheading “Art Marketing.”) A further discussion about the differences between the consumer artmarket and fine art market are discussed on page 132

THE ADVENT OF “SOCIAL PRACTICE ART”

In refreshing contrast to the “artrepreneur” movement is the proliferation of social practice art, a

repackaging of some forms of “public art,” which has been around for many years Social practice art

is the collaboration of artists with individuals, communities, and institutions in the creation ofsocially conscious art Social practice art also goes by other names, including public practice,socially engaged art, and community art

Social practice art has found its way into projects that deal with homelessness, the environment,urban design and urban renewal, community organization, and much more

In 2005 the California College of the Arts in San Francisco was the first art school to offer adegree in social practice art, and by 2016 at least 10 other institutions have established similarprograms Of course, one does not need a degree to be a social practice art practitioner, but socialpractice art is an important field to warrant inclusion in fine arts curricula

In addition, museums are recognizing social practice art and now have staff members with titlessuch as curator of social engagement and curator of public engagement

A good resource for learning more about social practice art is the Social Practices Art Network(SPAN) It serves as a platform for a variety of socially engaged art and design practices andcontains information for individuals, organizations, community groups, and institutions that areinterested in new genre arts forms and practices

THE SOCIAL MEDIA EXPLOSION

For better or worse, since the last edition of this book was published, the use of social mediaplatforms for subtle and not-so-subtle art marketing purposes has exploded Chapter 6, “ArtMarketing: Digital, Print, and Social Media,” includes a discussion of this subject, includingfeedback on various platforms, what they are accomplishing or not accomplishing, and the pros andcons of using social media in fine artist career development

A WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN ARTIST LEGACY ISSUES

With the population explosion of Baby Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1965) and Generation

X (those born between 1966 and 1979), artists in these age groups have developed a keen interest intheir “legacy.” Many artists in these age groups share the sentiment of Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord,

expressed in her artist’s book Art Lessons: Reflections from an Artist’s Life : “At sixty-one, I am

determined to give myself permission to be as selfish as I need to be to do the work I love I have astrong sense that it’s now or never.”7

Many of my clients in these age groups have become very proactive in relaunching their careers, ortaking their careers to the next level with the hope that when they depart from Planet Earth, their

names and artwork will be remembered.

With this deepening interest in their legacies, artists are spending more time in the studio, moretime on art marketing, and more time trying to find a solution of what to do with the piles of artworkthat are being stored and who will look after their artwork after they die A broader discussion oflegacy issues is included in Chapter 3, “Launching or Relaunching Your Career: Setting Up Shop andEntering the Art World” (see page 45) and Chapter 5, “Exhibition and Sales Opportunities: UsingThose That Exist and Creating Your Own” (see page 107)

THE ADVENT OF “GALLERISTS”

Somewhere between the mid-1990s and early 2000s, art dealers in New York reinvented themselves

and changed the title of their occupation to “gallerist.” Although an article in the New York Times8

suggests that the advent of this new appellation happened in the early 2000s, a reader responded andsaid that he first heard the term used in Europe in the mid-1900s.9

The new title arrived with a set of rules regarding who can use the title and who cannot As anattempt to explain the difference between an art dealer and a gallerist, a gallery owner interviewed in

the Times described an art dealer as one who buys and sells art but does not represent artists The

article also suggested that a gallerist nurtures artists.10

The Artlex Art Dictionary offered a broader definition of gallerist and an explanation of the

word’s origins:

A professional artists’ representative, who may or may not also be an art dealer—someoneinvolved in the buying and selling of art This term might have been derived from the

French galeriste, long used by top gallery workers in France to distinguish themselves from

the mere marchand de tableaux, or picture merchant Alternatively, perhaps it came fromGermany, where galerist or galeristin denotes, respectively, a male or female galleryowner.11

Nina Pratt, who for many years served as a New York-based art marketing advisor to art dealers,accurately observes that many dealers believe the myth that art and business do not mix “Dealers areterrified of being viewed as used-car salesmen They go to great lengths to dissociate themselvesfrom the ‘business’ aspects of art.”12 Consequently, as an effort to reinvent themselves and ward offtheir worst fear, American art dealers gave themselves a new title Although the new title ispretentious and a less-than-subtle embellishment of the occupation of “salesperson,” it can also beinterpreted that the “ist” at the end of “gallerist” symbolically represents yet another encroachmentinto an “artist’s” territory It can be compared to the 50 percent sales commissions art dealersreceive, an implication that they are major contributors to the creation of artwork! Therefore, this isthe only section of the book that will refer to art dealers as gallerists!

THE ART WORLD CONTINUES TO BE IN DIRE NEED OF

REFORM

The art world continues to be in dire need of reforms and structural changes These changes will nothappen overnight, but they will happen if more and more artists take control of their careers, reject

the image of artists as underdogs, and refrain from practicing a dog-eat-dog philosophy in competingwith other artists Although there are more artists than ever before, as the community of artistsmultiplies, it simultaneously divides Everyone is vying for the same bone; no one wants to share it.

Some time ago I shared these views with a client who I had been working with since I begancounseling artists He had been represented by a dealer for more than three years, during which timehis work substantially increased in sales and in value

From the beginning of the relationship with the gallery, much against my judgment, the artist refused

to use a written agreement However, the artist accepted and acted upon my advice to learn to markethis work, independent of the biannual solo show he received at the gallery Eventually, he becamehighly skilled in initiating new contacts and following up on old ones Both initiatives resulted inmany sales

When the dealer saw what was happening, she added some new stipulations to their oralagreement, which originally set forth a specified sales commission on all work sold through thegallery She began charging “special sales commissions” for special circumstances, circumstances inwhich she was not directly involved either in initiating a sale or in doing the legwork to make ithappen The artist, who was afraid to challenge the dealer because he felt that it would jeopardizetheir relationship, acceded to her demands

I pointed out to the artist that, apart from the money he was losing, a principle was at stake, and thateach time an artist compromises a principle, his or her career and the status of artists in general, nowand in the future, are set back another notch

I advised the artist to present the dealer with a proposal that was more equitable If the artist mustgive the dealer a commission on every work sold, even if the sale did not originate with the gallery,the dealer should give the artist something in return, such as a monthly advance against future sales Ipointed out that if the artist had a written contract, chances are the dealer would never have tried toimpose an arbitrary sales commission formula I also pointed out that the artist had adequately provedhis market value and selling power to the dealer, who was deriving steady revenue from the sale of

the artist’s work, a situation that the dealer would not want to give up easily It had not occurred to

the artist that he had bargaining power.

Such occurrences are common in the art world—unnecessary dilemmas and frustrations created by

“the gatekeepers” who have usurped power from artists and by artists who allow their power to beusurped

Artists’ Forgotten Power

Artists, by the fact that they are artists, have power Artists provide thousands of nonartists with jobs!Examples of nonartists who depend on artists for jobs include art dealers; gallery staffs; curators;museum staffs; arts administrators; grants administrators; art school staff; critics and journalists;corporate art consultants and advisors; federal, state, and municipal arts agency employees;accountants; lawyers; framers; printers; and art material suppliers

Yet more nonartists than artists make a living from art, and nonartists make more money from art

than artists! This inequity exists, as do many others, because artists, the “employers,” individually andcollectively have not yet recognized their power

A report13 released in 2017 by the Arts and Cultural Production Satellite Account (ACPSA), inconjunction with the National Endowment for the Arts and the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the

US Department of Commerce, showed that only 2.9 percent of the salaries and compensation

generated by arts and cultural programs went to independent artists, writers, and performers The

balance, 97.1 percent, went to those in occupations who serve artists, writers, and performers—less

the number of performing artists who were employed by performing arts companies This categorywas not earmarked in the study

In response to an article I wrote in my blog about artists providing thousands of nonartists withjobs, a reader wrote that for several years the American Association of Museums (now called theAmerican Alliance of Museums) refused to sell an annual museum pass to artists because theorganization’s policy was that the pass was only for people who provided goods or services tomuseums! Although the policy is no longer in place, it clearly illustrates a myopic point of viewregarding the role of artists

Positive Changes Are Being Made

On the other hand, some aspects of the art world are in good shape and continue to get better Forartists, more headway has been made regarding autonomy and self-sufficiency with the explosion ofartist websites, crowdfunding programs (see page 242), some useful forms of social media, and theadvent of more artist-advocacy organizations such as WAGE (Working Artists and the GreaterEconomy) This organization has successfully drawn attention to economic inequalities that exist inthe arts and is working to resolve them (also see page 112)

In 2012 the New York Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, which had been in effect for 45 years, wasstrengthened with amendments that created criminal penalties for art dealers who do not pay artistsand heirs to artists’ estates Violation of the law can mean fines and jail time In addition, the law’samendments allow artists and artists’ estates to recover attorneys’ fees in a lawsuit to enforce thelaw’s requirements The problem with the original law was that few artists or art dealers knew of itsexistence, but in 2012 the amendments received a great deal of publicity

Although there is still a lot of headway to be made, more art schools and college and university artdepartments have included career development programs into their curricula as an effort to preparestudents for real life More art dealers and arts administrators are entering the art world with degrees

in arts administration and are better prepared with marketing and business acumen than most of theirpredecessors

In previous editions of this book, I pointed out that denying that art is a business is one of manycareer development blocks that artists must transcend Although as previously mentioned in thischapter, I take issue with some of the ways artists are encouraged to “think like a business person,” inthe last ten years much progress has been made in the sponsorship of career development programs byartist service organizations nationwide

Most structural changes in the art world will come about only through artist pressure, artistinitiative, and artist participation While the prospect of radically changing the art world might seemoverwhelming to any one artist, one of the most important contributions that any artist can make is torestructure and take control of his or her own career The following chapters will elaborate on whythis is important and provide options, suggestions, and advice on how to make it happen

Keep in mind that it took me time to build a career as an artist It also took time to learn, master,and apply the skills that are described in this book I mention this to help readers counteract

sensations of being overwhelmed by all the suggestions and information that are provided in the

forthcoming chapters My career did not develop overnight; it was a slow but constant buildup Iabsorbed information that I needed to know at the time I needed to know it When I listened to myinner voice, I moved forward; when I didn’t, I stumbled

RESOURCES IN THIS CHAPTER

Resources cited in this chapter are listed in the Appendix of Resources (beginning on page 273)and/or in the Notes sections The Appendix of Resources is organized with the headings Publications,Organizations, Websites, and Mailing Lists Publications, websites, and software that are sponsored

by an organization are listed under the name of the organization Direct links to websites with long

addresses, and new resources, are provided on the Artist Help Network,

www.artisthelpnetwork.com

Also included in the Appendix of Resources are the following additional resources pertaining to

subjects covered in this chapter:

See appendix section “Organizations”

Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (AICAD)

See appendix section “Publications”

Seeing Power: Art and Activism in the Twenty-first Century

See appendix section “Websites”

Artschools.com

ArtStudy.org

Social Art Practices

Notes (page 313)

CHAPTER 2

Launching or Relaunching Your Career:

Overcoming Career Blocks

As an artist, you have experienced the exuberant pleasure in the act of creation, taking you into the

“zone,” a space where there are no time constraints or barriers and you feel in sync with the world.However, producing something you treasure and believe in does not resolve the question of how touse your artwork to survive and prosper For artists, the question is particularly complex because ofthe difference between survival and prosperity as defined by artists and those in other professions

For an artist, survival often means bare-bones existence; prosperity may be keeping your head above

water In other professions, survival is keeping your head above water; prosperity is financialsuccess!

Being an artist means believing you are an artist; making a living as an artist requires a commitment

to overcoming career blocks In the book A Life in the Arts: Practical Guidance and Inspiration for

Creative and Performing Artists, the author and psychotherapist Dr Eric Maisel pinpoints twenty

types of career blocks that artists often experience:

Blocks from parental voices, personality blocks, personality trait blocks, self-censorship,self-criticism, world criticism, world-wariness, existential blocks, conflicts between lifeand art, fatigue, pressure paralysis, environmental blocks, social blocks, skill deficits,myths and idealizations, self-abuse, anxieties, depression, and incubation and fallowperiods.1

Although these problems and limitations are presented as career blocks, they are the very same

obstacles that can encumber career development.

REJECTING THE MYTH OF THE ARTIST

In past editions of this book, I have discussed the myth of the artist that has been created over theyears by society and artists alike on what it means to be an artist I pointed out that the myth has beenperpetuated consciously and subconsciously by artists and nonartists and is based on trading off many

of the things that other people value for the right to be an artist

For example, the myth tells us that struggle, complexity, and suffering are necessary components ofcreativity, and without these key elements an artist will stagnate The myth tells us that the desire for

comfortable lives and financial success will ultimately poison and distort art, that a real artist is concerned only with art and anyone else is a dilettante The myth tells us that real artists do not discover themselves; real artists are discovered by others! The myth warns us about selling out,

although most artists who are concerned about this issue are not quite sure what it means The mythsays that artists are expected to be flamboyant, provocative, moody, weird, or antisocial Author,essayist, and literary critic William Deresiewicz believes that

the notion of the artist as a solitary genius is decades out of date… A new paradigm isemerging, and has been since about the turn of the millennium, one that’s in the process ofreshaping what artists are: how they work, train, trade, collaborate, think of themselves andare thought of—even what art is—just as the solitary-genius model did two centuries ago.2

Although there is ample evidence that Deresiewicz’s observations are 100 percent correct, artistswho want to enter and sustain a career in the art world are still faced with many challenges, acombination of career blocks that Dr Eric Maisel described and the way in which the art worldfunctions

There is a direct correlation between how artists see themselves and where art-world power is

centered For example, the phrase stable of artists is commonly and casually used by both artists and

dealers alike It refers to the artists who are represented by a gallery, but it implies much more, and,unfortunately, as a metaphor it works well It suggests that artists are like herds of animals that need

to be contained in an environment where their master can control their lives

Starving artist is another demeaning and frequently used phrase that contributes to the

stereotypical image of how artists are perceived and how they see themselves The lingo is used inadvertising, on websites and blogs, in products, and as the name of art galleries

The New York Times writer A O Scott defines the relationship between the term starving artist

and the notion of selling out: “The old phrase ‘starving artist’ gestures toward an image that is bothromantic and pathetic, of a person too pure, and also just too impractical, to make it in the world.When that person ceases to starve, he or she can always be labeled a sellout.”3

QUESTIONING WHETHER FINE ARTIST IS A VALID

OCCUPATION

During an interview with Oprah Winfrey, Daniel Pink,4 author of A Whole New Mind: Why

Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future , observed that in the 21st century the MFA degree is becoming more

relevant than an MBA degree He pointed out that artists can’t be outsourced, but the jobs andresponsibilities of those who hold an MBA certainly can He also mentioned that many of his readers

purchased the book for their parents!

Promoting its “Teen Financial Education Day” in 2016, the Wells Fargo Bank published abrochure that featured two smiling young people performing jobs in the fields of science, technology,engineering, and math The text reads: “A ballerina yesterday An engineer today” and “An actoryesterday A botanist today” and “Let’s get them ready for tomorrow.” The brochure’s messagecreated a huge stir in the arts community The blowback forced Wells Fargo to issue an apology onTwitter, stating, “We are making changes to the campaign … that better reflect our company’s corevalue of embracing diversity and inclusion, and our support of the arts.”

Seeds of doubt suggesting that fine art is not a valid occupation are planted and reinforced byeducators who, under the guise of providing career advice, emphasize alternatives to fine art andsteer students into applied arts fields.

Computer animation, video game design, medical and fashion illustration, set design, graphicdesign, industrial design, and commercial photography are viewed as viable alternatives to painting,sculpture, printmaking, and fine-art photography Students majoring in fine art are encouraged to take

a lot of education courses to have something to fall back on If we were educated to believe that

being a fine artist is a valid profession, there would be fewer artists needing an occupational backup.Has a law student ever been advised to take a lot of education courses to have something to fall backon?

Although the cautious advice given to artists comes from people who are trying to be helpful, it isadvice based on other people’s experiences, as well as on hearsay and myths Other people’s realityshould not be your reality, nor can it be

Believing in other people’s perceptions can be a disastrous trap Ralph Charell, author of How to

Make Things Go Your Way, observes:

If you filter the perceptions you receive through mediators, you deprive yourself of a directencounter with the event itself The more you come to depend on the perceptions andopinions of others, the less of yourself you are able to put into the equations of variousexperiences in your own life Soon, if the process continues, your life becomes dim andpale and you are eventually at sea, tossed and buffeted, alone under a starless sky, without

an internal compass of your own.5

Nathan Gebhard, coauthor of Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do

with Your Life, poses the question:

How do you quiet the noise that’s coming at you from family, friends, and society? Parentssuggesting you should be a lawyer, policy makers defining “success” in terms of paychecks,even the voice inside your head saying you’re not smart enough.6

Citing an example of naysayer advice, Gebhard describes the experience of Oscar-nominateddirector Richard Linklater, who believed that the noise told him that

the arts wouldn’t lead anywhere Friends and family—people he respected—told him to go

to medical or law school But Mr Linklater suggests you consider where these people arecoming from “Do they really want you to be a doctor? Do they really want you to be alawyer?” he wondered “No, it just sounds good.” Instead he realized: “I don’t want to livelike them, you know? I don’t want their life I remember just sitting there going, ‘OK, I’mgoing to reject the advice and do the complete, polar, 180-degree opposite of whateveryone is telling me to do.’”7

Gail McMeekin, a career and creativity coach, a psychotherapist, and author of The 12 Secrets of

Highly Creative Women: A Portable Mentor and The 12 Secrets of Highly Successful Women: A

Portable Life Coach for Creative Women , writes that one of many career obstacles is “taking advice

from people who are not experts and do not know what they are talking about It is amazing to me howeasily people can be swayed by other people’s opinions, when that person has no business givingadvice.”8 Along the same lines, she warns that another obstacle is “falling prey to the security freaksand the Debbie Downers of the world who hate their own lives and discourage creative action underany circumstances, because they don’t have the guts to do it themselves They also don’t want you tosucceed at it either and make them look or feel badly.”9

LOW INCOME EXPECTATIONS AND DUAL CAREERS

More than 35 years ago, art educator Ronald H Silverman clearly saw the correlation between howartists are viewed as low-income producers and the low priority art is assigned in school curricula

He pointed out that substantial evidence indicates that more than 90 percent of school-age children donot connect art with a means of acquiring money or earning a living and went on to say:

While these figures may reflect pervasive cultural attitudes which stereotype artists asstarving Bohemians, they may also be the consequence of current art education practices.Teachers are either ignoring the economic impact of the arts or they are telling theirstudents that an interest in art has little if any economic career implications Although theseapproaches may be the honest view of well-intended teachers, they do not square with thefacts They may also be the key deterrent to art becoming a part of the basic schoolcurriculum 10

Although Silverman’s observations were published more than three decades ago, little has changedregarding perceptions of fine art being a valid career Megan Bonke, who graduated from an artschool in 2012, wrote in an article titled “Life After Art School: Disappointments and Future Plans”:

“I remember the retiring president of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) making aspeech on the first day of my orientation In so many words, he said, if you have a backup plan outside

of the arts, then that’s the direction you are headed, because art will not be the easy option.”11

Low expectations of artists’ earning power have given rise to the practice of dual careers Whilefew question its symbolic implications, the concept of dual careers for artists is a widely accepted

norm that is readily encouraged and propagated The phrase dual career is a euphemism for holding

two jobs, and under the work ethic of many cultures and religions, it is emblematic of fortitude,stamina, dedication, and responsibility But in reality, and in many cases, anyone engaged in a dualcareer for a length of time understands that it creates a lifestyle of frustration, stress, chaos,exhaustion, and guilt

Of course, there are exceptions when dual careers complement each other, and this is discussed in

Chapter 11, “Generating Income: Alternatives to Driving a Cab” (see page 245)

INSUFFICIENT TRAINING OF FINE ARTISTS

Even when students persevere and select fine arts, they may enter their careers without the foggiestnotion of how to begin The late Jo Hanson, an artist and author, describes the dilemma many artistsface:

Artists are set up for difficult career adjustments by the omissions from art education, and

by the self-image projected through the art subculture that discourages, and even scorns,attention to business management and competence in it In attitudes and preparation, Ibelieve most of us begin with several strikes against us We find, through difficultexperience, that we must work our way up to zero to get in a position to go forward Ispeculate that “successful” artists are the ones who figured things out early in their careersand could follow a clear line toward their goals 12

In books and in workshops, I have addressed the insufficient training of artists for many years.Finally, the fruits of my advocacy work gained legs in 2016, when the Center for Cultural Innovationacknowledged the importance of career planning for artists in a report prepared for the NationalEndowment for the Arts:

Appetite for professional training in the arts remains strong—approximately 120,000people graduate with art degrees every year Many more people make their way into artcareers without academic training through apprenticeships or other kinds of pre-professional education Regardless of the entry point, the skills required to succeed as anartist today are not limited to mastering an art form or presentation technique Increasingly,artists also need knowledge and skills in multiple areas of production, business, and socialmedia, and must master the complexities and ambiguities of both making art and making acareer in a contemporary art world.13

Even though many art schools and college and university art departments have added careerdevelopment programs into their curricula, unfortunately in many schools even the mention of

“career” and “life after school” is discouraged—or, as a graduate of an art school in an Ivy Leagueuniversity complained to me, “My teachers made me feel guilty when I asked questions that were inany way related to the business aspects of art or how to go about finding a gallery I was chastised foradmitting that I was concerned about making a living from photography.”

Some academics who discourage career advice at the college level believe that students should besheltered from real-life survival issues while in school But many fine-arts faculty members areopposed to career development courses for selfish and self-serving reasons: they are aware thattoday’s student artists will become tomorrow’s practicing artists, and eventually artists with whomthey will compete for gallery, museum, and press attention, so there is much resistance to impartingany sort of information that could possibly give these future peers a career edge or jeopardize theirown pecking order in the art world

Although there is an increased awareness of the importance of preparing students for real life, I

strongly recommend that if you are planning to enter a BFA or MFA program, apply only to those

colleges and universities that offer professional practice programs for fine artists With the vastamount of debt that students are incurring, it is another strong reason why art students need to leaveschool with a solid background in learning the mechanics of how to make a living as an artist

CONFRONTING MONEY ISSUES

How much do you want to earn as an artist, and how much are you willing to spend to earn it?

Thoughts of money are ever present, and depending on one’s situation, the thoughts are in the forefront

of one’s mind or nestled in the subconscious

How much is my artwork worth? How much do I need this year, this month, this week? What can Iafford? How much should I be earning?

There are artists who have identified with poverty for so long that, when money finally comes theirway, they are consumed with enormous guilt, a theme that dominates their existence There are artistswho become Little Johnny One-Notes, churning out whatever made money in the past, in fear thatventuring in new directions will bring them to or back to Poverty City And there are artists whoattach so many stigmas to the concept of prosperity that they undervalue their work, riding the train to

martyrdom As psychotherapist Annette Lieberman and writer Vicki Lindner state in their book The

Money Mirror: How Money Reflects Women’s Dreams, Fears, and Desires:

Money Martyrs think it is “morally superior” to ignore their financial needs and oftenbecome the victims 14

The authors also point out that “artists believe, often with validity, that financial rewards arebestowed on artistic products that are not the best They say that they have not earned much money fortheir work because it is ‘good’ or ‘pure.’”15

Carol Lloyd, a writer, performer, and author of Creating a Life Worth Living, describes the

attitudes of many artists who have conflicted relationships with money: “They want a luxurious lifebut no signs of filthy lucre passing through their hands They want stability without savings Theywant to be poor and righteous and generous of spirit on the one hand and they want to be rich andfabulous on the other They want to do wonderfully healthy things for the world for free and, at thesame time, work in high-powered prestigious fields and get paid by the truckload.”16

Lloyd goes on to say that:

if you have this internal battle with greed and guilt, hedonism and morality, you may besuffering from the effects of extreme thinking From this black-and-white perspective, themiddle ground of getting paid for good, hard work reverberates with negative connotations:borrowing, staid, conventional, capitalist, careerist.17

The most common money-related mistake artists make is a reluctance to invest in their owncareers Although without hesitation artists are willing to spend relatively large amounts of money onsupplies, equipment, and studio space, they are miserly and skimp when it comes to other importantaspects of career development, such as travel, presentation tools, software, publicity and pressrelations, mailing lists, and such preventive medicine as engaging the services of professionals, such

as lawyers, accountants, and career coaches Subsequent chapters discuss why these expenditures are

important But it simply boils down to this: If you are not willing to invest in your career, who is?

An artist’s reluctance to make crucial career investments is sometimes spearheaded or aggravated

by the attitude of a nonartist spouse or domestic partner, particularly if the artist does not have aseparate bank account If “family funds” are being used for career expenditures, an artist mightexperience subtle or not-so-subtle pressure to generate art sales in a relatively short amount of time

or provide some sort of tangible justification that career investments are not a waste of money.

Although it is not always possible, it is important for artists to sensitize their mates to the reality thatearning a decent part-time or full-time income from art sales and commissions is certainly possible,but it can take time.

INTIMIDATION OF VISUAL ART

Many people are intimidated by visual art, including those who buy and sell art! Of all the artsdisciplines, visual art seems to be the least understood The fear of visual art is perpetuatedthroughout our schooling, beginning as early as kindergarten, as we are bombarded with conflictingmessages about the importance and relevance of visual art in our culture Often visual art is presented

as a “filler” subject—not in the same league, for example, as science, mathematics, or history Andwhen budgets need to be cut, school arts programs are the first to go

But by adulthood, visual art is perceived as a discipline that can only be appreciated andunderstood by someone possessing a substantial background in art history

On the other hand, random interviews with members of the public inquiring about preferences inmusic will produce immediate and confident responses People are eager to tell you that they likejazz, country and western, classical, opera, blues, hip hop, or rock and roll But ask the same publicabout their preferences in visual art, and their responses are laced with hesitation and discomfort.Often defensive platitudes are offered, such as “I don’t know anything about art but I know what Ilike.”

Art historian and lecturer Carol Duncan described an experience with a Department of MotorVehicles inspector during a test for her driver’s license:

Upon discovering that I taught art history, he felt compelled to tell me his dislike forPicasso, probably the only modern artist he could name For a good fifteen minutes, while Idid my turns and stops, he complained steadily about modern art “I’m not stupid,” he keptsaying, “but that art doesn’t say anything to me.” Indeed, there was nothing stupid abouthim But he felt that someone was telling him he was stupid by holding up for admirationexpensive and apparently meaningful objects he could not comprehend Students in the statecollege I teach often indicate such resentment—or else they are full of apology for notliking modern art.18

Insecurity and intimidation of visual art have contributed to the development of a power structurewithin the art world consisting of intermediaries, now referred to as the “gatekeepers,” whom we

have come to depend on as sources of truth We believe that good art can only be determined by the

judgments and decisions of art dealers, critics, curators, academics, and art administrators.Unfortunately, many people within the art world believe this myth, including artists!

If members of the public were self-confident about their preferences in art, the strength of thepower structure would diminish Art dealers would be acknowledged as sales personnel, a title that

reflects their real occupation versus the messiah-like image currently awarded Arts-related

professions would be recognized as occupations that were created around artists, and not, as it oftenseems, the other way around! Or as the late Ted Potter, an arts advocate, pointed out: “Curators,administrators, directors, and art dealers are all really flight attendants for this thing called art… Artand the creative artists are what it’s all about.”19

VALIDATION AND ARTISTS’ INSECURITY

Self-validation has great staying power compared to the type of validation that artists often seek fromthe art world Validation awarded from the art world is fickle, volatile, often irrational, and short-lived

When external validation is bestowed, the recipient might feel ecstatic, making one conclude thatwhatever sacrifices were made, and whatever time and money were spent, it had all been worth it.But for some people, it doesn’t matter how much praise, press, exhibitions, commissions, and salesthey receive; it will never be enough

The ability to validate your own artwork does not always come easily nor does it come quickly.When I am called upon to validate an artist’s work, I point out that in my capacity as a career coachand as a human being, it is not my role to assess whether an artist has talent And when I am put in thisposition, I pose the question: How would you respond if you showed your work to six artists and half

of the group said you are talented and the other half disagreed?

Regarding the issue of validation, David Bayles and Ted Orland, authors of Art & Fear, remind us

that “courting approval, even that of peers, puts dangerous amounts of power in the hands of theaudience Worse yet, the audience is seldom in a position to grant (or withhold) approval on the oneissue that really counts—namely, whether or not you’re making progress in your work.”20

Other issues surrounding the subject of insecurity are discussed in Chapter 12, “Rationalization,Paranoia, Competition, the Overwhelm Factor, and Rejecting Rejection” (see page 257)

SELF-IMPOSED REGIONALISM

Artificial barriers and provincial attitudes about the art market can deeply restrict an artist’s careerdevelopment Preoccupation with regionalism has given rise to the expression “regional artist,” aself-limiting phrase that, unfortunately, some artists use to describe who they are

I lived in Manhattan for twenty-five years and then moved to East Hampton, New York, a smalltown at the end of Long Island I then moved to Sarasota, Florida, a small city In East Hampton and

Sarasota, I witnessed firsthand an obsessive desire of many resident artists to only exhibit their work

in local venues.

Some artists adhere to a self-imposed hierarchy of believing that you must “start small and workyour way up.” Other artists believe that their market is limited to their town or city of residence, orthat some sort of universal censorship is imposed, illogically concluding that there is no market

anywhere for their work if they are unable to find a receptive audience in their hometown Other

artists earnestly believe that hometown exposure leads to national recognition; should a hometown be

a city with a vibrant art community, this is sometimes true

The Need to Prove That “I’m Somebody”

More often the motivating force behind an artist’s desire to only exhibit work in local venues is adeep-seated need, based on anger and rage, to prove to the butcher, baker, and candlestick maker that

“I’m somebody.”

But it is almost a fruitless endeavor to try to prove you are “somebody” because you are up against

a universal rule that is innate in cities and towns where there is not a flourishing art market In other

words, residents of Yourtown have a built-in prejudice that artists living in Yourtown couldn’t be thattalented—otherwise they would live somewhere else! This point is succinctly made by an artist who

wrote a “letter to the editor” of a Sarasota newspaper describing her experience in becoming an arearesident She moved to the Sarasota area because her paintings were selling very well to Floridaresidents through a gallery in California But after the move, she was considered a local artist, andher sales came to a grinding halt “Did the artwork change?” she asked “Did the artist change? No,the ZIP code changed.”21

However, the stigma of being a “local” artist quickly vanishes once an artist begins exhibitingwork in other cities But sadly, artists who pine for national or international recognition, but limittheir horizons to local or regional resources, will find that their longings will go unfulfilled Theseartists have yet to understand the universal law that national and international recognition and support

usually comes your way from venues and audiences outside of your neighborhood.

THE AWE OF NEW YORK

The myth of equating career success with exhibiting work in a New York gallery is highly imbued inthe minds of artists and nonartists In all the many years I have conducted career developmentworkshops in the United States and in Canada, the question always arises: “Do I have to show inNew York to make it in the art world?” Although my answer is always an ardent “no,” in mostinstances members of the audience do not hear me or want to hear me because they have beenbrainwashed to believe that being represented by a New York gallery is pivotal to career success.However, I have had many clients who were represented by New York galleries who wouldadamantly contest this belief

Because of the importance that has been attributed to exhibiting in New York, some artists will pay

anything to have a show in a New York gallery Naive beliefs and feelings of neediness have

contributed to the growth of vanity galleries in New York and in other cities (see page 106)

ADOLESCENT CAREER GOALS

The phrase “successful artist” loosely describes a person who has achieved some degree of fameand/or fortune Depending on whom you ask, the definitions of fame and fortune can varyconsiderably

As previously discussed, some artists equate success with having a show in New York, someartists equate success with being reviewed in a national art trade publication, while other artistsequate success with being featured on the publication’s cover! Some artists describe success ashaving their works included in the “right” private collections, and other artists believe that success isbeing represented in the “right” museum collections Some artists define success as having a soloshow at a museum, while others view success as nothing less than an invitation to exhibit at theWhitney Biennial or Europe’s Documenta To some artists the sale of a work at $5,000 is a sign ofsuccess; to other artists anything above $50,000 is an impressive number

Although attainment of these goals is not insurmountable, it is naive to believe that achieving anyone of these goals, or a combination thereof, will lead to career success that spans a good portion ofadult life Yet an astonishing high number of artists’ belief systems are centered around adolescentaspirations, and for many such artists these aspirations have become obsessions

In practical terms, the meaning of the phrase successful artist could describe, for example, an artist

who earns a living doing what he or she loves doing best: creating fine art Many artists can derive ahealthy part-time or full-time income doing what they love best without being swept away with all the

illusions surrounding the mystique of how to be successful in the art world But because these artists’names are relatively unknown, the existence of alternative forms of career success is also relativelyunknown, and adolescent attitudes prevail.

CONTENDING WITH CAREER-LEVEL LABELS

Labels exist everywhere in our society, and in the art world they thrive Artists are not onlyencouraged to provide a label to describe the artwork they create; they must also label themselveswithin the hierarchy of the art world Labels such as “emerging artist” and “midcareer artist” gounchallenged and are used with such frequency and fervor they have become an integral part of the artworld vocabulary And horror of horrors, even artists use these terms to describe themselves!

The blog BmoreArt, which ironically is against the use of artist labels, describes an emerging artist

as

someone who’s in the early stage of their career, someone who’s caught the eye of an artcritic and/or gallery, but hasn’t yet established a solid reputation as an artist amongst artcritics, art buyers, and art galleries.22

The blog goes on to describe an emerging artist as

an artist who has specialized training in his or her field (not necessarily gained in anacademic institution), who is at the beginning of his or her career, and who has created amodest independent body of work.23

The Jerome Foundation, which awards grants to artists, differentiates between preemerging artists,emerging artists, and postemerging artists:

Pre-emerging artists are often students, have relatively few (if any) professional credits,awards or grants, and/or have yet to commit to the arts as a career focus Post-emergingartists have achieved a certain track record of publications/performances/exhibitions,credits, awards, and/or grants; may be commissioned for multiple projects; and be seen ashaving a fully developed, mature artistic voice Emerging artists fall between these twoextremes.24

In an article in Forbes, art appraiser Danielle Rahm writes about four artists whose works have

received national and international recognition and are priced from $2,500 to $10,000 She labels allfour artists as “emerging.”25

The multimedia magazine DIS takes a tongue-in-cheek approach to the subject of artist labels The home page for the video titled Emerging Artist declares that “premature artists are the next best

thing.”26 DIS goes on to say that the video

explores contemporary culture’s obsession with the newest, [and] the freshest thing

Extreme youth Pregnancy Kim Kardashian’s unborn baby North, MTV’s Teen Mom, everycover of US Weekly; it’s practically a movement Our desire for younger and younger

artists is insatiable and growing as mothers in Williamsburg cradle their newborns to

classes for “young artists” ages 0–6 months—while artists at 30 ask, Am I too old? 27

Humor aside, when it comes to pricing artwork (see Chapter 8, “Pricing Your Work: How Much Is

It Worth?”), regardless of all the abounding myths, career labels are inconsequential For example,artists who are new to the art world can sell work at higher prices than those artists who have anextensive exhibition record I have seen this happen many times over

ARTISTS AND AGEISM

Various forms of ageism in the art world have certainly existed for many years Articles have beenwritten with themes such as “old artists need not apply” and about the hunting expeditions of NewYork dealers at leading art schools who are trying to find the next “hot” artist One such articlepointed out that educators have had to take steps to “protect students from the hordes of hungrydealers and collectors who regularly descend on campuses.”28

On the other hand, there is always good news about artists who are paying no attention to ageism.For example, while I was updating this new edition of my book, I learned that mixed-media fiberartist Marilyn Henrion, age 85, created a new body of work that was influenced by a recent trip toVienna and Budapest Some of her new pieces would be included in upcoming solo and groupexhibitions at a New York gallery, and two group exhibitions in museums In addition, she hadrecently sold pieces to private collectors and had a commission underway Further, artist SydneyCash, at the age of 75, received an invitation from a New York gallery to recreate a storefrontinstallation that he had done in the 1980s He also reported that when a young curator-to-be wasvisiting his studio and discovered work that he had created more than 30 years ago, she wasfascinated and intrigued with what she described as “pre-Internet art”!

It would be naive to predict that all forms of ageism will eventually disappear and that art dealerswill end their quest to find the flavor of the week, month, or year, but I am hopeful that as a newgeneration of dealers and curators move into the art world, the stigma of age will greatly decline, andmany more curators and dealers will be fascinated and intrigued with “pre-Internet art.”

THE MYTH OF SCARCITY

Nancy Anderson, in the book Work with Passion, points out:

There are two ways to look at the Planet Earth: (1) It is contracting and shrinking—therefore my chances are scarce Colloquially put, “there ain’t enough to go ’round so I’vegot to get mine.” (2) It is expanding and growing with opportunity—my chances are based

on abundance The choice is mine, and time is my ally.29

Unfortunately, many artists have adopted the philosophy that “there ain’t enough to go ’round soI’ve got to get mine”! The “shrinking” mode of thinking is also reinforced by other members of the art

world The foolish platitudes that there are too many artists or there are too many artists for the

number of galleries throw artists into a panic attack or a chronic state of anxiety; some artists

develop sharp elbows A belief in scarcity is played out in many areas of an artist’s career Someartists sell their work at low prices because they have come to believe that the only buyer for theirwork is the buyer who makes himself or herself known at that given moment Some artists exhibit atgalleries under unfavorable terms or circumstances because they believe it is their only chance toshow their work and they must seize the moment Many artists withhold from fellow artistsintroductions and referrals to art world contacts because of a fear that there isn’t enough to go around

If the “community of artists” were truly functioning in a healthy capacity, whether on a national,regional, or local level, my occupation would be deemed obsolete because artists would beexchanging information and banding together to change the basic inequities in the business of doingart Unfortunately, a fear of scarcity has created a lack of a sense of community among artists A fear

of scarcity is largely responsible for why artists often feel isolated from one another

LAUNCHING OR RELAUNCHING YOUR CAREER: SETTING

UP SHOP AND ENTERING THE MARKETPLACE

To launch or relaunch a career that is earmarked for success, artists must learn to transcend careerblocks and emphatically reject the myth of the artist The myth, like many forms of prejudice, is subtleand sneaks up without warning Do not underestimate the extent to which aspects of the myth canaffect, influence, and limit your career

If artists go along with the myth, they must accept the consequences of leaving their careers in thehands of others If artists do not develop and expand meaningful goals and act on these goals, theircareers will be formed, manipulated, and eventually absorbed by people who have goals that aremeaningful only to them Artists become a means to the end of others

The following chapter, “Launching or Relaunching Your Career: Setting up Shop and Entering theArt World,” examines the business aspects of art and some of the ways in which artists cansuccessfully enter the marketplace and sustain a career

RESOURCES IN THIS CHAPTER

Resources cited in this chapter are listed in the Appendix of Resources (beginning on page 273)and/or in the Notes sections The Appendix of Resources is organized with the headings Publications,Organizations, Websites, and Mailing Lists Publications, websites, and software that are sponsored

by an organization are listed under the name of the organization Direct links to websites with long

addresses, and new resources, are provided on the Artist Help Network,

www.artisthelpnetwork.com

Also included in the Appendix of Resources are the following additional resources pertaining to

subjects covered in this chapter:

See appendix section “Publications”

The View from the Studio Door

See appendix section “Websites”

The Artist as Debtor

Notes (see page 314)

CHAPTER 3

Launching or Relaunching Your Career:

Setting Up Shop and Entering the Art

World

An artist who wants to exhibit and sell work must enter the marketplace, a highly structured worldmade up of many networks There are two ways to enter—haphazardly or with a plan Unfortunately,most artists enter haphazardly, which means short stays and unhappy endings

As the late artist and author Jo Hanson pointed out: “Artists have the same need as other people toset goals and plan their careers, and attend to the business of their work—and be good at it.”1 Hansongoes on to say that if artists “fumble through too much of their working life before discovering theneed to plan and focus, the possibilities of choice and decision can close down significantly.”2

Entering the marketplace with a plan means that your tools are lined up, which is discussedthroughout this chapter, and your psyche is tuned up How well you tune up your psyche depends onhow thoroughly you have rejected the various myths about being an artist A good plan also includeshaving a well-thought-out philosophy about money: how much you want to earn as an artist, and how

much you are willing to spend to earn it It is also very important to really understand that art

marketing is not an exercise in instant gratification, and, for the most part, the times instantgratification most occurs are during the process of creating art

Albert Einstein is attributed to having defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over againand expecting different results Artists who are reentering the marketplace must be willing to abandonstrategies that didn’t work or change attitudes that got in their way during their last incarnation in theart world

KNOW THE LAW

Years ago my former husband consigned approximately 150 works on paper to a gallery owner inWashington, DC, without a receipt or any form of written agreement

After six months he asked to “borrow” some of his paintings for a juried show The dealer said thatshe didn’t have his paintings and didn’t know what he was talking about!

We hired a lawyer It took six months for the case to go to court On the day of the trial, the dealerbrought into the courtroom a pile of some of the “lost” paintings She had a simple explanation: shetold the judge that the artist had given her all the paintings as a birthday present The judge believedher She was free to keep the paintings and do with them what she wished Case dismissed

Legislation and laws now protect artists from being victimized But legislation and laws will not

do an artist any good unless you know your legal rights and understand how these rights affect or mayaffect your artwork and career Without exaggeration, not a day passes when an artist is not ripped off

by an opportunist or discovers a hitch in what seemed a straightforward written agreement

“Artists should never feel intimidated, helpless, or victimized Legal and business considerationsexist from the moment an artist conceives a work… While no handbook can solve the uniqueproblems of each artist, the artist’s increased awareness of the general legal issues pertaining to artwill aid in avoiding risks and gaining benefits that might otherwise pass unnoticed,”3 writes Tad

Crawford in his book Legal Guide for the Visual Artist The book is written in down-to-earth

language and covers a comprehensive range of subjects that should be near and dear to an artist’sheart

Copyright Protection

Copyright protection is available to artists working in every medium Copyright law protects artwork

as soon as it is created For works created on or after March 1, 1989, the use of a copyright notice isoptional

Although you are not required to formally register your copyright with the US Copyright Office,there are certain advantages These advantages mainly concern your rights if anyone tries to infringe

on your copyright Copyright registration is very important if you are publishing artwork on theInternet

There are a few ways to register a copyright: via snail mail or by online registration through theelectronic Copyright Office (eCO) If you can apply for a copyright using paper forms, the forms can

be completed online, printed out, and mailed with the appropriate fee Blank forms can be requested

by mail or printed out and completed by hand However, an online filing is the preferred way for

visual art works, performing artworks, literary works, motion pictures, and sound recordings Some

of the advantages of online filing include a lower filing fee and the fastest processing time

The ins and outs of copyright and how it affects the visual and performing arts are covered in many

publications, including The Copyright Zone: A Legal Guide for Photographers and Artists in the

Digital Age by Edward C Greenberg and Jack Reznicki and Legal Guide for the Visual Artist by

Tad Crawford

Copyright and Fair Use

To ease the confusion and fear among artists and other art professionals about fair use rules as they

pertain to materials that have a copyright, the College Art Association (CAA) has published Code of

Best Practices in Fair Use for the Visual Arts The code is divided into five sections outlining best

practices for fair use in analytic writing, teaching about art, art making, museum work, and onlinearchives and special collections The Code is available free of charge on the CAA website

Fair Use, Free Use, and Use by Permission: How to Handle Copyrights in All Media by Lee

Wilson was written by an attorney who specializes in intellectual property The book providesinformation on what constitutes fair use, how to get permissions, how to protect a creative work, whatconstitutes copyright infringement, public domain, and much more

Contracts

Many visual artists do not use contracts Performing artists and writers use contracts as regular parts

of their professional lives Why are visual artists reticent about using contracts?

Some artists are averse to the use of contracts because they naively believe that people who sell,buy, and exhibit art are good, kind, and trustworthy by virtue of their involvement with art However,most artists who resist using contracts are struggling with the issue of psychological leverage anderroneously believe that they have not yet achieved a level of recognition or success that permits them

to ask for what they want

Requiring art dealers, art consultants, clients, and museum and other exhibition venues to usecontracts is not a sign of mistrust Rather, it shows that you take yourself and your work seriously, andyou are demonstrating good faith in wanting to maintain a smooth working relationship by ironing out

in advance any possible problems or misunderstandings

If an art dealer, art consultant, exhibition sponsor, or client is opposed to using a contract, itusually indicates either the individual is extremely naive and unenlightened in professional businesspractices, or that he or she is engaged in unethical business practices and does not want anything inwriting that could be used against him or her in court

If your dealer dies, is your artwork protected from becoming part of his or her estate? If yourdealer files for bankruptcy, is your work protected from being used to pay creditors? Is your workinsured while it is in a dealer’s possession, and is it insured for the full retail value? Is a dealerentitled to a sales commission on studio sales under all, some, or no circumstances? Are you required

to fully absorb discounts awarded to a dealer’s client or do you have to split discounts with dealers?Are you required to pay advertising expenses for an exhibition? If so, how much? A good contractshould be comprehensive and farsighted, and address all these issues and many more

Protect yourself and your artwork by using contracts Specific contracts such as consignmentagreements, exhibition agreements, agreements for commissioned artwork, and other types ofcontracts are discussed in Chapter 9, “Dealing with Dealers.”

Artist Estate Planning and Legacy Issues

When artists die, in many cases, they leave behind a substantial amount of artwork Without a set ofinstructions regarding how the work should be distributed, it can be a daunting and overwhelmingresponsibility for heirs to make decisions On the other hand, if a deceased artist’s heirs are notconscientiously seeking a solution that is in the best interest of the artist and the artwork, there is agood chance that the artwork will not long survive the artist’s death

As pointed out in A Visual Artist’s Guide to Estate Planning:

No one likes to think about death Artists are no different in this regard Many of us haveput off making a will But we have to think about the acres of objects, made by our ownhands, which will be our legacy As [the artist] Cynthia Carlson said, “If you don’t make aplan, someone else will do it for you.”

Although an artist’s estate may contain assets other than art, it is the art that concernsmany of us most Planning for the care, storage, possible sale, or other disposition of ourwork after we die is a large part of an artist’s estate planning.4

It is important to come to terms with estate planning, preparing a will, deciding on a beneficiary orbeneficiaries, and providing the beneficiary with instructions or guidelines on the disposition of yourartwork

Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts’ Artists Over Sixty program provides legal and educationalservices to senior artists, emphasizing the need for will drafting and estate planning The website ofthe Elder Artists’ Legal Resource offers assistance with many issues related to estate planning,including guidance on how artists can protect their work posthumously The project was created bythe Columbia University Law School’s Lawyering in the Digital Age Clinic in conjunction with and

other organizations The artist Eric Rudd has written a book on Strategies for Serious Older Artists

that covers the subject of what will happen to your artwork after you die and offers alternatives forpreserving and exhibiting your life’s work after death The Joan Mitchell Foundation sponsors theprogram Creating a Living Legacy (CALL), an initiative designed to provide support to older artists,including archiving and inventory management The Senior Artists Initiative is a nonprofitorganization that assists artists in understanding the need for and processes involved in organizingtheir life’s work It educates artists about the process of documenting and inventorying their work,and legal issues pertaining to their art, estates, and artists rights

Artist legacy projects and exhibitions are discussed in Chapter 5, “Exhibition and SalesOpportunities: Using Those That Exist and Creating Your Own” (see page 107)

ARTISTS AND INCOME TAXES

Closely allied to the subject of law is your income tax status, or lack of status, whichever may be thecase

I am not going to expound on the morality or virtues of paying or not paying taxes, but what is ofconcern is that too many artists are spending too much energy agonizing over taxes, energy that takesthem away from being artists

One of the reasons artists are squeamish about taxes is the deep-seated myth that being an artist isnot a valid occupation and the government will tax an artist in an arbitrary way The fact is that theoccupation of artist has been duly recognized by the IRS for a number of years

Income derived from the sale of artwork, commissions, licensing fees, royalties, and wages issubject to income tax by the federal government, and depending on where you live, state and citytaxes might also apply Conversely, business expenses incurred from your work as a professionalartist can be used to offset your tax liability

Some business-related tax deductions include studio rent, art materials and supplies, studioinsurance premiums, studio and office equipment, telephone, attorney’s and accountant’s fees, dues inprofessional organizations, books and professional journals, admission charges to museums andperformances, protective clothing and equipment as well as associated laundry bills, salescommissions paid to art dealers and agents, advertising and promotion expenses including websitedesign and hosting fees, photography, repairs, training and education expenses and tuition for coursesthat improve or maintain skills related to the profession, shipping and freight charges, the cost ofbusiness meetings, business gifts, and automobile expenses

These are only some of the tax deductions that affect artists The list is certainly not all-inclusive,and there are special rules and regulations governing the application of many of the deductions listedabove

If your studio is in your home, you could be eligible for a home office deduction In 2013 theInternal Revenue Service (IRS) simplified the option for taking a home office deduction, stipulatingthat a home office must be used regularly and exclusively for business If you are eligible for thisdeduction, you can take a standard deduction of $5 per square foot, up to 300 square feet, with a

maximum deduction of $1500 You have a choice of using a simplified option or the regular option.The IRS publishes a chart that defines the differences of each option.

The Hobby Loss Challenge

The IRS hobby loss rule was enacted to prevent taxpayers from sheltering taxable income with lossesthat are more appropriately classified as personal expenses In many instances, the rule has been used

to challenge artists However, currently, as of this writing, an artist is not considered a hobbyist “if anet profit is created by the activity in question for three of five consecutive years ending with thetaxable year at issue Thus, many artists who have good and bad years need not fear a hobby losschallenge to a loss in one of the bad years,”5 writes Tad Crawford in Legal Guide for the Visual

Artist.

Crawford also points out that “an artist actively engaged in the business or trade of being an artist

—one who pursues art with a profit motive—may deduct all ordinary and necessary businessexpenses, even if such expenses far exceed income from art activities for the year.”6 He goes on tosay that

the [IRS] regulations set forth nine factors used to determine profit motive Since everyartist is capable, in varying degrees, of pursuing art in a manner which will be considered atrade or business, these factors can create an instructive model The objective factors areconsidered in their totality, so that all the circumstances surrounding the activity willdetermine the result in a given case Although most of the favors are important, no singlefactor will determine the result of the case.7

Using the Services of an Accountant

Art tax law is a special field, and not all accountants are familiar with various intricacies Case inpoint: Barbara A Sloan is an art business consultant and founder of AKAS II, a company thatprovides art-related business services and products She is also a visual artist with a doctorate in

law, specializing in taxation She is frequently called upon by certificated public accountants for

advice on behalf of their artist-clients.

Some accountants who specialize in the arts are affiliated with organizations such as BusinessVolunteers for the Arts Some of these organizations offer pro bono assistance only to arts

organizations; others offer pro bono services to both artists and arts organizations, including:

Business Volunteers for the Arts, Greater Pittsburgh Arts Council, Kansas City Volunteer Lawyersand Accountants for the Arts, St Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, and TexasAccountants and Lawyers for the Arts

OTHER PROFESSIONAL HELP

Over the years, in addition to accountants, new arts-related specializations and professions haveemerged, including arts and entertainment attorneys, artist career coaches, creativity coaches, and artmarketing consultants

Attorneys

If you are unable to afford an attorney or need to locate an attorney specializing in art law, there are

many organizations that can be of help For example, Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts (VLA), based inNew York City, offers pro bono placements for low-income artists and nonprofit arts organizations Italso sponsors the telephone service Art Law Line, which offers artists the opportunity to discuss theirlegal issues free of charge VLA members receive access to special programs, including the Art LawLine, Artists Over 60 (see page 304), and in-house appointments with staff attorneys There are VLAbranches and similar organizations throughout the United States and in Canada In addition, the

Directory of Pro Bono Programs, sponsored by the American Bar Association, provides links to

organizations throughout the United States that offer pro bono legal services

Artist’s Career Coaches

An artist’s career coach is a relatively new occupation, and as in the case of many emerging fields, itcontinues to go through the growing pains of defining itself and establishing boundaries.Unfortunately, a professional association does not exist that establishes professional guidelines

I try to keep abreast of some of the activities and business practices of those people who share myoccupation Since I have been credited for pioneering this field and I have had the benefit ofobserving how other artist’s career coaches operate, what we share in common, and where we differ,

I offer the following points and advice:

An artist’s career coach assists artists with various aspects of career planning A good careercoach should be knowledgeable about the many facets of the art world and about the many optionsand opportunities available to artists

It is very important that an artist’s career coach has had a lot of firsthand experience in many areas

of the art world to fully understand the real career challenges that artists face, career challenges thatare much more intricate than writing an artist statement or compiling a résumé Unfortunately, someartist’s career coaches have had very little experience in the art world, and although their intentionsmight be honorable, the advice and services they provide reflect their limitations

Specifically, an artist’s career coach should be able to provide advice, guidance, and support for awide range of career-related issues and tasks This can include, for example, assistance in thedevelopment of effective presentation materials, including website contents; public relations andpress relations; and establishing prices for artwork An artist’s career coach should beknowledgeable about the various art markets and provide assistance with marketing strategies,exhibition proposals, and proposals for commissioned work

And an artist’s career coach should serve as a backseat driver to help artists confidentially

negotiate with art dealers, art consultants, and other members of the art world and suggest ways toresolve problems that might arise

An artist’s career coach, an art marketing consultant, or anyone with a job title related to artist

career development should not also serve in the capacity of an artist’s agent and sell artwork In order to serve artist clients most objectively and ethically, an artist’s career coach should not

represent any one artist or be involved in any endeavor that is a conflict of interest ; receiving a

sales commission is definitely a conflict of interest

Although conflicts of interest should not happen, it does not mean that they do not happen In recentyears some art dealers and corporate art consultants have started offering artist career developmentservices Out of all of the services an artist’s career coach should provide, the most important is the

role of artist advocate However, the ability of an artist’s career coach to perform an advocacy role

is the crux of the problem when conflicts of interest are involved An artist’s career coach who also

receives a sales commission from artist clients cannot provide genuine advocacy services because he

or she is influenced by factors that they perceive to be in their best interests as dealers and agents.Before working with an artist’s career coach, learn as much as you can about the person’sbackground Most coaches have websites with information about services, fees, and their credentials

Do not be afraid of changing coaches or using different coaches for different purposes, depending

on their strengths and fields of expertise Do not expect an artist’s career coach to solve a problemovernight that most likely you have spent the better part of your life creating

AVOIDING ART SCAMS

Artists are continually plagued by scams involving the sale of their artwork The scams range fromshort email inquiries to elaborate narratives, such as the case when one of my clients was approached

by an “ocean engineer” who wanted to buy his wife a present in honor of their tenth anniversary Heinquired about the price of a particular painting that his wife had seen and admired online After theartist told him the price, which he willingly accepted without any haggling, he sent her more emailsthat praised her work and expressed hope that someday he and his wife would meet the artist inperson He also volunteered to arrange to have the painting delivered from the artist’s studio to hiswife in time for their anniversary, which was quickly approaching When the engineer’s emailsstarted to contain conflicting information, it aroused the artist’s suspicion I advised her to tell himthat transportation and financial arrangements for purchasing the painting should be handled throughher attorney She never heard from the “ocean engineer” again

Artist Kathleen McMahon has provided an important service by writing two e-books about scams:

Report Scams: A Resource Guide for Victims of Internet Scams and Social Media Scams: Protect Yourself on Facebook, Twitter, eBay & More She tells readers how to recognize and avoid the most

popular scams on social media sites and explains how scams work and how to spot red flag clues for

recognizing a scam before you become a victim In addition, she uses her blog Stop Art Scams to help

educate artists and prevent them from becoming scam victims

THE CHALLENGES OF SECURING A NEST

Many artists pay two rents: one for studio space and another for housing Because of the acceleration

in the rising costs of both housing and studio space, some artists are working or working and living in

unsafe studios The horrific fire in the artist studio warehouse in Oakland, California, that killed 36

people in 2016 brought national attention to the problem

To an extent, the growing problem of expensive real estate was created by gentrification, with

artists unable to afford to live in the neighborhoods they helped to pioneer This continuing

phenomenon has been going on for many years Artists discover neighborhoods where rent is cheapand spaces are big, big enough to convert to live/work habitation Slowly but surely the neighborhoodbecomes “fashionable” and artists are forced to move out, while real estate developers andbillionaires move in

In 2015, when artist Jane Richlovsky was evicted from her studio by Seattle’s Department ofTransportation, she decided to approach the artist versus gentrification narrative in two ways: Shecreated a new body of paintings that told the midcentury version of the “American Dream,” and shetook steps to transform the stereotypical image of the “starving artist in the garret” into a proactiveartist/businessperson who shares in the wealth created

By the end of the year, Richlovsky and three other partners founded the company Good Arts, LLC.The company purchased and renovated the historic Scheuerman Building in Seattle’s Pioneer Square.The space provides affordable artist studios, a commercial gallery, and a retail craft store.Eventually, the new owners plan to restore the basement to its historic role as a performance space,which it was from 1972–1982, and as a jazz club, which it was during the 1940s.

Good Arts, LLC, describes its mission:

We believe that economic development should include the creative class as its beneficiary

as well as its catalyst To that end, we also foster connections between, and promote theinterdependent prosperity of, artists and other neighborhood businesses and institutions.8

Richlovsky presented her experiences in the TEDx lecture titled “When Artists Get Together TheyTalk about Real Estate.”

In 2016, through an innovative program called ArtCondo, six artists and one nonprofit organizationleveraged their collective buying power to create a new and sustainable creative model withlive/work and studio spaces in New York City ArtCondo purchased a 6,400-square-foot lot in theSouth Bronx that will become 20,000 square feet of artist live/work and studio work spaces Inaddition, ArtCondo plans to offer timeshares for nonlocal artists and a nonprofit community facilityspace

Also in New York City in 2016, artist Victoria Milo founded SmART Space Studios The projectmakes inexpensive studio space and storage space available to artists on a short-term basis with 24-hour access seven days a week

Finding Studio and Live/Work Space

Various artists’ service organizations sponsor programs to help artists find live/work space andstudio space One of the largest programs, SpaceFinder, is sponsored by Fractured Atlas It helpsartists find rental studio space in 15 cities and states throughout the United States and in seven citiesand provinces of Canada The list of participating cities and states continues to grow

Artspace is a nonprofit organization that uses the tools of real estate development to createaffordable, appropriate places where artists can live and work As of this writing, Artspace projectsare located in 25 states The organization is headquartered in Minneapolis with offices in LosAngeles, New Orleans, New York, Seattle, and Washington, DC

The organization ArtBuilt creates affordable space rental and ownership opportunities for artistsand cultural producers of all disciplines Programs include ArtBuilt Mobile Studios, ArtBuiltBrooklyn, and ArtHome

Various materials are available to guide artists through the process of renting and purchasing studio

and live/work space Online guides include Guide to Leasing Studio Space, published by St Louis Volunteer Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, and Square Feet Chicago: An Artist’s Guide to

Buying and Renting Space, published by the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs.

Studio and Artwork Insurance

Studio and art-related insurance policies specifically designed for the special needs of artists areavailable through nonprofit organizations and insurance companies For example, the nationalnonprofit arts organization Fractured Atlas offers members liability insurance, artwork insurance, and

equipment insurance The American Crafts Council offers artists with a professional-levelmembership insurance coverage that includes business contents, both on and off the premises;coverage for work while at shows and in transit; coverage for tools, equipment, inventory, andsupplies; and other types of coverage pertinent to craft artists The website of The Artist Trustprovides links to companies that offer insurance to artists.

The Craft Emergency Relief Fund (CERF) sponsors Studio Protector™: The Artist’s Guide to

Emergencies, an online publication with lists of companies that provide all types of insurance to

visual artists and performing artists, including studio insurance, liability, and single exhibitioninsurance It also contains concise and helpful tips to safeguard artists’ careers from emergencies,including how to begin the recovery process if disaster strikes

ARTISTS’ HEALTH HAZARDS

Various materials used by artists are directly responsible for a multitude of health problems,including cancer, bronchitis, and allergies If you are not already aware that the materials you might

be using in your studio or work environment are considered taboo, it is time to investigate

The Art and Creative Materials Institute, Inc (ACMI), is an international organization comprised

of art material manufacturers It was organized to assist its members in producing nontoxic artmaterials All products in the program undergo extensive toxicological evaluation and testing beforethey are granted the right to bear the ACMI certification seal The Institute also provides information

on hazardous products Arts, Crafts & Theater Safety (ACTS) is a nonprofit organization thatprovides information on health and safety in the arts ACTS answers inquiries and provides copies ofeducational and technical materials It also publishes a newsletter ACTS was founded by Monona

Rossol, an artist, a chemist, and an industrial hygienist, who wrote the very informative book The

Artist’s Complete Health and Safety Guide.

Dr Michael McCann pioneered the dissemination of information on health hazards in the arts He

wrote the books Health Hazards Manual for Artists and Artist Beware: The Hazards in Working

with All Art and Craft Materials and the Precautions Every Artist and Craftsperson Should Take

Dr McCann was also the founder of the Center for Safety in the Arts Due to funding cutbacks, thecenter no longer exists

HEALTH INSURANCE FOR ARTISTS

One of my clients broke his leg He was in the hospital for three weeks and then was an outpatient forseveral more weeks During the first week he was hospitalized, he learned that he had won an art-related award of $5,000 But his jubilation was eclipsed when he also learned that his bare-boneshospitalization policy (a so-called fringe benefit of the college where he was teaching) would payonly meager benefits toward his hospital bills and doctors’ fees Thus, he had to use his entire cashaward to pay his medical bills

One could elaborate for pages about similar and even worse stories involving artists who do nothave health insurance or who are not adequately covered For many years artists were subjected toexorbitant individual rates for health insurance They were ineligible for group rates because of thenature of being a self-employed artist, a unit of one

The Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, has made insurance available to manyartists through Medicaid subsidies Although in some states the cost of insurance and copays has

increased and there has been a political movement to repeal the Act, as of this writing, the ACA is

still intact On CERF’s website, Studio Protector™: The Artist’s Guide to Emergencies also helps

artists connect to state exchanges for policy options It also provides information on how to apply andenroll for health insurance, and a calculator to help you determine whether you qualify for a subsidyand an estimate of how much

The Artists Health Insurance Resource Center, sponsored by The Actors Fund, identifies healthinsurance coverage options and assists members of the visual and performing arts communities withenrollment The National Association for the Self-Employed offers health insurance to members; theFreelancers Union, a national not-for-profit membership organization that promotes the interests ofAmerica’s independent workforce, including freelancers and the self-employed, offers membershealth insurance products

in some cases a barter can be a tax liability and in other situations it can be a tax deduction The IRSBartering Tax Center publishes information about these issues

The bartering phenomenon has expanded into big business, and barter organizations and clubs existthroughout the world Barter Fanatic is a blog devoted to bartering with tips, information, and lists ofonline stores that accept bartering as payment for everything from food to jewelry OurGoods is abarter network for artists and designers in New York City SwapRight is a free barter website

Using Apprentices and Interns

Apprenticeship programs provide artists with students who want studio or work experience Someapprenticeship programs are structured as a barter, providing artists with free assistance andproviding apprentices with college credits and/or learning new skills; other programs require anartist to pay an apprentice or intern a reasonable hourly wage

Various websites list apprenticeship and internship opportunities, including Hire Culture and NewYork Foundation for the Arts Job Listings Some local and state arts councils provide information onapprenticeship programs

Creative Reuse Materials Programs

Creative reuse programs have mushroomed throughout the United States, providing a means for artists

to save money on materials, supplies, and equipment Materials for the Arts in Monroe County,Indiana, sponsors a recycling programs for local artists and educators who are working on communityprojects The Materials for the Arts program in New York City provides materials to individualartists who are fiscally sponsored by a nonprofit organization and are working on projects in a publicsetting SCRAP (Scroungers’ Center for Reusable Art Parts) in San Francisco is housed in a 5,000-

square-foot warehouse Materials are stored by type and are available to artists and educators free ofcharge or for a low cost The website Art of Recycle publishes a directory of creative recycle centersworldwide.

GETTING ORGANIZED

Two primary saboteurs of getting organized are letting “information overload” get the best of you andbeing overwhelmed by administrative work You can avoid feelings of inundation by learning tostreamline paperwork and accomplishing one goal or task at a time, not attempting to do everythingsimultaneously It is also very helpful to have your presentation tools, including an artist statement(see page 78), résumé (see page 70), biography (see page 77), and a cover letter (see page 81) ready

to go to avoid having to reinvent the wheel each time you want to make a contact

And, yes, artists can have secretaries/administrative assistants Once a system is developed fordisseminating presentation materials and reaching various markets, an assistant can take over Aworkable system does not require full-time energy This is something that can be accomplished by anassistant a few hours a week

The subject of dealing with overwhelming sensations when trying to balance studio work with thebusiness of art is discussed in Chapter 12, “Rationalization, Paranoia, Competition, the OverwhelmFactor, and Rejecting Rejection.”

Following are some basic investments to help you launch, relaunch, and sustain a career as anartist Some investments require money, some require time, and some require both

Software Programs and Business Forms for Artists

Business software programs are available that are tailored to the special needs of artists The

software programs provide a wide range of functions, making it possible to streamline a lot ofpaperwork and radically reduce time spent on repetitive chores For example, there are programs forcataloging artwork, creating invoices and price lists, providing a database for developing mailinglists, and tracking submissions to various venues These software programs are sponsored by GettingYour Sh*t Together (GYST), Artwork Archive, and Artsystems In addition, the online resource TheClarion List contains various software programs for artists

Using business forms that are specially designed for artists is another good time-saving tool.Attorney Tad Crawford has produced a series of books containing business and legal forms for

artists, including Business and Legal Forms for Crafters, Business and Legal Forms for Fine

Artists, Business and Legal Forms for Illustrators, and Business and Legal Forms for

Photographers.

Keeping Abreast of News and Opportunities

In addition to Art in America, ARTnews, Artforum, and Sculpture, the most well-known art trade

publications, there has been a proliferation of other art publications Most of the fine art disciplinesare covered electronically and in print In addition, many websites focus on career opportunities forartists, and websites and blogs offer career management information

There are print and digital publications with a regional focus such as Art New England, Southwest

Art, Nashville Arts, and Burnaway, which covers the arts in Atlanta and in the Southeast There are

also resources of national interest such as Professional Artist and Art Opportunities Monthly There