Table of Contents
Acknowledgments x
Introduction: Re-Imagining Creative Lives xi
1 The Foundations: A Basic Tool Kit 1
The Business of Your Creative Career 2
Communications 9
Chronicling Your Artwork and Life 12
Health and Safety for Artists 19
Time to Do the Support Work for Your Art and Life 20
2 Creating a Life in the Arts on Your Own Terms 21
What Is a Professional? 22
What Does It Mean to You to Be Successful? 26
Dealing with Rejection 29
A Few Positive Thoughts about Failure 31
3 Representation of Your Work: Conventional and Non-Conventional 36
The Conventional Route: Finding a Gallery to Represent Your Work 37
Interview with Sara Maria Salamone, Co-Founder with Tyler Lafreniere of Mrs. Gallery, Maspeth, Queens, NY 47
The Unconventional Route: Other Paths to Sustaining Your Work 57
Final Words 65
4 Connectivity: Networking and Technology 67
Community Building 68
Analog and Digital Connectivity: Their Commonality 69
Benefits, Returns, and Cautions for a Connective Life 70
About Analog Connectivity 71
About Digital Connectivity 72
Interview with Larry Ossei-Mensah, Curator and Co-Founder of ARTNOIR 75
A Brief Look at Current Platforms for Connecting on Social Media 77
Images 80
Content Is Key 80
Memes 82
Hash tags 82
Digital Cautions 82
Relationship Building/Audience: The Exchange System 83
Case Studies 85
Conclusion 90
5 Entrepreneurship and DIY Movements: Models for Artistic Production, Collaboration, and Socially Engaged Practice 93
The Entrepreneur 93
Values 96
Goals 96
The Spirit of Entrepreneurship (What It Takes) 98
Real Estate for Artists: Work Space and Possible Solutions 100
The Spirit of DIY 104
DIY and Non-Conventional, Off-Beat, or Unusual Spaces 104
Grants 106
Case Studies for DIY Projects 108
Hybrid: A DIY Entrepreneur 111
Conclusion 112
6 The Whole Artist: Art/Work/Life Introduction 114
Sustaining Your Life as an Artist: Your Artistic Identity and Practice 115
Language 116
Culture and Language 116
Thinking Differently 117
Debunking the Myths and Industry Buzz Words in Your Mind 117
When Are You Successful? Labels Will Bury Us All 118
Your Vision 118
In for the Long Run 118
Family and Children 119
Taking Care of Yourself and Your Workplace 120
Your Artistic Identity 121
Disconnects 122
Academe: Navigating Your End Game 123
To Adjunct or Not 124
Mentoring 125
Studios/Workplaces 126
Documentation 126
Dealing with Finances: It's Expensive to Be Poor 127
Freelancing or the "Gig Economy"-Thinking Like an Entrepreneur 128
Professionalism 130
Asking Questions and Research 130
Truth Be Told 131
Our Cultural Institutions 131
What Now? 132
Legacies 134
Powerful 135
Idea Incubator-The Inside Out Factor 136
Life Long Learning 136
What Ifs 137
Conclusion 137
A Selected Resource List for New Ideas, Strategies, and Actions 140
Selected Bibliography 151
Index 155