How to Become a Non-Starving Artist

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Van Gogh's Gloops by ravenswift.

One major issue artists in this city face (and in other cities, too, I’m sure), is the seemingly impossible task of actually making a living by selling a craft. It’s the age old dilemma- sell out in one way or another, or keep your artistic integrity but live off “Krap” Dinner for the rest of your life. Arts Council Windsor & Region wants to help local artists turn that mac n’ cheese into Pasta Cacio e Pepe (or some other equally fancy-sounding Italian pasta dish).

ART.WORK is a series of three workshops developed by the arts council to educate participants in becoming a professional artist. The workshops are designed with all levels of artist in mind, from the beginner to the veteran, from the sculptor to the water-colourist. Each workshop will provide insight, in the form of lectures, by some knowledgeable peers in the arts community.

The first workshop is set to take place on September 29th, and will feature Tom Lucier (of Phog and The House) giving a presentation entitled “10,000 Facebook Friends Won’t Make Your Art or Music Famous”, speaking of the value of social networking.

Second on the list is a talk by Lucy Howe (artist in residence at the university), called “How to Make Yourself Look Really Good on Paper (and Beyond)”, on October 20th. She will talk about the importance of properly documenting your work and building a curriculum vitae that can’t be looked over.

Lastly, a talk from Zeke Moores on November 24th about preparing performance and exhibition proposals, called “What to Say, What Not to Say, and When to Say It”. Moores is currently a sessional professor at the U of W, and is heading to Sackville, N.B. in 2011 for an artist in residence gig there at the Struts Gallery.

Each workshop runs from 7pm to 9pm, and will be held at the ACWR’s Artspeak Gallery on Wyandotte Street East in Walkerville. Registering for one, or all three, workshops is easy and quick, and the cost to attend is CHEAP. Cheap enough that no artist can use the starvation aspect of their vocation as an excuse!