Artists Need Community, Too!

One of the signs of passing youth is the birth of a sense of fellowship with other human beings as we take our place among them. - Viriginia Woolf

One of the things I love best about rural life is the sense of community. In our small town of 10,000 people, I seldom make a trip to town without running into a friend or acquaintance, and even when I don't, I am sure to see a face that is familiar to me as a fellow resident of the region. Even more than sharing a location is being part of a micro-communities within a larger group - the "parents-of-preschoolers" who come out of the woodwork to attend library storytimes, skating lessons; the garage-sale-fanatic subculture that menaces the weekend streets; the curious consumers who flock to the grand opening of a new store in town; the art society; the operetta choir; the Tim Hortons regulars.

Community is also important to me as an artist, and I appreciate it all the more for having spent the last few years isolated from it. For quite some time, art for me has been a solitary pursuit. I paint alone, I alone decide the direction I will take in marketing, etc. The hardest part of this solitude is maintaining a belief in what I do and how I am doing it without outside support. When I was able to be more involved with the local art society (pre-kids), I enjoyed the community of other artists, the affirmation we were able to give each other. It is just so encouraging to hear "you are on the right track, stick with it." especially from someone who knows what they are talking about.

Recently I received an email from an artist in New Zealand - we had met years ago in Papua New Guinea with neither of us knowing about the artistic leanings of the other. Today, Paul Cato is a professional artist and does very well. I wrote to comment on his work and he took the time to visit my site, and offer some constructive input. This meant so much to me - I felt a bit like a desert wanderer who has stumbled upon an oasis - I didn't realize I was so parched for a bit of mentorship until I received it. Paul's comments helped me to continue to believe in myself, to continue to commit to the course I have set (re: marketing) and to take myself a bit more seriously as well (something I didn't realize I was lacking!).

Your work is extremely good! I'd love to see you work on some full sheet sizes with some of the same attention to detail in the main subject and some supporting detail in a carefully placed layout and with plenty of the "lost edges" and washes around it. Your recent work looks very 'watercolor fresh' and transparent, which is a very good thing. People looking for real looking scenery - in my opinion - want some detail and some artistic or 'painterly' components to a painting. This is supported by the concept of 'lost and found edges' which you are already good at. Watercolor probably rarely gets the same money as oils, but I would love to see you doing really well, and it appears you have the talent, the resources, the knowledge, a website etc.

Paul continued with some advice on pricing which was also exciting - always nice to anticipate increasing my income - but what his email really helped me with is to take every painting that I start seriously from the beginning - spend more time planning a layout, sketching and seeking a "painterly" approach to my subject matter. I am loving the orchid painting (see detail above) I have started which is, in keeping with Paul's advice, larger than I usually work (a half sheet), and has a layout and use of negative space that I think is really dynamic and efficient.

Community, fellowship, mentorship...being a part of a larger whole brings meaning to our individual pursuits.