Synopses & Reviews
In this day and age, when art has become more of a commodity and art school graduates are convinced that they can only make a living from their work by attaining gallery representation, it is more important than ever to show the reality of how a professional, contemporary artist sustains a creative practice over time. The forty essays collected in
Living and Sustaining a Creative Life are written in the artistsandrsquo; own voices and take the form of narratives, statements, and interviews. Each story is different and unique, but the common thread is an ongoing commitment to creativity, inside and outside the studio. Both day-to-day and big picture details are revealed, showing how it is possible to sustain a creative practice that contributes to the ongoing dialogue in contemporary art. These stories will inform and inspire any student, young artist, and art enthusiast and will help redefine what andquot;successandquot; means to a professional artist.
Review
and#8220;A strikingly frank book that removes the veil of mysticism surrounding the artistic life.and#8221;
Review
"Consisting of 40 essays, this book presents the realities of the creative life over time, as reported by practicing artists.and#160;The stories take the form of interviews, narratives, and statements, and convey in frank, authentic form the joys andand#160;challenges of being an artist....Aspiringand#160;artists and students will be inspired by these essays, and professionals will see themselves in many of the stories beingand#160;told. Anyone considering a career in art can profit from reading this book. It also provides insight into the world ofand#160;art as a commodity, and the challenges of balancing business, relationships, and the creative life....Highly recommended."
Review
andquot;Anyone serious about a career as an artist must read this book.andquot;
Review
andldquo;I applaud artist Sharon Louden for assembling this fascinating compilation of artist testimonies. It provides a refreshing, honest look at the myriad ways that artists shape and feed their lives and evolve authentic, generative practices in a society that does not always make it easy for artists to subsist and fully contribute.
Living and Sustaining a Creative Life is thus an inspiring, unexpurgated resource for artists beginning their careers as well as any individual seeking to recalibrate his or her daily life to pursue a more purpose-filled existence.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Too often the story of how an artist makes art and a living is advertised as either a step into an abyss of debt and dementia or a glamorized Bohemia misunderstood by a general public. Yet what these artists demonstrate in this valuable book is that the common bond for us all who aspire to a well-lived life is blood, sweat, and tears. From artists living off sales of their work to those who teach and those who search for paychecks in odd jobs, the desire to create is never extinguished.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;From surprisingly frank sharings on the struggles of starting out as young artists to the challenges of making time and space for creation, the artists in
Living and Sustaining a Creative Life share with candor and heart just what it takes to be an artist today.andquot;
Review
andldquo;Sharon Louden has gathered together in this book an exceptionally diverse range of artistsandrsquo; experiences in order to illustrate, in a manner otherwise inaccessible, the inherent tensions that artists face in constantly balancing their drive to devote core time and energy to creating new work and their wish to share that work with the world with the complexities, as well as the joys, of their personal and family lives.andrdquo;
Review
and#8220;Contributions range from predictable to shocking, in-control and overwhelmed. Some artists have full-time jobs; many are parents. . . .[Louden is] telling it like it is.and#8221;
Review
"Loudenand#8217;s collection offers valuable lessons on striking a balance between the need to make money and the need to make art; for if making art is the primary concern, making money becomes a means to an endand#8212;not the end itself. . . . Though written about the unique experience of fine artists, Living and Sustaining A Creative Life is worth the read by anyone seeking to build a life of artistic intention without ignoring the need for monetary sustenance."
Review
andldquo;Extraordinary. . . . Louden has initiated a public discussion of how an artist can persist. Itandrsquo;s an essential question in a field that no one chooses for its assurance of financial rewards. In many ways, Loudenandrsquo;s book helps us to answer the question, andlsquo;How does an artist make a living today?andrsquo; . . . Louden makes an important contribution to the discussion of how art is made now by the vast majority of artists at work. The book is a reality check prompting us to recall that invention doesnandrsquo;t happen without determination. As these artistsandrsquo; testimonies so vividly show, history, theory, and criticism are activities dependent ultimately on the hard-won production of art.andrdquo;
Synopsis
Primarily designed to help visual art students make the transition from art school to their own practice, THE PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR THE EMERGING ARTIST is also an excellent resource for practicing artists. This ENHANCED SECOND EDITION continues to focus on all aspects of the emerging artist's career-studio practice, including developing ties in the art world, documenting work, making digital images, exhibiting art, writing about art, taking on curatorial responsibilities, addressing financial and legal concerns, and attending graduate school, with added emphasis on art in the digital age. The text demonstrates how students can make things happen for their careers, in addition to helping them find and approach already-existing outlets for their work.
About the Author
Sharon Louden is a practicing, professional artist living and working in Brooklyn. Her work has been exhibited at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, Birmingham Museum of Art, Neuberger Museum, and the Weisman Art Museum, among other venues, and it is held in the public collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art, Weatherspoon Art Museum, and National Gallery of Art.
Table of Contents
Prefaceand#160; Sharon Loudon
Introduction and#160;Carter E. Foster
Essays
Adrienne Outlaw
Amanda Church
Amy Pleasant
Annette Lawrence
Austin Thomas
Beth Lipman
Blane De St. Croix
Brian Novatny
Brian Tolle
Carson Fox
David Humphrey
Ellen Harvey
Erik Hanson
George Stoll
Jay Davisand#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;and#160;
Jennifer Dalton
Jenny Marketou
Julie Blackmon
Julie Heffernan
Julie Langsam
Justin Quinn
Karin Davie
Kate Shepherd
Laurie Hogin
Maggie Michael and Dan Steinhilber
Maureen Conner
Melissa Porter
Michael Waugh
Michelle Grabner
Peter Drake
Peter Newman
Richard Klein
Sean Mellyn
Sharon L. Butler
The Art Guys
Thomas Kilpper
Timothy Nolan
Tony Ingrisano
Will Cotton
Conclusion
Ed Winkleman and Bill Carol
Acknowledgements