Anyone who has friends who are artists or who talks to gallery owners know that art is taking a terrible beating in the recession. Good artists I know have sold little or nothing of their work for a year or more, and many are wearing out their retirement funds and savings and are looking for any kind of work. Many are giving up on their art, an awful thing to see. Publishing is in better shape – all kinds of reading going on- but is also struggling. During the Great Depression, American tried to take care of its artists. In the Great Recession, we protect banks and auto dealers. Cold country.
A country that cares nothing for its artists is going to be a barren place, I think. Do people still want art? Does it brighten their lives? Will they pay anything to get it? Can it still touch them? I think so, and I think art is needed now. I know from my photography that the light and images of the world touch people, and lift them up. It’s important. Perhaps if artists changed the way the made and sold art it would reach more people, and the politics surrounding art might change. That’s one reason we are committed to the “Creative Union: Affordable Art For The Times” art show from 1 to 4 p.m., Saturday, July 24 at the Redux Art Gallery in Dorset, Vt. Christine Nemec has graciously agreed to have the show in her very neat gallery.
Nothing will be sold for more than $15, including fiber art, potholders, cell and eyeglass cases, notecard photographs of the dogs, donkeys, flowers and stone walls in single cards and five-packs. You can check out the notecards and buy then on the Redux site, now or at the show. You don’t have to be there. And you can see Maria’s work on her lovely new website. None of us can make money selling things for $15, as everybody knows. But we also feel strongly it’s a way to make a statement about the power of art to touch people and mean something, especially in challenging times.
My photography has awakened me to the power of art. I think people do still want art, if artists can figure out how to reach them. I guess we’ll see in July.