Writing my animal grieving book, I had two visions. In one a tree filled with pink parakeets called me back to life and away from fear In another, Izzy and I were on a hospice call with a dying boy, and I saw the important of loving dogs in conjunction with people, and not apart from them.
On art. I am not an artist in the sense I make my living from art. I make my living as a writer, and publishing, while changing, remains quite vital, as is story-telling. I think the question is whether people can afford to live creative lives in America anymore. People don’t have much money to buy expensive art, and life is becoming complex. We need health care, computers, can’t get loans from banks, etc. – you all know the rest. So many are forced into bad jobs, if they are lucky, working for vast conglomerates that could care less if they are struggling or not.
I see the Creative Union show in July as a protest as much as anything else. Nobody is going to make much money selling things for $15, nor is that the goal. But I love the notecards and see them as the perfect vehicle for getting my photography out into the world. Maria and I both have this notion – we talk about it all the time – that people’s ideas about art and creativity are changing, as they often do in hard or traumatic times. My idea is that the road back to reconnecting people and art is selling good things cheaply, so they can have it in their homes and appreciate it once more. This happened during the Great Depression. I think it will happen here. I have a name, a blog, FB and other tools that most artists don’t have, so all the more important for me to stick my toe out and see what happens. It is a celebratory thing. I have received wondrous new gifts in my life – Maria, my photography, an audience for my work. And I want to celebrate all of them. Maria is finding her own footing as an artist, and that is worth celebrating as well. She deserves it.
As to the larger questions surrounding art and America, it’s a bit over my head. In our own corner of the world, it is exciting to explore it. Saturday, 1 to 4 p.m., Redux Art Gallery (directions on their website). A celebration of love, marriage, fiberart, photography. Nothing more than $15. P.S. Stonewall notecards are in and up on the Redux site. Donkey, Bartleby, and Rose cards on the way.
_
There are lots of other issues when it comes to art. Sometimes, I think art has become the work of the elite, making expensive works that people don’t want and can’t afford. Many of the artists I have met seem utterly disconnected from the public, and almost make it a virtue to create their work apart from people’s needs or tastes. One of the things I enjoy about working with Christine Nemec of Redux is that we pay close attention to what people like and buy. It matters. I think art has become disconnected from the public, which is why the public doesn’t seem willing to fight as hard for artists as the government fights for banks and auto dealers. Thinking differently about art may be a way to remind people that they need art, and can love it again.