A lot has been written about employment recovery and how we have begun to shift into a new economy where unfortunately, I see some being left behind.
But I am not the economics guy. Instead, I'm more like an arts meteorologist who observes the weather of the arts for future patterns.
Recently, while on Facebook, the posting of a friend and the responses to his post made me wonder if maybe the old saying that the more things change, the more they stay the same was really true.
On the surface, he was complaining that his lack of income was because of his unwillingness to sacrifice his standards to some art scene game. He assailed against a litany of modern vices that unfortunately, a lot of folks have stereotypically assigned to artists.
And while your parent's generation had their own cubbyhole for artists depicting them with short mod hair, chain smoking and even wearing a beret, this new list was a bit shocking.
In short, I, like most who replied, found it a bit absurd.
There are plenty of reasons why an artist is a success. To the best of my knowledge, one key factor for almost all financial successes is the ability of the artist to find or connect with an individual (the patron) or an audience.
Some artists are born geniuses. Others have the misfortune of being born out of sync with their times. But, eventually, their work does connect.
Our region has always had a great relationship with their artists but during the reset of the past 10 years, something has felt off a bit in the wake of our recovery.
There are no shortages of places to view art from our public arena with our town squares and many coffee shops. Artful events on a grander scale, whether it is during Festival for the Arts or the newcomer, ArtPrize, typically draw large numbers for a free look-see.
But I would be remiss in my duties as art meteorologist if I didn't say I am not seeing the same energy around art buying that was there just a decade ago. It is as if there has been a silent withdrawal of support for purchasing art. Maybe this was the root of the issue my friend was having but could not articulate.
It is easy to write off this financial support, saying the budgets are tighter than they were a decade ago. For the more thoughtful and scholarly, the fact that access to imagery is advancing at such a rapid rate means we cannot slow down long enough to make a decision. And, as they say, when presented with too many choices, we simply make none.
And if this is truly a reboot and we are at a new beginning, then I think I may have found a place to bring the community back to the table.
While attending a preview event at UICA's new space, I wandered through the SEVEN 11 exhibition made up of area artists who were asked to contribute a piece of art exactly 7 x 11 inches.
Sure, many of the works displayed did not move me, while others just had me scratching my head about whether anyone would adopt them at all.
This, however, is not the point I want to make here. The point is these are visually represented voices in our community and the works of art all have validity. They do matter. While many of the pieces shown may not be for me, they nevertheless enriched the walls of the new UICA with their diversity of thought, color and style.
After much viewing, I purchased a lively image of Colonel Sanders' head mounted on a featherless, butchered and plucked chicken by GVSU Professor of Art, Brett Colley.
The cost?
A bargain: A mere $25 for any of the images that hung on the wall. (There is one wall where the works are $50.) Each one of these images represents an artist's voice looking to find a home.
This show is a fundraiser for the new UICA and presents a great way for all of us to get into the act of buying local art. It also showcases so many new artists that it is unlike any exhibition we have seen in a long time.
So, the times may have changed, but that is not to say the party is over for the fine artists of our region. And with new spaces like UICA joining the ranks of other community-building organizations and establishments in our region, we get a chance again to be reborn into something new.
The fact that any of us can posses the capacity to love something like art with all its mystery and secret languages is truly genius at work.
The Future Needs All of Us (To Support Local Artists.)
Tommy Allen
Lifestyle Editor
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