Make Art a Living

09/08/2024

I was working at an art gig tonight at the Unscripted Hotel and was surprised when I had to pay for parking. I learned that ALL employees have to pay for parking in the hotel's very spacious garage. I was there for under 4 hours and was charged $10. Parking is an absurdly unfair expense for hotel employees. Please take a second to sign this petition!

Demand Unscripted Hotel to Waive Parking Fees for Employees

03/09/2024

03/08/2024

A selection of photographer Evan Kafka’s work—including many of his “Trophies”—is up through March at the Blowers Gallery in UNC Asheville’s Ramsey Library. These animals are very much alive, in life and in these images, where Evan has captured their personalities and spirit, just as he does with his human subjects. is one of my all time favorite photographers and humans. He shot for Bloomberg when I was a photo editor in NY, and he moved with his family to Asheville a decade or so ago. His photos of babies are truly EPIC and currently GIGANTIC on billboards across the globe.

03/27/2023

This talk sounds interesting and compelling. Charleston friends who love art and care about the natural world, this is a special opportunity to hear about how artists can use their work to bring the natural world--its beauty, vulnerability, and need for active, substantive and sustained support from humankind--into view. What an outstanding panel of speakers! Plus it's free, but you'll need to register in advance.

What role do the arts play in advancing conversations about the environment and conservation? What defines the tradition of Wildlife Art and how is the field changing with the advent of social media? And how do we educate the next generation about the importance of protecting the health of our natur...

02/20/2023

The outstanding new show, Spirit in the Land, could also be called Conference of the Birds, the title of a 2019 piece by Maia Cruz Palileo (frames 8 & 9). The show is beautifully curated and confidently, thoughtfully covers major ecological issues—but the birds swiftly if subtly upstage all things flora and fauna.

11/10/2021

LUMP has been making Raleigh artier for a quarter century! If you can, please support this campaign. I just received my “perk” today… an amazing (and framed!) work by Brenda Goldstein. 3 more days to go… support LUMP and start/complete your holiday shopping!

01/27/2021

Trio of artists making art a living to kick off this new year at ! These 3 small pieces brighten a kitchen corner and hold their own next to a very colorful spice rack. The top 2 share a city and even a gallery in common—Minneapolis and . My artist friend Russ White enclosed a note with his “Organ Ism #7” (2020) an intricate, delicate mixed media collage that I had purchased directly from his website. He made the colorful cartoony duck notecard likely with scrap paper and free time—such an extra personal touch, which can cost next to nothing and demand little time, is as good as gold in building a genuine, lasting connection with your clients—your supporters—which gives richer meaning to the living part of making a living. Plus, if your clients love quirky cutouts (etc!), you’ve tricked them into thinking of you twice as often! I’ll circle back to close with this post’s main event, the newest happy monster addition to my walls. But while I’m spotlighting the power of art extras, here’s a shoutout to cartoonist extraordinaire Liana Fink, whose astute and downright funny observations spark ⚡️ pages of The New Yorker. I’ve purchased one of my favorite originals from her, and she included this postcard size dog drawing ( managed to intern/shadow/assist TKTK) with that delivery. I’m guessing it was an extra from her 2017 fundraiser for the ACLU, where she sent her followers a dog drawing on a postcard to thank them for any donation over $40. What a smart way to help raise 💰 for a cause AND connect with your fans. Win win! (I have another postcard from that joyous early rebuke of the Cheeto.)
Okay, now to the monster in the middle! I snapped up this Barret Lee original from Gamut Gallery’s holiday-timed artist showcase. I really did buy it as a gift for , but it’s my new favorite painting pet—I’d say 2-D pet, but he’s clearly 3-D as he wraps around the canvas. It’s the little details I love—in the art and the relationships with artists and galleries. Here’s to making art a lively, fulfilling living.

06/27/2020

Graphic designer and cofounder of New York magazine, Milton Glaser was still making work and part of the conversation this year. Featured on his (also) iconic Dylan poster is a typeface of his own design. It’s called Baby Teeth, and I ❤️ that B. He died yesterday on his 91st birthday. ❤️NY .glaser.studios @ New York, New York

01/05/2020

I love this utterly candid shot by Robert Rauschenberg of Jasper Johns and artist and textile surface designer Lois Long. RR, JJ & LL—the alliteratively named stick together. Lois Long and John Cage would later collaborate on the recently rereleased and timelessly useful “MUD BOOK: how to make cakes and pies” children(of all ages)’s cookbook of sorts. @ the Gibbes museum

12/21/2019

Late night, early morning, old friends, new spaces, new work. I would freeze time tonight and travel back through it, too, with and . Jonathan’s new solo show is one return of now XIII years to a day, a particular date. The trees are old, the rocks older, all out of this time’s quick pull and hold on us. Tomorrow, I’ll see more of ’s new work at the . Follow and for the work of two of my favorite photographers. @ Studio 375 Depot

11/16/2019

My neighborhood’s streets and sidewalks keep stating (adamantly) this one* directive.☝🏼

*Except for one slab that says Loate.

10/11/2019

Highlights from the Cosmic Rhythm Vibrations show, up now at the Nasher. @ Nasher Museum of Art at Duke University