I always have the most interesting conversations with my fellow artists because it always provokes further thought.

Today was about “quality” and “respectable” galleries and venues. Do you think that just because someone doesn’t follow another’s rules that their work lacks quality or respectability?

I wonder if it is better to be told that an artist needs to meet “standards” or if one should “make” those standards. Isn’t it better to be wanted for who you are rather than be dictated to?

I come from a very strict background on one hand, but a very free-flowing mindscape on another. My father was a stronghand, he had certain expectations that had to be met, he had certain values that he wouldn’t tolerate being compromised. But one thing he always told me was to set my own rules. I didn’t really understand what he meant, because he wasn’t a real good demonstration of this ideal, but I understand now, some years after his death, that was his heart and soul talking to me, and if he could do it over again, he would. My years in the military taught me structure, taught me order, and what it was like to be confined. Now, I have been out of the military longer than in it (I retired in 97), and I am understanding more and more of what it means to make my own rules. I am understanding that the value of social pressure can be used for good, but it is also very detrimental. While it isn’t quite “Lord of the Flies” here in Kelowna, there is tremendous social pressure to conform, to only do certain things, to be friends with only certain people yadda yadda yadda. I never bought in to that sort of thing, and here is where my realization lies. Social conformity suffocates creativity.

My mother had the type of attitude that as long as it didn’t hurt anyone, anything goes, pretty much. She was/is so open minded it was irritating. But that was her gift, and one that still bugs me today for I can not consider one side of the argument without acknowledging, even grudgingly, the other. All points of view are valid, it is just choosing which one you want to adopt and fits in with your life. Just because “I” make certain decisions, or ask certain questions, doesn’t mean that YOUR decisions or actions are wrong.

In January of this year, I turned my studio into a cooperative venture with three other artists. This is going so very well, beyond my most imaginative dreams. With less time at the RCA, I have noticed a reduction in my requirement to “conform”. Odd, isn’t it. But it is a public building, it is an institution with its own rules and regulations. By reducing the exposure to these sorts of structure, I feel my mind has become much more freer – “slipped the surly bonds” of social conformity so some extent, and now certainly working on the remainder. Lately I’ve had trouble painting larger works – mostly I have been doing 5×7s, 6×8ss, you know, that sort of thing, and I couldn’t figure out what the problem was. Well, I was growing, that’s what the problem was. Growth is seldom easy and mostly painful and confusing.

Below is an excerpt from an email to a friend of mine, where I am discussing what is going on in terms of art making, and attitude:

“and it is from our conversation that I think I have it figured out, just a little – and why I am doing the sculpture now, and doing sculptured drawings, and why the paper needs to be so big. I need the room, to shape and transform the space. ….. Anyway, that is what has been going around in my brain – I’ve been so used to conflict, and working from conflict, that the process of creating from a space of peace is/was foreign. It is like I am learning a new language.”

Art is really a process that illuminates what is going on within, if we pay attention. For me, the process of working with clay, adding, subtracting, being malleable, and then solidifying over time, finally to firing, is a parable for social conformity. Now I am working with stone, carving out, revealing the subject within, chipping away the rigid boundaries – I’m seeing a parallel of a path to independence and maturity….

Regarding respectability, I don’t think there is a correct answer, right for everyone. I only know the questions and comments I make to myself: By being told what standards you will adhere to, the walls of a box are created, and then you inhabit that box. That’s someone else’s box. By defining what standards you adhere to, you become known for a certain thing – is respectability all that it is cracked up to be? Does quality require respectability? Do you want to be respectable, or do you want to be alive and carefree and happy? Do you want people to want you for who you are or how you toe the line. The first is freedom and bliss and shooting for the stars, the second is chains and handcuffs and stormy clouds. At least in my world.

For my art, I will take care of the quality and respectability will take care of itself.

One thing that I have always prided myself about my group is that we treat our models like gold. It is very disturbing to me when I find out that some artists have been unkind or disrespected one (or more) of my models. Yes, I confess, I still think of these people as “my” models, and I am very protective of them.

I think it is because when I was in University I remember some of the comments made to the models by other students that horrified me, comments made to me by my models when they worked at other places about how they were treated. I could see how these things affected them, and I don’t accept when it happens to others. MOST ESPECIALLY when these are people who have graciously consented to be a model for our benefit. Yes, they are paid, however, just because they are paid does not give ANY ONE license to be rude or unkind or ungrateful.

Now what exactly do I consider rude or unkind or ungrateful? I am going to be very blunt:

Comments that have to do with a person’s appearance – how they did their hair, how old (or young) they are, what their body type is, how thin or not, physical challenges. THESE things you keep to yourself, and keep your mouth SHUT – how would you like it if they were said to YOU?  If you don’t like what poses they go in to – then the NEXT pose, ask them for something specific. For THAT pose, deal with it, you’re an adult, aren’t you? Our models have been trained, either by me, or someone else, to ask the artists if they are working on something specific, and if you say nothing, then that means you will go with the flow. So go with the flow!

When a model is going in to position, unkind remarks, impatient remarks, or inconsiderate remarks are not appreciated. Remember that modeling is definitely not easy. Models can not read your mind, they can not see what it is that you want, and remember most especially that the body will only bend certain ways. Remember that not all models take pilates or yoga and no one is Gumby. If you become impatient with any model, or make any unkind remarks, I am sure I can arrange for YOU to be the model that day. Imagine THAT for a second.

If it is a regular session (ie poses 20 minutes) and you came prepared for one or two hour long poses (ie you brought one canvas) quite frankly that is YOUR problem, not the models, so don’t complain to them, or to anyone else. If you have been attending these classes for some time, then you should know what the routine is, you know where the calendar can be found (and if you don’t, it is here.). Don’t expect everyone else to bend to your agenda. Come prepared next time.

If a model needs to do stretches (most do), and you don’t like to do gestures, then don’t come for that period, or learn what gestures are really about and make them work for you! Gestures and short poses are a way for the model to enter in to their modeling “space” or “mindset”. Honour that! If you don’t like the pose, then find a creative positive way to deal with this challenge, make it work for you! Muttering under your breath, or chatting up your neighbour is not the thing to do.

All I can tell you is that rude or ungrateful comments are very hurtful to any models. Remember they are few and far between, and we are extremely LUCKY to have the people we do. I do not enjoy writing posts like this however it is necessary, and maybe someone will benefit from the description of drawing class etiquette.

So what is drawing session etiquette? Well, what follows is a fairly general list, but one that seems to work very well for Livessence:

1. You come to class about ten minutes before and get set up so that when drawing session starts, you are ready to go. This is for your benefit, not anyone else’s.
2. During the set up time, see if you can make contact with the model and tell them of any projects you are working on, to see if they can give you the specific poses you are looking for.
3. During the session, the model will usually ask if there is anything specific the artists would like to see – use this time to communicate to the model (if you haven’t already) about your requested pose(s).
4. Talking or not talking is up to the people who are there. If the majority are not talking, then consider keeping your chatter to a minimum.
5. Bring an ipod or other music device with earplugs. Please try not to sing, or dance.
6. Bring all your own materials and do not mootch.
7. During break, feel free to talk to other participants, ask about their methods, consider trading materials if it comes up.
8. Be respectful of break times.
9. Keep personal comments to a model to a minimum or not at all. Consider viewing the model as a member of royalty far above you, and you should be grateful and feel lucky to draw them.

I don’t think there is ever a problem in erring on the side of politeness and respect, in any sort of dealings. Be polite. Be kind. Just because you are the artist, you are not above the model, they are not your servant. Remember, the model ALLOWS you to draw them.

I welcome comments of any kind.

Read the first part of this blog post at http://juliatrops.com/blog/2009/11/23/deservingartistprices What follows will make more sense….

or not….

I am reasonably sure it is the European culture which still pervades our society today, where hard work is necessary in order for something to be given weight and value. Tilling the fields and milking the cows are all very valuable skills and required duties at one time, but come on, in this day and age, how many companies milk their own cows? Even the farmers are subject to mass reproduction agriculture no differently than it pervades the art community with its giclees and prints.*

Art is not hard work

Art is not seen as hard work. Anyone can copy another’s work – it takes no brains and no talent – but, I challenge you to come up with an original concept and an original execution, pay for the supplies and the methods to market the work, not to mention the time to do all this, and tell me again how easy and inexpensive it is. And you wonder why we price our works they way we do.

Though, as an aside, I have to say that giclees and prints* are priced outrageously and people will buy them, and I shake my head every time. The pricing of mass produced items to originals is completely out of alignment. Next time you want to buy a giclee/print* take a hard look at the price compared to an artist who does originals. And if you want that artist’s work that bad, save (I know, it is a four letter word) for it, or ask if there is a layaway plan.

In Kelowna, despite public outcrys of admiration and support for artists and art, artists continually get the short end of the stick. Most certainly, I have been vocal about my dislike of silent auctions and art, I have been vocal to artists encouraging them to be smarter about who they donate to, and to make their donation relevant. I have been vocal about artists who I consider foolish enough to put original artworks in silent auction with no return whatsoever. An income tax receipt is a poor substitution for cold hard cash, so don’t tell me I’m getting something! I still have to claim the artwork as a sale even though I received no funds!

Local artists are soaked for entry fees in to such events as Music and Arts Festival (which promises the potential of exposure and sales) even though I remember advising to keep the artist booth prices down because of the local economy and attitude towards artists. (A side opinon: the Music and Arts Festival or Life and Arts Festival, whatever you want to call it, needs to be run by a BUSINESS, not a non-profit.) And when artists donate artworks to actual gallery formats such as the recent Evergreen Art Gallery at the Rotary Centre for the Arts, where all the art had solid gallery appraisals, some attendees, who can easily spend $200+ per ticket, ask “where’s the deal?”

Castanet, the local news website with a forum for discussion refuses to have art subjects in their “Entertainment, Food, Literature and the Arts” section because of lack of interest and the perception of advertisement in discussing our (art related) events. Here we are, the lowest income bracket and we give to charities and support our community, yet this public forum gives no inch. I find that very embarrassing. But, this forum will discuss what you are reading, and all the concerts and music you wish, and, well, perhaps that is the mentality of that forum – so in otherwords, don’t look for any brainiacs at Castanet. I’ve already tried.

At Night of the Arts recently, November 19, Charlie Hodge was quoted as saying “it is the artist everytime that steps up to the plate”. Yes it IS the artist who steps up to the plate, because we know what it is like to have nothing, and hope, (though some may deny this), that maybe, just maybe, through the charity’s nebulous promise of exposure, someone will search us out and actually purchase an artwork from us because they like our work.

It hardly ever happens.

Why?

I believe a number of factors are at play here:

• social mindset that local art is somehow inferior
• social mindset of art at silent auctions “where’s the deal”
• social mindset of artists who feel “pressured” to give works to charities

Local Art is Inferior?

Those with the means to purchase original art in this city rarely go and search out local artists, instead they rely on the galleries. Fair enough, it has been done that way for at least a hundred years, why change it now? :-/ Local artists are the grassroots of the city, the people who support the community when they can’t afford to, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find many of them at the Foodbank. Yet we give and give and give. What comes back? Some good karma, eventually, I guess. Maybe this lifetime or the next, but how well does that pay this month’s bills? Try taking that to the bank.

It seems art is only valued if you pay for it. The same people who attend $200 a ticket dinners have no problem going in to the commercial galleries and spending thousands of dollars there, yet they ask “Where’s the deal?” at a fundraiser, where an artist out of the goodness of their heart, has donated a work.

If my work is good enough for your silent auction, isn’t it good enough for you to purchase? I am so tired of being told, “I’m going to wait til the next silent auction to pick up a piece of yours”. Well, keep waiting, buddy, it ain’t goin’ to happen. I’ve also been told, “oh yes, I am going to buy a piece after you donate.” That worked on me a total of ONE time. A new policy I am instituting in the New Year “with every purchase, I am happy to donate to your favourite charity a work of equal or lesser value.”

For those artists who feel “pressured” to give works to charities:

Ask yourself this question, it’s an important one. Are you a professional artist or a hobbyist? A lot of people think they are professional artists these days. Everyone can draw, we know that, everyone can paint, everyone can sing, everyone can act – the difference is what do you do with that ability, how do you use it and do you respect your talents?

Is your intention to make the majority of your income from your art? Do you have a pst number? A gst number? A business name, a business license? Do you spend the majority of your time on your art? Do you give your artwork the respect and honour it deserves as a creation from your heart, mind, body and soul? Have you committed to your work? Do you have a specific place for your work where you can go to create – (it could be something as informal as a corner in the dining room, or an unused bedroom etc)? Do you have a firm price structure? Do you deserve the prices you put on your work, or do you just give most of it away anyway?

It is my contention that the social mindset regarding art at fundraisers, and I am told by artist friends around the globe, that Kelowna is not special in all this, is one of “Where’s the deal?” We as professional artists need to stand together as a group, locally and globally, and say no more! We need to change the social mindset of donating to charities. Charities are big business, don’t fool yourself otherwise. No more donating original art to silent auctions unless it is specifically relevant, no matter what income level it is directed to! Don’t believe the hype of “you will get exposure”. Unless your name is specifically mentioned in all the advertising, don’t bite the hook! If you are a professional artist, stand your ground. This is one of the important times in your life where you can’t cave in to perceived social pressure. Hold on long enough and the social pressure you are feeling right now will be turned back to the fundraisers. The perceived social pressure will require them to treat you fairly.

And why shouldn’t it? Art is hard work.

*prints refers to anything mass produced, not original prints from methods such as authentic handpulled lithography, intaglio, silkscreen etc.

We are in a creative field where “deserving” is a dirty word. Deserving is one word in which no one, as an artist (visual, performing or otherwise) in their right mind would ever admit out loud is part of their vocabulary when referring to themselves. People who work in other industries such as the financial or medical or litigation worlds, for example, would have no problem saying “I deserve that raise!” and likely get it, simply for standing up for themselves and making their needs known.

Providing these can be substantiated either with education or experience or ability, artists deserve the prices they put on their original works. I am not going to get in to mechanical reproductions here aka giclees and/or prints*, because I do not believe the prints* are worth the paper they are printed on. (You either agree with what I am saying and understand what I am saying, or you don’t. Quite frankly, I don’t care either way. I am not looking for a cheering section and if you agree with me, you already understand that too.)

This concept is important enough that I need to repeat it: Providing these can be substantiated either with education or experience or ability, artists deserve the prices they put on their original works. It doesn’t matter if it took me 5 minutes to create the work, 5 hours, 5 weeks or 5 months. The artwork is done when it says it is done, it is my soul speaking, my heart, my mind and my body creating it. A work that took 5 months could be seriously overworked, and a work that took 5 minutes could be overworked as well.  There is a departing point where the artist is in control and then when the artwork takes over. Part of the skill of being an artist or even a creative being is knowing when that point is, when the point of the artwork being its own being has occurred. An actor can overact. A singer can over sing. A writer can go on and on and on… much like I am doing right now…..

An original artwork is an individual. Because of this individuality, the artwork deserves respect as its own being. Part of this respect includes giving it the recognition and honour in the outside world. Are you independently wealthy? Are you a bored housewife (as I was once accused of being – can you imagine me ever bored? I didn’t think so, and Suzy Homemaker I am not), or someone who doesn’t need a job because their other half is supporting them? Then anything you get for your work is a bonus, right?

Now I need to be completely blunt as this wishy-washy beating around the bush is driving me crazy. As a professional artist, you make the artwork, you put a price on it -  those people who say “artworks from the heart have no price” do not need to make any money from their art to pay their bills, they are either independently wealthy, bored housewives, or have a secondary source of income where they do not need to rely on the sales of their work to survive. These people are not professional artists, they are hobbyists.**

And, if the artwork is priceless, then by all means, pay me a million dollars for my work, because aren’t you getting a great deal!

part 2 continues here. http://juliatrops.com/blog/2009/11/23/deservingartistprices2/

*prints refers to anything mass produced, not original prints from methods such as authentic handpulled lithography, intaglio, silkscreen etc.

**I’m not going to get in to the discussion about artists on grants, that’s a separate blog post.

I received an email the other day asking about what to consider when being a life model, and what sort of tips I could pass on. I wrote the gentleman back, and was very honest and open and direct about the expectations of what a person can expect when they become a life drawing model. I have very high standards for life models because I value them that much. A good life model is an invaluable resource. Anyway here is my response:

Dear XXX, Thank you for your email.

I do run some model training here in Kelowna. Currently, I do not have any sessions set up until the new year, likely in Jan or early Feb. For your info as well, a friend of mine who has modelled for me for about five years now may be setting up some regular model training sessions. I don’t know what her costs are yet, but let me know of your interest.

I am going to be a little harsh in this email. Please note that this is not directed at you but simply a statement of how it is – at least from my eyes – and I have gone through a great number of training sessions and have handled many many questions over the years. I am going to include the most common ones for you. Again, this is just information for you to consider, so that you know what the scoop is, and what the expectations are, okay?

To get you started – please visit our drawing society webpage – http://www.livessence.com and click on the link for Model Information. There are some videos you can watch done with the drawing group and a few of our current models. Lower left hand side.

I suggest you sign up for Model Mayhem – http://www.modelmayhem.com, and as well, consider doing a general websearch for “life drawing models”, as there is a ton of information out there. Another thing I would have you do is to look at artists either in the library or on the web, who’s work focuses on the human form. Consider why they do what they do, what is it they are looking to express in their work, what is it that you see.

I would also be interested in why you want to be a life model. If it is to get an artist rendering of you, I would suggest you go the commission route rather than putting in the time to be a life model. It is my time you are using as well as the time of about five other artists in your training. For commissions, take a look around at the members of Livessence or other artists in the community find someone’s technique/voice that you like. Lots of photographers in the Okanagan area work with the human form too. This may be more satisfying for you and Model Mayhem would be a good starting point. If I train you, I expect you to model on a regular basis, if that is not your intention, please do the commission instead.

When you model for us, we pay you hourly. You sign a waiver giving up all rights to any artistic images produced during your modelling session, and what happens to them afterwards. You do not automatically receive artworks based on you and we do not appreciate it when models ask for them. Some artists are generous and offer works as gifts, and that is what they are – but please do not ask for them for free, as it indicates a lack of respect for the artist’s ability and the work itself.

If you are concerned about erections, I suggest you pose in front of friends or even family, and remember that there is absolutely nothing sexual about being a model, we artists can be quite clinical. We don’t speak (usually) during a session, our interest is in our artwork, not you personally, and during drawing, you could be a piece of fruit for all of our interest. Think of it this way, we are taking down your information with as much sexual or sensual feelings as we would your driver’s license. Sorry to be harsh, but that is the way it is. During breaks or before or after class, we are happy to get to know you as a person, but during sessions, we are focused on the art and the expression of that art.

Simple rules of modeling: Be reliable, be on time, no gum chewing, drinking or eating, adjust until you are comfortable in the beginning then hold the pose, be aware of your form, if you need a break say so as we don’t like to see our models faint. Don’t be a superhero and think you can hold a pose when it is obviously physically impossible. No hitting on or flirting with the artists. Ask artists if they have something they are working on. Remember to change attitude (ie who you are facing) each time – if person A has a back next they get a front, or side etc. Bring a kimono or housecoat to sit upon. No leaving the room wandering around unless you are fully dressed. If there is a break, put your kimono on, as there is a very clearly defined time when you are posing and when you are not.

Regarding poses, anything you would find in a nudey magazine is not interesting – we aren’t looking for the “come hither”. For photographers, it may be, depending on their own artistic goals, but for us, it is not.

Some of these are the realities of being a life model – it is best you know this up front. But having said that, there is more to being a model than just being nude or posing. You will discover this as you go along and gain experience.

Hope that helps, and I wish you all the best.
Julia