Studio Chats 1
In the words of Bob Marley, “Sun is shining, the weather is sweet, makes you want to move your dancing feet”… It’s SPRING, Indiana is thawing, and it seems like the perfect weather for porch cocktails. I’m not on my porch right now, but I am drinking a G&T and chuckling over some recent questions I received when I asked some of you what this first blog should be about. Speaking of which, keep reading for a bonus round with answers to these questions at the end: “What is the airspeed velocity of a coconut laden swallow?” “Would you rather own a horse the size of a cat, or a cat the size of a horse?” and lastly, “Where to catch huge smallmouth bass.”
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Who is your favorite historical landscape painter? I have to pick one!? Maybe 3. Albert Bierstadt for the dynamic arrangement of his scenes. Max Ernst for his magical, bizarre, unreal and yet so lifelike, places. Berthe Morisot for her use of brushstrokes and movement with the paint.
How did you start to promote your art as a business? It was 2016, a full year since graduating college with a degree in English and Art, and I had absolutely no idea what to do next. My dreams to make art for a living felt so out of reach. A timely phone call from my former art professor Jeff Morton gave me the push I needed to at least believe in myself. He said, “I really think you should make art.” And as it turned out, believing I had something to offer was a good place to start.
A few days after that phone call, I made plans to move to Indianapolis for a 10 week internship at an art center called the Harrison Center. Before I made the drive from Chattanooga to Indy, I stopped by a car mechanic with my 1990 Honda CRX that was approximately 30% rust to check my tire pressure, top things off, etc. The first thing he asked was, “You aren’t about to make a trip are you?” It wasn’t that anything was particularly wrong with my car - everything was wrong with it, he assured me. It would not make it to Indianapolis. Somewhere deep down I knew it wouldn’t be the first time I would hear, “It can’t be done,” as I embarked on my painting career. More often than not, that would be my own inner voice. I’ve never been so relieved to arrive anywhere than I was to arrive in Indy a few days later, Honda and dreams still intact.
Soon after moving to Indy, I realized fear was the main thing stopping me from having a career making art. Fear of what? I wasn’t even sure. But I sure was a nervous Nelly when it came to putting myself out there. In the Seinfeld episode, “The Opposite,” (Season 5, episode 22), George gets fed up with his gut instinct and decides it’s the root of all his problems. So he does the opposite of everything he wants to do. This became my battle cry that year. That year became an exercise in facing my fears more than anything else.
Funny story. One afternoon I decided I was going to walk into a fancy restaurant and ask them if they would hang my art on their walls, for sale. I was so nervous, I rehearsed in the bathroom mirror for hours. I rehearsed so long, in fact, that by the time I stepped inside the restaurant it was 5:30 pm, the middle of the dinner rush. I’m going to do what I came to do, I told myself. “Next!” The host called. I stepped up and asked for the manager. The host looked confused, but proceeded to bring out a very tall, flustered man from the back of the kitchen.
“Yes?!” He asked, towering over me.
I promptly forgot all my lines and instantly realized my mistake. This was not a good idea. The timing was truly the worst it could be. I said it anyway. “I’m a local artist, and I was wondering if you might be interested in hanging my work here in your restaurant?” I had a painting in my arms for reference, which I held up for him to see. His face flushed even redder than it was, and he hissed, “Does this look like a restaurant that features local art?”
After crying in my car for a good 30 minutes I looked in the rear view mirror and told myself, “That was not well executed, but it was pretty gutsy, and that feels great. Good for you. And he’s a jerk.”
So, to quit my yapping and sum up the answer to the question, “How did I promote my art as a business?”… It was a lot of stepping out of my comfort zone, albeit clumsily at times, and telling businesses about my art. I would research their business and come up with an idea for a painting that represented what they were, and pitch it to them for a centerpiece in their lobby. For every 100 businesses I reached out to, maybe 1 or 2 responded. I would also set up my easel and paint downtown, passing out business cards to people walking past. The most important part of that year was the aspect of strengthening my courage muscles, which was done a little more every time I did something that made me scared.
How do you balance artistic creativity with business mindedness? Think of it like a mullet: business in the front, party in the back. But in all honesty, I’ve tried to apply mindsets I’ve learned through the creative process to my business. For example, much of creating is about becoming more comfortable with the unknown outcome, and being open to new ideas and possibilities. Successful business is centered around many of the same ideas. Also, I hired an accountant. That was a game changer.
Tips for going full time painting? Write a list of all the ideas you have to make it work. Decide how much you want it. Strength your courage muscles. Be prepared to feel insecure and compare yourself to other artists… be compassionate to yourself in that, let that shit go, and remind yourself that your goal isn’t to be better than anyone else, but to do your best.
How do you choose a pair of shoes and how do they inspire your paintings? The shoe + painting connection is a wonderful thing. For context: several years ago, I decided to create collections inspired by a pair of shoes. The first set was a pair of neon yellow heels, the second was a pair of coral orange heels, and currently, this upcoming collection is inspired by iridescent lavender heels. What better way to stay inspired than to give yourself an excuse to buy a new pair of shoes??
Music? So many! Whitney Houston and Mac Miller to get up the feelings. Elton John, Mo-Town classics, Snoop, Tupac, Cardi B, and A Tribe called Quest to get the energy up.
And last but not least, the bonus round…
“What is the airspeed velocity of a coconut laden swallow?” African or European? (Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference). But in all seriousness, thanks to a quick google search I know that velocity = distance/time. And so, unfortunately, to tell you the velocity of the swallow I need to know the distance and time.
“Would you rather own a horse the size of a cat, or a cat the size of a horse?” I’m going to have to go with a horse the size of a cat, because the big cat thing gives me the heebie jeebies. A moody feline with fangs and claws 20 times bigger? No thanks.
“Where to catch huge smallmouth bass.” Before I poll my fishing expert, Josh, I’ll give this one my best shot. Save your patience and look for regular smallmouth bass. Those huge ones are huge for a reason. They’ve had years of experience getting plump as can be avoiding fishermen like you, and probably won’t be easy to catch. Ok, now let’s see what Josh says. “In Indy? The White River under the 86th Street bridge.” That’s very specific. There you have it.
Have the most wonderful rest of your week, everyone. It’s going to be great!
Xx,
Alicia
