art lesson by gardega

I recently came across another art blog----five posts total

 

http://surviveandthriveinthearts.blogspot.com/

Here, the owner of this blog laments about her non-profit going out of biz and she is out of a job. While I feel sorry for her, I think she is out of her mind.You CANNOT put your faith in any god or government or hope for salvation from anyone in art. you must have guts made of steel and a heart that is half iron/ half gold. If you take a victim role, you  will die in a failed and lost life. Maybe if daddy is rich you can start a fund or some such nonsense etc. but if you dont have that, then I would only rely on a single person--the man/ woman in the mirror. If you want to survive in NYC in the arts then you must step up to the plate. There is no room for whiners, for the weak, the non-profits wont save you and neither will I. Funny how (for the most part) the people who make a living in the arts are neither rich kids nor gov. trusters but rather guys  or girls who work their own fingers down to the bones and dont cry about the need for some bureaucratic  angel to come save them...Get off your ass and make something of yourself..earn your own respect.

gardega

 

 

 

A sigh of relief...Although brief.

I'm pleased to know that my barrage of emails to government officials the past few weeks might have helped save the arts - and maybe a phone call from Robert Redford. Yes that's right. According to an article in today's New York Times, "Saving Federal Arts Funds: Selling Culture as an Economic Force" Mr. Redford made a last minute phone call to Nancy Pelosi last week that may have helped change the vote to reinstate the $50 million for the National Endowment for the Arts. This historical stimulus plan that includes support and protection of jobs in the non-profit sector hopefully becomes a reality tomorrow when President Obama signs the plan into action. But when will those of us effected by these job cuts actually see a change? It's been over 3 months now since that gloomy day in November when I was told my position with an arts education non-profit was going to be eliminated.  I never imagined with my experience, education and creative resourcefulness that I'd still be actively on the job hunt with very few leads and growing more frustrated by the day collecting unemployment benefits. Yeah, I know shut up with the whining right? So while trying to remain fervently optimistic about the near future, here's what I'm doing about being out of a job.